Across Eternity B. 05

Animal Kingdom

With the loss of Carthace's prison, the Profane menace should have been decimated, but the danger had only increased for Noah, Valia, and Shannon. Countless fiends were slain in the liberation battle, while the rest were scattered to the winds. Left to their own devices, they either rampaged on their own or joined back up with the rest of the Pack. After leaving the prison, the battles the trio faced were frequent and bloody, but nothing they couldn't handle.

Shannon was still mourning her lost tribe, a pain that would never entirely go away, but with Noah and Valia's support, she learned to smile again. However, that smile was often a lewd one. Shannon fully immersed herself in her servile role and new duties, mainly her oral obligations, and Noah thoroughly trained her to his liking. Whenever they stopped to take a break, Shannon eagerly would assume the position, kneeling before her lord with her mouth open, ready to accept him, hands clasped under her chin to catch any spillover.

He was usually gentle with her, stroking her hair and rubbing her ears while she bobbed her head and sucked on his member like a horse with a saltlick. The rest of the time, he'd drive deep down her throat, obliterating her gag reflex. Tears would stream from her eyes as she choked on his cock, but every time he pulled away, she'd beg him for more, relishing the harsh treatment to the point of climaxing. Noah often caught her gazing at him like a drug addict, looking for her next hit. Valia enjoyed watching Shannon's devotion, glancing with a giggle and amused smile. However, when she felt Noah's attention was unfairly distributed, she quickly pulled rank. More than once, Valia would dismiss Shannon during a session so she could take over and show off her fellatio skills.

At night, Noah made love to Valia passionately and vigorously, and every time he ejaculated, Shannon would dutifully swoop in to perform cleanup and restore his rigidity so he could continue. Watching them filled Shannon with burning envy. She wanted Noah to take her the way he would Valia, ravaging her until she could no longer walk.

In the throes of passion, Valia was gorgeous and pristine, like a goddess of sensuality, but when Noah wanted to, he could make her graceful expression melt away. Hair askew, eyes swimming, biting her lip, and whimpering; she'd look like she was struggling just to survive Noah's technique. Shannon desperately wished to wear that look on her own face, to have her mind broken by brutality and pleasure and be reduced to such a disgraceful state.

Lying beside Valia, she'd play with herself as she watched them fornicate. Her ravenous envy energized her busy fingers, making her arch her back and moan, praying to feel Noah move atop her. There was no word on when he would properly initiate her and truly make her his, so all she could do was wait in sexual anguish as though they were toying with her.

After days of travel, they finally arrived back in Welindar, though it was in a different state from when they left. More soldiers now walked the streets, stopping and questioning everyone they deemed suspicious. It didn't take much to earn a beating. There was also more graffiti around, with the mark of the Pack painted everywhere, and even posters encouraging revolution, though the soldiers were hard at work erasing every sign.

"I don't like this," said Shannon.

"Something must have happened while we were gone," said Valia.

The trio hurried to the palace, and though they had to stop multiple times at checkpoints, Noah and Valia's gold emblems cleared their path. Once inside, they journeyed to the throne room to speak with the prince, where, as usual, he was in the middle of a meeting with various military and local figures. Lupin appeared tired, fueled no longer by hope and duty, but by frustration and anger. Nell, still at his side, seemed likewise worn down.

Upon the three's arrival, he raised his hand and dismissed everyone, leaving just him and Nell. "Lord Noah, Lady Valia, you've returned," he said in a dry, monotone voice.

"We have, Your Highness," Noah replied, "with news both good and bad."

"Very well, let me hear it."

"The Pack echelon were telling the truth. We found a facility where enslaved beastmen were being turned into fiends in large numbers. They were building an army to not just reclaim Welindar, but to annihilate Uther."

"An army of fiends," Lupin muttered.

"Lady Valia and I managed to free the prisoners, but my tribe... my tribe was already long dead," said Shannon softly.

"We killed the Profane in charge and leveled the facility, but it's only a matter of time before they build a new army and march on Colbrand. Apparently, destroying Uther is the requested compensation for the Liege's support."

"For them to already be planning to claim Uther. Thank you, Lord Noah, you've bought us time. We need to move quickly."

