Linn slowly stirred, his eyelids fluttering open, his head throbbing with a dull, persistent ache. He groaned, his hand instinctively reaching up to rub the back of his head, where a sharp, stabbing pain lingered. He pushed himself up into a sitting position, his vision blurring, his senses disoriented. He looked around, his brow furrowed in confusion. He was still in the forest, the towering trees casting long, eerie shadows in the fading light.
'Ugh...' Linn groaned again, his voice hoarse and weak. He tried to piece together the previous night's events, but his memories were fragmented and distorted, like a broken mirror. He remembered the cabin, the woman, the attack... and then... Regulus. And Yuzu... leaving with him. But that couldn't be right. Yuzu wouldn't betray him. Would she?
"What... what happened?" Linn mumbled, his voice barely a whisper. He struggled to his feet, his legs shaky and unsteady. Just then, a voice called out from the darkness.
"Linn!"
Linn turned towards the sound, his heart leaping with a mixture of hope and trepidation. Standing there, bathed in the dappled moonlight, was Yuzu. She looked concerned, her expression a stark contrast to the cold, distant figure he remembered seeing before.''
"Yuzu?" Linn said, his voice filled with confusion and disbelief. He couldn't reconcile this worried, caring girl with the Yuzu who had... left him.
Yuzu ran towards him, her face etched with relief. "Linn! Oh, I'm so glad you're okay!" She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly.
Linn was slightly startled by her sudden embrace, his mind still reeling from the strange events he thought he had witnessed. He hesitated for a moment, his arms hanging awkwardly at his sides, before finally returning the hug, his grip tentative.
"Yuzu, what's going on?" Linn asked, his voice strained. ''I thought you went with that Regulus guy. The bird beastkalin."
Yuzu pulled back, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Huh? Who's Regulus? What are you talking about, Linn?''
"Huh?" Linn was utterly baffled. His mind was a whirlwind of conflicting images and emotions. "You know... the cabin... the fight... the men with the torches... the giant bird... You said you were going with him! To Kolt Village!"
Yuzu stared at him, her expression a mixture of concern and bewilderment. "Linn, hun, there was no bird. We were traveling through the forest, heading to Tamerion, when you suddenly started running. You just... took off. I chased after you, worried, and found you collapsed on the ground, unconscious. I didn't see anyone else. There was no fight. No one attacked us. It was just you."
Linn was dumbstruck. The cabin, the woman, the men, the bird that attacked them, Yuzu running away, and then joining the bird... did none of that happen? Was it all a dream? A hallucination brought on by the pain and the head injury? But it had felt so real. So vivid. So... betraying.
Yuzu looked at Linn's face, her concern deepening. He looked pale and disoriented, his eyes wide and unfocused.
"Hey, Linn, are you okay?" Yuzu asked, her voice gentle. Her hand reached out to touch his arm.
"I... I don't know," Linn said, his voice barely a whisper. "I'm so confused. I don't know what's real anymore."
Yuzu's expression softened, her eyes filled with worry. She walked closer to him and pressed her forehead against his, her touch surprisingly soothing.
"You don't seem to have a fever..." Yuzu murmured, her brow furrowed. She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes, her gaze searching. "But your eyes are bloodshot. You look like you've been crying. Have you been crying, Linn?"
Linn rubbed his eyes, his cheeks flushing slightly. Had he been crying? He couldn't remember. He just felt... empty. Betrayed. Lost.
"Linn, you don't look so well," Yuzu said, her voice filled with genuine concern. She sat down on the soft forest floor and patted her lap, her expression tender. "Here, come rest on mommy's lap. You look like you need it."
Usually, Linn would have protested, his face flushing with embarrassment at the maternal gesture. But right now, he felt utterly exhausted, both physically and emotionally. Yuzu's lap looked incredibly inviting, a haven of warmth and comfort in the cold, confusing darkness. So, without a word, he lowered himself to the ground and rested his head on Yuzu's lap, his eyes closing wearily.
"There," Yuzu said softly, her fingers gently stroking his hair. "Now, try to get some rest. Just relax. I'll be here."
Linn complied, his body sinking into the soft cushion of her lap. He drifted in and out of sleep, his mind still reeling, his dreams a chaotic jumble of fragmented memories and unsettling visions. Yuzu hummed softly, her fingers moving rhythmically through his hair, her touch strangely comforting.
