Kitsune of the Blue Sun

Chapter 180- The Den of Wolves

[Keeno POV]

Looking around the large auditorium-like room I couldn’t help but feel a disgusting, skin-crawling feeling at the sight of such corrupted souls. Granted there were a few that were grey and an even smaller number closer to white than black, but the repulsive feeling of corruption nearly drowned them out completely.   It made me sick.

‘Lady Keeno…I feel unwell. This muddy feeling, I’ve never felt something like this before.’

‘Trust me, the sight is even worse. Be glad you just can’t see it yet.’

Our telepathic conversation ended when a man dressed in a Vanir-style all white suit stepped up to a small raised podium.

“I, Lord Ign Orant, commence this meeting!  All my fellow nobles, we have gathered here to hear what Margaret Nearl, Commander of the Eclipse Knights, has to say in regards to the disappearance of our blue-blooded comrade as well as the state of Odeen.  We shall also discuss the identity and visit of her mysterious guest. Afterwards a ball will be held in hopes that the Mysterious Miss will join us so we may all become acquainted.”

After the small speech with hidden meanings thrown unstopped down and motioned for Margaret to step up.  She did so and a spotlight coming from seemingly nowhere focused on her.

“Lady Nearl, please explain the disappearance of our comrade.  Why were you and your proud Eclipse Knights unable to successfully escort him home?” (Ign)

“He fell gravely ill in Odeen as we made our way back and his condition only deteriorated once we entered Lokir’s borders. Even with the assistance of the healer we managed to acquire while there, things continued to worsen. We also ran into some foul luck while on the road and were attacked by a monster I’d never seen before. It swooped from the sky and destroyed his carriage and completely obliterating him. We did our best to slay the beast and succeeded. But the cost was grave as the speed of the monster was so great, the only thing left of our charge was a bloody mist floating away on the desert breeze. If you do not believe my words, my comrades have brought the remains of the beast to The Guild. The can corroborate my story as they had witnessed the entire event.” (Margaret)

“Very well, we shall send a representative to the Guild later today to review your story. Now, the Odeen matter.  We have received some reports from our people abroad that extreme turmoil has broken out across our neighboring nation. Can you explain?” (Ign)

“Firstly, for our original purpose in visiting Odeen, in blunt words, it was an absolute failure. The king was shrewd and any cooperation we offered was met with rules so strict it would be easier to put out the flames burning in the desert.” (Margaret)

Murmurs broke out amongst the mongrels while I held in a snicker.

“That aside, any cooperation is, in my opinion, completely useless at the current time. On our final day in the capital, King Baldr Odeen was assassinated and the country’s Dead Zone vanished. The land itself also began to experience an, enviable, endless snowfall. I know not if it still continues now, but upon our flight from the country it had not ceased. Not only that but I believe the Prime Minister was also killed, so the country has fallen into complete anarchy.” (Margaret)

More murmurs broke out with several of the louder voices hinting at wanting to take some of Odeen’s land for themselves.  It was then another noble spoke up after the noise died down.

“What about the so called Death Dragon?  Was Odeen King not protected by such a ferocious beast?”

“We never saw a dragon in our time there. From the way some of the knights spoke, it either died many years ago or was never there in the first place and was just a way for Odeen’s king to keep his citizens in check. Some even let slip of an assassin organization that could have been the dragon in the rumors, though, if my opinion is acceptable, I believe that there once was a dragon, but it left Odeen long ago and its king used the legend to his advantage.” (Margaret)

Another noble then spoke.

“In your opinion, Miss Nearl, would it be beneficial for us to mobilize a force to ‘assist’ the people of Odeen?”

“No.  The people there were unequipped for the kind of weather they faced, and we, as a country who have equally lacking experience in said weather, should not do anything to risk making it even worse for them as well as wasting our already small amount of resources just getting through the desert on top of supplying a small portion of a country already in decline for practically nothing. Even as a humanitarian effort it would fail.” (Margaret)

“Your opinion from personal experience is noted. We will discuss this in more detail later. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, please introduce your guest.” (Ign)

“I believe my own words would not be adequate, so I shall leave her introduction to her.” (Margaret)

“Hmm…Your suggestion is accepted.” (Ign)

Margaret stepped down from the podium and made way for me.

{Know what you are going to say?}

‘Seeing as most of them here are going to die, I don’t mind divulging a bit.’

I stepped up and the spotlight focused on me.   I kept an emotionless face as I began to speak.

