Rupture: Rise of the Demon King (34 page)

They made it to Vicussa after a week of easy riding. The weather, while hot, was easy on the heroes, for there were no sudden thunder or dust storms. Seeko thought he might have seen a thunderbird once during the journey but did not get the chance to investigate.

As they approached the city, Seeko looked to the spire towering above the city and thought of Kazuma. He had deserved to see his hometown liberated. Instead, he was buried half a world away, never again allowed to step foot in Vicussa.

In Vicussa, Mori bought new clothing for Seeko, garbing him in dark gray and black. Seeko removed his Irenic colors and attained a black cotton tunic, a dark gray underskirt, and black britches. The clothes were of fine quality and were elaborately trimmed with gold.

The others switched into darker, gold-trimmed clothing as well. Keith kept his scarf, saying it still matched the Halcyon scheme of the black and gold. Somehow, Bianca managed to get a new cloak, even though Mori did not pay for her and everyone knew that she had little, if any, money.

Seeko saw a nice oak shortbow while shopping around for supplies. Intrigued, he picked up the bow, examining it. Then he glanced around, seeing Bianca and her longbow.
Nah.
He placed the bow back on the shelf.

When he looked around to catch up with Bianca, she was gone. Scanning around, he found her leaving the dusty market clearing and heading down a crooked road, taking her away from Keith and Hannet. It wasn’t like her to separate herself from Keith. Intrigued, Seeko pursued, staying far enough behind to stay hidden.

After rounding a couple of corners, he found her talking to a man garbed in a black robe. In Halcyon territory, this robe was a common enough sight, but something about this man was off. He stood too proudly to be seen with a weasel like Bianca. Seeko moved into the shadows to try to hear something, but he couldn’t make anything out.

Bianca handed the man a small pouch and after a slight nod was gone.

“You aren’t very good at tailing someone, Seeko,” Bianca said once the rogue was gone.

Seeko moved out of the shadows and approached. “Who was that?” he asked.

“Him? He was an old friend from the Shadow of Dawn. I owed him money.”

He didn’t buy that. “Really? For what?”

“For this cloak,” she said. “He made it for me.”

What was she hiding? She wasn’t going to tell the truth, so he relented. “Let’s get back to the others,” he said, gesturing behind him. “After you.” He wasn’t about to turn his back to her.

She nodded and went ahead. Seeko followed after, sure to keep watch on this bandit.
I’ll kill her if I have to. If it came down to her or the others, I wouldn’t even hesitate.

“Why wait?”
he heard someone say within.
“Her back is turned and she surely plans nothing but pain.”

Seeko hoped that wasn’t what she planned, but meant what he thought:
“If she does, she dies.”

But he hated himself for thinking it.

/ / / / /

A couple of days west of Vicussa, the company came upon the scratch on the earth named the Renthdra Gorge. The gorge cut several hundred feet into the ground, where a dry riverbed meandered far below. Vibrant colors ran along the cliff edges, red, orange, and pale green being the most prominent. A simple suspension bridge crossed the thousand-foot gorge, its weathered anchors and worn decking made of a hard black wood.

“We have to cross this?” Seeko asked, glancing to a fraying rope.

“Scared?” Bianca countered. “I’ve walked this way a thousand times. It’s safe and quick. The next fastest way requires us to go into the canyon.”

“On kitseans?” Seeko asked. “I don’t think so.”

“Exactly! So go on across, fearless leader!” Bianca said.

Seeko took a deep breath. Then he goaded his kitsean to move onto the bridge, which it did after a moment.
Just don’t look down just don’t look down just don’t look down …

The bridge rocked with every step. Seeko thought he could feel it sag as Keith, the second in line, trailed behind him. Soon everyone was on the bridge, each step wobbling the surface and reminding Seeko that he was only one misstep from a horrible death.

Seeko was halfway across the bridge when he noticed movement in the otherwise still grass on the other side. He squinted, summoning a fireball to launch in case it was an enemy.

The bridge sagged beneath the company. Bianca, last in line, cried out, “Bandits!” Seeko turned to look back when an arrow lodged itself in his shoulder. Facing back forward, he found three men standing at the other end of the bridge. One of them Seeko recognized instantly.

Yoshino!

