"And...down! Good, now circle to the side!"
Fia watched with interest as Emi continued her instruction of Daisuke, finally breaking it off after several more movements. "Very good, Lord Daisuke. You are a natural at this!"
He puffed up at that. "My aunt and mom taught me a lot. How are you doing, brother?" he asked, turning to the other dueling pair.
Nikado was not nearly as satisfied as the other teacher. "You're still thinking like it's a sword," he told Keisuke with a frown, managing to disarm him again. "The movements should be faster, closer. And fluid. You should move like the water around a rock. Your enemy's attacks are things you flow over, not things that break your rhythm."
Keisuke sighed, and the guide handed him the knife back. "Let's take a little break, it'll come to you. Maybe Fia will be able to help; you use a knife, don't you?"
"Not really," she declined. "I didn't do much fighting. Most of my stuff was 'stab it til it stops moving'."
"Well, if it works," Nikado said with a shrug. "Want to try giving her lessons sometime, Keisuke?"
"How can I give her lessons when I don't know what I'm doing wrong," he muttered, sitting down on the hillside.
"You'll get the hang of it," Nikado reassured. "We've just got to unlearn your sword mindset."
Daisuke let out a sigh, flopping back into the grass. "I like this world the best so far. It almost feels like home."
"Is it all green and hilly like this at your home, Daisuke?" Fia asked him.
"Yeah. It's not as hilly, but these big woody trees are more like ours. It's much greener here. Mama said it used to be green on our world too, but the plants don't do so well cause of the monsters."
"So will they get better when you beat the monsters?"
"Yeah, I hope so. I can't wait to see what it looks like," Daisuke said eagerly, sitting back up.
"You'll have to work hard at that after you've won," Nikado chuckled. "Worlds aren't so quick to heal. Well, good news, everyone: there's a village on the hill over there, so we can finally meet some people."
"I wonder what they're like?" Daisuke said as he scampered up to stand next to Nikado, peering at the village across the valley. "Ah, there it is. I bet they're really nice if they live in a great world like this."
"Well, I don't know about that," Nikado laughed. "People are people no matter where you go."
"I'm sure they are very nice, Daisuke," Emi reassured. "We will just let you greet them first. They will be sure to like you."
"Actually, I want you three to stay here," Nikado said with a slight smile. "Keisuke and I will check it out."
"Aw! But why can't I go," Daisuke protested.
"Because you're too loud," Nikado laughed, giving the boy a poke in the forehead. "And they might find a fourteen year old with a sword hostile. Come on, Keisuke."
"All right, Mr. Nikado."
"You two stay on the back side. Don't let them wander off, Emi," Nikado told the swordswoman. "I'm counting on you!"
"Do not worry, Sir Nikado. He will be nailed to the ground." She gave Daisuke a grin, and he backed away nervously.
"Aww, poor Daisuke," Fia teased, giving him a pat on the head. "Don't worry, I'll protect you."
"But that's supposed to be MY job!"
"Well, shall we get going?" Nikado addressed to Keisuke, starting down the hill at an easy pace, stretching his arms. "I do agree with Daisuke, though. This is a lovely stretch of countryside to be in."
The boy was avoiding eye contact with him, he noticed, only offering a shrug as response. "Have you been here before?"
"No, never, but there's a lot of worlds I haven't been to, even as long as I've been doing this."
"How long have you been doing this?"
"Well, that's a tricky question," Nikado mused, putting his hands behind his head. "Time varies between worlds, you know, and the nexus...If I had to guess, around fifteen years or so."
"Fifteen years, huh? So how many people like us have you taught? How long are they usually with you?"
"How many, huh? That would be a long list," he laughed. "Still can recall all their faces, clear as day. I met Zayr first, he was under some odd curse and I got to help him break it...Then was a couple of kids named Kallias and Avrion...cutest little boys. They were on the run from some sort of cult. Then was...."
"You really recall all of them?" Keisuke asked with a frown.
"I've got a memory for faces and names," he told the younger man with a wave of his hand. "I love meeting new people and making friends."
"But then you have to leave them in the end," Keisuke pointed out.
"Doesn't make it any worse than having never met them. Every person you meet will enrich your life, Keisuke, even if you never meet again. They teach you valuable things. That's why people like you and Daisuke that have such heavy destinies are traveling to so many other places. It will make you stronger."
"Doesn't it make you lonely?"
Nikado's gaze became unfocused as he thought about it. "Of course I do. Meeting new people and making new friends certainly helps to fill my heart, but there are people that can't be replaced."
"Is...that what you're working for? To replace them?"
"No. To meet them again. It's the only goal I have for myself," he stated, tucking his hands into his pockets.
Keisuke watched him for a moment. "How much longer will it be? Until you can meet them?"
"Don't know. As long as it takes, until I've worked enough to make that chance my own." He gave Keisuke a smile. "It's a big dream, you have to work hard for those sorts of things."
"When you say it like that, it makes me wonder if we'll ever get home," Keisuke sighed, looking down at the knife at his side. "Are we working hard enough?"
"You're doing just fine, Keisuke. You can't learn everything you need to learn overnight." He placed a hand on the boy's head. "On the other hand, you're not going to be stuck out here for years and years. I doubt you have that much time available to you."
He nodded. "And after that, you'll go to another job?"
