A King's Legacy Ch. 20-21

"Captain... We can do this... We only have to wait for Aster. He can hold it still." The bull looked over his shoulder at the hare, and furrowed his brow a bit. The captain didn't think Mollis had a spell strong enough for the job, but he trusted his comrade. The bovine groaned loudly before shouting his answer stoutly.

"YOU HAVE FIVE MINUTES, IF THE BOY IS NOT HERE BY THEN, WE FLEE." Mollis nodded, already chanting as he shifted his arms around a bit. An enormous blob of water formed over a large portion of the swarming fiends, and the hare dropped it on them suddenly, sweeping a great many into the trenches and slowing them in the mud. Dally rushed forward, and shouted the end of his own incantation as he drove the tip of his rapier into the wet earth below. The watery mud reacted violently, and row upon row of spiky, frozen sands speared up violently along the trenches, blocking off another good portion of the battlefield, killing the fiends trapped inside, and giving the defending army the upper hand against the smaller fiends once more. They were holding, albeit barely.

===

Rust was listening intently, not feeling much comfort after that loud explosion and the crash that followed... Not to mention all the shrieks and roars coming from the fiends. The fox had even felt the very earth tremble slightly beneath him. Rust was worried, but he had no idea how valid such worry was. That is, until he heard the sound of a horn nearby, towards the river. The horn sounded for only a brief second before it abruptly stopped altogether, but it was enough. The fox turned towards the river, unable to see anything yet. The cub quickly turned back towards the three wagons, and saw many orc children already loading up inside of them. Their perimeter had been breached, it was time to evacuate.

The cub quickly ran over to Alice, planning to load her into the wagon and flee as was instructed and promised, but stopped abruptly when a familiar sound filled his ears, the gentle strumming of a lute nearby. Rust's eyes shot up, looking towards the fluffy beast nearby with a sense of panic. Milky would draw the fiends to them if they weren't stopped. Rust stopped what he was doing, leaving Lady Alice partially hidden beside a wagon, and bolted towards the simple canine frantically. Milky looked at the cub with a questioning look of disappointment when the fox suddenly placed a hand over the thrumming strings, silencing the notes almost immediately as he snatched the lute away, and set it to the side. Rust was holding a finger up over his mouth, motioning the beast to be quiet frantically when a chill ran up his spine.

The catlike demon was snarling, standing towards the end of the main road, staring down the fox, the dog, and the wagons in a deciding manner, choosing its prey. Rust's eyes went wide in fear, and he suddenly had a strong urge to find a bathroom. The young fox's knees trembled as he stared back at the first demon to ever stand so close to him. The monster had at least two feet on the fox, even being on all fours like it was. The demon took a step forward, its three tails twitching sharply behind it as it did. The creature lowered its front half a bit, and went to leap forward. An arrow shooting forth from an alley nearby sinking into its hide stopped it just before it got moving.

The demon snarled, recoiling a bit from the unexpected jab into its side. It quickly turned towards the source just as Rust did, and saw the blacksmith Tan with three other orcs. Two were older, but one looked to be around Rust's age. That younger orc had been the one to fire the arrow. The demon roared loudly, and charged at the orcs, ignoring the others for the time being. Rust heard Tan shout a single word as his party turned, and fled back down the alley, luring the monster away.

"GO!" Rust shook himself, and turned back to the fluffy beast beside him, grabbing a hold of their hand as they both moved back towards the wagons. The fox sped towards them, Milky being dragged hastily, leaving the lute behind where it had fallen to the ground. He stopped to grab Alice when he heard an awful sounding scream from near the alley. The fox powered through a shudder of chills, and managed to lift the smaller cat's upper body enough to safely drag her towards the nearest wagon. With some assistance, he was able to get her aboard. The fox turned to grab Milky and jump on himself when he realized the gentle beast was gone.

Rust looked around frantically, and spotted the beast running to the lute that had been left behind. The fox cursed internally as he bolted off behind them, feeling he couldn't leave such a soul behind despite everything. The canine picked up the instrument happily, its tail wagging slightly from the feeling of joy it brought to them. Rust latched onto the beast's arm, and turned back to the wagons. He halted sharply when he saw the demon between them, and the carts full of the young. The monster had emerged from an alley a ways back, and was now bolting off towards the wagons as they rushed to make their leave, unable to wait any longer. The fox made a hasty decision that was incredibly brave, and unfortunately stupid. Before he could even think it over, the cub yelled out as loud as possible.

