Desert Lands II

The camels suddenly appear meshed together, filled with metal spikes and all types of sharp weapons…

Right atop Kayin's head.

“KAYIN!!!”

schwing!

Without a second thought, Kayin slices through the incoming barrage of weapons and camel flesh, managing to keep himself from harm at the very last second.

Kimiko stares towards Kayin’s hand, realizing that he had used her katana to achieve this feat.

In the split second that I was saved, they even managed to swing the katana back towards him?

They…no. He must have known that he would be the primary target.

Kayin steps down from the creature, and the creature steps in front of Kayin to shield him, while growling aggressively towards the strange merchants. Oshé steps in front of Kimiko, making sre to shield her from them as well.

Now having a divine battle axe and a fearsome creature standing in their way from both directions, the merchants split into two groups, and dash quickly towards both Kayin and Kimiko.

Kayin grips the katana tightly.

Footsteps incoming. Fast.

But…there’s less of them this time.

Another trick. I’m sure of it.

But being separated from Oshé like this, I really am completely blind.

Kayin turns around sharply, and exactly as he had predicted, the group of merchants that were chasing Kimiko has now suddenly appeared directly behind him. He swings the katana fiercely towards the group, managing to cut down a few of them.

But a few manage to get through, and pin him down.

The creature guarding Kayin remains focused on the threats still in front of him, leaving Kayin on the ground and forced to wrestle against the half animal-half human merchants.

Sharp claws manage to pierce the king’s skin, even deeper than the lashings he had been receiving for the past year. Howling and roars bellow deep into his ears, and drool seeps down from a half gorilla-half man trying desperately to rip off Kayin’s nape.

In only a matter of a few seconds, Kayin is now completely overwhelmed.

ROAR!

A few dozen oni suddenly rips out from all areas of the ground directly around Kayin, and use their monstrous strength to tear the merchants from Kayin, all at once. The oni begin to wrestle with the merchants themselves, and in a span of a few seconds, victory is awarded to the oni.

Kayin lays still on the ground, and breathes deeply. The adrenaline pumping through his veins hasn’t come to a stop, but his mind is now allowed to finally calm down for a bit.

“You were quick to repay the debt you owe. Thanks, Kimiko.”

Kimiko, who already rushed over towards Kayin after realizing that the merchants were not coming after her, pokes Kayin’s forehead aggressively, but remains silent. Instead of coming up with another quip, Kimiko begins to search the area, and orders her oni to do the same.

“Those weren’t things from the mortal world.” Kimiko shouts, “I can bet there’s an avatar wielder somewhere around here.”

“Don’t bother.”

Kimiko turns around, “Has the blood loss made you go insane?! If we don’t kill them, they’ll just keep coming after us!"

“That’s…not what I meant.”

Kayin points to three figures walking through a sand storm in the distance. Kimiko notices that two of the figures are walking behind the other, as if dragging the other in front.

“...Oshé already found him.”

“...oh. I see.”

***

As night falls, and the desert’s heat cools down rapidly, Kayin sits in front of a fire, with a menacing but hidden expression. Wrapping bandages around his body to help with the wounds he had suffered, Kimiko’s expression also appears the same; and the atmosphere only seems even more intimidating due to the complete silence.

On the other side, feeling that intimidation in its entirety, sits a man bound with tight ropes. Sweat beads down from his white hair onto his caramel skin, through his bushy eyebrows, before making it down to his Van Dyke beard, and onto the sandy floor.

Standing behind the man are both figures of the battle axe, Oshé; as well as the creature resembling a sabertooth tiger and bison…all staring down towards him.

The man, unable to speak after having his mouth also bound by the rope, sweats even more profusely as soon as Kimiko finishes her medical aid.

Kayin breathes inward, slowly.

The man does the same.

Kayin breathes outward, slowly.

The man does the same.

“Are you mocking me?”

The man shakes his head violently.

“I get the feeling you’re not taking this very seriously,”

The man shakes his head violently.

Then pauses to think.

Then he nods his head violently.

Then pauses to think.

The creature behind him growls, startling the man so efficiently that he accidentally urinates on himself.

“Remove the rope from his mouth.”

Kimiko slices through the rope cleanly, and doesn’t put a single scratch on the man’s face; which succeeds in frightening him even more.

“Tell me,” Kayin asks as he lifts his head, “...who are you?”

The man stares at Kayin’s face, previously darkened by the night, but now in full view thanks to the light that emits from the fire in between them.

Indeed.

This man…is indeed the king.

“...my name…is Narada. I’m from the Kingdom of Meluhha.”

“Meluhha? One of our vassal states to the north?…”

“...yes, sir.”

“You mean to tell me that you came all the way from there…just to claim my head?”

“Well, technical-”

“Just kill him.” Kimiko says abruptly. The creature behind the man moves in closer, following her command.

