Episode 24 Court of the Charemis

A solitary figure sits by himself upon a grim bench inside a dim, dank jail cell. He keenly observes the dark passage leading into the cells, and the bars completing the walls of his own confinement. Behind him a feeble patch of light peers in from a similarly barred window barely large enough to peep one’s head through.

This figure ruffles the strands of red hair hovering about his sullen green eyes of jade. He grunts loudly, then produces a tiny Green Snail from inside his pocket.

“Pee-yooh!” the Green Snail shrieks upon exit of the man’s pockets, “What the heck do ya keep in there?! It smells worse than a Wild Boar’s behind!”

Ryuu impatiently squeezes Otis, causing the poor snail’s eyes to pop out slightly. “Shut up! I’ve had enough of your damn humor for one day. They just had to shut us both up in one cell together…”

“Oh, lighten up, Redheaded Gorilla!” Otis cries to Ryuu. “What’s the use? My superiors are obviously way beyond your league. It’s a miracle you haven’t already killed yourself or something, Redheaded Gorilla!”

“Will you stop calling me that?!” Ryuu growls irritably, stamping his feet.

“Ryuu?” Kunai’s voice strays into Ryuu’s cell from beyond.

Ryuu pauses momentarily, holding Otis idly in his right hand. “Hey. Kunai?” Ryuu steps to his feet, tapping the hollow brick walls to his right. A similar tap in reply signifies the presence of Kunai.

“Ryuu. Can you hear me?” Kunai asks.

“Loud and clear, buddy,” Ryuu replies.

“Good,” Kunai’s voice answers back. “Listen, the jailer just visited me with my dinner. He left into his office just now. I think it’s our chance to escape.”

“We haven’t got much to work with without our weapons, though,” Ryuu replies in a dull tone, restlessly scratching the concrete walls of his cell.

“You guys there?” Sasha’s voice echoes dimly now from Ryuu’s left.

“Yeah,” Kunai and Ryuu ring in simultaneously.

“We’re here too,” Ivy and Ayame chip in.

“Sasha,” Ryuu growls, “you know the Night World better than any of us. What are the chances we’ll be able to pull off an escape?”

“Zero,” Sasha responds immediately. “There’s no chance we’ll break out of here alive. I think it’s better if we just play the waiting game for now.”

“Wait?” Ayame asks, “Is that really a smart decision? I mean, what are they gonna do with us?”

“Most likely they’ll take us to see the king tomorrow morning. I assume they’ll take us to his court to hold a trial, though I can’t say there’s a good chance he’ll find us innocent,” Sasha answers.

“Then what’s the use in waiting?” Ryuu replies gruffly.

“Even so, it’s still our chance. King Norman may not be the brightest, but there are many highly educated nobles in his court, and priests, too. We might be able to convince them that we’re the innocent ones, not the Myougun.”

“Fat chance!” Otis interrupts, “The Myougun are one thousand times better than—”

“Shut up, you stupid snail!” Ryuu growls, clamping Otis’s mouth shut.

“So what are we gonna do now?” Ivy asks into the ensuing silence.

“Wait, I guess,” Sasha answers in a low voice.

A seemingly evanescent ray of sunshine lights Ryuu’s cell with a soft, early morning glow as the dawn of a new day arrives at last. Ryuu lies on a rusty wooden bench, in a partially fazed out stupor.

Otis, in the meantime, has leapt out of Ryuu’s grasp and is hammering on the bars of the cell by banging on it with his head. “Let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out, let me out!” Otis cries repeatedly in a high-pitched shriek.

Ryuu raises his head from his bench, and removes his left shoe, a heavy brown hiking boot. With one expert throw, he chucks it at Otis. “Will you shut up already?! You’ve been shouting that for the last four hours and no one’s come.”

Otis ducks, just barely avoiding the shoe in time. “How dare you attempt to quiet the magnificently masculine modulations of Lord Otis, the supreme—oof!”

Otis ducks again, as Ryuu’s second shoe is sent hurtling through the air in his direction.

“Will you both shut up?!” Ayame yells irritably from across the dingy passageway.

