Blazing Glory Ch. 12

Kali had never felt so alive! It felt as if she was finally able to unleash all of her anger and frustration freely without consequence. Bodies dropped before her one after another in an endless tide of blood and crushed bones that she reveled in. The rage and sadness flooded out of her into each killing blow as the whistle of her staff turned into a pitched scream above the battlefield's noise. That and the laughter of one catwoman's joy!

"KALI!" roared a familiar voice in the distance above the chaos.

Ripped out of her orgasmic bloodlust, the catwoman's eyes glanced in the direction of the call. She couldn't see the source above all of the orcs and goblins around her still charging forward. Kali sprung up into the air and landed upon the helmet of a nearby large orc. Perching there briefly as the stupid hulking orc drew to a halt in confusion, Kali looked to see Dio and the others hundreds of yards away. The lionman was fighting as savagely as she had ever seen him to get to her. Coming into full realization of her predicament at how far she had blazed into the enemy ranks, she noticed eyes spotting her position and making their way towards her.

"Oh.... Shit..."

Twisting about upon the orc's head to look back the other direction until she heard the surprised grunt and pop of its neck breaking, Kali made her decision. Springing from the falling corpse, Kali hopped with lycan agility from head to head and ran above the teaming mass of soldiers below her towards another dense wall of fog. Her gasps came short and fast as her concentration was landing a foot on each moving head or shoulder and moving onwards with as much balance and speed she could muster. Once she hit the fog bank, she dropped to the ground and sprinted through the rushing soldiers. She heard a few cries of surprise as she darted through bodies, relying upon her keen hearing and instincts. All they would ever see as they passed her was a red flash that was gone the next moment.

The catwoman's ear started to wilt with exhaustion as this fast pace began to seriously take its toll. She was incredibly fit, but even she had her limits. Her calves burned in protest to her movements and her lungs rasped for more breath. Kali's golden eyes lit up as she burst out of the fog bank into the mountainside forest she knew would be there from past scouting descriptions. It was one of the strategic evacuation routes should any lycan become separated according to Dio's plans. The army of Koas stayed out of the forest due to its dense mass of trees.

The lycan felt right at home now as her second wind kicked in and she darted through the trees and brush along the incline up the mountainside. Sounds of the battle were soon left behind her. By the time she had reached the crest of the mountain, her energy was nearly spent and the day half gone. With one last gasp and spurt of energy, she jumped into a large tree's branches. Hopping from one branch to another until she was in a well concealed area of its foliage, the catwoman collapsed with her back against the trunk. Kali was so exhausted by this point she fell asleep just before her bottom came to rest on the branch she sat on.

A sound soon startled her out of the deep slumber she had been in. Rubbing her eyes sleepily and stretching with a large fanged cat yawn, her golden eyes soon gazed upon the half moon and stars filling the night sky. She was amazed she had slept as long as she had. Her body felt sore but rested at least.

Both armies were separated by miles with thousands of campfires filling the land below. She knew she had time now to return since both sides were more interested in rest at this point. Rolling from her sitting position into a low crouch, she looked for the source of what had awoken her. The wind stirred slightly before a sudden flash of light below her made her fur stand on end and nearly caused a scream to escape. Rubbing her eyes once more, she looked upon the figures that stood on the crest near her tree. The odd group was gazing at the armies below. Who were these people? Friend or foe? Bright orange hair caught her gaze as it widened in recognition.

Nadine!

Her lips curled up into a wicked grin, "Well now, this makes things more interesting."

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Blaze sighed inwardly in disbelief as he could only stare helplessly at all of the campfires in the valley below. Damn it all to the Abyss! So many emotions ran through him from wanting to scream in frustration to tears of hopelessness at the size of the army of Koas. Glancing towards the coastline, he would have been amazed at the size of that army had he not seen the other one first. His surprise was how it had not been crushed before now.

It changed nothing though! They were too late! Koas sending a kraken after them in combination with the chance storm had delayed them long enough to allow her forces to gather and start the war. His fists tightened angrily, but he was angrier with himself for failing Stavros. She must have seen his white knuckles as he soon felt the comforting warmth of Kendra's hand grasp his while she stood silently by his side.

The hiss of steel being drawn startled him and the others out of their shock as he turned around to see Rae raising her ring sabers towards the tree near them. His eyes adjusted more to the darkness in time to see a figured shadow drop to the ground and approach them slowly.

"Nice hearing you have there, dark elf," chuckled a rich female voice. Blaze's hand slowly lifted towards one of his blades as he felt Kendra let go of his hand. The figure drew closer to reveal golden eyes that seemed familiar to him.

"I see that you keep interesting company now, dear sister," the sensual voice purred as if amused while those eyes looked to Nadine.