"If I have to. It's not meant to be for either the teacher or the student if they stay together past what is due," the older man said softly. "A student has to continue to grow outside of the teaching. After a certain point, the teacher becomes a crutch. As for me, I've had many I've needed to teach. I can't stay with one group for longer than I need to."
"I see."
"Is something bothering you, Keisuke?" Nikado asked, frowning slightly.
"No, nothing's wrong. I just felt like making conversation, that's all," the younger man said with a shrug, tone returning to the usual distance he kept between himself and Nikado.
Nikado sighed through his nose as they continued up the hill to the village, then he frowned. "It's very quiet."
"You're right," Keisuke realized, looking around. "There's no one outside. Is it abandoned?"
"No, there's smoke coming from the chimneys," Nikado said, pointing up.
Keisuke put a hand on his dagger. "Then perhaps there's something dangerous outside."
"Let's go find out." Making his way up to the nearest door, he knocked. "Hello? Anyone here?" There was no response, unless one counted the breeze through the grass.
Looking around as Nikado tried for the neighbor's door, he gave the older man's sleeve a sudden tug. "Over there, I see someone," he murmured.
Glancing over out of the corner of his eye, Nikado managed to catch sight of a young girl, ducking behind a house. "Let's try her," he said with a nod, turning in that direction. "Hey, hello there! What's your name?"
The girl fled, not answering as she made her way toward a back door. "Aw, damn it," Nikado groaned as he jumped ahead, throwing an arm in the closing doorway. "Hey, come on, don't be like that," he grunted as someone tried to press the door closed from the inside.
"Austin!!" came a girl's voice, sounding frightened. It was followed by the sound of another pair of voices, murmuring in hushed, worried tones.
"We're not going to hurt you," Keisuke called through the door. "We just want to talk."
"Hey, whoa!" the older man yelped as a hand seized his own knife from his belt, stabbing it into his arm. "Ow, hey, there's no need for that!"
"Nikado, what's happening?" Keisuke asked, unable to see into the darkness beyond the doorway.
"He's trying to cut off my arm," the older man said with a wince. "Come on, I said knock it off! Ow!"
Looking from Nikado to the door, Keisuke bit his lip, trying to think. "Get down, Nikado," he instructed, pushing the man into a sitting position so he could see in the doorway. "Look, we're not hostile, and I'll prove it. Here's my weapon," he pulled it from its sheath, offering the handle through the doorway. "Those are the only weapons we have. Take them if you need to feel more comfortable. We just want to talk about what's going on, okay? We're strangers to this area."
There was a pause, then the blade was snatched away. "Raelene, put these away," an older boy's voice instructed, and after a moment, the door opened.
Getting to his feet, Nikado and Keisuke looked inside. Two younger children, including the girl they had spotted before, were lingering around the edge of the room, watching with fear in their eyes. In front of them stood a boy a few years older than Keisuke, holding out a knife of his own as he watched them behind his glasses. "Who are you and what are you doing here? If you've come for more, it'll be over my dead body."
"That's terribly morbid," Nikado complained. "We're not here to kill anyone. Like I said, we're strangers to this town. Did something happen?"
"I'm Keisuke," the younger introduced himself, "and this is my guide, Nikado. We're travelers." All true, in a sense. "Nikado, let me see your arm so you don't bleed all over the place."
"How considerate of you," the guide said with a huff, sitting down to let Keisuke examine his shoulder. The initial stab was surprisingly deep, but hadn't made much progress. "I'll tie this up and bandage it," Keisuke said, tearing at Nikado's sleeve.
"Why have you come to this town?" the stranger questioned with a distrustful glare. "There's nothing of worth here. In fact, it's a place to avoid."
"We don't know," Keisuke answered honestly, distracted by dressing the wound. "We go wherever fate takes us."
"Hey, mister," one of the other children questioned, this one a boy a couple of years younger than the eldest, and around Keisuke's own age. "Are you pretty strong?"
"I'm very strong," Nikado replied with a smile.
Emboldened by the man's friendly response, the boy took a step forward. "Then please help Austin rescue our sister!"
"Damon!" the elder boy snapped, causing the other to shrink back.
"What happened to your sister?" Keisuke asked. "Maybe there is something we can do to help."
"I have no reason to trust you aren't with the ones that did this," Austin snapped. "I don't see a need to tell you anything."
"We only got here a few days ago," Nikado said. "Like Keisuke said, we go where fate brings us. Perhaps fate wants to help this sister of yours."
"I don't trust you."
"That's fine," Keisuke stated as he finished, taking a seat next to Nikado. "You don't have to; no one is asking you to do that. The only thing you need to trust is what we can do."
Austin watched him warily for a moment, then lowered the knife. "Raelene," he instructed, "put on the kettle for some tea. It would be rude not to offer our guests some."
"Okay!" the girl said cheerily, running over to the round, black stove, fishing around for the kettle.
"Is she an older sister or a younger sister?" Nikado asked, watching as Damon offered his sister a hand, throwing another log into the stove.
"The youngest. Adelaide is like a beam of sunlight," Austin stated, taking a seat in a chair and gesturing absently for the other two to sit as well. "Mother died having her, but she had all the brightness of her, and more. Kidnapping her hasn't just affected our family. Now no one wants to go outside, afraid it will happen again."
"Do you know where she is or who kidnapped her?"
"I don't know where, but I know who." His face darkened. "He's an outsider to this town as well. He came down from the tall mountain and kidnapped her. Since then the mountains have made strange noises. Howlings and screams. I can only hope my sister is still alive."