"Prince Lupin, what has happened in our absence? The air is so heavy here," Valia asked.

Lupin sighed. "Kaisen the Liger has returned and galvanized the people against me. He made a big show during the harvest festival and killed countless troops in front of the citizens. He's already replenished his upper ranks with a new class of elite fiends that are immune to our poison, and has killed countless soldiers. Even worse, the Profane used one of their worms to transform Reynolds into a ghoul. I lost Paulman and over two dozen good men and women during his subsequent rampage. I had to kill them both myself, along with several soldiers who had been turned into vicious cannibals."

"By the gods," Valia murmured. "You have my condolences, Your Highness."

"It's been difficult while you've been away. We've suffered countless losses, including the lab, and--"

"Wait a moment, what did you just say?" Noah asked, turning pale.

"The lab was obliterated, turned to rubble. We're still trying to cleanse the scene of lingering corruption."

"Please excuse me, Your Highness." Noah then turned around and quickly left, surprising everyone.

"Noah?"

"My Lord?"

Valia and Shannon called out and then went in pursuit, along with Lupin and Nell. They followed him to the destroyed lab, finding him standing in the sun where the room had once been. He was clenching his fists, and Valia could see his shoulder trembling.

"Lord Noah," Lupin said.

"Prince Lupin, do you know why I punished your brothers the way I did?" Noah asked, speaking with his back to everyone. "It wasn't because they burned down my favorite brothel. It wasn't because of all the people they killed. It wasn't even because I was the intended target. No, I could forgive all of that. Contrary to popular belief, I strive to be a very patient and forgiving person.

I wrought their suffering and ground them into the dirt because valuable research was destroyed in that fire, research I was going to use to help break my curse, the same way I was using the tech in this lab. Getting in the way of my pursuit, prolonging my curse.... I will end Kaisen and the Pack, and I say that not as a promise, but a warning, for if this entire city must be annihilated in the process, then know I'll leave nothing behind but scorched bones and crushed bricks."

The threat, spoken with such malice, made everyone shiver. Valia had heard the details of what he did to the princes and their friends, she had seen his anger slip free when she confronted him about Ziradith Herald, but this was her first time seeing the flame of his rage come alight. This was the fury of an ancient being, the wrath of a force of nature. Without even turning, she could sense Shannon quivering in fear. After everything Shannon had seen Noah do while calm, the way he ripped information from prisoners with a scalpel and syringe, she understood that his words were not to be taken lightly.

"I want Kaisen dead just as you do, but I can't allow such actions against the city," said Lupin.

"If you don't want it to come to that, you'll have to put your life on the line. Kaisen desires an audience for when he beats you, and he can't have it as long as you're cooped up in the palace. If you want to end this once and for all, you must face him on his terms. You're going to invite him to fight you and take him down in front of everyone."

"You haven't seen what he can do. Even without a parasite, he's far stronger than any host. If I could kill him, I'd have done it already."

"Now you won't be fighting him alone. Challenge him, make him face you in the open, and I'll sabotage him during the fight without anyone knowing. All those watching will see the prince of Uther put down the feral beast and assert dominion as the mightiest warrior. They will submit to you."

"It's one thing to send others to capture a criminal, it's another to cheat in a one-on-one fight and claim it as an honest victory."

"Are you seriously worried about your pride? You have soldiers hassling old women out there, but you're afraid of being judged for killing a terrorist by any means necessary? If you want to win, if you want this violence to stop, then you must swallow your ideals and do what must be done."

"This isn't what my men died for! So that I could lie and cheat my way to the top!"

"They died because your enemy still lives, and they're going to keep dying until that changes. How many soldiers and innocent people are you prepared to sacrifice just to maintain your integrity? How many lives is your conscience worth?"

Lupin turned away. "Come with me," he said before storming out. Noah and the others followed him through a familiar corridor, into a room none had been in. It was a large chamber filled with hanging targets and training dummies, all covered with gouge marks. The smell of old sweat lingered in the air. "After every battle, I train for hours, repeating everything. I remember every move I made during the fight, every move my enemy made, and I try to fix my mistakes. I visualize everything and try to get it right. Every time an enemy dodges me, my attack doesn't land hard enough, or something goes wrong, it latches onto my mind and smolders; my failure, potentially costing someone their life.