"HEEEEYYYY! OVER HERE!" The demon halted in its charge, and turned back towards the noisy fox, allowing the children on those carts to escape its hunt. The creature growled at the cub, and charged with tails flashing through the air at speeds the fox couldn't follow. The sound of nearby chanting filled the cub's ears, and a flash of green fire exploded into the charging monster before it could get too close, temporarily stalling it as it shook off the licking flames. The peacock Madame Mist stepped up from behind the cub panting heavily. She spoke hastily.

"Sorry, I got held up with a few smaller ones back on my side of things... This thing is bad news, I can't handle it alone... Can you keep a secret, young fox?" Rust looked over to the elegant avian in surprise, not expecting that to come up at all. Still, the fox glanced back to the writhing demon, and swiftly nodded to the peacock. She smiled just a bit, and walked over to Milky. She placed a feathered hand between the simple beast's shoulders, and started speaking, her words making the fox's blood run cold.

"I wish to make a deal with death. Lend me a soul. A warrior." Milky seized up sharply, the lute falling to the earth below once more as the mountain of fluff trembled a bit violently. The beast's eyes seemed to go all white as it straightened up, standing tall at last. The canine took on an imposing stature, the fox finally realizing how big the beast really was. The mountainous canine huffed out a heavy snort, speaking out gruffly. Rust couldn't help but find it strange to hear the dog actually talking.

"Why am I here?" Mist spoke quickly.

"You are dead. I offer you one final chance for redemption, help us slay this demon. You have a few seconds to taste the glory of battle in the world of the living one final time. Will you aid us?" The canine huffed quickly, bearing a vicious smile before it paced steadily towards the demon, eager for a chance to fight even after death. Another arrow shot out of a nearby alley slicing off one of the demon's writhing tails, and Rust looked over to see Tan and the younger orc re-emerging, the other two orcs missing. A gruff voice sounded out a bit further up the road, on the opposite side of the demon.

"Looks like I get a little help after all." Rust saw it was the powerful bear, Sir Corper the Collapser, speaking as he closed in on the demon. The creature shook the last of the green flames from it and snarled, realizing it was being surrounded. Its severed tail sprouted back, and it began assessing its opponents. It decided to try its luck with Milky first. The demon charged, readying its tails as it did so. The canine took a practiced stance, courtesy of the warrior in control, and readied themselves for a deflection. The sound of chanting came from Mist as the canine redirected the beast's charge with a well timed fist to the skull. The demon staggered over some just in time for the peacock to launch another spell, sending a short spear of light rocketing into its side, pinning it to the earth below.

Another arrow shot from the alley, burying itself into the beast's hind paw, helping to hold it down as the monster roared in protest. It went to move its tails to slice towards Milky, but Sir Corper was there immediately to grab a hold of them, catching them just behind the spikes the way you caught a snake behind the head. They writhed vainly in his crushing grip, but the bear would not sever them this time, they would simply grow back. He held them steadily, even as the demon swiped towards him with a front paw. Tan caught that swipe with the side of his sword, holding back firmly against the beast. Milky quickly went in for the kill after the adept teamwork pinned the creature down skillfully, but was caught off guard when the spear of light pinning it quickly vanished.

Mist was clutching at her heart, kneeling down suddenly in her pain. Her strength had been sapped away by the consuming sting she felt within her depths, finding the price exacting faster than she had expected it to. She stumbled forward once as she let out a pained gasp, and collapsed into the dirt. The demon took full advantage of its opportunity, and moved its freed body easily. It turned on the orc which had caught its paw, and climbed higher upon him, opening its toothy maw wide over the blacksmith's head before biting down decisively.

Rust's eyes went wide in realization, and he finally lost that urge to find a bathroom as his heart stopped, soiling himself as his mentor met a brutal end. The fox could only whimper, his jaw hanging open, his ears falling flat upon his head, and his pupils fully dilating in shock from the crunching, hollow sound of a living skull being shattered by such bite force. A violent tremble overtook his limbs, and the cub felt his knees buckle, collapsing onto the earth below. The fox was shaking mercilessly in fear, but was unable to make himself move even the slightest bit from his soiled place in that desert landscape. He was certain, he was going to die in the spot he had just fallen as surely as Tan had.

