"I guess he wasn't a bad kid," Kiel observed as the ship moved away from Zahan. The group could still see Jun, firmly wrapped up in the arms of Domani as the other man cried with relief and hugged him tightly. "At least he's home, even if he doesn't remember home."
"He will soon enough," Nikado said with a smile. "The traveller's gate is over this way. Ameko, stop playing with the horse."
The princess shot the mare a glare, and the horse seemed to return it. "You know," Kiel observed, "they do say that two strong-willed women often don't get along."
"There's none more strong-willed than our Ameko," Nikado laughed.
"Both of you shut up," she growled. "I'm pushing this stupid beast overboard, so help me."
Kiel joined in the prince's laughter. "Kaitt is the most stubborn horse I've ever met. She always keeps me in my place. If she could wear pants, she'd be wearing them when it comes to our relationship."
"Have you had her a long time?"
"Since I was a kid. My parents got her for me. She grew up in the mountains of Tuhn, so she's a mountain horse. They're very strong, very smart. If you ever want a horse, a Tuhn mountain horse is the one you want."
Nikado nodded, looking over at the monolith that housed the traveller's gate. "Nikado?" Alex asked. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine, perfectly fine," he said with a quick wave of his hands. "I guess I'm just a bit nervous about going back. I did sort of run away from home." He gave them a lopsided smile. "If they lock me in my room, you'll bust me out, right?"
"Course I will. I don't help you, I don't get paid," Kiel reassured Nikado, patting him on the back. "I always watch out for the bottom line."
Ameko scowled as he led his horse off the ship, moving toward the monolith. "I still think he's obnoxious and greedy."
"I'm betting this sum of money has to do with his parents," Nikado said to her quietly. "Try to get along with him, okay? He needs our help and we need his."
"I'm getting along with him. How, I don't know, because he's really irritating. But I'm getting along with him." Ameko stuck her wand in her belt, disembarking from the ship, and Alex and Nikado pulled the ramp back up before jumping off into the sand. " Hopefully this little beach will keep her safe," Alex murmured. " At least until we get to shore and use the recall whistle."
"It'll be fine. Not like anyone comes out here," Nikado reassured. Going inside the monolith, he nodded to Kiel, taking in the swirling blue vortex set in the center of the temple-like structure.
"You have used a traveller's gate before, right?" Kiel asked him.
"Of course I have. This one goes home," he replied before stepping inside.
Kiel frowned as Ameko and Alex joined him, the other prince following him in. "Never met a man that looked so unhappy at going home," he muttered before he followed Ameko, Kaitt on her reins trailing behind him.
When the group emerged, Nikado was already being greeted by a pair of counselors, one shaking him by the shoulders and another weeping in relief. "There, it's okay," Nikado reassured, his face calm. "Where is my father? I wish him to meet the prince of Cannock and princess of Moonbrook."
"I'll let you guys go on ahead," Kiel said to them. "I'll let Kaitt rest here if you've got a good stable. She can use a nice enclosed space."
"Sure, go ahead," Nikado said, pointing in the direction of the stables. "Prince Alex, Princess Ameko, if you'll come with me."
Alex frowned at the sudden formality, but said nothing as Nikado led the way, around the winding halls that were similar to the other two castles and up to the throne room. Servants bowed deferentially as he approached, making sure to keep out of his way, and he barely acknowledged their presence, leading the way up the wide stairs to the throne where the King of Lorasia sat. "Father," he greeted solemnly. "I have returned. I deeply regret that my abrupt departure became necessary, but you will be pleased to note that thus far my trip has been successful. I now introduce to you Prince Alex of Cannock and Princess Ameko of Moonbrook."
The king nodded solemnly to Alex, who bowed, and then smiled as he saw Ameko, the woman giving him a bow as well. "I heard of the tragedy that befell Moonbrook, thanks to the courage and determination of one of your soldiers who has been laid to rest here. I grieve deeply for the loss of your kingdom, but I want to reassure you that you will not be without a home. I will welcome you fully into the halls of Lorasia, Princess Ameko. I entreat you to think of me as you would a father."
Alex saw the stiffness in her back at the last few words, but she showed no reaction in her face, keeping her head bowed. "Thank you for the kind offer, King."
"Son," he addressed Nikado, "I am upset at your leaving without permission, but given your current success, I will allow you to continue your journey for the sake of the world. Please keep your kingdom in mind when you travel. As for now, please rest and take refreshment, all of you. I welcome you into our home."
"If it pleases the princess, come with me," one of the servants offered. "I will draw a bath for you and provide you with fresh clothing." Another servant approached Alex, bowing as he gave the same offer.
"We have another traveller with us," Nikado told the king, "a guide with his horse. I humbly request that they be offered good treatment."
"I will be sure to offer them as such. When you are rested, son, I would like to speak with you."
Alex watched at Nikado bowed again, letting himself be led off by one of the servants. The man's face was calm, almost distant, and solemn, not the usual cheery expression he wore. Kiel had made an interesting point; Nikado didn't seem to be happy to be home, after all. Alex resolved to speak with him about it after Nikado had been fed and cleaned.