I've thought about my encounter with Kaisen almost nonstop, how he completely shamed me, and no matter how much I train or practice different strategies, every scenario leads to my doom. Both you and he think that the people will only support the strongest, that only the most powerful warrior deserves to rule Welindar. If I cannot beat Kaisen on my own, if I need your help, then does that not mean I am unworthy to lead? It was not I that broke down the gates of Welindar; it was the basilisk. It is not I that took the city; it was my men. It is not I who decimated the Profane; it was you. If I can't even defeat my nemesis, what good am I? By what right do I have to call myself a leader?

Is it my fate to be just another weak, inept aristocrat who can only shout orders from his chair? Someone who is obeyed simply because he has soldiers to do his bidding, neither feared nor respected, but simply tolerated? I'd rather die than be that man." Lupin then turned to Noah and took the whip off his belt. "Fight me, Noah. Fight me just as you did my brothers. I need to know how I compare, what my worth is, if I even have any."

"Your Highness, please rethink this!" Nell implored.

"I agree. This is a terrible idea," said Valia.

"The two of you aren't a part of this. Noah, step forward and face me."

"Very well," said Noah, removing his hat and jacket and handing them to Shannon. "But it would be problematic if I did to you anything remotely like what I did to them. We'll make this a proper duel, and the first one to land a hit on the other is the winner."

"Very well then. Lazy Zodiac, you'll moderate."

"Yes, Your Highness," she begrudgingly said. Noah stepped forward and drew his sword. The two men took their positions, facing each other with Valia, Shannon, and Nell standing at a safe distance. "The match ends when one person manages to strike the other. I expect you both to show adequate restraint. Now, begin!"

Noah crouched down and zoomed towards Lupin, ready to end the fight in one move. As he had during his battle with Reynolds, Lupin stretched the chain across his back, using it as two whips instead of one. "Steel Stinger!"

He swung his arms and sent the two ends shooting toward Noah like a pair of missiles. Noah deflected one of the sharp handles with his sword and dodged the other, but Lupin had already altered the movement of the chains. With a simple flick of his wrist, both ends of the chain seemed to move with their own mind, threatening to wrap Noah up. He ducked down and rolled to the side to avoid the crossing whips. He got to his feet and tried to close the distance, but Lupin worked hard to keep an optimal space between them.

Jumping, swinging, and twisting his body, Lupin was in constant motion to ensure his chain never slowed down. The more it moved, the more mana it accumulated, and the more powerful each whiplash became. On the other hand, Noah dodged and sidestepped with as little movement as possible, not wanting to get caught up in Lupin's rhythm. The floor around him was eviscerated, with every slice of the whip gouging stone and shattering brick.

When Noah backed up, Lupin changed his strategy and let the whip slide out to its full reach. "Concussive Crack!" He sent the chain zooming towards Noah, reaching to hit him like a blow from a steel baseball bat. Noah dodged the swing, and the whip struck the wall, blasting it open and exposing the next room.

"Your Highness, that's too much!" Valia scolded.

Noah sprinted towards Lupin, but the prince wasn't finished yet. "Blind Strangle!"

With a simple flick of Lupin's wrist, the stretched-out chain coiled back, attacking Noah from behind and reaching to tie him up. Noah struck the chain with his sword, not severing it, but disrupting its momentum and mana flow. Noah was too close for Lupin to attack, so he went on the defensive. When Noah attempted to slash him with his sword, Lupin used the chain as a shield to block the attack, then wrapped it around the blade. Noah didn't waste time or effort by trying to free his sword; he relinquished it and delivered a punch straight to Lupin's chin, knocking him onto his back.

"This match is finished," said Valia.

"Your Highness!" Nell exclaimed as she rushed over.

He sat up with a groan of pain and frustration. "No wonder my brothers lost. Are you that strong, or are we just that weak?"

Noah sheathed his sword. "You can't use magic, can you?"

"What in the world are you talking about?" Lupin countered unconvincingly.