Sir Corper pulled roughly on the tails, turning to draw against them as the creature fought to be freed. Milky jolted forward, leaping atop the monster's back and pounding their fists into the creature's head mercilessly, beating the monster back to the ground with the constant barrage against its skull. Rust heard the younger orc shout through his delirium, and fire another arrow into the side of the beast. The orc had a single black mark on his chest. This was his first battle too, but even after losing his allies, he was still fighting. That thought shot a bit of clarity to the cub, as he drew back to the battle at hand.

Milky had stopped beating on the monster, and had wrapped themselves tightly around its throat, leaning the creature on its side as it held firmly around it. Rust's pulse quickened as he realized they wouldn't be able to hold it for long. The demon would free itself soon, and they would all die... Rust felt his despair creep back into his heart, and found himself clutching at the hilt of his dagger. When his fingers wrapped around it, the fox forced himself to watch as he drew the crimson steel from the scabbard, and took a stand. Even in the darkness of the night, the fox could make out the three markings left behind by the blacksmith.

'Bravery. Determination. Heart.' His thoughts clung to his mentor's words, repeating them to himself as he was tasked. He was strong enough to do what was needed. He touched the symbols in a final bit of confirmation, and rushed forward with a steady hand on his drawn blade, his features taking on an entirely new side of the fox. Rust could feel it, something inside of himself wanted out. Something was pushing up from his anger, tipping him over the edge from his loss. A single word flashed through his mind, and the cub spoke it without hesitation, fueled by something instinctual. Young Rosten Aschefell laid claim to his birthright that day. Rust activated the bloodskill inherited from his birth father for the first time in his life.

"Mark." The fox blinked, and suddenly, he was inches away from the demon, as if he had jumped through space itself. He could see something dark pulsing in the monster's throat, something nobody without that bloodskill could see, demanding his attention and beckoning his actions. The fox tightened his grip as drove his blade forward decisively in his revenge, the sharpened steel sinking effortlessly into the beating heart of the demon. The monster wailed loudly, writhing in effort to free itself. It rolled sharply, managing to run a single, shredding paw across Milky's chest before the dagger sank a bit deeper, and pierced through the last of the heart.

The demon snarled a ferocious growl as its body hardened, and began cracking into brittle pieces. The monster decayed away rapidly, the bear holding the tails allowing himself to fall backwards in exhaustion. Sir Corper was sure of one thing after helping dispatch the second demon of the day, he really was getting too old for this shit. He heard a heavy sniffle come from the fox who had just teleported before his eyes, and sat up a bit to check on the cub. The bear's mood soured even more at the sight.

Rust was leaning over milky, letting giant tears flow from his eyes. The canine was bleeding badly, with three deep gashes running over their chest and stomach. Their white fur was quickly turning a deep red as the blood spilled from the wound. Whatever fighting spirit had overtaken the mountain of fluff was gone, returning the simple beast back to a dying body just as the demon fell. Milky looked up at the fox and smiled as it whined weakly. The fluffy beast raised a hand, and pointed towards the lute lying on the ground a short distance away. Rust followed the motion, and stood on shaky knees to go retrieve it for them. He quickly returned, and kneeled over the gentle creature once more, laying the beloved instrument by their fingertips.

Milky closed their eyes, and began lightly shifting their fingers, strumming weakly at the strings, making for a more somber performance than usual. Rust felt his heart break. He looked to the collapsed Madame Mist, uncertain of her condition. He looked to his mentor and friend, the orc Tan, laying slain in the streets. He dropped his gaze back to the fading beast beneath him, listening helplessly as the song ever slowed. Rust squeezed his eyes shut tightly in anguish, and remorse. After everything, this couldn't be how it ended. He refused. Such loss could not be allowed. Something sparked at his trembling fingertips, jolting the fox ever so slightly. It inexplicably felt like hope.

As his bloodskill had surfaced from a need to survive, another gift emerged from a desire to change such harrowing circumstance. Both graces signaling his undoubted progression towards becoming an adult. The fox was growing up, he was maturing at an alarming speed, and his dormant talents were blossoming at a pace that paralleled such exponential growth. Rust did what felt natural, letting his instincts rule over his chaotic mind once more. He extended a hand to the silky white fur of the canine, and focused his determination on a single effort. He felt that tingle at his fingertips again, and pushed that sensation outwards, sending bursts of magic surging into the simple canine.