Nikado rested his elbows on the table, regarding Austin with a serious gaze over folded hands. "What did the village think of Adelaide? Did anyone have anything negative to say?"
"No, nothing. To be truthful, we were outsiders to this village as well, at one point. They never got along with us, and Father ran away because of it. But things changed when Adelaide was born. No one could hate her. People started smiling at us, too, when they saw her."
"I wonder if that isn't why she was kidnapped," the guide mused to himself. "He may want to keep this village in terror and mistrust."
"It's working plenty well," Austin snorted. "In addition to worrying about my sister, I have Damon and Raelene to think about. If things get more hostile...I don't know. What if the village attacked them?"
"It's not out of the realm of possibility," Nikado agreed. "People, when cornered, can do some desperate things. So we need to rescue your sister and stop her kidnapper from doing whatever it is he's doing. Can you tell us where in the mountains he is?"
"I'll do better than that, I'll show you," Austin said, standing up. "Adelaide is my younger sister, I'm not going to stand by and do nothing."
"No, you can't do that," Keisuke told him quietly. "You need to stay here and watch over Damon and Raelene in case something happens."
He frowned, clearly torn. "But...."
"He's right. Don't worry," Nikado reassured. "We're professionals at this sort of thing. And we have allies outside the village as well. Now, where is that kidnapper's hideout?"
"If you can give me a little bit, I'll draw you up a map," Austin conceded at last. "Where are these allies of yours?"
"Just over the hills. Let's go, Keisuke," Nikado said with a nod. "We'll bring them back here and make our plan from there."
"Wow, you weren't kidding, this place is pretty quiet," Daisuke observed as he tried the door to Austin's house, finding it open. "Hi, anyone here?"
"Hiya, mister!" Raelene greeted with a big grin. "You're gonna help save our sister, aren't you!"
"We sure are," he said with a grin. "What's your name, kid?"
"Raelene. And I'm not a kid," she said with a scowl. "I'm already twelve years old!"
"Still a kid to me~" Daisuke declared eagerly, giving her a poke.
Fia stood in the doorway, glancing around briefly. "It's nice and all, but why aren't we going there yet?"
"Yeah, we should go ahead and get there!" Daisuke agreed. "We gotta save Adelaide!"
"I don't think we should rush into it," Keisuke said with a shake of his head. "We should take some time and--"
"But there isn't any time! What if that creep's hurting her or something?" Daisuke insisted. "We gotta rescue her now!"
"Daisuke, rushing into everything isn't--"
"He has a point," Emi mused. "Most likely, this guy has surveillance set up around his territory. A swift surprise attack will be best."
"But we don't--"
"Right, so it's settled, then let's go," Daisuke said impatiently, picking up the map on the table. "This is where we're going, right?"
"Yes," Austin said with a nod.
"Yeah, let's go!" Fia agreed, peering over Daisuke's shoulder at it. "This shouldn't be too hard!"
"Guys, we can't do that!" Keisuke shouted.
Daisuke looked over at his brother, frowning for a moment. "It'll be fine. I've gotten a lot stronger since we started, and besides--"
"Stop talking!" The words were emphasised with a hand slamming down on the table. "You're not *listening* to me! You never listen! I'm trying to tell you this is a bad idea!"
"You're just mad because everyone's agreeing with me," Daisuke countered.
With a sudden movement, Keisuke grabbed for the map, trying to wrench it away. Daisuke pulled back, and Keisuke lashed out with a hand, striking him across the face. The younger twin's eyes were wide as he stumbled back, leaving the map in his brother's hand. "If none of you want to help me, then I'll just do it myself," Keisuke snarled, turning on his heel and running out the door.
Daisuke stayed where he was for a long moment. "Did I do something wrong?" he asked in a subdued tone.
"Of course you did," Nikado said from his position by the wall, moving for the door. "Didn't you hear him? You never listen. Why do you think you two still can't pull off the barrier? No matter how hard he tries, Keisuke can't make up for the fact that only one of the two of you is adjusting himself to the other. You three stay here," he instructed. "I'll go get him."
"So...it's my fault then?" Daisuke asked in an even softer tone, but Nikado didn't respond, already moving out the door.
The map was surprisingly detailed, and easy to read. Judging by the time it took to get this far, he wouldn't have long to go to the kidnapper's territory. Then he could think about what his next move should be.
The woods were silent except for the sounds of his footsteps, and Keisuke thought that it did remind him a little of home, of the dead lands his mother had shown him before. Thinking about them made a wave of homesickness wash over him, and he leaned against a tree, trying not to cry. Mother...I miss you so much... I wish I was home.
"So here you are," Nikado's voice said from behind him, softer and more gentle than his usual energetic tone. "I thought you'd be trying to scope it out by yourself. How about we do it together? Two pairs of eyes are better than one."
"Shouldn't you be planning your course of action with my brother?" Keisuke said coolly, folding up the map.
"No, I agreed with you. I just couldn't get in a word edgewise between the two of you," Nikado chuckled, joining Keisuke by the tree. "Your brother's very stubborn when he wants to be."
"He never listens," Keisuke sighed.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Nikado asked.
"No. I don't. I just want to get this done and over with."