"Does this feel good?" Yuzu asked warmly, her voice a soothing lullaby. Linn nodded, too tired to speak, his body heavy with exhaustion.
"You know, Linn," Yuzu said, her voice low and intimate, "this has been a great time, adventuring with you. I've been having so much fun with you. You're a good person, Linn. A kind person. A strong person. You're special." Her voice changed slightly, becoming softer, more... possessive. "Why don't you just forget about your friends? Forget about Tomo and Daisuke. Forget about the quest. Forget about everything. And just stay with me?"
Linn nodded again, his mind too clouded with exhaustion and confusion to process the implications of her words. He was so tired. So vulnerable. So easily swayed.
"Yes..." Yuzu said, her smile widening, her eyes gleaming with a strange, unsettling light. "That's good. That's what I wanted to hear." She clapped her hands together, her voice filled with a childlike glee that sent a shiver down Linn's spine, even in his drowsy state. "It would be just the two of us, Linn. Just you and me. Playing, eating, exploring, growing old together. We'll be together forever. Doesn't that sound wonderful? What do you say, my sweet Linn? Do you agree?
Linn nodded again, his mind blank, his will seemingly surrendered to her soothing voice and gentle touch. He was too tired to resist, too tired to think, too tired to see the danger in her words, the possessive glint in her eyes, the unsettling undercurrent of her affection. He was falling deeper and deeper under her spell, his consciousness fading, his mind slipping away.
"Good," Yuzu whispered, her smile widening into a predatory grin. "That's my good boy."
Shnk
Linn's eyes snapped open, his body arching in a spasm of agony. A searing, white-hot pain tore through his chest, a sensation so intense it felt like his very soul was being ripped apart. He gasped, a choked, silent scream trapped in his throat. He looked down, his vision swimming in a haze of blood and tears, and saw Yuzu standing over him, her face illuminated by an unholy, inner light. Her smile was wide, stretched, and utterly devoid of warmth, a grotesque parody of the cheerful expression he knew. She held a long, gleaming knife in her hand, its blade slick and crimson.
"Hey, it's okay, my sweet Linn," Yuzu crooned, her voice a sickeningly sweet lullaby, utterly at odds with the brutal reality of the situation. "We're going to be together forever now. I just need your heart... to make us one. To bind us together. Hold still, my precious boy. This will only hurt for a moment."
Yuzu raised the knife, her movements slow and deliberate, savoring the moment. But Linn, fueled by a primal surge of terror and adrenaline, managed to push himself up, his body trembling violently, his muscles screaming in protest. He stumbled backward, narrowly dodging the descending blade, which sliced through the air where his heart had been a fraction of a second before. He landed a few feet away, his back pressed against the cold, unyielding earth, his hand clutching at his chest, his breath coming in ragged, desperate gasps.
"What... what are you..." Linn choked out, his voice a broken whisper, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and abject horror. He couldn't reconcile the monstrous creature before him with the cheerful, caring girl he thought he knew.
Yuzu's smile twisted into a petulant frown, her eyes hardening into cold, obsidian chips. "Now, Linn," she said, her voice taking on a sharp, scolding tone, the maternal warmth replaced by a chilling possessiveness, a hunger that went beyond simple affection. "You're not being a good boy. You're making this difficult. I need you to hold still. It's for the best, my love. It's for us. Don't you want to be with me? Forever?"
Linn tried to speak, to plead, to reason, to scream, but no words came. His throat was paralyzed with fear, his mind reeling in a vortex of confusion and dread. Yuzu was approaching him, her steps slow and deliberate, her gaze unwavering, the knife held out before her like a twisted, unholy sacrament.
"Linn, sweetie," Yuzu said, her voice dripping with a cloying, unnatural affection, a possessiveness that bordered on madness. "There's no need to be scared. Just come to Mommy, my darling."
Linn shook his head frantically, his back pressed against the gnarled, pulsating trunk of a twisted tree, his eyes darting around in a desperate, futile search for escape. The forest itself seemed to be in league with her, contorting and shifting around him, becoming a grotesque reflection of his inner turmoil.
"Linn, I'm not going to ask you again," Yuzu hissed, her voice a low, guttural growl that seemed to emanate from the very depths of the earth, a sound that chilled him to the bone. "COME. HERE. NOW!!!"
