"Been sneaking girls into your bedroom?" one of the guards remarked as they passed, causing Sakura to blush. He chuckled on seeing her response, but Sebastian refused to answer. They passed a few doors before the King stopped in front of one, unlocking the door and tilting his head, telling her to enter.
Sakura let go of Dumon's hand and stepped inside, scanning all the various knickknacks within the room. Wooden boxes of all sorts and sizes were stacked against the walls, covered with a thin layer of undisturbed dust. A musty odour hinted at the room's lack of use, combined with the erratic flicker of an under-maintained aether lamp. She ran her hand over the top of one box, causing a wisp of dust to float in the air. The silence was shattered by a bang, signalling the door had been slammed behind her.
A chill ran down her spine. It didn't initially pass her mind that Sebastian might be using this as a trap, not with Dumon being so close to them. She turned around and gazed at the figure being highlighted by the flickering flame, his crimson eyes standing out against the darkness. He appeared to note the fear. Sebastian turned away and grabbed a small box that sat discarded on the pile, offering it to her to take. Sakura took it from him and slid the lid off, trying to keep her one eye on both the contents and the King. It wasn't working well, however.
Inside sat some pieces of dulled jewellery, and a book. She lifted out a ring and rolled it in her fingers, spotting the insignia that she wanted to see. Content with the jewellery, she propped the book open with one hand and read the writing inside. The inane rambling told of its original owner, Nathaniel. Excited with the find, she closed the box up and placed it inside the bag.
"Does that jewellery mean something to you, or perhaps your father?" Sebastian said. Sakura could hear the spite in his voice. So this was his ploy.
"Both."
"Do you know about your father's past and his actions?"
"If you mean all the bloody details about your father and all that happened twenty-five years ago then yes, I do. Is that a problem?"
"You know everything about him, and yet you don't hate everything he stands for?" Sebastian queried, his question sounding aggressive rather than innocent. Sakura's face turned to a snarl at the accusation.
"Do you know everything about him? Because where I'm standing, it sounds like you don't." That remark hit a sour spot. Sebastian growled in response.
"Tell me then, what was he doing in the days prior to Nathaniel's death?"
"Resting."
Sebastian let out a single, loud laugh and Sakura shuddered. The small room made it impossible to react when he lurched forward without warning, grabbing hold of her neck.
"We all rest, sweetheart, it's called sleeping."
"Is it still called sleeping when you're recovering from the giant lacerations that your father gave him?" Sakura replied, cringing at the pain radiating from her neck. Sebastian was caught off guard by the remark, but he didn't relent.
"Answer me this. I know he killed people, did he kill Rin?"
"Your wife? He liked her, he'd never hurt her."
"Don't lie to me!"
The pain from her neck increased tenfold, and she could feel her breath being squeezed out of her body. "I'm not, asshole! Amnur. Did. Nothing. Got it?"
A thunderous sound distracted Sebastian and Sakura soon felt the tension from her neck lift. He mumbled something but Sakura was unable to hear what he said, keeping breathing as her priority. Sebastian stepped away from her and unlocked the door, only to be pushed aside by Dumon. The healer rushed over to her and examined her.
"I'm fine, nothing that won't heal in a couple of days," Sakura replied to his concern, causing Dumon to sigh with relief. Behind the healer, she could see Sebastian having a staring contest with a gigantic old blood, one she assumed to be Kaiser. "I got what I wanted, so I'm happy."
"Sorry, Sakura. I think that's your name? Drake talked about you. Sebastian just..."
"Holds grudges, has a bit of an attitude problem, am I close?"
Dumon laughed. "He's fine most of the time, honestly. He just has some incorrect assumptions when it comes to your father. Doesn't excuse attacking you though, more so with that wound that-" Dumon paused and turned around, taking a deep breath to ensure Sebastian would hear the next part. "You suffered due to saving his life."
Sakura saw Sebastian deflate, the guilt about the origin of her wound being slapped in his face once again. Kaiser cleared his throat, and the King mumbled something, earning him another prompting from the old blood.
"I assume you want to check her over, Dumon?" Sebastian said.