Ameko and Nikado were led in different directions, and suddenly Alex felt alone, vulnerable, almost naked without the two companions he had grown accustomed to seeing. Nikado and Ameko...he had shared meals and sleeping space with them, fought and risked his life with him, and he even had Nikado's blood inside of him, from the time he had died. Just when, he wondered, did it stop being companionship and a debt of gratitude and turn into something else?
Despite his anxiousness to speak with Nikado, he took his time in the bath, certain that Ameko and Nikado would both do the same. There hadn't been good accomodations since they had left Osterfair and Aeun's hospitality, since Wellgarth had not been well-equipped in its underground state. He imagined that with the place open to the outside and the potential for visitors now possible, the innkeeper might change that.
He sighed, looking up at the ceiling as he thought about the places he had been with Nikado and Ameko, wondering how the people they had met were doing. Sathal would probably still be tending to his bar, if Pazuzu hadn't managed to come after him, and the apprentices Riko and Kaso would be studying hard under the head priest. Talira would probably still be angry at them and only further motivated to find greater stores of riches, Anne and Shichiya would be riding across the desert together. Ephermis and Austin would be arguing constantly as they tended shop, Malanya would be taking care of her brother and the kingdom of Alefgard, and across the ocean, the descendant of the Dragon Lord would be watching them from afar. Aeun would probably still be handling negotiations with her monster allies, with Lithrik at her side, and Domani and Jun would be safely reunited in Zahan. Fiducius and Hanata would also be reunited, and hopefully taking care of each other. And who knew where Nikado's friend Teslian was, flitting across the skies on a winged horse.
They had met a lot of people, and they still had places to go. What kind of place was Tuhn, the town where Kiel came from, the place where the Moon Tower was located? He figured the treasure hunter and jack of all trades probably wouldn't be too keen on answering questions, given how little of his association with Tuhn and the Moon Tower he seemed inclined to share. And then there was Beran, a city in the south. All he knew about it was that it was a city built on water, surrounded by a whirlpool that whipped the currents up to a fast speed in order to offer further protection from monsters. And then there was Rhone, the plateau seemingly with no access from the world outside, where Hargon waited for them.
Pulling himself out of the bath, Alex dried himself off carefully and slowly before changing into the clothes provided for him, a quality outfit in Lorasian blue. He didn't really care much for the color, but the size wasn't too bad. He wondered if it had been something originally tailored for Nikado.
Walking out into the hall, he had no sooner shut the door than one further down the hall opened, Ameko stepping outside. "Hey," he said, waving to her. "There you are. How do you feel?"
"Clean, I think," she said, picking at her robe. "I could do without the color, but it's survivable. Where's Nikado?"
"I don't know. I wanted to talk to him. Shall we go look for him?" She nodded, and he led the way, searching around the halls.
After asking a few servants, they directed him out to the garden in the back but warned that the king was speaking with him. "You know, I could really do without that king," Ameko muttered to himself.
"Because he told you to think of him as your father?"
"I already have a father. No one is ever replacing him," she growled, pulling open the door that led to the garden. The place was lush and filled with greenery, almost like a tropical forest had been brought in. Ameko recognized some plants from her native continent, as well as some from Lorasia. As much as she wanted to see where Nikado and the king were, she couldn't help but take a moment to admire the blooming flowers and healthy green leaves. If nothing else, their garden was well taken care of.
Alex tugged on her sleeve, and ahead of them, they could see Nikado, the prince walking together with his father down a path, the older man murmuring something to his son that they couldn't hear from the distance. "Should we get closer?" Ameko whispered to Alex.
He shook his head, pushing her down gently as the two wandered the path, getting a bit closer. Nikado's face was solemn, his eyes downcast as he listened, nodding. And then his father said something that made him stop, looking up in surprise. "I can't do that!" he blurted out, the loud words audible even at the distance the other two were at.
The king turned, speaking to Nikado, and the prince appeared to be protesting, his eyes dark and determined. In a sudden movement, the king brought his hand up, giving his son a hard strike across the cheek, speaking sternly. Alex jumped in surprise, and he could hear Ameko let out a little gasp, feeling the same way. Nikado didn't say anything further, keeping a hand to his cheek as he avoided eye contact. At last the king finished his lecture, moving back toward the entrance, and Alex ushered Ameko back, keeping them out of sight as the king finally left.
"Nikado," Ameko murmured as she moved ahead, and Alex again knew their thoughts were the same, full of concern for the other prince. Nikado was still standing where his father had left him, and he looked up as their footsteps approached, looking surprised as he saw them. "Alex, Ameko. What are--"
"Shh," Ameko commanded, and she took Nikado in her arms, holding him quietly. Nikado let his head fall on her shoulder, and Alex took a step back, unsure of what to do. The princess shot him a sharp look, giving a clear instruction, and Alex stepped up to Nikado again, placing a hand on the other man's back. "There," Ameko soothed, letting him stay in her arms. "You don't have to say anything."
Nikado hugged her tighter, and tears dripped from his eyes, wetting the shoulder of her robe. "Do you want to talk about it?" Alex asked softly, moving his hand to Nikado's far shoulder, giving it a squeeze.
"He's...thinking about the good of the kingdom," Nikado murmured at last.
"I don't care about what he's thinking. What did he say to you, Nikado?"
"He told me it was important that I think about the future. That Ameko would make a good wife--"
"Fuck that bastard," she spat vehemently. "I knew that was his intention the moment he laid eyes on me."