As she spoke, the world around him began to warp and distort, the fabric of reality itself unraveling. The ground cracked open beneath his feet, fissures snaking across the earth like gaping maws, threatening to swallow him whole. The sky, once a deep, star-studded expanse, turned a sickly, swirling vortex of pitch black, the stars vanishing one by one, snuffed out like candles in a storm. The trees around him twisted and writhed, their branches becoming grotesque, skeletal limbs, reaching out to him with clawed, grasping fingers. Their bark sprouted grotesque faces, leering and laughing at him, their laughter a chorus of mocking, inhuman shrieks that echoed through the night, driving him to the brink of insanity.
Linn, his mind teetering on the edge of oblivion, knew he had to escape. He turned and fled, his legs pumping with a desperate, frantic energy, his heart pounding in his ears like a death knell. The ground bucked and heaved beneath him, threatening to pitch him into the abyss. The twisted trees reached out with their gnarled, pulsating branches, their grotesque faces contorted in silent, screaming hunger.
He kept running, but the forest was closing in on him, the gnarled, grasping trees forming a claustrophobic, inescapable maze. Suddenly, one of the trees, its trunk throbbing with a dark, malevolent energy, reached out and seized his legs, its grip like iron, unyielding and inescapable. He cried out, a strangled, desperate plea, as he was dragged towards the tree's grotesque, pulsating bark, held aloft, helpless and struggling, a sacrifice to this twisted, unholy god.
Just then, Yuzu appeared before him, her face inches from his, her smile a wide, predatory leer, her eyes burning with a dark, possessive fire. The knife in her hand, slick and gleaming, dripped with his blood, each drop a tiny, agonizing reminder of his impending doom.
"I found you, my sweet Linn," Yuzu whispered, her voice a chilling caress, a perversion of the gentle tone he once knew. "You can't run from me, my love. You can't escape. We're bound together now. Forever."
"Why... why are you doing this... to me?" Linn choked out, his voice a broken, desperate plea, his body trembling violently.
Yuzu tilted her head, her smile widening into a grotesque, inhuman leer, her eyes glittering with a terrifying, obsessive light. "Why did you try to leave me, my darling Linn? Why did you try to run away? It makes Mommy so, so sad. It makes Mommy very, very angry. You hurt me, Linn. You tried to break our promise. But it's okay now. I'm here. I'm here to fix you. To make you stay."
She raised the knife, her hand steady, her movements deliberate and precise. She pressed the cold, sharp blade against his chest, the point hovering over his heart.
"It's for the best, my love," she murmured, her voice a sickeningly sweet lullaby. "It's for us. We'll be together. Always. Just like we promised."
She began to stab him, her movements slow and methodical, each thrust accompanied by a wet, sickening sound, a grotesque parody of a lover's embrace. Linn writhed and cried out in agony, his body spasming with each blow, his blood painting the grotesque bark of the tree in a macabre tapestry. But he was held fast by the tree's unyielding grip, his limbs bound, his voice trapped, his fate sealed. He could only endure the unimaginable pain, the agonizing violation of his body and soul.
"Hey, now, it's okay, my sweet, sweet boy," Yuzu crooned, her hand gently caressing his blood-soaked face, her touch both tender and horrifying. Her eyes, once bright and full of life, were now completely black, empty voids that reflected nothing but her own twisted desires. "You made an oopsie, my little hero. You tried to leave Mommy. But it's okay now. I'm not mad. I'm just so, so glad you're finally holding still."
Yuzu raised the knife one last time, her gaze fixed on his heart, her smile widening into a grotesque, inhuman leer that stretched across her face like a wound. Linn, his vision blurring, his body on the verge of collapse, saw something in the distance, a flicker of something real, something powerful, in this twisted, nightmarish realm. A giant, majestic, and terrifying creature, a dragon of black and blue scales, soaring through the distorted sky, its form both beautiful and terrifying, a symbol of a world he was losing, a world he might never see again.
"Just remember this, my darling, my precious Linn," Yuzu whispered, her voice a chilling, final caress, her eyes burning with a fanatical, possessive light. "I love you. I'll always love you. And I'll love you... to death.''
With a final, sickening thrust, she plunged the knife into his heart, twisting the blade, her smile widening as his lifeblood flowed onto her hands.
Linn's world exploded in a blinding flash of agony, a pain so intense it shattered his very being. His vision turned white, then black, and then... nothing. Silence. Darkness. Oblivion.
OOO
AHHHHH!
Linn's eyes snapped open, his body jerking upright in a bed. He gasped for air, his chest heaving, his skin slick with a cold sweat. He looked around wildly, his gaze darting from one unfamiliar corner of the room to another.