"That would be nice, yes."
"Fine, take her to the healing chamber."
Sakura allowed Dumon to loop his arm around hers, walking out of the room in tandem. As she passed Sebastian, she tried to make eye contact, but he kept his head turned away. Whether he was avoiding her gaze or Dumon's, she didn't know. The aged healer led her down the corridor. Behind them, Sakura could hear loud footsteps and knew Kaiser to be following. If Kaiser was following, then Sebastian was too. When they reached the massive doors of the healing chamber, Dumon made a show of opening the doors and welcoming her in. Sakura thanked him and stepped inside, taking in all the details that her father explained so vividly.
On one of the beds was a sleeping demon, so she selected one away from him. Dumon skirted behind her to fetch some tools, placing them all on a tray and then brought them over. Sebastian had taken up a position at the end of the bed, with Kaiser stood close behind to prevent any shenanigans. Sakura pulled all of the hair she had arranged over her face out of the way.
"Needless to say, I want to remove the bandages," Dumon said. Sakura nodded to state her consent for the examination.
"You alright with me watching, kid? I remember that they stretch down your body," Kaiser spoke up, unsure if the act would make her uncomfortable.
"It's fine, but thank you for asking. You're welcome too, Sebastian."
Air escaped from the King's lips, a half-hearted hiss. Dumon cracked a smile at the remark, keeping himself from laughing. Sakura placed the bag at the foot of the bed and unstrapped her jacket, giving the healer access to the bandages. The demon kept still while Dumon stared at the fabric.
"No fresh blood on the bandages, it's a good start."
He began loosening the cloth, unravelling it with care and caution. As he reached the base layer and pulled, Sakura flinched. The wound had stuck on the bandages. Dumon realised this and slowed his pace down to a crawl. One last gentle tug and the extent of the gash that claimed her eye was revealed. She watched as Dumon recoiled and Sebastian took a deep breath, the guilt evident on his face.
"It should just be a few nasty holes, what happened to cause that giant burn on your face?" Dumon said, leaning in to examine the disastrous wound closer. "Is the rest of it like this?"
"It was a mana laden attack, even with the mage's immediate death there was enough left to seep out and burn through the flesh. Abel caught it and sorted it out, but not before it had done some damage," Sakura explained, "and yes, both parts of it are the same."
Dumon groaned. He grabbed his tools and went to work on the wound, scrutinising every detail. It had been a few weeks since he last saw it, but he remembered the locations of the original holes. With a rounded metal instrument, he pressed into the depression where her eye should be. Sakura tried her best to stay calm, but the action made her whimper. Kaiser stepped around the side of the bed to comfort her, aware that the evaluation had only just begun. The pain didn't improve as he carried on, and it only got worse as he examined her chest. Being able to hold on to the old blood's finger helped, his skin was tough enough to endure any punishment she gave it without even a scratch. After a while, the room swam in front of her so Dumon declared that he had seen enough.
Once Dumon had replaced her bandages, Sakura laid back on the bed to allow the world to stabilise. Kaiser took the bag and put it on the next bed over, before removing her blades and placing them alongside
the bag. He then lifted her up just enough for Dumon to grab the blanket from under her, slotting her back in underneath. Sebastian stood in the distance with his eyes closed, unsure how to react.
"Do what you need to help her, I don't want to be responsible for her death. She's already lost an eye for me," the King announced, keeping his eyes shut. He turned towards the door, letting his wings droop. "I'll take my leave now."
Kaiser gestured to Dumon, and then the giant demon departed to follow Sebastian, to level with him on the matter.
Now Dumon was alone with Sakura, he let himself relax. He peered over the bed, seeing her taking shallow breaths. The healer disappeared for a moment, returning to her side with a drink.
"Some pain relief."
Sakura took the cup and downed it, her face changing to a grimace as the bitterness hit her tongue. The cup was taken from her fingers, and then Dumon started to stroke her head, comforting her. "Get some rest kid, you'll only hurt yourself if you try anything now."
She heeded his advice and waited for the pain relief to kick in, resting on the bed. As the pain began to numb, so did her consciousness.