"I can see the flow of your mana. You announce your spells, but your mana doesn't fluctuate at all, and frankly, it's at the level of a child. The whip itself is enchanted, and you just pretend you're using warrior magic. I noticed it during the raid when we fought that armored ghoul, but couldn't be sure until I saw it up close."

"Your Highness, is that true?" Nell asked.

Lupin sighed. "It's true. I have no magic aptitude, and like you said, my mana is almost nonexistent, especially compared to my brothers. Seraph is like a living god, and even Galvin, for all his faults, can wield two elements, but I was born without any talent whatsoever. Most people can't use magic, but for the aristocracy, it's required. Throughout my childhood, nobles pushed me to be denied the right to the throne despite being the firstborn. Who would respect a king who can't use magic?

Fortunately, we had this whip in the royal vault, a powerful weapon with imbued abilities. The more it moves, the more mana it accumulates, making it more powerful and responsive to the wielder's intent. I learned to use it, and once I developed some skill, my father put out the lie that I was the owner of a rare type of warrior magic, whip magic. I built my reputation, my strength, and my life around that lie. Every spell I've ever cast has been make-believe, a farce to dupe those around me and earn their fear and respect. I focused on diplomacy and commerce to avoid fighting, but I needed military accomplishments to gain the support of the nobles and prove I could serve as king of Uther.

Welindar was supposed to be my crowning achievement in every sense of the term, proving that I could fight for Uther's interests, destroy her enemies, and protect her territory. I wanted to earn the love of these people and bring Welindar into the fold as an authentic piece of the country, to rain prosperity upon them and create a nation free of divisions, but I'm just too weak to do anything. I wield an enchanted weapon because I can't use magic, I send others to fight my battles for me, and I can't even keep my conquered lands safe from the Profane of the Pack. I'm just a failure."

Nell threw her arms around him, crying into his shirt. "No, Your Highness, that's not true! You're not a failure! There is no one in this world I respect more than you, and that's as true now as it's ever been!"

"Then you've made a mistake. I don't deserve anything from you; your love, your loyalty, and certainly not your respect."

"She's right, you aren't a failure," said Noah, causing Lupin to perk up. "Take it from someone who has seen and met more people than you could hope to count: A man who fights as well as you do, who works as hard as you do, who cares as much as you do, is not a failure. Only a man like that is worthy to be king.

Unlike your brothers and those inept aristocrats you mentioned, you didn't have talent handed to you. You were considered weak and looked down upon, just like the commoners. Experience like that is priceless. It taught you to empathize, understand, care about the powerless and the suffering and want to improve their lives. A strong heart is more important than a strong spell.

You don't have any magical talent, which means you've had to compensate with hard work and humility, the truest qualities of a leader. Show that to the people, and they will rally behind you. Face Kaisen and show the people you'll fight for them. Prove it to them and prove it to yourself. Be their champion."

"I can't prove it with you helping me from the shadows."

"With or without my help, this doesn't end until you yourself end it. Face him, and fight for your kingdom. Put your life on the line for your dream, or it'll never come true."

Lupin got to his feet and faced Noah. "I will," he said softly. He then stepped past him and left the room. He was moving fast, and everyone followed him through the palace and up to the rebuilt balcony he'd stood on during the harvest festival. Down below, the citizens were going about their daily lives.

"People of Welindar, hear me!" Lupin boomed, drawing all eyes up to him. "I, the First Prince Lupin Oxam Vilard Albion, am recalling all excess troops patrolling the streets. They are no longer needed for what is to come. I am declaring an end to the war here and now! I am here to challenge Kaisen the Liger for the right to rule this city! No more cut-and-run, no more attacking from the shadows and then fleeing, no more Pack insurgents against soldiers!

Three days from now, on this spot, I will be here to fight him, with the winner receiving the throne of Welindar! If he's not too afraid to face me, he'll be here! A battle to the death for the sake of these lands between me and him! One way or another, the bloodshed ends with us!"

After Lupin's announcement, Noah spent the rest of the day reviewing everything salvaged from the destroyed lab and what he had collected from Carthace's prison. He busied himself with work, scanning information, repairing magical tech, and even making weapons. It wasn't just for the sake of necessity for the situation, but also to distract himself from his seething anger.