At that moment, every single cell within the confines of the prison quiets, as the tinkling of a set of keys rises softly in the air, cascading upon them in tides of glittering cadence.

Kunai, from his own cell, watches intently from a dark corner as the jailer approaches, with two bulky Palace Guards beside him, each dragging along the floor the tail of their Skylars, glimmering majestically even in the dim light of the vile passageway.

The jailer approaches the grouped cells of Kunai, Ryuu, Ivy, Ayame, and Sasha, gazing at each one of them for several seconds, before nodding to the guards standing on either side of him. “All right,” the jailer growls to his imprisoned audience, “ya’ll are free t’go. His royal highness the eloquent King Norman IV is ready t’see ya.”

Without another word, the jailer first approaches Kunai’s cell, deftly unlocking the cell door and releasing Kunai from his confinement. He then turns to the others, and releases them all in relatively the same manner.

As he reaches Ryuu’s cell, Otis grins happily and shakes his head, sliding effortlessly out through the space between the two metal bars of the cell. “No need, no need, I’ve got it…”

Ryuu’s eyes bulge at this sudden movement. He leaps to his feet and points an accusing finger at Otis. “WAIT! IF YOU COULD SLIDE THROUGH ALL THIS TIME, HOW COME YOU JUST LET US SIT HERE AND ROT UNTIL NOW?!”

Otis sticks his tongue out at Ryuu, still grinning at him in a rather demeaning manner. “Teehee. I forgot I could, Redheaded Gorilla.”

Ryuu sighs depressingly, shaking his head. “I’m gonna kill you one of these days…” he mutters under his breath.

The jailer titters, shaking his head disapprovingly at Ryuu. “Now, now, calm down laddie. Ya wouldn’t wanna commit another felony, would ya now?”

“Killing a Green Snail is a felony now?” Ryuu replies lamely.

“Oh, yes, of course,” the jailer responds enthusiastically. “In fact, it was during the rule of King Norman II that he declared the species of Green Snail nearly extinct, and proclaimed it to be an endangered, and therefore, protected species against the hunt. In a similar bill passed four years later, he outlawed the hunting of Orange Mushrooms…”

“Um, let’s get going to see the king now,” Kunai interrupts, and, following the lead of the two guardsmen, the group deserts the jailer to his own meandering rambling.

The great court of the Charemis lies in the midst of the king’s palace, its ceiling opening on into the heavens to allow the soft rays of sunlight to cast dappled shadows across the smooth stone floor.

Pillars of coarse, gray stone stand in an arc surrounding three sides of the court, at the head of which lies a throne, surrounded by many other high seats of honor. A long procession of stone steps leads up to this high court from far below, where thin, wispy clouds hover slightly from the early morning mist.

At the throne sits King Norman IV, and beside him, on his left, his wife, Queen Evereny. On the king’s right sits a man in a white robe, embroidered with painstakingly woven threads of gold silk. Atop his head rests a papal hat, with a large white cross depicted on it.

Beside the king, standing—rather than sitting—is Arayu, his expression grave, as usual. In his hands his carries his Dark Arund, while his eyes remained narrowed into a thin line of bitter hatred.

Filling the rest of the seats in the court are various other members of the Meridean high society. Upon the king’s left is a gathering of richly dressed nobles, some carrying jewel-encrusted swords and shields of finest quality. On the king’s right sit considerable members of the church, and with their wings glittering here and there amongst the group are a few assorted ambassadors, clearly fairies.

The two armed guards from earlier suddenly appear at the foot of the stone steps, their figures faintly at first, due to the cover of the light fog.

However, the two guards unmistakably lead behind them a group of five men and women, their wrists and ankles bound together by metal chains. As they ascend the steps, the clink of their chains resound loudly, with no other sound from the grim audience waiting above to obstruct it.

At last, the group of seven reaches the top of the stone steps, where the silent court waits for them. The two guards step aside, allowing the prisoners to be visible to every single member of the assembly.

A herald steps forth at once, and blows a trumpet calling for silence, though it is rather unnecessary. “Hark! The Court of the Charemis is hereby gathered to witness the trial of the treasonous criminals Kunai, Ryuu, Ivy, Ayame, and Sasha!”