Keisuke moved to continue up the path, but Nikado grabbed him by the arm, pulling him into a hug. An unusual sense of warmth washed over the younger man, and he found himself unable--or unwilling--to pull away. "Keisuke, talk to me. I know you don't trust me, but you need someone to listen to you right now. Okay?"
"I wish I were home," he got out in a low, choked tone. "I know we have to save the world, but...I miss Mother. Now that we're here, everybody pays attention to Daisuke. It's not fair."
"That's not true," Nikado said soothingly, stroking the boy's hair. "I listen to you. I think you're a very smart and capable boy."
"Even you like Daisuke better than me," Keisuke accused. "You got along with him from the start."
"That doesn't mean I didn't like you. I've always liked you, Keisuke. I was just waiting for the time when you'd want to talk to me. I guess it's here." Nikado tightened his arms around the boy. "I know you feel lonely right now. I've thought so since Fia joined us. You feel left out because your brother is so gregarious, don't you?"
"Everyone likes him," Keisuke said in a dull tone. "I'm not like him. I'm quiet and no one notices me. Everything he does is better and more heroic."
"Stop comparing yourself to him," Nikado scolded gently. "You two are a team. Of course you're going to be different; every person is. But it doesn't mean that one is better than the other."
"But we're twins."
"And twins are still people, same as anyone else. In fact, twins often end up being more different than regular siblings," Nikado told him. "The only time twins are alike is when one of them lacks a sense of self. I certainly don't think you do, Keisuke. Most of the time, I think you like who you are."
"But I don't fit in here, Nikado. My brother's the one with the courage and the charisma and the stupid sword. I didn't even get a sword," he said bitterly. "Why did I get a dagger? I can't use it."
"Because you're trying to be a sword," Nikado told him. "It's not your role. There's nothing wrong with that. Keisuke, you and your brother are two separate people. Daisuke, he's like a sword. He charges in regardless of what's happening. That courage can be recklessness, though, and he can end up hurting people without meaning to. That would hurt him greatly, himself. Keisuke, you're more like a shield. It isn't the heroic act that you want; you don't care who does the protecting, you just want it to be done. You're the one that reins in your brother's enthusiasm and keeps him on the right track. He'd be lost without you. That's what you're suited for. Stop trying to be your brother, Keisuke."
"But...they don't even like me," Keisuke got out, beginning to cry as he sagged in Nikado's arms. "I'm just 'Daisuke's brother' to them. No one looks at me, because he's the one that saves everyone. I'm all alone."
"Shh," Nikado soothed, stroking the boy's hair as he let him cry. "You're not alone. You'll never be alone. Daisuke just needs some time to realize how important to him you are. This is a new experience for him. Keisuke, when you were at home, who were you closest to? Your mother or your father?"
"My mother. Father died before we were born," Keisuke answered. "Why?"
"I'm betting it's because you two are a lot alike. Am I wrong?"
He shook his head. "No, you're right. I admire Mother. She's strong and smart and never loses her cool. She used to read to me until I learned to read."
"What about your brother, who was he close to? Who does he take after?"
"Um, well, our aunt, I guess," Keisuke guessed after a moment of thought. "I guess he would take after our father, if he were alive."
"Daisuke must have been lonely," Nikado said softly. "Seeing the other two people in his family so close to each other, and him not having someone like that to be close to. This is probably a new experience for him to make close friends like he has with Emi and Fia. They're people that see him on his own worth, and not as your reckless younger brother."
Keisuke didn't speak for a long time. "Nikado...have I done something wrong?"
"Of course you have," he chuckled, "you don't listen to each other. You two grew up together and yet you're still strangers to each other. It's no wonder you can't do the barrier. Daisuke knows you very well, but he can only do so much when his brother doesn't know anything about him. Shh, don't cry," Nikado told him as Keisuke pressed his face into Nikado's shirt. "It's okay now. You don't have to continue being lonely when you both have each other. That's what's so great about being twins. No matter how lost and alone you are, there's always one person that knows you so well and still loves you."
Keisuke managed a nod, rubbing at his face. "How about we go check out this place, now," Nikado told him. "Feel a little better?"
He nodded again. "So...you think it's a good idea?"
"Of course it is. Keisuke, that's what you're good at, thinking things through. I trust that ability. Daisuke will learn to, too. It's quite a detailed map, isn't it?"
"He's been here before," the younger man stated, looking up the side of the mountain. "Probably more than once. Either the guy hasn't noticed...."
"...or he doesn't consider him a threat." Nikado nodded. "You go ahead and get close. I'll stay back, just in case."
Keisuke nodded, seeing the wisdom in the idea; Nikado was a lot taller and more noticeable. Putting a hand on his weapon to reassure himself, he began moving away from the older man and toward the cave's entrance.
The cave itself looked pretty normal, but further in he could see a stone wall blocking the entrance, obviously manmade, with a door set in the center of it. There didn't seem to be anyone outside, so he decided to venture closer. There didn't appear to be any cracks in the stone that he could peer through, so he lowered himself to the bottom of the door, peering in through the gaps between the door and the ground's uneven surface.
There was a light from further in the cave, along with what sounded like some sort of growling, definitely something animalian. In addition, there was a low thrumming sound that reminded him of something, but he couldn't quite recall what, as well as a man's voice murmuring to himself. He couldn't see much of anything otherwise, but the sounds were enough. Deciding not to try the door, he moved backwards away from the door, only turning once he had exited the cave.