The demon summoned a blade of air while the bandits behind him fired more arrows into their party. Seeko’s kitsean froze in place in the chaos and he tried to kick it forward. When that failed, he turned into fire to burn the arrow out …

… which only scared the kitsean more. Seeko converted back into his body and heard someone scream as his hearing returned. Then he heard Keith’s roar and the rush of wind.

Yoshino looked directly to Seeko. “Clumsy me,” he said as he swung the blade of air toward the ropes supporting the bridge.

The ropes snapped and Seeko’s heart dropped to the canyon floor. The bridge flipped sideways, casting everyone down toward the canyon. Weightlessness took over Seeko and company. He lost hold of his kitsean and morosely remembered another time when he was falling …

Take the plunge …
and the ground rushed up to meet them.

30: Shima

22 Seek, 112 AV: Day 211

Seeko’s sense of feeling returned first. He felt cool dust between his fingers.

Next was his hearing.

“… kill the girl. You had one job!”

“The demon sage put us up to it—”

“You weren’t supposed to destroy the bridge!”

“But we couldn’t disobe—”

“Just shoot some arrows into the body, fool!”

The words seemed a jumble to Seeko’s mind as his heavy eyelids finally strained to open, but through their narrow gaps, he could only see dust.

“I’m sorry—” But the words turned into gurgles. Seeko examined himself and was surprised to find that he had only been bruised. He recalled that the ground had seemed to rise up toward him, catching him, and now he was buried in a fine layer of dust.

“Hey!” he called out. “Hey—” He coughed up dust. “Is everyone okay?”

Bianca approached, cleaning what looked like blood off her knife. “Seeko, you’re awake.” She didn’t sound happy.

He bolted upright, ignoring the protests of his body. “Where is Yoshino?”

“Who is Yoshino?” Bianca asked.

“White hair, red eyes, master magician?”

“There wasn’t anyone like that down here. There were only a couple of bandits, waiting for us. I killed them off already.” She sheathed her knife.

“Is everyone okay?”

A wall of wind brushed the dust away as if to answer Seeko’s question. The dust rushed past, and Seeko saw Keith nearby, kneeling beside another person: Hannet. She wasn’t moving, and several arrows pierced her upper body. Bianca and Seeko rushed to them.

“She’s gone,” Keith said. A tear rolled down his face.

Seeko watched the man weep, not noticing the hand placed on his shoulder at first.

“She … She saved us,” Mori said from behind, her voice raw with emotion. She held Seeko. “She saved us with her earth magic—caught us before we hit the ground. The strain and … and the wounds from the arrows … It … It must have been too much—must have put out her spark.”

Keith spoke again. “She said she was leaving, but I didn’t know it would be this way.” Keith buried his head in her still chest.

Another friend gone … When will the death end?

“Never!”
Kerodesis responded.
“As long as you hold the power you do, others will try to take what you have! Nothing is safe!”

“You’re right. But I have to keep going. I can’t just give up.”

Bianca looked to dead Hannet. “Good riddance,” she said before stalking away.

Mori moved to help Keith up, but Keith blasted at her with wind. “Go away. I want to bury her alone.” He looked up, his normally sober face broken. “Follow Bianca.”

Seeko and Mori obeyed, leaving the miserable man to his task. They caught up with Bianca, who was wandering deeper into the canyon.

“What’s the plan now?” Bianca asked.

“Kazuma said the fourth portal was in this canyon,” Seeko said. “So maybe it’s not all bad.”

“So it was good that we fell into this canyon for more than one reason,” Bianca said.

Mori snapped, getting in Bianca’s face. “I don’t care how much you hated Hannet; to be happy that she’s dead is wrong!”

“You didn’t know her like I did.”

“She was a sweet girl! She never did anything wrong!”

Bianca looked away. When Mori moved to get in her face again, Bianca turned on her heel and strode off, once more into the canyon.

Mori sat next to Seeko, sad and angry. “I don’t like her, Seeko. She’s an awful person.”

“I know, but we need her to get to the final portal.”

“As soon as we get into Vornal Castle, let’s ditch her.”

Seeko smiled a weak smile. “Okay.” The duo leaned on each other, lamenting for the lost. The sun set quickly in the gorge, leaving them in darkness.

After maybe two hours, Keith stumbled toward them, dusty and dazed. “It’s done.” He fell face forward, sound asleep.