At these words, Kunai glances briefly at Ryuu, making eye contact, as if seeking reassurance. Ryuu returns the glance with a slight, resolute nod. Kunai nods back, slightly reassured.

“The prisoners are hereby presented unto the presence of his royal highness King Norman IV! To his left the divine Queen Evereny; to his right the righteous Pope Faraday XVII of the high Church of St. Grendel.”

As the herald departs to a considerably less visible position, King Norman makes a swift glance at the party of unsightly prisoners presented before him. Norman smirks suddenly, leering down upon them. “I see. So these are the infamous criminals whom the noble Lord Kimura foresaw would attempt to destroy the peace we have fought so long to wrought.”

“Please, sire, we are not criminals—” Sasha begins.

“Silence!” King Norman bellows, a frightening gesture. Sasha immediately steps back in alarm, her eyes widening slightly at the immense anger of the king. “I did not allow you to speak in my court yet, peasant.”

Norman turns to the pope upon his right, a hardened old man with a grizzly white beard upon his chin. His brows are furrowed as if in a futile attempt to understand the actions of the five standing before him.

“Pope Faraday,” King Norman says in a soft, malicious whisper, “what is your opinion of these detestable malefactors?”

“Though I am generally a forgiving person, these despicable traitors must be dealt with accordingly for their treasonous crimes!” Pope Faraday answers in a strong, though slightly aged, voice.

There is a large uproar of applause and cheers of approval from the rest of the members of the court in their seats at Pope Faraday’s words. Several of the fairies stand up, floating effortlessly in the middle of the air, the better to watch the ensuing scene.

Meanwhile, at Pope Faraday’s signal, several Church Guards make their way into the court, each one grasping a Holy Spear in their gloved hands.

Ivy glances worriedly at Kunai, drawing closer to him. “It’s like they’re already declaring us guilty…aren’t they going to let us defend ourselves?”

“It’s almost like they’ve already assumed we’re guilty,” Sasha replies, “and that they’re just doing this as ceremony, or out of force of habit. This is just to seem like they’re being fair, when in actuality—”

“SILENCE!” King Norman shouts again, pointing a malevolent finger at Sasha. He waves a signal to his own Palace Guards standing on either side of the prisoners; without a word, they step forward and grab both of Sasha’s arms in a clenching grip.

“Let me go!” Sasha screams, thrashing slightly.

Ryuu turns angrily to the king, and to the rest of the court before him. “You bastards! Aren’t you going to let us speak for ourselves, or have you already declared us guilty?”

“Silence them, guards!” Pope Faraday cries over the hubbub between Sasha and the Palace Guards.

The pope’s guards lunge forward, their Holy Spears high in the air in a ready position. Ryuu spins to face the new guards, fire flaring in his eyes. “Then you’re gonna fight, huh?”

Meanwhile, behind Ryuu both Palace Guards knock Sasha to her knees with the butts of their polearms, roughly pinning her down to the floor. Two more of the guards rush in to do the same to Ivy.

Kunai rushes in to protect Ivy as well, but is restrained by another two guards appearing out of nowhere. Kunai thrashes and kicks his feet forcefully, but to no avail.

As the last two Palace Guards enter to take down Ayame, she allows them to swing their Skylars, breaking the chain binding her hands together. With her hands freed, Ayame throws a punch at one of the guards, head butting the other. As a last desperate measure, she attempts to kick at the guards as they surround her, but fails as one of them holds her down in a frighteningly powerful grasp.

The other guard raises his Skylar over Ayame’s head, preparing to swing it down upon her full force, in order to silence her.

As the guard swings the weapon, Ryuu breaks away from the two Church Guards assaulting him and makes a flying leap, stepping in the way of the guard and Ayame.

However, the weapon falls, crushing Ryuu’s left arm and, as it rips through his exposed flesh and pulls away, Ryuu sinks to the floor, grimacing. A swift stream of blood bursts from his shredded arm, rapidly forming a puddle about him.