"No one seemed to notice when you went down there. What did you see?" Nikado asked him as he returned.
"Just a stone wall and a wooden door. It looked really out of place," Keisuke replied.
"Probably doesn't have the ability to build a stronger door. That and he's probably relying on no one having the guts to come knocking. Was that it?"
"I peered under the door, but I couldn't see anything except light from deeper in the cave. I don't think he noticed me, it sounded like he was occupied. But I think I heard a monster."
"That's not good," Nikado said with a frown. "I hope the girl hasn't been harmed. Damn, I should have asked Austin how long ago she was kidnapped."
"What does that have to do with it?" Keisuke asked, more curious than critical.
"It could make a world of difference, depending on where that monster came from and what I suspect that girl might be. At any rate, let's not waste time," Nikado said. "We'll get back to the village as fast as we can and get the others, then we'll storm the place. If it's a cave, there's possibly another entrance, but we don't have time to find it, so we'll go in from the front. You didn't see anything that looked like a trap, did you?"
"No, if there'd been a trap outside, I probably would have set it off," he said with a shake of his head. "I agree, let's go get the others quickly."
"So that's it?" Daisuke asked with a frown, peering down into the cave. "Doesn't exactly look like a fortress."
"Keep your voice down, Lord Daisuke," Emi warned. "I can hear the monster."
"Once we start, we'll have to go all out," Nikado said, looking over to Daisuke. "Well, ready for a little practial application, Daisuke? I want you to break down the door."
"No problem," he said with a grin, drawing his sword and sliding it against his hand. The skin gave way easily, and Keisuke shivered at the sight, but Daisuke didn't seem hurt, drawing a little pattern on his hand. "And here we go!" He went up to the door, striking the palm of his hand with the bloody image against the door, and it blew apart into splinters under the impact of the spell, sending pieces of the door inside. "Was that a little too hard?"
"Go!" Nikado ordered, and Emi followed after Daisuke, Keisuke running after the pair with dagger drawn. Keeping Fia close to him, the guide looked around for the missing girl. "Adelaide! Shout if you hear us, honey!"
"'kado!" Daisuke stopped short as something lunged at him, and he hastily raised his sword, letting the claws bounce off it. "It is a monster!"
"It's chained," Keisuke said, seeing a thick collar around the beast's neck. "Let's avoid it and go--" As he moved past the thing, something lit up in front of him, momentarily blinding him as a shock ran through his system. An involuntary scream came from his throat as he stumbled backwards, his entire body throbbing from the sudden pain and his ears ringing.
"Brother!" Daisuke shouted in alarm, torn between his twin and keeping an eye on the creature.
"I-I'm okay," he managed, getting to his feet.
Picking a rock up off the ground, Nikado tossed it at the air in front of Keisuke, and this time he could see it as it lit up, a whitish-yellow web that seemed to be strung across the cave entrance. "Hm. That could be a problem."
"That's what it was intended for," a voice spoke up from the back of the cave. "A problem for little pests like you who want to interfere with my work."
"Who are you?" Daisuke shouted at the darkness. "Why are you doing this?"
"I don't feel a need to tell interlopers like you my name," he stated from his shadowy position. Keisuke squinted in the direction of the voice, and could see some human figure further in the cave, about the height of an adult. The voice suggested a male. "I'm on a mission for God."
"What do you mean? How is kidnapping an innocent girl a mission for god?!" Daisuke demanded.
"Should I try grabbing that thing, Nikado?" Fia asked in a low tone.
"I don't think it's magical in nature. You'd only get hurt," Nikado murmured back.
Keisuke frowned as he heard the exchange. Now he remembered where he had heard the low sort of thrumming that filled the cave before. It reminded him of magic, like the soft hum that surrounded his mother when she cast noble magic. "Where did this monster come from?" he directed at the voice.
"He was one of the wicked. This is his just punishment," the man said with a note of laughter in his tone. "The wicked of the world shall pay for their insolence."
"That was a person?!" Daisuke demanded, shock quickly turning to anger. "Change him back!"
"How? I haven't the foggiest idea how to do that," he declared in a singsong tone.
"Calm down, Daisuke," Nikado said warningly. "This is...where a lot of monsters come from, actually. Where's the girl, you?"
"That's really a person?" Fia whimpered, scooting a little closer to Nikado.
"I don't see a need to tell you."
"You don't have any right to do this!" Daisuke yelled. "It's not your call! You can't judge other people like that! You're a person, same as anyone else! By doing that, you deserve to be turned into a monster yourself!"
"Where's the girl?" Nikado repeated. "You know exactly what she is, don't you. Why she could stop you."
Keisuke made a note to himself to ask Nikado exactly what he meant. "Fine, if you really must know," the stranger replied, still with that note of laughter in his voice. "She's not here. She is closer to the village than you think. Pretty soon, they're going to wish she wasn't."
Nikado's eyes widened briefly. "Oh, you bastard. Fia, Emi," he told the two girls. "We have to go save the girl. Daisuke, Keisuke, you two stop this madman."
"'kado?" Daisuke said, sounding alarmed. "How? What are you going to do?"
"You'll have to think of something. Fia, Emi, come on, I'll need your help," he said, grabbing Fia by the arm.
"But what if--"
"No time," he said shortly. "We have to go now, or that girl is going to die."
"Have fun~" the voice called after them.
"Lord Daisuke?" Emi questioned, hesitating.