“Whoa! Wait! Please! Just a moment! I can explain myself! I swear!”

Kayin lifts his hand, alerting the creature to back off.

“You see, the new queen’s order has reached all over the empi-...no! All over the world by now! You’re being hunted by every single avatar wielder in the empire!”

“And you’re clearly one of them. Thanks for trying. Good night.”

The creature moves in closer once again, but Kayin orders it to back off once again.

“I’m sorry! I really am! I just…I just wanted to stand out!”

Kayin lowers his hand.

“I’m an illegitimate son of our king. But I’m not the only one. There's hundreds of us. Almost in the thousands. I’m just trying to stand out and please my father!”

“My father, the avatar wielder of Vishnu, is our most powerful fighter. But even he was bested by your grandfather, King Ayo. That’s how your empire took over our kingdom.”

Kayin tilts his head, “So you thought it would be a good idea to stand out by besting your father’s enemy, or at least going after his grandson…”

Narada makes a silly face, hoping to appeal to the king’s comedic side. “Oops.”

Kimiko slaps Narada across the back of his head, “He can’t see, idiot!”

Kayin sighs. “Clearly, you are an avatar wielder as well. Which god are you aligned with?”

“...Vishnu…technically.”

“What?! If your father is dead, then why would you go so far to please him?!”

“No, my father is still very much alive. Although he’s pretty old now.”

“...that doesn’t make any sense.”

“Oh, right. In our kingdom, we have millions of gods. Far more than any of the others have.”

Narada lifts his eyebrows while smiling, “But!…We also have far more people!”

“The gods in our kingdom aren’t stingy. They want to protect every single person, even those that may not have great alignment with them. So, in cases like mine, where our souls are too weak to wield the power of gods, we have…routers. Or in other words, semi-avatar wielders.”

Kimiko and Kayin look at each other with blank faces. Kimiko’s blade immediately flashes directly in front of Narada’s neck.

“I’m telling the truth!” Narada protests.

“I’ve certainly never heard of routers before. Have you?”

“Nah.”

“Just listen! Please!”

“Lord Vishnu is still the avatar holder for my father! And he will certainly be passed on to his legitimate heir someday! But as a potential heir, one of hundreds, I am also allowed to take part in those powers for myself!…although at a very limited capacity…”

“How limited?”

“...maximum, I’d say ten percent.”

“He’s useless,” Kimiko snarls, as she moves her katana closer.

“Wait! Please! I beg of you, my king! Let me help you!”

“Help me?”

“Yes! I can travel a limited amount of people to locations all around! I promise, I can be of great use!”

“You mean like how you kept warping those things all over the place in order to attack me, right?”

“Hakuna matata, my king! It’s all in the past!”

Kayin’s expression turns dark. Oshé moves in closer from behind.

“IT WAS A JOKE! I WAS ONLY JOKING!”

Kimiko appears startled.

Wow. He must really be afraid of them.

“I only mean that I want to erase this tension between us, and start anew! I beg of you!”

Kayin pauses, and ponders the offer.

To get to Taruk, it will take too long if we only ride with the creature that grandmother gave us.

Especially if it’s true that every avatar wielder across the land is hunting for my head.

Kayin picks up sand and runs it through his fingers, allowing the grains to glide effortlessly.

With his power, we can certainly avoid unnecessary fights.

Or even have the upper hand in them, if need be.

“Alright, then. You will accompany us on this journey.”

Narada smiles in relief. Kimiko kisses her teeth and walks away.

“If we end up dead in our sleep, don’t say I didn’t warn you,” Kimiko aggressively says.

“I would never try to do that!”

“You just tried to kill us, you fool!” Kimiko snaps back, as she turns to glare at Narada.

“I would never try to do that again!”

“Can you swear on that?!”

Narada enthusiastically slams his right palm onto the left side of his chest.

“I swear! I would never try to do that again!”

Immediately, a bright red chain wraps around his hand, and a lock tightens around Narada’s heart. Narada winces in pain, but after a few seconds, the chain and lock seemingly fades from his sight.

“Your oath is now bound to Izanami’s hand. If you so much as try to harm a hair on our bodies, she will rip your heart out instantly. Got it?!”

Narada whimpers, but tries to smile with pride, “...I-I-I understand.”

Kayin tries to stand, but is forced back down as the pain is too much for him to bear. Kimiko yells at him, especially after she had already ordered him not to move around for the time being.

“But wait…”

Narada looks up towards Kayin.

“Those merchants…or, at least I thought they were merchants. What were they?”

Narada tilts his head, “Hmm? Oh, them?!”

Narada scratches the back of his head and laughs softly.

“Those were a few of my younger brothers.”

Kayin and Kimiko stare at each other with blank faces.