Alex gestured for Ameko to be quiet, keeping his hand on Nikado's shoulder. "He told me I should make sure you didn't win her first, Alex," Nikado said at last. "That if you did, I should let you come back from the battle with Hargon. How could he ask a thing like that of me? He told me to leave you behind, Alex. I told him I couldn't, because I loved you both."
Ameko tightened her arms around Nikado in sympathy. "Is it really that wrong to feel love for two people?" Nikado murmured tiredly, closing his eyes. "I can't help what I feel. I don't want to choose one or the other. Both of you are really precious to me and how I feel about one doesn't diminish how I feel about the other. What am I supposed to do?"
"Nikado," Alex began, then paused. He knew, even as the words fought to be free from his lips, that there was no going back from what he was going to say, and abruptly, he found he didn't mind. He didn't want to be alone anymore. There was a place where he belonged, and he wasn't going to let it go. "There's nothing wrong with what you're doing. Nothing at all. I understand your feelings, Nikado, maybe more clearly than I ever did before. I don't want to be separated from you, either," and in what may have been the most impulsive thing he had ever done, he leaned forward, brushing his lips against Nikado's cheek. "Thank you for thinking of me all this time."
"We're not going to be separated," Ameko said firmly. "This isn't my home. It will never be my home. My only home is where the two of you are. It's all right, Nikado. We're not going to leave you. You aren't doing anything wrong."
He kept his eyes closed, shoulders shaking from emotion, and Alex put his hands around the other man, pressing against his back and enveloping him with his own warmth. "Shh. You're all right now, Nikado. We're here."
"Alex, Ameko," he got out, and he let himself cry into Ameko's shoulder, letting out all the emotion of his terrible homecoming, all of the pain and upset that had accompanied it. Ameko and Alex held onto him until his tears finally stopped, and then Alex picked him up like a small child, letting the other prince put his arms around Alex's neck. Ameko going forward to make sure they weren't seen, Alex carried the other man back to his room, staying there until he fell asleep. "He's a far cry from any father, let alone mine," she murmured to himself. "I am sure that my father would have never acted so unkindly."
"I agree," Alex said, pushing back a lock of Nikado's hair before taking the keys from around his neck. "We can go investigate the doors by ourselves later. Let's let him rest."
Ameko shook her head, putting Alex's hand down. "Let's wait until he wakes up. We need him to show us around, and besides, I think it would be better if someone was here when he awoke."
"Then it had better be you," Alex said. "You'll raise less suspicion with the king than I will. I'll let Kiel know to get the ship and make sure it's ready. I don't want to keep him here for another moment."
"Neither do I. Are we heading to Cannock next?"
He nodded. "There's a river we can take partway up to the castle. There are some locked doors there as well that we should investigate."
Ameko nodded, taking a seat by Nikado's bed. "Then I'll handle this. You take care of that."
Alex smiled slightly at her, feeling the weariness behind the expression. "I'm leaving him in your hands."
"Say, Alex," she called to him as he went to leave. "Were you serious about that?"
"About what?"
"About understanding how he feels. About loving a man and a woman." A bit of color rose to her cheeks as she asked the question, and she looked away.
He smiled at that, chuckling softly. "Why, Princess Ameko. Have you fallen for me?"
She turned her face away, and he smiled. "Thank you, Ameko," he told her quietly before he left the room. Despite his anger at the king, which still burned cool and low in his stomach, he couldn't help but feel upbeat. Perhaps it was just the security that came with the knowledge of being loved, he thought to himself.
Ameko stayed with Nikado, claiming the man had collapsed suddenly and expressing a fear for his health, refusing to leave his side. Alex made himself notably absent, but slept lightly with the door to his room cracked open, waiting for a sign. The sound of a door opening on the other side of the hallway made him stir, and he rose from bed, peering out the door. Ameko was exiting Nikado's room, nodding as she saw him, walking over to his door. "How is he?" the Cannock prince asked in a whisper.
"Doing better. I think having both of us there helped. He wanted to see you, but I told him to wait until tomorrow when we went looking at these locked doors. How are you holding up?"
"I've had better days, but I think I'll be all right," Alex said with a slight shake of his head. "I'm still angry at him, but at the same time...I feel quite fortunate to have met the both of you."
Ameko leaned over, giving him a kiss on the cheek. "I think so, too."
Ameko smiled at him, then paused as she heard noise on the stairwell, pulling Alex inside. The woman coming up the stairs with a candle in her hand was vaugely familiar to Ameko, probably one of the ones that had been with the king when they had arrived early in the day. "Good evening," she greeted softly. "I didn't wake you, did I?"
Ameko shook her head. "I was just coming back."
The woman watched her for a moment, then walked over to her door. "If it's all right with you, may I speak with you and your friend for a short while? I wish to ask you something. About Prince Nikado."
Ameko frowned, glancing over to Alex, who nodded. "What about him?"
The woman shook her head, a silent gesture that the conversation should be held elsewhere. Ameko glanced at Alex again, then stepped outside, the prince following. Checking around to ensure no one was watching, the woman led the way into a small study, offering them chairs. "Would you care for something to drink?"
"Who are you?" Alex asked her, disregarding the question as he sat, Ameko taking a chair next to him.