"Go with him. That's an order! We have to trust him," Daisuke told her, meeting her eyes for a moment. She nodded, sheathing her sword as she went after the other two.
And it was down to them. Keisuke glanced over and saw that his brother looked a little pale, still keeping an eye on the monster. He couldn't blame him, for he felt like throwing up himself. No time, like Nikado said. I have to think and figure out what we're going to do. The monster was still chained, but it could be released at any time. Still, the other man didn't seem particularly in a hurry to attack. Safe behind his electrical web, he seemed content to gloat. Could he buy some time? "What are you going to do to her?" he asked in a low tone, wishing he could give his brother some silent reassurance.
"The same thing I did to him," he said, the silhouette making a gesture at the monster. "Your friend is quite observant; the girl's not the same as the others. She's the worst," he spat. "She has no place here."
"What do you mean, she has no place here?" Daisuke questioned.
"That village was fine before she came to them. Now they will all have to pay the price of suffering her seductions. I needed an area more concentrated in the sins of this world to make them pay than my small home here. It is by their sins that that girl will be punished, and when her true nature awakens, she will punish them in turn. The laws of God will be satisfied."
"So you're going to turn her into a monster and unleash her on that village," Keisuke said slowly. "Then what?"
"Oh, that's just the beginning," the man told them. "Soon this entire world will be standing before its judgement at the hands of those that have sinned. These sinful creatures," another gesture to the chained monster, "will be their undoing."
"You're sick," Daisuke spat. "What did they ever do to you?"
"I wouldn't expect an outside to understand," the man said with a shrug. "You have no place to interfere, boy. Now...I think it's time you met your own personal judgement."
"Daisuke!" Keisuke yelled in alarm as the chain attaching the monster to the cave wall snapped, the beast lunging for his younger brother. Daisuke let out a yell of alarm, swinging clumsily at the monster, but it easily swatted him aside, knocking him against the far wall. "Oh, damn it," Keisuke muttered to himself, putting himself between the monster and his brother, mind racing as he tried to think of a solution. Somehow, he didn't want to kill the creature, but he doubted it would listen to reason. How did Mother handle a monster when she fought them by herself?
That made him think back to his home, about the way they lived there. Come to think of it, there was a spell she would cast.... Putting his knife away, he put his hands together, calling on his blood's power as he had been training to do, as he used to see his mother do. He closed his eyes, formulating the feel of the threads under his fingers that he wanted to weave together.
It hadn't been the spell he'd meant to cast; the light just came out. And yet, as the air thrummed around him, tendrils of silver seizing the creature, he couldn't say the result was undesired. Lowering itself to the ground, the creature shook its head, and then, amazingly, it spoke. "Wh-where am I? What's going on?"
Now that he thought about it, he could recall the same words from his mother, a spell she had used once or twice to drive away monsters. But it had never had this effect before. "Just stay there," he instructed, going to his brother. "We'll get you help as soon as we're done here."
"That was one of Mother's spells," Daisuke murmured, looking up at his brother.
"Yeah. Can you stand?"
"I think so. But what are we going to do?"
"We have to...." Keisuke leaned in to his younger brother, lowering his voice. "We have to defeat this man. We...." He couldn't bring himself to admit the possibility that they would have to kill him. "To do that, we need to get past that web thing. Let me think for a moment."
"It won't work," the man laughed. "By now your friends are probably too late. That girl will become a monster, and then your friends will die."
"You don't know our friends very well," Daisuke snorted. "They're gonna win. And so are we. Right, brother?"
Daisuke was relying on him. It was up to him to figure out a way past the web. "Daisuke, try using a spell against it. But don't touch it."
"Okay!" He rubbed at the dried blood on his hand, reopening the wound and drawing a new shape, thrusting his hand forward. Although he could clearly see the spell's destructive energies impacting the web, it seemed to be unaffected, crackling as it swayed a bit.
"Sorry, children," the man laughed. "You won't get past this. It's only a matter of time until my plans are realized. Even if you've tamed the beast out there, you can't stop me or my ultimate monster."
"We're going to stop you!" Daisuke shouted. "There's no way we'll let you have your way about this!"
"Let me try," the monster growled from behind Keisuke, getting to its feet. "I'll make him pay." Before Keisuke could protest or shout a warning, the creature charged for the net.
The man only laughed as it impacted the net, the lighted strands clinging to the beast's fur as it proceeded to electrocute him, the monster letting out an inhuman roar. "Daisuke, we have to pull him off!" Keisuke shouted in alarm, grabbing the monster by a front paw and pulling, heedless of the pain that shot through him.
Without hesitation, his brother complied, and they managed to pull the creature loose, letting it drop to the floor. Keisuke frowned as he pondered the web again. "Damn it!" Daisuke shouted.
"Daisuke," Keisuke said, an idea finally beginning to come to him. "We have to break through that net with force. Listen, when I tell you to, I want you to charge that thing at the spot where its energy is gathered. Use a spell and your sword to rip it apart. We have to unbalance the thing so it'll be weak enough to rip through."
"Okay, I can do that," he said with a nod. "But how are you going to gather its energy together?"