“Hello to all of you, gracious nobles of the Great Lokir.  I have come from a land far from here in order to learn and improve my knowledge in hopes of eventually becoming a ruler worthy of her crown. The land k hail from is Falheim, the, until recently, isolationist country that is, if I am to be blunt, so far behind current civilization it’s a surprise we even survived until now. Ah, but forgive me, I have not given you my name yet. I am Okami Fafnir, daughter of Falheim’s sole Duke and, due to circumstances, the future ruler of Falheim.  I have been traveling with Lady Margaret here for a while after running into her in the country known as Odeen in hopes of not only learning, as I said before, but also seeing the world. She has told me many good things about this lovely city of yours and I hope you will all be open to showing me what you can so I may return one day to Falheim and show my people our old ways are obsolete.” (Keeno)

The clear greed in the eyes of most every noble in the room, it was almost like a night sky lit with stars. I could even clearly see the plans some of them were making to keep me here permanently. I glanced in the direction of the Kitsune woman Margaret told me about earlier and who I saw when I first entered the room. She seemed to be contemplating my every word with concealed disappointment.  It seemed I needed to advertise my skills a bit to get a message across.  I fanned out my tails to make a dramatic display.

“Though I and by extension my home may be seen as behind in the modern sense of technology, culture, and politics, I AM confident in not only mine, but my people’s magic as well. If I may, shall I demonstrate a small bit?” (Keeno)

This captured the attention of everyone again and the noble from earlier spoke.

“Feel free, Lady Okami.” (Ign)

I smiled and asked for the light to be put out. It was, dying the entire room in darkness, the only light coming from my core and eyes.  Flicking a finger up, I said a quiet chant to conceal my full abilities. Above me where the spotlight was, a small ball of blue flame sparked to life before growing in size, shading the room in a brilliant blue glow and casting even darker shadows.  I made the ball expand and break apart, turning into a magic circle. A few of the nobles that couldn’t take the heat passed out while another few had their facial hair burnt off. I made the magic circle spin before it faded into sparks and vanished.

“We pride ourselves on our control of mana and the complexity of our magic.  That is just a small fraction of what I could do.” (Keeno)

It took several minutes for the nobles to recover.

“Lady Okami…if what you are saying is true about your mastery of mana control, would you and your people be able to extinguish flames that have been burning for thousands of years?” (Ign)

“Possibly?  I believe it would depend on their source and the amount of people dedicated to the extinguishing.” (Keeno)

More murmurs burst out all across the room.

‘Lady Keeno, I think you’re playing it up to much.’ (Keeno)

‘Don’t worry, I’m about to pull the rug.’ (Keeno)

Looking up, I spoke one mace more.

“Ah.  Pardon me, but I neglected to mention that my people are also quite defensive. While we are welcome to outside aide, we’d like to preserve our dignity and culture. If we perceive a threat to that, we may act out in quite the violent manner. That small quirk extends to me as well, so if I offend any of you or cause physical harm, I apologize in advance. I may be ignorant when it comes to many things regarding the world outside my country, even I am unwilling to budge on this. Just as I may unintentionally slight you, if you slight me, I will see it as an action against my home.”  I smiled and saw some nobles visibly flinch.  “I am willing to wage war on my home’s behalf, so I’d think twice about putting into motion a few of the plans I could see in your eyes. Now, if you excuse me, I shall go prepare for that ball you have invited me to.  Thank you for your time, gracious nobles of Lokir.” (Keeno)

I stepped down from the podium and left the room, Margaret two steps behind me.

‘Hmm.  I didn’t expect that. Now you have full justification to retaliate in any way you see fit and face no repercussions else they cut off the only way they can see to possibly get rid of a persistent problem.’ (Margaret)

‘That’s what I was going for, but only a few actually believed my words.  Especially among the ones that were actually listening and not just undressing me with their eyes.’ (Keeno)

‘I was monitoring Lady Sif and she seemed to be highly interested in you. Especially after that display. I expect she’ll be at the ball and will want to talk to you.’ (Margaret)

‘Perfect. She’s the only one I actually wanted to talk to. Out of pretty much everyone there, her soul was the least corrupted.’ (Keeno)

‘I’ll be attending to, so I’ll be able to run interference that should allow you some time with her.’ (Margaret)

‘That’d be perfect.’ (Keeno)

‘I’ll see it done then.’ (Margaret)

We eventually ran into someone who seemed somewhat important and asked for a room to rest before the ball began. They gladly led the way to a room down a long, dimly lit corridor.  The room they led us in was quite posh and we were told that if we needed anything, to just ring the small bell on the table. Once the guide closed the door, a faint sweet smell filled the room.

“Margaret, eat this. It should counteract anything they throw at us for the rest of the day, poison wise.” (Keeno)

“Greatly appreciated.” (Margaret)

Like this we spent a few hours relaxing before the ball began.

Chaos Realm:

Luna: Wow.  I know they are dumb, but filling a room with aphrodisiacs just after a threat of war?  There is stupid, then there is this.

Believe it or not, this was set up before that. Whoever came up with it is going to be in for a rude awakening soon.

Luna: Dancing in iron shoes?

Heated iron shoes.

Luna: Oh fun.

I’m just ready for the hellhounds.

Luna: Oh…that will be interesting. Will they do it secretly, or blatantly?

My bet is on a mix of both.

Luna: Then I’ll be on secretly.

Your on.