"My name is Morita. I am the tutor of Prince Nikado," she said. "I am the one who sent him away to go find you, Prince Alex. You have nothing to fear from me."
"I don't fear anything from you," he stated as a simple matter of fact. "What do you want to ask us?"
She paused with her hands over the tea kettle. "How is it," she asked in a quiet tone, "that you have been able to open up his heart?"
The two exchanged glances, each seeing the confusion on the other's face. "What do you mean?" Alex asked at last.
She set the kettle back down, offering them a cup apiece. "I became his tutor three years ago. The prince, ever since I have known him, has always been...distant. He doesn't allow anyone to affect him past the surface. But you two are different. All it takes is the way his expression changes when he looks at either of you," she said, taking a seat. "You two are people that have managed to reach his core. I need to know how to open his heart to others as well."
Alex frowned, rubbing his fingers along the cup. "We didn't do anything special," Ameko spoke up. "He's the one that's been open with us. He's never seemed distant when he's with us."
"That's exactly what I mean. Do you not see a change when he is here? He doesn't smile, not with his eyes. He never has. But you're saying that he's been open with you?" She shook her head.
"Perhaps it is this place that is making him uncomfortable," Alex pointed out. "He doesn't seem to be on good terms with his father. Or rather, his father is not on good terms with him."
She sighed, adjusting her glasses. "The king has set ideas on how a prince should behave and act. And Nikado plays the part well, but without compassion...no, not even that, because I have seen him take care of the wounded with tenderness, but again, it never goes past the surface, past the act of being compassionate. Without the ability to truly care for his people, Nikado will never be able to be the great king he should be able to be. You two must understand that. You are the heirs to your kingdoms, after all."
Ameko set down her cup abruptly, and Morita bowed her head. "Forgive me, I did not mean any disrespect, Princess Ameko. But your father was a wise, caring man and was known even in these parts for such. I'm sure he taught you to be the same."
"It seems to me," she stated flatly, "that the problem lies with your king. Of course Nikado won't open his heart when all that man does is step on it."
"Ameko," Alex said in a gentle tone, putting a hand on her arm.
"He means well," Morita began.
"I don't care what he means, teacher. What matters is what he does. He has no respect for Nikado's feelings on anything. When was the last time he asked him how he was feeling, and cared about the answer? When was the last time you did, for that matter, teacher?"
"I understand your anger," Morita replied, voice even as she met Ameko's gaze without flinching. "I have always cared for his well-being. I would not be here if I did not. But all of my attempts to reach him have failed. What do you suggest that I do differently?"
"Have you ever hugged him, teacher?"
"No. It would not be proper."
"Of course it wouldn't. What do you teach him? Have you ever, say, helped him raise a pet?"
"He wasn't allowed pets. The servants took care of them."
"Did you ever talk to him about falling in love?"
"No," she sighed. "It would be highly improper of a mere tutor, and could be mistaken for an impropriety."
Alex raised a hand, stopping Ameko in her ruthless questioning. "The answer seems to be, teacher, that he has not opened up his heart because in this place, he can't. From the first moment we met, I have never sensed distance from him. Actually, it was I that was keeping the distance, being unused to such familiarity, but he persisted. And even with others, he expresses genuine concern for them, as far as I've always seen. He's the one that went charging off in the middle of the night to go unlocked a door. He's the one that worried about the souls of the people in Moonbrook that were taken by monsters. He's the one that wanted me to use magic to restore someone's memory simply because they were unhappy without it. There's been no shortage of compassion, true compassion, on his part. I don't know where he learned it from; it was apparently not here. And it wasn't from me, either."
Morita stood, pacing around a bit as she curled her fingers around her own cup. "Then he shouldn't stay here," she said at last. "If this place is the cause... he should leave, until we have fixed the problem."
"He wants to leave. We will tomorrow," Ameko spoke up again, finally sipping at her cup. The tea turned out to be quite delicious; it was a shame the company was not as pleasant. "He can't stand being here."
Morita sighed. "What should we do, then, to make things easier on him?"
Alex sighed, resting his arm over a folded knee. "Teacher, in this place Nikado is treated like a prince. That's to be expected. Outside these walls, however, he is nothing but a traveller. No one puts him on a pedestal and distances themselves from him with bowings and scrapings. He's been roughhoused by a bandit, he's argued with shopkeepers. Even when he meets other royalty and is properly introduces, they treat him as an equal and welcome him warmly and sincerely." He closed his eyes. "I at least had the benefit of disappointment. Even though it was only because I was not what I was expected to be, people thought about me."
Morita finally sat back down, placing the cup back on the table. "Then it would be best for you to keep him away from here, and not return until you must. I cannot change this place, Prince Alex, Princess Ameko; I am only a tutor and even I have been instructed to keep the proper distance as our social rank calls for. My only hope is that if he continues to grow as a person with the pair of you, that he will be able to come back and accept this place despite its shortcomings."
"Maybe he can accept it," Ameko said. "But he won't be happy."
"Unfortunately, that is not a requirement of the throne. I came here from Murkbythe after it was destroyed, doing what I could to survive, and before me has always been placed this child that grew up in front of me. He was a hope, a strength that might keep the kingdom safe from monsters, and so I came to cherish him. I would do anything I can for him."
