Kitsune

With such a ruckus going on out there, she couldn’t possibly ignore the raging confrontation at the outskirts of Makhlubi. Her pace slows down, until coming to a halt the moment she reaches the walkway stretching over the misty sea.

    Taking note of the situation in her fox form, her concern is tickled by the absence of Mira. She’s nowhere to be seen, despite her earlier words.

    Many questions arise, but none for which she has time to seek the answers at the moment. Her main focus is already settled on Timoria and the Saintess. The thunderbolts seem to be her deed, but something feels off. As if she wasn’t controlling them… This may become quite problematic.

    A quick side glance confirms her guess. The Daoine Sidhe just had to avoid one of the thunderbolts.

    Thus, her action is required. Stepping closer onto the walkway, she waits for the elven fellow to notice her before rising her front paw… mightily stomping the ground. The brisk blow spreading forward, the black cobbles ripped off the ground, rising as a wave until reaching the silhouettes engaged in a fight.

“Now that’s enough.” Her voice sternly rises.

    A flapping of wings bypasses her. She barely gazes at the owl joining in haste the Saintess, though. Even if, given the danger, the owl’s promptness to join her was certainly peculiar.

    The sudden intervention takes aback both women, making them lose balance as the ground shifts beneath their feet, propelling them in the air. Their focus shifting along, their attacks come undone. The leaves fall to the ground, the lightning fades away.

    Tyffeon rushes forward, forging himself a path as he jumps from one cobble to the other, catching Amako before she falls. As he lands back on the walkway, the havoc fading away, all the gazes turn to the ruler. All, apart from the Saintess who just passed out.

“My lady?” The cowmaiden shows an astonished expression before it turns into an ecstatic smile as she cups her cheeks. “You have come to praise me?”

“To praise you?” Kitsune echoes in a sceptical tone, her eyes closed.

    Stepping forward as the rain dissipates, she takes back her foxwoman form. A white dress of the finest fabric adorns her silhouette, complimenting her more than generous curves, letting exposed her belly, its contours traced by a large golden belt.

“I’ll make sure you never lack blood.” Timoria continues. “Any living creature in Ard Ramalia will soon offer it to you! You’ll be fine. You’ll be safe. My lady…”

    At first, the silence is the only thing responding to her.

    Kitsune’s oversized sleeves get slightly waved by the breeze along with her orange hair, her fox tails, the fabric letting protrude merely the tips of her fingers.

“Mmm… What an irony for me to get fooled by my own folk.” The foxwoman thinks out loud. “Not once did this idea cross my mind in three centuries. That’s pathetic of me.”

“Yes, yes, they sinned!” Timoria continues. “They hid the truth from you, you who gave us so much without asking anything in return. But don’t be worried ab-”

“But, this said,” Kitsune cuts her off. “Don’t get the wrong idea, my dear Timoria. I never asked you to do such a thing. The way I’ll punish you all will be according to my sole decision.”

    The emotions until now present over Timoria’s features vanish, replaced by a monotony her tone matches.

“This isn’t possible. I have to ensure the punishment myself.”

    Kitsune frowns, stepping forward.

“Then you leave me no choice.”

    As she gets closer to Timoria, the foxwoman takes the form gifted by her benediction, three puffy tails floating behind her.

    Not leaving Timoria the opportunity to reply, she lunges forward. Taking advantage of Timoria’s astonishment.

    The following moment, her jaws close around Timoria’s waist, lifting her up despite the weight brought by the branches.

    As the sharp teeth sink into the flesh, into the bark, a swarm of leaves begins to swirl all around Timoria, inflicting multiple cuts to Kitsune. Taken aback by the pain, her grip momentarily loosens.

“Don’t think your little tricks will save you from me.” The ruler growls.

    A spark.

    It’s all it takes Kitsune before her whole body ignites, burning every leaf daring to touch her. As well as the flesh of the poor girl. Though…

“Ahh… It hurts… It hurts… Why do you do this?” Timoria complains. “You don’t understand what I am doing for you! But… I’ll show you.”

    …A mere girl she is no more.

    In a beat, in a pulse, an uneasy feeling creeps around. This time, the grip of the ruler fully releases her, making a few steps to her left, to her right… as if onboard an invisible ship.

***

    Her eyes directed at her paws, the crimson liquid she’s stepping in is the first thing she notices. The sight makes her back off, only to make the blood ripple.

    There is no sound. There is no breath.