Sir Corper watched on in shock as the fox awakened his second hidden talent that day. Milky's wounds began closing rapidly as a greenish glow and warmth overtook them both. There was no doubt about it, the fox could use prayer magic. There was finally a healer revealed among their ranks, and it seemed Milky had been spared by the gods themselves.

===

Aster was in serious pain as the tiger darted through the battlefield. His head felt like it had a crack opening wider with each jarring step, and his ankle felt like it was going to catch fire from the feverish burning. Even so, the boy kept his forehead against the tiger's shoulder, clutching tightly around his thick neck as they made their way to the prince. Aster could feel Oust's strong heartbeat as he ran much faster than the human ever could. He felt Oust's powerful fingers wrapping securely around his thighs, and noted the presence of the tips of the retracted claws poking at him. The tiger hit a jarring low point in the ground briefly, knocking Aster's left hand down weakly to graze over the beast's muscular chest. The boy shuddered out a ragged breath into the tiger's ear as he readjusted his grip quickly.

Aster didn't know why that slip of a hand made him feel the way it had, nor why through his aching, hazy head, he was suddenly aware that he was enjoying the firm grip spreading his legs firmly around the bulky frame, but Aster also became aware of how tightly his body was pressing against the beast's defined one. How much he enjoyed nuzzling into Oust in that moment... Despite all of the pain he was in, and despite their predicament, Aster felt himself suddenly becoming excited, still pressed firmly against the menacing tiger's back. In that moment, Aster wished the fall would have killed him after all.

Oust never slowed his run, but his heart was stammering out of control. He knew the human was hurt, and that his excitement was surely a result of that head injury... But the beast couldn't help but feel the smallest bit of warmth deep down from the sign of attraction. The human was forming a habit of making Oust feel like he wasn't the hideous, spoiled pelt his father had made him believe he was. Oust squeezed the boy a bit closer, a bit ashamed of the action, but enjoying the feeling of the runt's tool squirming against his larger body as he forced another pathetic moan from him with the movement. The tiger had wanted to tear the human in half a few weeks ago... A few days ago even... But now, he wanted to tear into the boy in an entirely different way... In the way he never expected he would want anyone. How he believed nobody would ever want him. His thoughts pushed that desire away as the prince's formation came into his sights.

Captain Rix was shouting the moment he caught sight of the tiger.

"IT'S ABOUT TIME!" Stahl turned briefly to lay eyes on his mate, and almost let himself get distracted by the poor sight. The wolf quickly turned back to fend off a fiend, his mind racing over what he had seen.

'That's a lot of blood to lose in the middle of nowhere...' The beast was scared, not even noticing the ankle yet. Aster needed to be off that battlefield in that condition, not dragged into the middle of it. The wolf held the line beside the bull regardless, praying they could somehow wrap this up shortly. Mollis was speaking with the prince immediately as Aster dismounted from the tiger's back. The boy stumbled, but the tiger caught him swiftly, forcing the human to lean on him for support. The hare swiftly addressed the human after.

"Aster... It's time to use what the Captain told you about... Do you think you are able?" Aster nodded, despite being uncertain if he was up to the task at all. He had never used it before, and he wasn't in the best of shape, but he would try, always up for a challenge. The hare smiled, and turned back to shout towards their line of defense.

"We are using it, try to fall back some, but don't worry about being caught up in it... I'll be doing the aiming for the actual deadly parts." Mollis turned back to the prince, and bowed slightly before he spoke to him again. "My prince, just as we planned... All of it." The lion nodded, steeling his resolve. He walked up to the hare, and placed a firm grip on his shoulder in wait. The hare chanted briefly, and Aster, Oust, the prince, and Mollis himself were raised up on a smaller pillar, only around ten feet high this time. The hare nodded at the human, and Aster paced forward to stand at the edge, overlooking the battlefield, waiting for his moment while the tiger gently supported his weight on his bad leg with a burly arm over his midsection. The human let himself rest ever so slightly against the beast, until he felt a rumble beneath the earth. It was time to see if he was worth the effort it took to get him there.