"No, you wouldn't," Ameko replied. "You would do what you can safely do, for the expectation of him you have. Is that all you wished to ask of us?"
She fell silent at the rebuke, not quite bold enough to argue with a princess further. "Teacher," Alex addressed her. "Were you aware of Nikado's twin sister? Did you know he had one?"
She shook her head slightly. "I have only heard of the story. That was before my time here. I don't know if she is alive, or if she really even existed."
"Oh, she exists," Ameko muttered. "Much to my chagrin."
Morita looked surprised, then frowned. "Why are you telling me this?"
He shrugged slightly. "Because I wanted to know if you knew. Nikado's spent his life thinking he's alone. My parents, at least, never tried to hide my siblings from me." He rose, setting his cup down on the table. "Thank you for the hospitality. Did you have anything else you wished of us?"
"I do not. I am sorry to have taken your time," she said, rising to open the door.
"Don't bother," Ameko said, opening the door and shutting it after Alex had exited. She waited until they were safely away before she began to fume. "What a moron. Really, what did she think was the problem? It doesn't take a genius."
Alex shook his head. "Try not to be too hard on her. Given their relative social standing, it's to be expected. She does at least care for him as much as she genuinely can."
"My father would have never tolerated such scraping and bowing," she growled. "I had instructors that would tan my hide and think nothing of it if I tried to do what I wanted."
"As would mine."
"Did yours also interact with you outside of the classroom, Alex? Did they ever surprise you with a gift or just a hug?"
"No. Do you find that explains me, as well?"
"Well, I'm sure Nikado would agree with my observations, if he was looking at it from an outside perspective." She shook her head. "I really want to go back to him, but I'd better not press my luck." She reached over, touching a hand briefly to Alex's face. "Sleep well, and let the morning come swiftly."
In the morning, Nikado was the same as he had been the day before, his expression calm and solemn, and Alex quickly found out exactly what Morita had observed, once he was looking for it. When alone, there was a relaxing in his features, a dropping of his guard, and the smile returned to his eyes as he spoke to his two companions. Kiel joined them after breakfast, and the group assembled, Nikado led them down into the treasure rooms. "These doors have been locked even before the curse," he said as he approached, pulling out the gold key. "No one remembers what's in them."
"You're really getting into this, aren't you?" Kiel observed. "You'd make a good treasure hunter."
"No robbing the family castle, please," Nikado chided firmly, opening the door.
"Hey, half the time it's the thrill of the unknown and the success of a capture that makes it worthwhile, not the monetary value of the reward itself," Kiel said as he held up a torch, finding an inlet on the wall to stick it in. "My dad was a treasure hunter, too. He used to explore all the old caves around Tuhn. Did you know there used to be a huge civilization up there, connected by all the rivers? Dad would take me down to the old ruins and let me look around when it was safe enough. Course, I was pretty tough, you know."
"You and your dad are pretty close, huh?" Nikado smiled.
Kiel fell silent, turning his attention to the room. "Looks like the usual," Ameko observed, holding her torch over some chests. "Gold, jewels, and the like. Think we can sneak some out for financing our adventures?"
"Only if you see anything we can hide on ourselves," Nikado replied. "Find anything interesting, Alex?"
The man had uncovered a shield, squinting at something before he drew his sword. "It's here," he said quietly. "This is the shield of Loto."
"You're kidding," Kiel said in surprise, peering at it. "Here of all places?"
Ameko looked over their shoulders. "How can you tell?" she asked as Nikado joined them.
He pointed to the back, on the handle where one gripped the shield. "See these markings here? The blacksmith in Wellgarth told me about them. They're the mark of the legendary blacksmith who made Loto's equipment."
"It's written in the ancient language, isn't it?" Kiel asked, squinting at it.
"You can read it?" Alex asked.
"Only a few words. Mostly what I remember from going in the ruins. What does it say?"
"I'm not sure. The characters are a different set that I haven't come across, although the style is certainly consistent with the ancient language. My guess would be that they're the characters for his name."
Nikado nodded, taking a step back. "Pick it up, Alex."
The man did so, then grimaced as he did. "I can tell it's enchanted to be less weighty, but even so, it's a bit much for me. You're better off with this, anyway, Nikado. You're the one that usually takes the brunt of an attack."
"Are you sure? You're the one that has such an interest in them," Nikado said with a frown.
"I'm sure. Besides, your old one is getting pretty worn, isn't it? Try it on."
Nikado frowned, then picked up the shield, hefting it easily. "It's a shame it's not more portab--Oh!" As he spoke, the shield let out a soft glow, and then its outline shifted, converting itself into a smaller shield that attached itself to his arm. "Oh. That'll work."
Kiel let out a low whistle. "Just one of many applications, I'm guessing. I always went nuts over magical items, myself. It was always a challenge trying to figure out what they did."
"Ah, but you're not carrying a magical sword, are you?" Ameko observed, looking him over.
He grinned and patted the whip at his side. "I'm not carrying a magical sword, no."
Nikado nodded, rubbing at the shield absently. "Was there anything else? Did you see something of interest, Kiel?"
He glanced around, then shrugged. "The shield seems to be the most unique thing in here. Isn't it ironic that it was hidden away in a corner behind this old suit of armor?"
"Or it was put there deliberately," Alex pointed out. "So that it wouldn't be found easily if someone raided this treasure room."