I’ve actually never seen him sleep …
Seeko gently moved off Mori, who had also fallen asleep.

“Guess we stay here for the night.” He looked around. “Guess I’m keeping watch too.” He sat back down next to Mori. However, despite his best attempts to fight his exhaustion, he gave in and fell asleep at her side.

/ / / / /

The next day came late to the company. The sun didn’t shine in the gorge until it was nearly noon. They woke up to find that Bianca had come back during the night, keeping watch with her longbow. After some talk and a weak breakfast, they went to Hannet’s burial site. Keith found a flower growing in the canyon somehow and placed it on the mound.

“Hannet was all I had left,” Keith said. “She saved me from myself. There were so many promises made that mean nothing now. She made those promises, knowing she was lying to me …” He looked up. “… knowing that this would happen.”

“Nyeri has her now,” Mori said, blinking back tears. “She’ll be eternally safe from harm—”

“I don’t want her with a damn god!” Keith said. “I want her here!”

Bianca shook her head. “She’s gone now, Keith. Get over it.”

Keith locked eyes with her and his face became marble. For a minute, Seeko thought Keith was going to kill her right here. Then he walked away. Bianca shrugged and followed while Mori held Seeko’s hand.

“I’m sorry, Hannet, for threatening you, for failing you,” Seeko said. “For getting you killed. You will not have died in vain.” Yoshino now was to blame for three deaths.

“I’m coming for you, Yoshino,”
he said through the Kikoeru.
“You will pay for your crimes.”

The utaru picked up their mindless chatter at the threat of violence, but Seeko could have sworn he heard Yoshino respond:
“Good luck.”

/ / / / /

After the visit to the grave, the four wandered deeper into the canyon, looking for both a way out and the fourth portal. Bianca, currently the most eager of the four, led. Seeko walked near Keith, trying to comfort him, while Mori covered the rear.

“Keith, are you okay?” Seeko asked eventually.

Keith’s eyes narrowed, but he continued to stare straight. “Imagine burying Mori, Seeko. Do you think I’m okay?”

“I’ve already buried two friends, Keith. I know what it feels like.”

“Do you? Do you know what it’s like to lose the only thing you have left?”

“You still have us.”

He rolled his eyes. “Oh yes. The demon-boy, his spoiled girlfriend, and a crazy bandit. Yeah. Leave me alone.”

“Fine. But don’t hide everything from us,” Seeko said, almost mockingly. “Open up. Talk to us. We’re here for you.”

He sighed. “Were we really that annoying?”

Seeko couldn’t help but crack a smile.

“I’ll talk to you if we ever get out of this canyon, Seeko,” Keith said. “I’ll
open up
, like you say. But you won’t like it.”

Seeko nodded again, eager to learn more about the mysterious man beside him.

They walked for several hours before they found anything. They came upon a scattering of bones, and the company drew their weapons, ready to defend themselves from the monster that had scattered the remains.

They crept through the boneyard when Seeko’s ears perked up. A strange noise, something unnatural, was coming from farther down the canyon. They approached guardedly, and as they did, Seeko recognized the cause of the sound.

“Do you hear that piano?” Seeko said as the sound became clearer.

“What’s a piano?” Mori asked.

“You don’t have them here? It’s a large musical instrument. You sit on one side and hit keys that produce sound. The songs are beautiful, if the pianist is good at it.”

“It is beautiful,” Mori said.

The four of them continued to head toward the source of the music. They rounded a corner in the canyon wall and soon found the origin of the melody. A young man sat at an elegant black piano, producing hauntingly alluring music. He was dressed rather strangely for Kismetia, wearing a long black coat that fell off the chair. He also wore black pants, shiny black shoes, and a black top hat. Only his cuffs and his undershirt were white, as was his short hair. He continued to play as the company approached; only when they were a few feet from the piano did he look up from the instrument. The man promptly finished his song, rose off the piano bench, and bowed.

Only then did Seeko notice the red eyes.