The Assembly suddenly gasps as one, and like a beehive filled with bees, they begin murmuring loudly amongst each other in one loud buzz. The sound of a gavel sounds loudly throughout the court, and finally King Norman makes himself heard.

“Halt! Halt! Halt! Silence! I demand silence in my court!” he screams, pounding his gavel upon the arm of his chair, the only available surface.

Every single person in the court, including the guards, reluctantly turn their faces away from the astonished Ryuu in respect to the king.

King Norman narrows his eyes, staring at Ryuu as he lies bathed in his own blood. He turns to Pope Faraday with a questioning look. “Well, Pope Faraday, what do you make of this?”

Pope Faraday rises to his feet, bringing a steady silence onto the crowd. All eyes turn to him as he prepares to speak, a grave tone in his voice: “My fair noblemen, noblewomen, priests, bishops, and fairies alike, listen kindly to my words, for it is obvious now we’ve made a grave mistake.”

Pope Faraday points an unwavering finger at Ryuu, staring at him with the grimmest expression any in the court had ever seen. “This man…is under the service of our great and former king, King Grendel I!”

The audience cries aloud in one stunned gasp, and all eyes swing back to stare at Ryuu. Meanwhile, Ryuu, sitting kneeled on the floor with blood dripping from his arm, stares back, perplexed.

However, all eyes are on his shredded clothes, revealing his bare back, on which there is a tattoo depicting that of Grendel, as well as Dances With Balrog, Athena Pierce, and the Dark Lord.

“Upon this man’s bare posterior, is clearly depicted the emblem of Grendel, our king. We must bow down to him, for he is clearly serving our great king.”

To Ryuu’s surprise, the Palace Guards and the Church Guards, who had been attempting to kill him moments before, bow extremely low, in respect to his newfound status.

Ryuu growls gruffly, picking up the ripped shreds of his jacket and patching up his wound. He nimbly rises to his feet, though he sways slightly from the blow. “If that’s all that it took to get you guys to realize you’ve got the wrong baddies, then I should’ve taken off my shirt long ago. This is just the Joukai Seal, marking me as a member of the Joukai. The Four put this on every single one of its members; it also allowed us to cast the special Joukai skills.”

“Forgive us,” Pope Faraday murmurs, bowing low to Ryuu, “for it is obvious now that we’ve made a grave mistake. We should not have accosted you so ruthlessly. You, who are under the service of Grendel, cannot possibly be seeking to perform the treasonous actions of taking the Third Phoneme.”

Suddenly a blue-haired fairy rises from amongst the assembly, and clears his throat, seeking attention. Pope Faraday turns to this new fairy. “Speak, Eurehl.”

“Though rarely it is that my people feel the need to concern themselves with the affairs of humans, we fairies of the Court of Charemis are obliged to serve this kingdom of the Charemis, in order so that we may achieve a great coalition of peace.”

Eurehl pauses momentarily, gazing solemnly at the attentive court with his dazzling electric blue eyes. “However, with that said, it must be taken into account the fact that though we have found ourselves allied now with friends and not treasonous criminals, that there must still be rancorous treachery afoot.

“Why else would these kindly men and women, innocent as they are, be used as the scapegoats for a greater treachery and cause? I direct these questioning suspicions upon our representative of the Myougun here—Arayu of the Naraku!”

Arayu, who hadn’t spoken till now, steps into the light of the court, a grim expression reflected in his dark eyes. He shakes several loose strands of his blue hair out of his eyes, staring resolutely at those gathered in the court.

“Indeed.” Arayu does not glance at the king, nor the pope, but directs his words towards Ryuu. “Indeed, so it seems that you’ve uncovered the ingenious plot of the master whom I serve—Lord Kimura. However, though you now comprehend the graveness of your situation, it is all over, for you have revealed the location of the Third Phoneme to my master.

“Even as you speak and foolishly waste your time here in this court, my master is journeying swiftly with one of my companions to the place of which you spoke of, where the Third Phoneme hides. I do not declare myself innocent; do as you wish with me, for you will not slay me today.”

“We’ll see about that!” Pope Faraday cries, turning to both Palace and Church Guards, “Kill him! Do not spare him any ounce of mercy!”