"Apparently it wasn't hidden away enough for that," Kiel quipped.
"The suit of armor isn't important, is it?" Ameko asked. "It's not a piece of Loto's equipment, is it?"
Alex shook his head. "I already looked it over. There's no sign of the markings on it. What other doors are there in this castle, Nikado?"
"Two silver doors upstairs, and the jail, I think," Nikado said. "Let's go to the jail, first. It should be empty, but we can remove the curse on the doors at least so it can be cleaned up and used again if necessary."
The jail hadn't been used in many years, even before the curse had rendered any sentence a permanent one. Still, Alex couldn't quite suppress a shudder at the bones in a couple of the cells, long since stripped clean of meat, wondering what a person could have done to have been left down here. "Ah, there's someone back here," Nikado said, stopping at the last cell. "That's odd, I didn't know anyone was down here. Hey! Are you all right?"
The figure did not stir, but moved inside its cloak, and Nikado thought he could see the glint of eyes. "We're going to get you out of there," he reassured. "Just hang tight." He pulled out the key, opening the door.
"Thank you, young master," a voice croaked out from behind the cloak, the figure rising to its feet. "What is your name?"
"Nikado, Prince of Lorasia. I apologize for your long stay," he said sincerely.
"It is quite all right," the person inside the cloak reassured. "I am as patient as I need to be for my revenge."
With a swish of the cloak, the figure had moved with incredible speed, slamming Nikado against the wall and squeezing hands around his neck. "It's your fault, all your fault," the figure crowed. "Now I have revenge in my grasp."
"Hey! Have you gone mad, old man?" Kiel shouted, circling his whip around the cloaked figure's throat, trying to pull the attacker away. The figure turned, and almost seemed to grin, and then a blast of pressure hit Kiel in the torso, throwing him back through the stone wall and leaving him laying on the floor of the cell, unconscious and injured.
"Kiel! Damn it!" Alex shouted, going to the treasure hunter's aid. "Ameko, do something!"
"I'll fucking kill you if you don't let him go," Ameko growled, pulling fire to her hands. "Who are you?"
The figure turned to her, and Nikado managed to get a foot up, pressing back and throwing the prisoner off him. Gasping for air, he let Ameko move between him and the deranged attacker. "He's the one. The reason we had to leave Murkbythe."
"What? What do you mean, the reason you had to leave?" Nikado choked out, eyes wide.
Ameko frowned, then threw forth a blast of air. The cloak whipped off of the figure, revealing the shape to the royals. "As I thought," she muttered. "You're not human, after all."
The monster grinned, then threw up a blast of pressure, knocking a hole in the ceiling and through the roof above. Startled cries came from the floors above. "What the hell are you trying to do?!" Nikado demanded. "Stop it!"
The monster only grinned, then charged at him again, swinging its twin maces, and Nikado backed away, circling around so it was pinned between himself and Ameko. "What do you mean, he's the reason you had to leave?" Ameko demanded, keeping the fire in her hand.
Catching Nikado in its grip, the monster launched itself upwards through the hole it had created, dragging the Lorasian prince with it, shooting up to the sky and holding him by his shirt. Nikado shouted in alarm as he dropped his sword, and the monster grinned as the prince's feet dangled, the roof of the castle suddenly quite far below. "This isn't good," Nikado muttered, grabbing onto the creature's wrists. "What are you talking about? What do you mean, I'm the reason you had to leave? Do you mean Murkbythe?"
"Yes," the creature hissed, drawing him in close as it hovered effortlessly. "Yes. It was all your fault. Yours. You're the one."
"Why do you say that? I've never been to Murkbythe. I didn't even know it existed! How could I have stopped you?"
"Because you exist," the creature replied. "We couldn't hold the town we swallowed. Our spells, our work...all undone." The monster gave him a suspicious look all of a sudden, studying his face closely. "Are you the one? Are you the one Pazuzu and the Ozwargs were searching for?"
"Pazuzu and I have already met," he stated, unsure of what he was supposed to do in this sort of situation. The monster had him helpless; it wasn't like he could break free without plummeting down to a hard landing on the castle roof that would kill him rather messily. "Why would he be searching for me?"
"Your magic, boy," the monster hissed, giving him a shake and causing him to cry out. "What is it? Your bloodline of Loto, what is your power?"
"I don't have any power. I can't use magic. How about you put me down and we have a fair fight?" he shot back.
"Your heirs. You have one?"
"No. I'm not married. Why are you asking me this?"
The monster smiled. "Then in other words, your bloodline will end with you." He let go of Nikado's shirt, and touched blue fire to the man's hands, his fingers losing their grip as the flesh burned. Nikado let out a cry as he slipped away, dropping toward the castle below.
Please let there be enough of me left to bring back to life, he thought to himself as the ground rushed toward him. And then something grabbed the back of his shirt and jerked him to a halt, the prince letting out a cry as the sudden stop jolted his burned fingers. Looking up, he could see the brown eyes of a golden-colored stallion. "Roybealle...?" he guessed slowly.
"You remembered his name," Teslian said, his voice coming from behind the prince, presumably on the horse's back, though Nikado was at the wrong angle to see him. "He'll be pleased with that."
