One Hundred And Nineteen

One Hundred And Nineteen

Heading for the border we ran into a couple of weaselkin. They were wounded, one dragging a leg limply, the other with crude bandages wrapped around their bloody torso, the armour they were wearing dented and cracked. On seeing us their expressions brightened.Nnêw n0vel chapters are published at novelhall.com

“Princess! You have returned-turned!” one chittered. “And the master as well!”

“What is the situation here?” Shaeula asked, concerned at their injuries. “Where is my Kamaitachi? Where-where are the enemies?”

“We are making a stand-nd by the shrine.” The weaselkin answered. “We are ferrying weapons and arrows from the Armoury-ry, since we are too injured to fight properly. Still, many of us do not-not return, dying in ambush...”

As if their words were prophetic, another female wraith materialised out of the surrounding rubble, hands sharpened into ethereal claws, reaching for their necks. I was about to unleash my Foehn when Shaeula beat me to it, raising her hand and calling forth her own flames. An explosion rocked the wraith, which let out a dying scream before turning to ashes and leaving behind some ether.

I guess that Foehn was overkill then. Thinking about it, fire is usually good for purifying undead in stories. Light too, so maybe her dagger would have worked as well...

As I was thinking that, the two weaselkin were looking at Shaeula, awe in their expressions. She puffed up proudly as they began to praise her, amazed she could call upon the fire despite being a Fae of wind.

“I am not-not the princess you knew.” She crowed. “Along with my master, I have grown strong indeed-indeed, as these knaves who would dare intrude on our Territory and harm our subjects will no doubt find out-out!”

“Yeah, we can gloat later. We need to head to the shrine. We have to make sure your old territory is safe too, we have a lot of Ether Spires, and more importantly, the Throne there.” I warned.

At her nod we raced off to the shrine, the weaselkin following behind us. As we approached, the damage to the surroundings was magnified, and most of the streets were choked with rubble. Ahead of us a group of monstrous orcs were gathering, several dozen strong. They seemed to be split up into three distinct groups, one group well armoured and carrying heavy swords and axes, another more lightly armoured group with spears and pikes, and lastly a smaller group with heavy crossbows.

Crossbows, hmm? We could use those ourselves...

“Pig-faced abominations.” Shaeula sneered. “Not even the Unseelie court would use such brutes.”

“Well, yeah, Japanese orcs are rather more... uh, well let’s just say the tales they feature in are rather different in genre, and seldom for the ladies.” I managed lamely, noticing that the armour of the orcs was very... bulging... down below.

Shaeula retrieved her pinwheels, and after charging them and the metal coils with verdant energies she sent them out, whirling at the orcs from behind. They heard the humming and some of them turned, only to be neatly bisected, armour and all, with a baleful whining of shredded metal and shattered bone.

One of the orcs who was better dressed than the rest in heavier armour, carrying a massive two-handed bastard sword, tried to strike at the wires, only to look foolish as they swept away from the blow, then flitted back in, slicing through his arms.

The numbers seem low, but I guess they’ve done well to hold out without us.

“Welcome back my liege, it isssssss good to seeeee you both ssssssafe.” The kami hissed sibilantly. “Your return issssss timely indeed.”

“indeed, princess. I had feared if you did not return soon-soon there would be little to return to....” He trailed off, looking puzzled. “Something seems different about you, princess... wait, what is this?“ his eyes narrowed, and he flicked out a red tongue, tasting the wind.

Well, that’s pretty disgusting. Shaeula was glaring at him as well.

“You... you did not, did you-you?” the Kamaitachi looked distressed. “How will I explain this to your honoured mother? To think that you would choose this mortal who defeated you as your mate-mate, and even go so far as to bind yourselves...”

“Oh, do be silent.” Shaeula snapped. “I have not ‘gone all the way-way’ as the mortals would say, though we are connected now and I shall have no other. In due time...” she looked at me, her expression bright, yet somehow alluring, her eyes watery and her face flushed.

Looking away I coughed. Sorry, I’m with Eri. Stop looking at me so hopefully... but... I owe you a lot... ugh... this is not the time for this drama.

“... besides, what mother would not wish her daughter to snatch such a fine male-male?” she continued. “I will speak to her when next we meet, and Akio shall win her-her approval. I have much to discuss with her anyway. It has been long, and her neglect pains me-me.”

“If that is your wish...” the sickle-weasel said doubtfully. “But even if your mother approves, your noble father, and your siblings... they will be most-most wroth...”

“Oh. Yes-yes. Indeed they will be. My sister and Shaeraggo especially. They do dote on me-me, as they should for I am adorable. Yet they-they treat me as a fool, as a weak little doll to be protected. Yet where are they now-now, when I am in need?” she spat. “Nor could they protect me when my foolish pride led to my exile here-here. Only one could, Akio. Is it so wrong to crave he who defends and cherishes me-me? If my father or siblings take issue, then I shall have to educate them-them.”

Well, that’s quite the speech... I could feel myself heating up, embarrassed. Technically she was right and I had crossed the line with her, but it was to save her life, so... But then I did push her into the situation where she needed saving...

“If that is your will I shall say no more-more...” the Kamaitachi let out a long and bitter sigh. “Just try not to regret this.”

“I regret nothing.” Shaeula said pridefully. “In fact, my siblings and noble father will be awed at how-how I have matured!”

Feeling a little sorry for the long-suffering Kamaitachi, who had been with me since near the beginning, I changed the subject, to more pressing matters. Behind us the weaselkin had dumped off their loot, and I threw down the bolts and bows I was carrying too. “Anyway, can you fill us in on what’s going on? The place is a wreck, though luckily damage to the Territory-proper seems minor.”

The sickle-weasel nodded, relieved to be on a safer subject. “A few days prior, the roving bands of foes that were to our north organised, their numbers swelling. They then-then invaded, and with our forces we could do little to stem-stem the tide...”

I see. A full-scale invasion, and from fighting the orcs they seem like produced troops from a Spawning Spire. It’s Las Vegas all over again, only this time I’m the defender, and the timing couldn’t be worse, with the Anchor upgrading, meaning that anything we lose stays lost, and our defences are pitiful... That fat bastard from the casino would no doubt laugh at me if he knew I was now in his position...