"Where... where am I?" Linn mumbled, his voice hoarse and disoriented. His head throbbed, a dull ache resonating behind his eyes.
"Master!"
Linn turned to his left, his eyes widening slightly as he saw Tomo sitting up in a nearby chair, his form tense with worry and relief.
"Tomo?" Linn asked, his voice still weak and confused.
Tomo launched himself onto the bed, his tiny body colliding with Linn in a flurry of fur and frantic licks. "Oh, Master! You're alright! I was so worried! So incredibly worried! I thought... I thought we'd lost you!" Tomo cried, his voice choked with emotion, his tears soaking Linn's shirt.
"C-calm down, boy, I'm okay," Linn assured him, gently pushing Tomo off, his expression a mixture of exhaustion and gratitude. "I'm... I'm still a bit out of it, but I'm alive."
Just then, Cheerilee and Daisuke entered the room, their expressions a mixture of concern and relief. Cheerilee carried a small basin of water, while Daisuke trailed behind, his usual boisterous energy subdued.
"Linn, it's a relief to see you awake," Cheerilee said, her voice soft and genuine. "You gave us quite a scare."
"Ms. Cheerilee? Where am I? And... and what happened?" Linn asked, his brow furrowed with confusion.
"You're in the cabin, in my room," Cheerilee explained, setting the basin down on a nearby table. "Tomodachi found you injured in the forest and brought you back here. You were... in a bad way. I did what I could to heal your wounds, but you were unconscious for quite some time."
"I see," Linn said, nodding slowly, his hand instinctively going to his bandaged chest. "Thank you. I appreciate it."
"Yeah, you better be grateful!" Daisuke suddenly interjected, his voice surprisingly sharp and accusatory.
Everyone in the room turned to him, their expressions a mixture of surprise and confusion.
"W-what? Why are you mad at me?" Linn asked, his confusion deepening.
Daisuke crossed his arms, his usual cheerful demeanor replaced by a sullen pout. "Not only did you get to sleep in the same room as Miss Cheerilee, but you also got to be healed by her! Her beautiful hands on your body, the lingering scent of her perfume on her bed. It's just not fair! I'm so incredibly jealous!" Daisuke declared, his voice filled with comical, melodramatic tears.
Everyone else in the room exchanged bewildered glances, a collective sweatdrop forming on their foreheads.
"Anyway, Linn," Cheerilee said, attempting to steer the conversation back to a more serious topic, "What happened in the forest? What attacked you? And... where's Yuzu-chan?"
Linn recounted the events in the forest, his voice growing increasingly agitated as he described the encounter with Regulus and his subsequent collapse. He spoke of the monstrous bird and the fight, how he tried to protect Yuzu and failed.
"Oh my..." Cheerilee gasped, her hand flying to her mouth in shock.
Linn, his energy returning, pushed himself out of bed, his expression determined. "I feel much better now. Come on, guys, we have to go after Yuzu."
Linn started walking towards the door, but stopped when he realized that no one was following him. He turned back to the others, his brow furrowed in confusion.
"Guys? Come on, what are you waiting for? We have to save Yuzu!"
"Do we?" Tomo replied, his voice surprisingly cold and detached.
Linn stared at him, his shock turning into disbelief. "What do you mean, 'Do we'?"
"Master, I don't know if you've forgotten, or if you're just conveniently leaving it out, but Yuzu was the reason you were injured in the first place," Tomo said, his gaze unwavering.
"What are you talking about? That's not true!" Linn protested, his voice rising in anger and denial.
"Master, I saw her," Tomo said, his voice firm and unwavering. "I saw Yuzu attack you with her ladle. I saw her leave with that bird creature of her own free will."
Cheerilee gasped again, her hand trembling slightly. "Linn, is that true? Did Yuzu-Chan really attack you?"
Linn looked down, his face a mask of conflicting emotions. He couldn't deny what Tomo was saying, but he couldn't bring himself to believe it either. He finally looked back up, his eyes filled with a desperate plea. "Y-yes... It's true. But... but there has to be a reason for it. We have to find her and ask her. We can't just abandon her without knowing the whole story."
"I don't know, Master," Tomodachi said, his ears drooping slightly, his expression troubled. "I warned you that I had a bad feeling about Yuzu. And it seems I was right. She used us. She deceived us. I don't see any reason why we should risk our lives to help her now."