"Teslian," Nikado groaned as the pain rolled up his arms in waves. He closed his eyes and resolved not to look at how injured his hands were; he was pretty sure that would make it worse. "Why are you here?"
"I'm always travelling," he replied as an answer, the winged horse landing on the roof and setting Nikado down. "I heard the conversation, by the way. Whatever you did, thank you."
"But I didn't do anything," he moaned, rolling over to his back as Teslian pushed Roybealle back up into the sky, charging the monster with an arrow set to a bowstring. "At least, I don't think I did."
"Nikado!" Ameko cried out as she got to the roof, kneeling next to him. "By the gods, you had me worried. Hold still. Are you hurt anywhere?"
"My hands," he groaned, biting his lip as the movement made the pain increase again.
"This is bad," she muttered to herself, pulling a ribbon out of her sleeve and tying it around his elbow. She then repeated the process with the other elbow.
"Don't tell me that. You're supposed to tell me I'll be fine," he gasped out, tears coming to his eyes as she moved his hand. "Oh gods."
"This is why we don't play with Infernos spells," she scolded him firmly, starting the healing on his left hand. "Just stay still, I'll be quick. Alex should be up here soon as well. Kiel will be fine."
"Teslian," Nikado got out, opening his eyes and looking up at the sky above, not spotting the man and his horse. "We need to help them somehow. They can't take that thing on alone."
"I think he's pretty well determined to," Ameko pointed out.
"But that doesn't mean that he can. Oh, please hurry, Ameko."
Alex appeared at the top of the stairs leading down, joining Ameko quickly. "Kiel's with the servants right now, they'll take care of him," Alex said, picking up Nikado's right hand. "That bastard, doing a thing like this. I'll have his head."
"I have to do something," Nikado groaned. "I can't let him fight it alone. He'll be killed. We can't bring him back. And I think...there would still be people that would miss him."
"Stay still," Alex ordered. "You can't do anything in your current state. Just try and relax so we can help you."
"But he...." Nikado's back arched as a new shot of pain went up his right arm, and he lay still.
"Idiot," Alex told him firmly, "don't you remember what I said about Infernos? These things can damage your soul if they get a good hold on you. It's not that easy to heal."
"I didn't do it on purpose," Nikado grumbled. Above him, the horse and monster came in to view, and Nikado let out a cry as one of the horse's wings folded in, the beast having to spiral down quickly to land. "Teslian!"
"That's our chance," Alex said to Ameko, "nail it when it goes down after him. Got any good spells?"
She gave him an uneasy look. "The Infernos."
"If that's what you have, it's what we have. Do it," he told her as the monster swooped down after the landed Teslian.
She nodded, drawing the blue flame to her hand, and then launched it at the creature, the wind whipping up from the superheated flames that charged for him, and the monster let out a screech when they hit. Quickly, however, it batted the flame aside, and flew through the air aiming for her, blue flame in his hands as he reached for her throat. Ameko let out a cry, falling back as the flame got close enough to singe her neck. "No!" Nikado shouted, desperate for something to strike the creature with. "Alex, your sword!"
"But your hands--"
"The sword!" Nikado insisted, and Alex tossed it over before going over to help Ameko. Nikado brought the blade down on the creature's back, but even as he felt it cut into the creature's flesh and bones, he realized it wouldn't be enough. The creature whirled on him, and he braced himself, holding the sword in a defensive position. It launched against him with both maces, and he managed, after several blows and counter blows, to knock one mace out of the creature's hand. It reached into its robes, drew out a wand, and fired blue flame from its tip. Nikado let out a cry, and there was a blurred sense of motion, and only vaguely did he recognize that it was because he was falling to the ground before he hit, falling unconscious.
When he awoke, his whole body ached, his chest as well as his hands, and he wondered if he had been killed, after all. The motion of the rocking ship on gentle waves made him realize he was alive, at least for the moment, and he stirred, opening his eyes.
Ameko was in the room, squeezing water out of a cloth and soaking it again. "Oh," she observed as she turned, seeing him look at her. "You're awake again."
"Again? How long was I out for?" he groaned, managing a cough.
"Three days. We thought you might recover better here, so we took you away. Sorry, we already stopped at Cannock, she told him. "We're sailing around the Moonbrook continent now. We should be able to slip through the Dragon Fang Strait to get around to the south. That's where Tuhn is."
"Tuhn," he mumbled, deciding it was better not to move, after all. "What about Kiel? And Telian and his horse?"
"Aww, are you worried about me?" Kiel's voice came from the door as the long-haired treasure hunter moved into the room. "You should be worrying about yourself, little prince, not me. You're the one that nearly got fried crispy blue."
Nikado shook his head slightly, wondering if he had the strength to sit up. "I don't remember. What happened to that monster?"
"It got burned in its own fire, through the cut you put in its back," Ameko said, holding up a wand. "This is all that remained, so I held onto it. Teslian was fine, he said he'd take care of his horse himself and walked off. I don't think you need to worry about him."
"Really, you're luckier than a double snake eyes on an all or nothing bet," Kiel told him. "The Infernos isn't something to play around with, you know. That stuff will burn your soul itself, and I doubt even a descendant of Loto can take that much punishment."
"That's what I keep telling him," she sighed. "Don't you have work to do?"
"She's a hard taskmaster," Kiel said in a secretive tone to Nikado that was able to be overheard by Ameko. "But I think she's warming up to me."