"Just trust me." Turning back to the web, he eyed it, taking in the dimensions of the thing. Then he jumped for it, sticking his hand against the web and dragging it down. The pain began anew, making it almost impossible to hear his brother's cries over the ringing in his ears, or see the pieces of the web around their blinding light. Gritting his teeth, he reached for another spot, dragging his hand across the web and pulling it taut, the strands sticking to him. Pulling another section to his hand, he had soon gathered a mass of the strands to him. "Okay, Daisuke," he got out, legs barely holding him up. "Hit it hard."
"But brother, you'll...I can't...."
"Just do it!" Keisuke shouted. "This is our chance, I need you to trust me!"
Daisuke bit at his lip, then he slid his bloodied hand down his sword, painting it red. With a cry, he charged for the web, thrusting his sword straight through the mass of threads and his brother's hand. The light became stronger than ever, the sword seeming to draw on the energies of the web itself to break through. The two fell inward as the web tore and gave way, Keisuke falling onto his back and panting for breath. "Keisuke," his younger brother said in worry, pulling at the strands that were still clinging to his brother. "Say something!"
"Impressive," the man laughed, "but that's as far as you'll get." Daisuke looked up, and saw the man pointing some sort of device at him. "You had a chance to leave peacefully. Now I'm going to use you in my army to defeat the wicked."
Daisuke let out a yell as the object engulfed him in some sort of red mist, the boy swinging his sword at it. "Daisuke," Keisuke choked out, pulling himself up and grabbing onto his brother. "Hold on, I'm here!" He tried another spell, but the silver energy wouldn't come to him.
"Oh, no you don't!" the monster growled as it leapt over their heads, landing in front of the man. "Your regime of terror ends here!"
"How dare you turn against me!" Keisuke could hear the voice around the red haze. "I am the judge, you are but a sinn--Aaaaugh!" A scream, and then there was no more talking.
"Brother, it hurts," Daisuke said, digging his fingers into his older brother's arm. "Are we gonna become monsters?"
"Don't be scared," Keisuke reassured quietly, taking his twin's hand in his own. "I can't...I don't have the power to purify it. Daisuke...we have to try the barrier."
"But brother, we can't--"
"We have to, or we'll die," Keisuke told him simply. "Just trust me. I trust you, Daisuke. We can do it...together."
"Keisuke...." Daisuke slowly took his brother's other hand, drawing on his power as best he could. "All right, not too hard. You're hurt."
"It's okay. It doesn't have to be big. Just give me your power and we'll make this work," Keisuke reassured. "I'm sorry about earlier, Daisuke. It never occured to me that you might have been lonely. I was always envious of how easily you made friends."
"It's okay. I'm sorry for not listening to you earlier, big brother. I'll try hard from now on."
"We won't just try," Keisuke told him. "We're going to win. We *are* going to save our world."
"Yeah. Together...."
"Hey, I think he's waking up!"
"Yeah, he's waking up, big brother!"
"I think they're both waking up! Isn't that great, big brother?"
"All right, both of you quiet down and stop your chatter," Austin ordered, voice sounding amused. "Go outside and play."
"Austin...?" Keisuke questioned slowly as he opened his eyes, squinting up at the older boy.
"Yeah, it's me. How do you feel? Mr. Nikado said you two were just worn out, but...."
"I feel fine. Where is everyone?" Keisuke pushed himself up as Daisuke stirred on the other small bed.
"They're outside, with my younger siblings. They wanted to let you sleep without making too much noise," Austin told him.
"Your sister," Keisuke asked slowly, looking at Austin for a long moment. "They saved her?"
He nodded with a smile. "She was hidden underground this entire time, in some sort of spell. I don't know how, but your young female friend...Fia, is it? She unraveled the spell and they were able to break through the creature holding her. She's perfectly fine."
Keisuke smiled at that, leaning back. "That's good to hear. That must have been agonizing for you."
"I owe you all a debt I can never replay," Austin told them. "If you ever have need of me, you have but to ask."
"You've probably done enough, letting us stay here," Keisuke told him. "We'll be leaving eventually, and you can't go where we're going. You're needed here, with your siblings."
"Still, I wish there was some way I could repay you."
"Don't worry about it," Daisuke said with a smile. "It's only natural to help out someone in need, right?"
Keisuke nodded agreement. "The best way to repay us would be to pass along the favor to someone else, I think. Is Nikado around?"
"Ah, sounds like they're got it all figured out," the older man's voice came from behind Austin, the teen glancing up at him. "Yes, I'm here, and I'm flattered, Keisuke. You called me Nikado without the Mr. part."
"Yeah, well, don't make a big production out of it," the older twin muttered, embarrassed. "What happened?"
"I was going to ask you that," Nikado told them, taking a seat. "Something set off a big explosion while you were there. When we got there, you two were the only two alive. Sealed inside a little barrier." He smiled. "Congratulations."
"So we did pull off the barrier?" Daisuke said excitedly. "We really did it?"
"Yes, you did, and though we've still got a lot of work to do, the hard part is over," Nikado told them. "This should make things much more easier for you two. So what happened? Your hand was pretty badly hurt, Keisuke."
"Huh?" He looked down at his hand, seeing a bandage around it, making him look like he was wearing a mitten. As he tried to move a finger, pain shot up his arm. "Ow!"
"That...was my fault, 'kado," Daisuke said quietly. "I used a bloodmagic spell and did that, even though you told me not to."
"You did that?" Nikado asked with a frown.
"I told him to," Keisuke interrupted. "It was the only way to take down the defensive web that man had in place. It's not his fault, Nikado."