    As Kitsune raises her head, her ruby eyes open wide.

    All around, Ard Ramalia has been painted red, corpses spread in a mess.

“I wasn’t able to save them…”

    The betrayal of a whole kingdom took her past away.

    The ruin of that same kingdom takes her hopes away.

    Without a folk to rule over, what does remain of a ruler?

***

    As I stir awake, the first thing I notice is the ground I don’t feel under my feet, as if hanging in the air.

“H-huh?!”

    My grip tightens on whatever I can grasp, which ends up being Tyffeon’s shoulders.

“You’re awake.” He glances down at me, a concerned glint in his eyes.

    I feel confused…

“I, yes but… what just happened?” I frown.

    My mind is still a tad blurry. I can’t remember how I ended up losing consciousness. This seems to concern Tyffeon further before his focus shifts ahead of us.

    Trying to understand to what the situation has evolved, I follow his gaze. Kitsune has seemingly joined the fight, Timoria having eyes only for her. But the messy ruler’s gait… Is this the effect of Timoria’s benediction on her?

“Amako, can you make it rain again?”

    I widen my eyes.

    Again? Now that is a wild thing to ask as I am still gathering the pieces of the previous events in my head.

“I can try… But what are you thinking about?”

“I’m not sure, but I think your rain can help Kitsune recover her spirit."

    Not fully convinced, I’m not reluctant to comply, though. If this may be a way to turn the situation to our advantage, then I’ll gladly give it a try.

    So I nod, closing my eyes.

“How have I done the previous time? This wasn’t exactly on purpose…”

    While I am attempting to figure out how to spread the rain over a large area, the emissary of the Taint isn’t – sadly so – well-behaved enough to wait.

“For you, I have to keep gathering blood…” Timoria slowly approaches Kitsune. “For you, I have to gather as well the tainted blood of your folk. If you don’t understand this… then I’ll have to take your blood as well.”

    A thud follows as she probably hurls Kitsune to the ground.

    I need to focus… Rain, child of the rain,… I trained it along with my archery skills, I can do this.

    Not losing more time, I try to visualise…

    Luckily so, this reveals to be easier than expected. As if what I did before Kitsune’s arrival just unlocked something.

    Little by little, the clouds already gathered above our heads begin to deliver the droplets.

    Risking a glance at Kitsune, I take sight of the emissary who is about to yank her off the walkway.

“Stand up!!” I can’t help but scream.

    The droplets of water reach her fur, making her stir. The moment the blow is about to strike her, the ruler of the Beastmen rises to her paws, jumping aside.

“It really worked! Does the rain… remove status ailments?!”

    As I draw conclusions, the fight continues. Kitsune bounces high in the air, her fur igniting before she falls back onto Timoria, pinning her against the ground while multiple cobbles are ejected on either side.

    She sets fire to her prey at the same occasion, but Timoria still shows resistance… The damages are still lacking.

“Tyffeon!” I direct my gaze at him until catching his attention. “Go help Kitsune! She isn’t aware of the emissary’s weakness.”

    It doesn’t take him long before he nods. Allowing my feet to touch back the ground first, Tyffeon rushes in the direction of the Beastwomen.

“Keep her occupied!” Tyffeon calls out.

    Briefly glancing at him, the ruler lunges forward. She hurls her forehead against Timoria, making her step back until her branches seek support, steadying her.

“I won’t let you endanger my kingdom.” The ruler utters.

    Her hands clutching the fox’s muzzle, Timoria seems oblivious to the burns as she applies enough pressure to make the ruler slightly wince.

“Why? Why… Why… After all the lies… The path they made you take…”

“I am a ruler. As such, I swore to protect Ard Ramalia, and its folks along. If they are misguided, it is my role to turn their path into the right one to take.”

    Timoria widens her eyes.

“Finish her off!” I scream.

    Tyffeon pounces on her back, taking hold of the sword which got stuck into it, partly covered by the bark. As he struggles to take it back, the emissary tries to attack him with her branches, but flames engulf them, keeping him safe.

    And soon, it is the sword itself which ignites, burning the emissary to the core.

    A scream.

    In a clean blow, Tyffeon retrieves his sword, severing in the same move the dark area pulsating in her back.

    And then it shatters. It dissipates all around. The branches, the leaves, along with the Taint.

    As Tyffeon and Kitsune step back, Timoria falls to the ground, inanimate.

    Kitsune’s gaze remains focused on the cowmaiden, concern etched on her features.