However, Arayu merely strings his arrow as the guards approach, armed with their spears. With a slight flick of the wrist, he unleashes a flowing stream of four brightly shining arrows at a time, each time piercing through the armor and through the abdomen of one of the guards.

Very soon, only two guards remain standing, quivering as Arayu effortlessly downs each successive guard. Arayu smirks, bemused by the trembling knees of the guards. “You need not fear for your lives. For I am ready to depart.”

At once, a bold flash of black lightning falls from the sky, though seconds before there had not been a trace of a storm cloud. The bolt of lightning falls, crashing to the court’s stone floor with a deafening vociferation of malice.

A brief whirlwind of black lightning and wind storms through the court suddenly, causing everyone in the vicinity to cry out loud, grasping onto the poorly available furnishings in order not to get carried away by the storm.

Several flashes of ghostly white skulls, slightly grayed as if with age, flash consistently through the storm, and a loud, shrieking bellow of a woman rings throughout the court, rising, and then falling, sending shivers through the spine of all that heard it.

Then without warning, the storm dissipates, leaving a sunlit court filled with its royal members as before. The only difference is the disappearance of Arayu.

“What…was that?” Sasha cries, her voice dry and gasping for air.

Ryuu shakes his head, staring silently at the spot where Arayu had stood moments before. “I’m not sure. But I think I’ve seen that before…I can’t comprehend it. Whatever it is, it seems the Naraku are far, far more stronger than we’d anticipated.”

The king suddenly turns his attention back towards the court, pounding his gavel to silence the commotion that had followed the brief storm of darkness. “Silence! Now, we’ve made grave mistakes, and it seems that the time has come for us to repent them.

“I am deeply regretful of the actions that have occurred here today. I should have foreseen the destruction our alliance with the Myougun would have led to, but I have not.” King Norman then suddenly turns to Kunai and the others, a grim smile on his lips.

“Please, I beg of you, though it is unfair for me to wish this of you, I ask that you save us from this terror on which we have placed ourselves. Please rescue the Third Phoneme and take her away from this madness, the terrible fate that awaits her. We’ve not much time left.”

Kunai nods, staring King Norman directly in the eye. “Very well, King Norman.” Kunai bows low, in respect to the king. “That was what we came out here to do in the first place—find the Third Phoneme and save her. Our goals haven’t changed because of this. In fact, we’re probably even more motivated to get to her before Lord Kimura does after all this.”

“Incidentally,” Ryuu adds, “you know where the Third Phoneme is, don’t you, King? That’s how Lord Kimura found out in the first place. If so—”

“Yes,” King Norman interrupts, “I will bestow upon you all that you will need to save the Third Phoneme. You need not ask for them.” He turns to his herald, muttering something in his ear. “Guards! Go to the storerooms and return these friends their weapons, and allow them to depart in honor!”

The King’s herald suddenly steps forth, meeting with Kunai and Ryuu. “Friends,” he says clearly, “once again we must offer our apologies. The King wishes you now to know the location of the Third Phoneme.”

“Yeah, where is it?” Ayame asks eagerly, rushing forth to join Kunai and Ryuu. Ivy and Sasha also surround them, listening excitedly to the conversation.

“The Third Phoneme, for the last fifteen years, has been kept in a place known as The End of the World, a system of temples under the dominion of the Church of St. Grendel. It lies far southeast from here, and it will take two weeks of journeying at least to reach it on foot.”

“Two weeks?!” Ayame cries, “But that’ll take forever! We won’t get there in time, if Lord Kimura’s already on his way there!”

“Do not worry, my friends,” the herald answers, “the gracious King Norman IV has an idea. You see, there are teleport rocks scattered all over country. He will supply you with the appropriate scrolls so that you may reach there in time. Even so, you will still be slightly behind Lord Kimura, for there is no teleport rock within eight leagues of The End of the World. You will have to finish the rest of the journey on foot.”

“The End of the World…” Kunai mutters thoughtfully. “Why do they call it that?”