Chapter 4: Familiar Names and Faces
The soft sound of rustling filled her ears. It was calming, and the blankets were warm. She felt at home. Except, she wasn't. Sakura jolted awake, darting her head around. In the distance, she could see Dumon, who had turned around to regard her. He grabbed something off the table and strolled over to her, offering it to her with a drink.
"I'm not so sure there's not an infection starting in that wound, so I made you some medication," Dumon stated. Sakura didn't quibble his conclusion and downed it without hesitation. She knew that he was not one that wanted to harm her, Sebastian on the other hand...
The healer smiled, retrieving the cup once she was done with it. With Dumon stepping off to one side, her attention turned to the scenery behind. There was still the same demon asleep on the bed, sleeping in the same position. He was Dumon's only patient, aside from her. Curiosity took hold and she slipped off the bed, strolling over to investigate. She took stock of his physical features, indicating his Central Isles heritage. His skin was still firm and his muscles healthy, suggesting that either he had not been resting long, or he had magic used on him. A few footsteps behind her informed Sakura of Dumon's location, and interest.
"That's Solomon. He's been asleep since the end of the whole chaos magic incident."
"Raz'iel's son?" Sakura replied, hearing Dumon sigh.
"Even you know that? News spreads far."
"My father is a powerful mage, such things interest him."
"Fair enough," the healer replied, letting out a small chuckle.
"If that's who he is, then I can answer you as to why he hasn't woken up. That field of magic gives you access to magically induced statis."
"He bled out his mana trying to save you, I wouldn't have thought he would've managed that."
"As a conscious effort no, but his aether probably reacted by itself," Sakura stated, giving Solomon a prod. "Self-preservation and all of that. What have you tried in terms of waking him?"
"Ice water, ear yanking, pinching. If it's annoying, I've done it."
Sakura thought on what he said and matched it up to her knowledge of statis, although that was pure theory. Forcing an individual out of statis required threat and aggression, simple annoyance wouldn't be enough. If Solomon had been resting for several weeks, it shouldn't need much to wake him up.
With a deep breath, she readied herself. Her left arm took position above her head, her fingers spread wide. A swift movement brought it down, striking Solomon's face. The clap that emanated made Dumon flinch. Sakura waited for a moment, but the demon remained asleep.
The next course of action required his arm, so Sakura grabbed it. She flexed her fingers, evaluating which one possessed the sharpest claw. Her father had been neglecting to keep her claws filed in the previous weeks, wary of her health. With the perfect one selected, she drove it into his skin. Blood began to leak out of the hole, collecting in her hand.
Smelling blood, Dumon went to stop her. He stopped still when he heard Solomon moan. Sakura too, stopped. She put pressure on his wrist to reduce the bleeding, waiting for him to stir. Solomon twitched and then moved his free arm to scratch his head. His crimson eyes opened and stared skyward, before rolling down and focusing on Sakura.
"You, what are you doing here?" Solomon queried, his voice a trill. Before Sakura could respond, Dumon cuddled the one spot he could reach on the mage; Solomon's head. "I haven't been out that long, have I?"
"Longer than me," Sakura responded, a smile spreading across her face. "Sorry about the rough handling."
"Nothing I can't patch up, don't worry."
She moved away to allow Dumon full access, something which he capitalised on. The scene before her reminded her of her relationship with her father, even down to the fine details of Solomon jesting about Dumon crushing him. Considering Dumon's reaction to hearing Raz'iel's name, she imagined that Solomon was persecuted due to his relations. Over time the hate may have subsided, enough to allow him to live within Shadekeep. As she watched the two of them, something Solomon said stuck in her mind. How long had he been out? How long had she been asleep just now? The thought made her panic, she needed to get back home before Amnur freaked.
"I need to go, it was nice meeting you though!" Sakura announced, grabbing her stuff and flitting out of the room. Dumon shouted something to her, but she failed to hear it.