The man spoke, a rich tenor. “I’ve been waiting for you four.” He locked eyes with Seeko. “Seeko, the hero. You know, I have seen you both win and lose. Very interesting, if I do say so.” The man smiled, directing his gaze to Mori. “Mori. He’s something different, isn’t he?” He looked to Keith, concern actually evident in his eyes. “Ah, Keith. Sorry for your loss. You will find another.” Finally, he stared at Bianca. “You … Bianca, I believe? Jealousy and revenge will not get the results you look for. You won’t listen, but I say it nonetheless.” A smile crossed his lips. The smile hauntingly echoed another’s wicked grin.

It didn’t exactly look like his hated foe, but it had to be a trick of some sort. Seeko drew his blade. “Yoshino! What do you want this time?”

The man raised a hand. “I am not Kotei Yoshino, Seeko. I am his brother, Shima. Put that away. I will give you the necklace in due time.” When Seeko didn’t obey, he said, “I am nowhere near as strong as my younger brother. You would destroy me in a fight.”

This piano-playing demon guarded the fourth portal? “Why don’t I just take the necklace from you?” Seeko asked.

“I can help you understand Kotei Yoshino. Besides, what type of hero would you be if you just took what you wanted?”

“One that would get the job done,” Bianca said with a sneer.

Shima smiled. “How did you like my performance? I thought it was appropriate for what had just happened to you.” Shima cleared his throat. “Anyway, I have information to share.”

“Out with it, then,” Keith said.

“It’s for Seeko only.” Shima pointed to the canyon wall behind him. In the rock wall sat a cave entrance. “There lies the portal, Seeko. Only the hero may follow me into the cave. I don’t want to scare you, but I really need someone to watch the piano while I’m gone.” He laughed. “But seriously, only Seeko can follow me.” He rose a finger when they began to protest. “Don’t ask questions! Just do it!” He gestured to Seeko. “He’ll be fine. He’s a big boy.”

Bianca actually giggled at this, but stopped at a glare from Mori.

The demon moved toward the cave entrance. “Seeko, if you would be so kind as to follow me?” Seeko obeyed, glancing back at his friends and hoping this wasn’t the last he would see of them.

“You’re probably wondering why I have a piano or where the strange clothing comes from,” Shima began as they marched into the cave. “You see, I stole this clothing from some human on Earth, from 1828, I think. I also learned of this magnificent instrument, this piano, and have been mastering it in the years since.” He shrugged. “I’m going to tell you a lot about Kotei Yoshino. Feel free to ask questions.”

Seeko was, as usual, full of questions: “Why do you keep calling Yoshino ‘kotei’? It means ‘king,’ from what the Voice told me. He isn’t the demon king, is he?”

“He is not the king yet, but I have seen it for so long that I call him that. Already the Kikoeru, a timeless entity, obeys him, for the most part. His time will come, and go, as all kings are wont to do.”

“So he has mastered the Voice?”

The demon nodded. “I’m afraid so. He learned from the one called Mother.”

They reached the end of the cave. It opened up into a large room, the ceiling maybe ten feet high and the opposite wall could not be seen in the darkness. The portal swirled dimly in the center of the cave room, giving off just enough strange black light to see by. Seeko and Shima moved to the opposite side of the portal.

Shima stopped, looking into the darkness, and Seeko moved to stand in front of him. “I wouldn’t take another step if I were you.”

Seeko obeyed.

“Light,” Shima said.

Again Seeko obeyed, and a green fireball appeared in his hand. Only then did Seeko realize why he shouldn’t stand in front of Shima.

There
was
nowhere to stand in front of him. They stood on the edge of a precipice, the edge of a cliff that dropped into endless darkness. Seeko gulped.

“Yeah,” Shima said. He placed his hands behind himself and stared into the void. “I followed my brother through a portal like that one ages ago. He led us to the Halcyon emperor, where the demons created a pact with them.”

When it became awkwardly clear that Shima was done, Seeko asked another question: “Did he ever take a young boy to Earth?”

“I’m not all that aware of everything my brother has done … It is very convoluted. I do know that he’s helped himself multiple times, and in doing so constrains himself.”

“What do you mean?”

Shima smiled but his eyes hid something behind them. “The burden of knowing what will happen is more binding than the tightest shackle. I suppose I already bear that burden, as does Kotei Yoshino. At least the girl, Hannet, had the illusion that she could see different futures. It gives the seers the perception of free will.” Shima blinked his red eyes. “But there is only one path that time will follow. The one path that I have already seen.”