“That is because,” the herald replies, “that is the place where it is said the world ends; though it really does not. The End of the World marks the beginning of the regions where the sun rises in the Night World. You see, the Night World spins on a vertical axis, meaning that only the eastern regions of it see the light of the sun. The rest of us are drowned in eternal darkness without the technology of our artificial suns.”

“The eastern lands,” Ryuu mumbles, “Redley. He mentioned a couple times that the eastern parts of Night World are a bit dodgy.”

“Yes,” the herald answers, “that is correctly said. The eastern lands are a queer place, and not many return from there. I strongly recommend that you do not journey further past The End of the World.”

“You’ve said that it was southeast from here and that we could use teleport rocks to get there faster,” Ryuu replies, “but even so we’ll probably need a guide. Sasha is our current guide, but I doubt she knows much about the lands over there. And we’re in a great hurry, so it’s no use wandering around trying to find our way.”

“That’s right,” Sasha chips in, nodding smartly, “I don’t know anything about the lands out there.”

“Very well,” the herald retorts, “then we shall find someone to—”

“I’ll do it!” a hoarse shriek rings from Ryuu. Everyone turns towards him, puzzled. Otis suddenly pokes his head from under Ryuu’s shirt, grinning happily. “I’ll be their guide! That skinny gorilla Lord Kimura taught me everything about the Night World, and I could use a break from being a stuffed animal in this dump!”

Ryuu looks incredulously at Otis, poking out from the head of his shirt. “H-How the hell did you get in there?!”

“I’ve been in here all the time!” Otis retorts cheerfully, “Boy, it stinks in here, Redheaded Gorilla! Have you ever considered deodorant, or shaving your armpits?”

Ryuu pulls Otis out of his shirt, squeezing him angrily, while Ayame titters behind him. “Shut up, you stupid snail!”

“Uh…” the herald blushes, unable to think of a response to the weird scene happening before him. However, he is suddenly interrupted by a clink of armor, as two of the Palace Guards return laden with the group’s weapons.

Kunai, Ryuu, Ivy, Ayame, and Sasha happily pluck their weapons back from the armored limbs of the guards, equipping them once again.

One of the guards puffs heavily, sighing, and wiping his helmed brow. “Phew! You know, that rock of yours is extremely heavy!” the guard says to Sasha.

Sasha’s eyebrow twitches slightly. “MY BERZERKER’S NOT A ROCK!”

Meanwhile, the other guard raises the visor over his helm, narrowing his eyes to get a better look at Ryuu while Ryuu himself inspects his Twin Dragons. “Hey, you, the redhead. You know, you look a lot like—”

Ryuu’s eyebrow twitches slightly. “YES, I KNOW, THANK YOU, I LOOK A LOT LIKE THAT MOVIE STAR APPLE!”

Kunai glances lamely at the two of them, Sasha and Ryuu. He turns to Ivy, whispering behind his hand to her. “You know, they look a lot alike when they’re angry.”

Ivy nods agreeably, smiling slightly. “Yeah! Maybe their twins!”

“Uh…I don’t think so,” Ayame answers, overhearing Kunai and Ivy.

Kunai smiles, glancing up at the sunny, cloudless sky while Sasha and Ryuu continue to bicker with the two Palace Guards. ‘Well, I guess this is it. We finally know where the Third Phoneme is. I’m gonna see my sister soon…’

Next Time: Episode 25 The Race for the Third Phoneme Begins!

Otis: Yo! I’m a big redheaded gorilla, and I’m stupid, I like to swing my sword…

Ryuu: Shut up!

Otis: Yo! I’m a stupid black-haired, overly emotional gorilla who can’t get enough of my girlfriend!

Kunai: Shut up!

Otis: Yo! I’m a useless priest gorilla who can’t save my own life!

Ivy: Shut up!

Otis: Yo! I’m a stupid purple-haired gorilla who can’t pick a side to follow!

Ayame: Shut up!

Otis: Yo! I’m a stupid gorilla with a big…rock.

Sasha: Shut up!

Otis: Yo—!

Kunai/Ryuu/Ivy/Ayame/Sasha: SHUT UP!

Episode 25 The Race for the Third Phoneme Begins! coming soon!