Ameko swatted at him, and he ducked, grinning cheekily as he escaped the room. "Well, you're already spoken for," Nikado chuckled, pushing himself into a sitting position.
"Who said I was spoken for?" she asked with a sniff. "Maybe I'll elope with Alex if you insist on being pushy."
"You wouldn't do that. I'd get lonely."
She smiled, and leaned in, kissing his forehead. "No, I wouldn't. Now get some rest. You don't need do anything right now, okay?"
"I may not need to, but I want to," he protested. "I don't want to be laying around and sleeping. How far is it to Moonbrook?"
"Not far. An hour or two, I suppose. We're nearly there, we just can't get the speed we do around the open ocean. Sit down," she instructed, then sighed as he stood. "You never listen."
"I'm fine," he reassured. "I'll stop if I feel worse."
She shook her head, slipping one of his arms under her shoulder as she let him lean his weight on her. "You want to go up top and see Alex, right?"
"How could you tell?"
"Because you're such a simple creature. It's written all over your face," she said with a roll of her eyes.
He grinned slightly before they moved up the stairs, the Lorasian prince taking in a deep breath of air. Alex had his back to them, checking the compass as he steered their course. "Alex," Nikado called out cheerfully. "How was your visit home?"
The other prince turned, and frowned. "Are you sure you should be up and about?"
Nikado grinned in response "It's me, remember? I'll be fine. So, how was Cannock?"
Ameko let Nikado sit down by the other prince before moving off to help Kiel with the sails, snapping something at him. "It was...nice. My parents were glad to see me. They've been worried about me. It was sort of refreshing. I think they still see shades of my brother in me, but...."
"But you're standing on your own, as your own person?"
Alex didn't reply, keeping the ship on course. "Nikado, I'm not sure your observation of them was completely correct. I don't think they'll ever stop expecting me to be able to do what my brother was able to do. When they do, I think it will just transfer to my sister instead."
"But that's just silly."
"I know. I've recognized that fact. While I was there, I left my sister a note," Alex told Nikado after a moment. "I told her that, and told her the location of the secret room, the library of magic books. I think when she becomes disillusioned with our parents' expectations, she'll go there. It'll be when she finally grows up and stops being so silly."
Nikado nodded. "I'm glad your parents were happy to see you. What about Pazuzu? You didn't run into him again, did you?"
"So was I. I don't know about Pazuzu," he said with a shake of his head. "For all I know, he was punished for his failure to kill us and isn't around anymore. We didn't run into him." Alex pointed ahead. "There, you can see Hamlin in the distance. We'll swing around the Moonbrook Monolith, and then up around to the Dragon Fang Strait. We can stop in Hamlin if there's any supplies we end up needing."
Nikado nodded, silent for a while. "How were things in Lorasia after that monster? What did everyone do?"
"Don't worry, Ameko opened the two doors for you," Alex told him. "Everyone was upset."
"My father wasn't, was he?"
Alex sighed, and Nikado nodded. "It's okay. You don't need to say anything further. I know him. I've accepted it."
"It is not okay," Alex snapped. "Regardless of your social rank, you're still a child. Children need more of a supportive network than exists in that barren place. You're the one that made me realize that."
"I'm twenty, Alex. I'm hardly a child anymore."
"You are a child," Alex corrected with a firm tone. "You still have the hope and innocence of the world in front of you. That's what I like about you. That's what Ameko likes about you. I stopped being a child when my brother died. Her... maybe when she lost her father. But you've never stopped. Perhaps because you never got to be one in the first place, in that place. Neither of us want you to stop being a child, either. Maybe we can't go back to what we were. That was so long ago for me, when I looked up to Jer. But you still have that light of hope. Whatever happens, we don't want you to lose it."
Nikado looked up at him, then nodded, leaning his back against the wheel's post. "Then I won't change, if Alex and Ameko don't want me to."
Alex reached around the wheel, patting Nikado's head briefly. "Good boy. That reminds me," he added, digging in a pouch on his belt. "We found something locked up behind the gold doors in Cannock Castle. It's got the same symbol as the sword," he said, motioning to the crest on top of the small seal. "But it doesn't appear to be one of the seals of Rubiss. Ameko listened with the Echo Flute, but it makes no sound."
"Looks more like a royal crest than an elemental's seal," Nikado murmured as Alex handed it over to him, turning the small piece of metal over in his hands.
"That's what I thought too. What do you make of it?"
He shrugged, then blinked. "Didn't Kiel say the Moon Tower had the Helmet of Loto in it? Because of a traveller who had been looking for Loto's Seal? Do you think this might be what they're looking for? That they're connected?"
"I did say that," Kiel called over to them. "It's what my dad told me. I don't really know anything beyond that, though. So the seal was in Cannock? That makes sense."
Alex blinked at him. "How does that make sense?"
"Because you're the thinker of the group," the treasure hunter said, tugging on a rope. "You're the one that would be most likely to protect something that doesn't do something by itself, but has to be used in the proper way. Just my thinking."
Alex shook his head. "I'm not the standard in my family."
Kiel shrugged again. "That's just how I see it."
"I'm going to rest here until we get to Hamlin," Nikado said. "That okay?"
"That's perfectly fine."