"So, we're just going to abandon her? After everything she's done for us? After everything we've been through together?!" Linn yelled, his voice cracking with a mixture of anger and hurt. "Tomo, you were the one who suggested bringing her along with us in the first place! You said she could be helpful!"
"And I genuinely thought she would be," Tomo replied calmly, his voice devoid of emotion. "But now that she has shown her true colors, I don't know if I can trust her anymore. And I certainly don't think we should be putting ourselves in danger for someone who clearly doesn't care about us."
Linn growled, his fists clenched at his sides. "Fine! If that's how you feel, then you can stay here! Daisuke, Cheerilee, and I will go find her!"
"Whoa there, hold on a minute. Daisuke is not doing anything," Daisuke said, his voice surprisingly firm.
Linn gaped at him, his eyes wide with disbelief. "Et tu, Daisuke?!
Daisuke shrugged, his expression surprisingly pragmatic. "If what the dog said is true, and Yuzu left on her own, then she clearly doesn't want anyone to follow her. She made her choice. Besides, from what I saw, she only used us to protect her from something."
"But you're her bodyguard! You're supposed to protect her from whatever that 'something' is!" Linn argued, his voice pleading.
Daisuke shrugged again, his expression indifferent. "It's hard to guard a body when there is nobody to guard. And besides, I don't enjoy being used."
Linn, his heart sinking, turned to Cheerilee, his eyes filled with desperation. "Miss Cheerilee…''
Cheerilee looked at him, her expression apologetic and regretful. "I'm sorry, Linn," she said softly. "I would gladly help, but... I don't have a weapon. Not anymore." She briefly glared at Daisuke, who whistled innocently, avoiding her gaze. "And I'm not a hand-to-hand combatant. I wouldn't stand a chance against those men... or that creature. I would only be a burden."
Linn stood there, his face a mask of shock and disbelief. He couldn't believe what he was hearing. Were they all really going to abandon Yuzu? After everything they had been through?
"Then forget all of you!" Linn snapped, his voice filled with a mixture of anger and betrayal. "I'll find her on my own! He turned and stormed out of the room, slamming the door behind him, leaving the other occupants to stare at each other in stunned silence.
000
Linn ran down the path, his determination fueling his strides, his mind replaying the fragmented memories of the previous night. He tried to focus, to remember the direction Regulus and Yuzu had taken, the image of the giant bird seared into his mind.
"I'm sure they went this way," Linn muttered to himself, his voice tight with urgency, his eyes scanning the surrounding forest for any sign of their passage.
"They went a little to the west, Master," Tomo said, appearing at Linn's side, his legs working tirelessly to keep pace.
"Thanks, Tomo," Linn replied, his voice softening slightly with gratitude.
A tumbleweed rolled across the path.
"Tomo?! What are you doing here?" Linn exclaimed, his surprise evident. He hadn't expected Tomo to follow him, not after their disagreement at the cabin. Tomo chuckled, a wry, knowing sound.
"You don't want me here, Master?'' Tomo joked, his tone light but his eyes filled with a deeper concern.
"N-no, I do, of course I do," Linn stammered, his cheeks flushing slightly. "But I thought you didn't want to help."
"I just said that I didn't think it was a good idea," Tomo explained, his expression thoughtful. "I never said I wasn't going to help you. You're my Master, and I won't abandon you, even if I think you're being reckless."
"Oh," Linn simply said, his earlier anger replaced by a sheepish gratitude. He hadn't fully processed Tomo's words back at the cabin, his mind too clouded by his own turmoil.
Tomo, sensing Linn's internal struggle, tilted his head, his ears twitching inquisitively. "Master, if I may be so bold... I must ask, what is your fixation on Yuzu? We've only known her for a short time. And after what happened..." He trailed off, his voice filled with a mixture of concern and confusion.
Linn hesitated, his steps faltering slightly. He wasn't sure how to answer. He had been so focused on the urgency of the situation, the need to rescue Yuzu, that he hadn't truly examined his own feelings. He thought of Yuzu's cheerful smile, her unwavering determination, the way she had always been there for him, supporting him, even when he doubted himself. And then he remembered the chilling betrayal in his dream, the coldness in her eyes as she... as she... He shuddered, pushing the memory aside.
"Well..." Linn began hesitantly, his gaze fixed on the path ahead.
Tomo's eyes widened, his expression suddenly filled with playful excitement. "Could it be...? Could it be... love?!" he gasped, his voice a dramatic whisper.