"I see. Well, that's all right, then," Nikado said with a smile. "As long as it wasn't done maliciously. You see, with that sort of magic, you have to be very careful if you use it against another person, Daisuke. That's why I don't want you to do it. It's very, very easy to get lost in rage and anger using that bloodline. You have to be very careful, so you don't become something you aren't."
"Don't worry, 'kado," Daisuke reassured him. "I won't ever use it on a person. I don't want to make you or my brother worry. I just want to stay me." He pulled himself up to a sitting position, looking over at his sword, laying in its sheath and resting against the wall. "Still, that really surprised me. When I did that...put my blood on the sword, I mean, it felt all warm."
"The sword felt warm?"
"No, I felt warm. Like I could feel it in my blood. When I hit that web, it just...let loose. It was like, I don't know, like I stole that thing's power. I felt invincible for a moment."
"That's probably the special ability of your sword, then," Nikado noted, looking over at the weapon. "Some sort of energy conversion. That can be very useful. Keep it handy, Daisuke."
"Well, duh, I wasn't going to get rid of it," he snorted. "You're weird, 'kado."
He laughed. "Well, do you two feel like company? Fia and Emi have been very worried about you."
"Yeah! I wanna see them!"
Keisuke smiled. "Actually, Nikado, I wonder if there's someone else I can see."
"Who's that?"
"Adelaide. I want to see the girl you saved."
He raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything. "All right. Hold on one moment."
A few minutes later, Fia came running into the room, Emi following close behind. "Daisuke!" she exclaimed, bouncing onto his bed. "You dummy, you got us all worried! There was that big explosion and we thought you were gonna die!"
"I wasn't going to die," he huffed. "I'm strong."
"It is good to see you in one piece, Lord Daisuke," Emi told him. "You too, Sir Keisuke."
"Thank you, Lady Emi."
She blinked at him, surprised at the title, and he smiled. "He's in here, 'Laide," he heard Nikado's voice say, and then a girl of eight peered in the room, looking at Keisuke shyly.
He felt surprised and a bit sick that that man had taken such a young girl captive, but then he smiled at her. "You're Adelaide? Come on in."
"'kay, mister," she said shyly, walking over to the bed and watching him with her big blue eyes. She was a petite thing, even for her age, but her long blonde hair, almost a platinum blonde, was amazingly free of tangles and shimmered in the sunlight. "Are you feeling better now, mister?"
"You can call me Keisuke," he said with a smile. "I'm not that much older than you."
"'kay, mister Keishike," she said, stumbling over the name. "My big brother Austin says you helped save me. That's really brave! Thank you very much," she said with a little curtsy.
Keisuke couldn't help but smile at her. Were all eight year old girls this adorable? "I'm glad we could help, and I'm glad you're back with your family, Adelaide."
"'Laide is very happy to be home!" she agreed eagerly. "It was dark and scary where I was, and there was a big monster. And then it was light and everyone was here. I'm glad." She reached over, grabbing his hand. "Say, mister Keishike. Will you come play with 'Laide and Rae-Rae and big brother Damon and big brother Austin?"
"Sure. I promise I'll come out once I feel strong enough, and I'll play with you before I leave," he reassured.
Her face fell at that. "Mister Keishike is leaving?"
"Yes. I have to go back home eventually and see my mother," he told her.
"What's mister Keishike's mother like? 'Laide doesn't know 'mother'," she told him. "Big brother Austin says she went away on a trip after I was born. But if 'Laide is good, she'll come back."
He reached out, touching the girl's hair, and he couldn't help but notice how soft it was. In addition, there was a thrumming in the back of his skull, and he finally realized that it reminded him of his mother. "You should work hard, Adelaide, and make everyone happy. Then you'll have something even better than one mother. You'll have lots of them."
"Yeah! 'Laide will work very hard for everyone," she agreed.
"'Laide!" Raelene called from outside. "Come back and play with us!"
"'kay!" She dashed off, back out the door in a flurry of blonde hair.
"Isn't she a sweetheart?" Nikado said with a smile.
"She is. She's very sweet. Nikado, what exactly is she? Why did that man want her in particular?"
Nikado considered for a long moment. "She's what's known as a 'pure soul'. They're people who are exceptionally committed to their good side and have nearly eliminated the darkness in their hearts. They're often sent to worlds that are in danger to steer them back on the right path. Because of that, she was the biggest threat to that man's plans."
"So if we hadn't come...."
"This world may have very well been lost to darkness and destroyed," Nikado said seriously. "As well as her. That's what can happen."
"She reminded me of my mother, somehow," Keisuke said softly. "Is my mother one of those?"
"I don't know about that. It's possible. It could just be that her purity reminds you of noble magic," Nikado said with a nod. "Well, you and your brother should be proud. You managed to save an entire world. Now that you've done it once, how do you feel about your chances at home?"
"What 'chance'?" Keisuke countered. "We're going to succeed. I'm sure of it now. We just need a little more time to practice our barrier. Do you think we'll be going back there next?"
He shook his head. "I already know where we're going next, and it's not there. It's a place called Tornelika."
"Tornelika." Keisuke rolled the name around his tongue. "What's that place like?"
"I don't know, to be honest. I've never been there before. My boss didn't leave me any details, so just be prepared for anything, all right?"
Keisuke nodded. "Don't worry. We're going to do our best. All of us."
Nikado smiled. "I believe it."