She jogged down the corridor with the bag slung over her arm, coming up to the entrance hall. A brief glance showed Sebastian to be absent, so she approached the exit. The guards were chatting to each other, pausing to regard her. Sakura went to place one hand on the door, but the nearest guard blocked her. Unwilling to be deterred, she moved her hand and approached the door from another angle. Her fingers touched the stone and pushed, but it wasn't enough to open it. One of the guards sighed and grabbed his blade, forcing Sakura to back up, her hands in the air.
"I'm not going to hurt you, but we have orders to prevent you from leaving. Sorry, kid," the armed guard said.
Sakura growled but relented. It wasn't their fault, and it was unfair to take it out on them. For it to be an order, there's only one person it could come from: Sebastian. She spun around and set her course for the ruling chamber. Behind her, she heard a chuckle but it failed to distract her. The guards in front of the ruling chamber stared at her as she tried the door, unsure whether to let her in or to block her. A gesture from the other set of guards made up their mind. One of them placed a hand on her shoulder, attempting to calm her down.
"If you give me your blades, I'll let you in. Is that alright?"
Sakura didn't intend to harm Sebastian, just shout at him. She grabbed them from their sheaths and offered them to the guard, who took them off her while the other opened the door. Inside was Sebastian, Kaiser and a demon that she didn't recognise. Their conversation went silent as she approached, Sebastian's face turning to one of scorn.
"What do you call this, exactly? Disallowing me to go home?" Sakura queried, her voice only a hint above a growl.
"I'm not letting you go back to that lying bastard, he's corrupted your mind. I have no problem with you-"
"You sure about that?" she interrupted. Sebastian slammed his hand on the armrest of the throne, his body quivering.
"I'm not letting Rin's killer go free, not that I now know he didn't die twenty-five years ago. You can be helped, but he's beyond any kindness."
Sakura took a deep breath to prevent her barraging Sebastian with a select choice of words, as much as she wished to do. Kaiser sputtered something in the meantime; it wasn't proper words, but it sounded like an attempt at them. Sebastian took the failed words as support for his statement, but Sakura was unsure.
A commotion outside gained everyone's attention, with Sakura having to decide between looking at Sebastian and checking out the noise. The chamber doors s
wung wide and Abel stepped in, hissing at the chamber guards. They were unsure how to deal with the tall demon, keeping their weapons drawn. Sakura saw him and went to run, but the unknown demon in the room had snuck up on her. He grabbed her shoulder, preventing her movement. Sebastian recognised Abel, such a demon is hard to forget.
"You! You're the one that sheltered Amnur. How long has the East known about him?" the King bellowed, earning Abel's attention.
"The East's interests diverge from your own. It's not a surprise really, you did abandon them," Abel replied, his tone factual and calm. Sakura cringed; that wasn't the route she was hoping he would take.
"To knowingly hide an exiled criminal is treason, you know that, right?"
"That's not exactly going to fix the situation, is it?"
The argument continued tit for tat for some time, a fact which was irritating Sakura's captor. She heard him huff and then felt the grip on her shoulder tighten.
"Your father's still causing us problems, isn't he?" he remarked, using his free arm to lean on her head. He was wearing a full suit of armour, a heavy suit of armour. Sakura tried to get the arm off her head, but it was to no avail. "Squirmy one, aren't you?"
"Get off!"
"Mmm, nope."
Abel and Sebastian were still going at it, with the argument attracting the attention of some of the soldiers. The demon holding on to her noticed the soldiers and started tapping his gauntlet covered fingers on her horns. "This is going nowhere. How to break it up, hmm. Say, that demon is close to you, isn't he?"
Sakura refused to answer, but the silence told him enough.
"I thought as much."
The arm was removed from her head but the hand on her shoulder remained. She heard the armour shuffle, but he was acting on her blind side. A few seconds later, the hand on the shoulder was removed. Sakura expected him to draw a blade, in order to ransom her. What she didn't expect, however, was to be punched. The demon slammed his fist into her injured side, forcing her to cry out in pain. Agony seethed into her mind and she collapsed to the floor, gasping for the breath that the pain stole from her. She tried to roll over to face her attacker, in case he went for a second hit.
Skies of Fyir Box Set Page 45