Linn's face flushed crimson, his embarrassment evident. "NO! I-I mean... It's not like that!" he stammered, his words tumbling over each other in his flustered state. He paused, taking a deep breath, trying to organize his thoughts. He thought about Tomo's question. Why did he want to rescue Yuzu so badly? Tomo was right; he had only known Yuzu for a short while. And after what he thought he saw... she had betrayed him, left him to die. He had no obligation to follow her. He could just turn back, return to Cheerilee's cabin, and pretend none of this had happened. But he couldn't. He couldn't shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong, that Yuzu was in danger, and that he was the only one who could help her. He remembered the look in her eyes as she left, a fleeting glimpse of something... something desperate, something terrified. And he remembered the words she had mouthed.
A new determination hardened his gaze, his earlier confusion replaced by a steely resolve. "I'm not sure what I feel about Yuzu... not yet," he admitted, his voice low and honest. "But I know she's in trouble. I know she needs help. And as a hero... as her friend... I have to rescue her. I can't just abandon her, not after everything."
Tomo nodded slowly, his expression thoughtful and understanding. He seemed to sense the turmoil in Linn's heart, the conflict between his doubts and his unwavering sense of duty.
"I understand, Master," Tomo said quietly. "Then we should hurry. Kolt Village is to the west of here," Tomo said, pointing with his paw. "With the pace we're going, we should be there in a few minutes."
"Okay! Then let's not waste any time!" Linn replied, his voice firm and resolute. He broke into a sprint, his earlier hesitation gone. 'Hang on, Yuzu! We're coming to rescue you!' he thought, his heart pounding with a mixture of fear and hope.
OOO
The air in Kolt village hung thick with the scent of woodsmoke and fear. Simple, rough-hewn huts huddled together, their thatched roofs casting long shadows in the morning light. In the heart of the village, a crowd of grim-faced villagers had gathered, their eyes fixed on a crude wooden cross. Tied to it, slumped and barely conscious, was a young girl. Her clothes were torn, her skin a canvas of fresh bruises and dirt.
The man from earlier stood before her, a cruel smile twisting his features. "Well, Yuzu," he sneered, his voice carrying across the hushed square. This is it. I can't say it's been fun, but this is where we part ways."
Yuzu, her head bowed, managed a weak plea. "Gerard-san… please…"
The man, Gerard, scoffed, a harsh sound. "Oh no, none of that. You're getting what you deserve. The only reason we didn't do this sooner was because of your stupid friends injuring our people. Otherwise, this would've been done already." Gerard's hand shot out, gripping Yuzu's hair, forcing her head back. "But no more delays! This ends here and now! Understand?!"
Yuzu offered no resistance, her tear-filled eyes reflecting a sorrowful resignation. Gerard released her, letting her head fall forward again.
"Alright, men, let's finish this," Gerard barked. Two figures stepped forward, hefting large, dented cans. The heavy smell of gasoline filled the air as they sloshed the liquid over Yuzu and the base of the cross. Gerard reached into his pocket, his fingers closing around a match.
"Welp, Yuzu, this is goodbye," Gerard said, lifting the match to strike it against the box.
"Hold on a second, Gerard Yamanaka."
Gerard froze, turning slowly. Standing at the edge of the clearing was Regulus. "Regulus? What are you still doing here?" Gerard asked, confusion etched on his face.
Regulus raised a single, elegant eyebrow. "I say, weren't you the one who suggested I stay the night?"
"Yes, I did," Gerard replied, his voice slow and wary, "but it's morning now. Shouldn't you be heading back to the Kemono kingdom?"
"As much as I would like to," Regulus said, his tone cool and level, "there is still the matter of the payment."
"Payment?" Gerard echoed, the match forgotten in his hand.
"Yes," Regulus confirmed, pulling a folded paper from his pocket. "For bringing Yuzu Katagiri back to Kolt village. I have yet to be compensated for this endeavor." He unfolded the contract. "It states here that you requested the job, so logically, you're the one who issues the reward."
Gerard sighed, running a hand over his face. "Can't it wait? I'm in the middle of something important."
"I'm afraid not," Regulus replied, refolding the contract with precise movements. "I must return to the Kemono kingdom post-haste, and I cannot do that until I receive what I am owed."
"Fine," Gerard snapped, blowing out the match with a puff of smoke. "Just let me—"
A sudden scream from the edge of the crowd cut him off. Gerard and Regulus spun around. Pushing through the startled villagers stood Linn and Tomodachi, their faces set with purpose.
A minute prior, at the village entrance:
Linn and Tomo stood at the edge of the cluster of huts. "This must be Kolt village!" Linn said, scanning the simple structures. "But where's Yuzu?"
"Over there, Master!" Tomo's sharp eyes spotted the gathering in the center. Linn followed his gaze, his heart leaping into his throat. He saw the crowd, the cross, and the slumped figure tied to it.
They didn't hesitate, rushing past the murmuring villagers, their boots kicking up dust, until they stood before the grim tableau: Gerard, the unmoving Regulus, and the battered Yuzu.
"Yuzu!" Linn yelled, his voice thick with relief and fear.
Yuzu's head snapped up, her eyes widening in disbelief. "Linn! Tomo-chan!" she cried out, a fragile hope flickering in her voice.
Gerard's eyes narrowed, pointing a finger at Linn. "It's you!"
Linn glared back, his fists clenching. "You!" His gaze shifted to the other figure. "And Regulus…"
"I say," Regulus said, a flicker of recognition in his eyes. "You're the boy from last night. What are you doing here?"
"What else?" Linn stated, planting his feet firmly. "I'm here to take Yuzu back."
"Linn…" Yuzu whispered, tears welling anew, but this time from gratitude.
"You stupid child!" Gerard roared, his face contorted with rage. "I told you a million times, this doesn't concern you!"
"I don't care what you say!" Linn yelled back, his voice cracking slightly. "Yuzu is my friend, and I will rescue her! Now give her back!"
Gerard grunted, his eyes darting between Linn, Tomo, and the impassive Regulus. "Fine! If you won't listen, we'll force you out! Regulus! Take care of him!"
"No," Regulus said, his voice calm but firm.
A stunned silence fell over the clearing.
"Did you just say no?" Gerard asked, utterly bewildered.
"That's correct," Regulus replied.
"What do you mean, no!?" Gerard demanded, his fury boiling over.
"I mean no. Simple as that," Regulus repeated, unperturbed. "I have no reason to fight the boy."
Tomodachi tilted his head, his ears twitching. "Sorry to interrupt, but aren't you working for these people?"
"Yeah," Linn added, stepping closer. "Didn't you say it was your job?"
"My job was to bring Yuzu Katagiri to Kolt village, and I accomplished that," Regulus said, his gaze sweeping over the villagers. "I am not obligated to do anything beyond that. I'm only here because I haven't been paid."
"Look, Regulus," Gerard said, trying a different tack, his tone wheedling. "I'll pay you after you get rid of these guys."
"That will simply not do," Regulus said, shaking his head. "I must be paid for the previous job before starting a new one. If you want my services now, the fee is double the original amount."
Gerard's jaw tightened, but he seemed to weigh his options. The villagers were murmuring, and Linn and Tomo were a clear threat to his plans. "Fine," he spat out, "I'll do it. Get rid of them."
"Very well," Regulus said. He turned and faced Linn and Tomodachi, who immediately dropped into fighting stances, their muscles coiled.
"So, child," Regulus said, a faint smile touching his lips. "Our paths cross again."
"Yeah," Linn said, his voice tight with determination. "But this time, I'm taking you down!"
Regulus raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "My dear boy. I bested you before, and it's only been twenty-four hours. What, pray tell, has changed?"
"What changed is that I'm with him now," Tomo answered, stepping slightly in front of Linn. "So you'll have to fight both of us."
Regulus sighed, drawing his sword with a practiced flourish. The steel glinted sharply in the sun. "I'm not exactly fond of fighting a child and a fellow beastkalin, but this is my job." He lowered his sword point. "Have at you!" Regulus charged, a blur of speed.
"Here he comes, Master. Ready?" Tomo asked, his voice low.
"Yeah!" Linn replied, adrenaline surging. "Let's go!"
They charged to meet him. Regulus swung his sword in a wide arc. Linn and Tomo dodged in opposite directions. Linn lunged, throwing a punch at Regulus's head, but the bird-man blocked it easily with a forearm. Tomodachi followed instantly, claws extended, raking at Regulus's sword arm. Regulus parried with his blade, the steel ringing. Seizing the opening, Linn drove a hard kick into Regulus's stomach. The impact staggered him, and Tomo landed a sharp, straight punch to his head.
Regulus reeled back, shaking his head, his earlier amusement gone, replaced by a cold glare. He lunged forward, delivering a swift roundhouse kick that caught Linn squarely, sending him sprawling onto the dusty ground. Then, Regulus pivoted, pointing his blade at Tomo.
"I say, you there," Regulus said, his voice sharp.
"What?" Tomo replied, his stance unwavering.
"Did I hear correctly that you call the boy 'master'?"
"That's right," Tomo said, his gaze steady. "And?"
Regulus's eyebrow shot up. "Aren't you ashamed to let a human hold your leash?"
Tomo's ears flattened slightly in surprise. "What's wrong with that? Isn't that our purpose?"
Regulus scoffed, a sound of pure disdain. "Surely you jest. We beastkalin are a proud race. We don't bow to anyone, especially humans."
"Yet here you are," Tomodachi retorted, a challenging glint in his eyes, "doing a human's bidding."
"This is a job, not servitude," Regulus corrected, his voice hardening. "I am not bound to these people as you seem to be to the boy."
"Doesn't matter what you think," Tomo said, his voice firm. "I am Linn Tsukiyomi's dog, and I'm proud of it."
"Tomo…" Linn said from the ground, deeply touched by his friend's declaration.
Regulus's expression shifted, a mix of pity and contempt. He sighed. "A domesticated beastkalin. How unfortunate. If that's how you feel, I see no reason to hold back!" Regulus charged at Tomo, his sword flashing.
But Linn, scrambling back to his feet, threw himself forward, tackling Regulus around the waist. They hit the ground, rolling in the dirt. Regulus roared in frustration, kicking out, sending Linn flying off him. Regulus sprang up, swinging his blade in a deadly arc towards the still-recovering Linn.
'No, I can't dodge!' Linn thought, closing his eyes, bracing for the inevitable impact.
Slash
A figure appeared before Linn, a flash of fur and muscle. Tomodachi had thrown himself in front of the blow. He crumpled to his knees, clutching his chest, a crimson stain spreading across his fur.
"TOMO!!" Linn screamed, scrambling towards him.
"Master," Tomo gasped, a weak, pained smile on his face. "I'm glad you're safe."
"Tomo, are you okay?!" Linn knelt beside him, his hands hovering, unsure how to help.
"I'm fine," Tomo insisted, his breathing ragged, eyes squeezed shut against the pain.
Regulus loomed over them, his sword dripping, his expression unreadable. "I say," he murmured, sounding genuinely surprised. "For a beastkalin to protect a human like this… I'm flabbergasted."
"You're that surprised?" Tomo wheezed, looking up at him.
"You'd go this far for this boy?"
Tomodachi's pained smile widened into a defiant smirk. "Of course. He's my master; I'd do anything for him."
"Tomo…" Linn whispered, tears streaming down his face, his heart aching.
Regulus stared down at them, the surprise lingering in his eyes.
"Regulus, what are you doing?!" Gerard's enraged shout broke the moment. "Don't just stand there! Get rid of them!"
"No, please! Just leave them alone!" Yuzu cried out from the cross, struggling against her bonds.
"Shut up, you!" Gerard snarled, striding over and backhanding her across the face. Yuzu's head snapped to the side, a fresh bruise blooming on her cheek.
"Hey, leave her alone!" Linn roared, starting to rise, ready to charge at Gerard despite Tomo's injury.
Regulus stepped in front of him, blocking his path.
"Get out of my way!" Linn yelled at the bird-man, desperation clawing at him.
"I'm afraid I can't, my dear boy," Regulus replied, his voice regaining its cool detachment. "I was hired to stop you."
"BUT WHY?! WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?! WHY ARE ALL OF YOU DOING THIS TO YUZU?! WHAT DID SHE DO TO DESERVE THIS?! I DON'T UNDERSTAND!!!" Linn's voice rose to a raw scream, echoing across the silent village square.
"Linn…" Yuzu sobbed, her voice barely audible.
A heavy silence fell. Then, a slow, chilling laugh began to build in Gerard's chest.
"Fine," Gerard said, wiping a tear from his eye. His laughter subsided into a cruel grin. "You want to know so badly?" He looked directly at Linn, straightening his shoulders, his expression turning cold and hard. "I'll tell you. And then maybe you'll understand."
He gestured towards Yuzu, his voice dropping, laced with malice. "I'll tell you the story of Yuzu Katagiri, also known as the Witch of Death."