Nadine gasped to his right before stifling a small sob. Sister? Blaze blinked at his friend as her eyes teared up before launching forward to embrace the strange figure. The catwoman's speed never ceased to amaze him in the distance she just covered in that instant.

"KALI!" Nadine squealed with delight as she hugged the other so hard that she looked to be crushing the other. By the struggled gasp he heard, he seemed to be right! Blaze's hand relaxed as Rae quietly put away her deadly weapons.

"Kali! What are you doing here?" Nadine chirped as she dropped her sister down. Looking back to the others, Nadine grabbed the other's hand and quickly drew her sister closer.

"Taking a much needed break from the action down there until all of you appeared in a flash. What I want to know is who they are, what you are doing with them, and where you had disappeared to! You've had us worried sick, Nadine."

Blaze blinked as they drew close enough to where he could make out this Kali in the low light. She was different in her fur with black stripes over the dark red fur and a white undercoat. She had waist length black hair done up in a single ponytail. Her body was every bit as curvaceous as Nadine's and voluptuous enough to give Kendra a concern for competition. The Teigra bloodline was one of beauty to be sure! She carried with her what looked to be a metallic version of the wooden bo that his master used to have him practice the martial arts with.

What unnerved him a little was the obvious difference most would not pick up on. Nadine was powerful with her sleekness much like a cat. With Kali, however, he could sense a kindred spirit as she was much like him. Beneath that fur was taut firmness in muscles ready to explode into action, much more like a tiger than cat. Before him was a killing machine that even gave him pause. Her confidence in approaching them alone spoke volumes that she knew as much too.

"These are my friends! Blaze is a human warrior who saved my life from a human mob. Kendra is a succubus who is also his lover. Tyra is a gargoyle that we came across in the ruins and helped. Rae is the famous assassin Death's Mistress, but don't worry as she is on our side and my best friend," Nadine finished with giggle.

Rae snorted slightly with mocked indifference but couldn't quite hide the small smile that it was true. Kali took all of this in with a cool, calculating gaze to each of them before looking back to her sister.

"But why are you with them still? Why didn't you come home after this man saved you? Which, by the way, I am grateful to you for," Kali said with a nod to him.

Blaze nodded in return as Nadine looked to her sister with severe discomfort. If he didn't know any better, Blaze would say that Nadine had found herself in a position she'd been dreading for a long time now.

"B-because.... Blaze... he is," Nadine swallowed deeply, "He's my life mate..."

Kali's eyes widened as she looked to Blaze then back to Nadine after hearing this. With the words sinking in, her gaze snapped back to Blaze.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!!!!"

BAM!

White hot pain exploded through his skull before he felt himself crash to the ground. Dizziness quickly turned to sickly grogginess from the pain. In such quickness that even he couldn't follow Kali had punched him with enough force to nearly shatter his jaw!

"How dare you rape my sister! Did you enjoy forcing yourself on her and taking her virginity?! I'll fucking kill you!!!" Screamed the livid lycan.

Blaze gasped and spat out a significant amount of blood before looking up. Nadine had placed herself between him and Kali while trying to push her back and talk sense into her sister. Not far off, Rae and Tyra were mightily trying to restrain a furious demoness. By the looks of it they were starting to fail at keeping the succubus's angry strength at bay.

"Kendra!" Blaze coughed, "I'm fine. Don't hurt Nadine's sister, please!"

Kendra seemed to barely hear those words but the significance of how he said them sank in and she begrudgingly backed down. Blaze looked to Nadine and saw her shake her sister so roughly that she managed to get Kali's attention for the moment.

"I gave him my virginity!" Nadine cried, tears rolling from her golden eyes. Kali looked simply stunned at this and all hostility vanished from her body.

"Blaze had saved my life from the human mob. Shortly after that he was bewitched by a foxwoman. We went to rescue him and I chased her off. But her spell wouldn't release him so I had to give him something to desire more than her. I willingly made love to him! And I love him with all my heart and soul, Kali! Blaze is a wonderful person! Don't be angry at him! Strike me because I'm to blame!"

Nadine broke down into a sobbing mess and Kali stood there for a moment in complete shock before shaking her head out of it and embracing her sister tightly.

"I could never hit my sister for any reason. If that is truly how you feel for him, then I am so happy for you to have someone to love so dearly," Kali choked out the words. After a few minutes of taking all of this in, her golden eyes looked to him where he lay with a solemn look. "And I am sorry for reacting so foolishly. Please forgive me."

Blaze could only nod through the pain that still threatened to turn his world into black unconsciousness. May the gods have mercy on those that face the wrath of this red furred catwoman. He felt a shadow kneel next to him before looking up into the reassuring eyes of the drowess. Her touch soon followed with the tingling comfort as her magic worked to heal him.

Coming back to his senses after a few minutes, he rose and simply walked over to the solemn looking Kali. He smiled warmly to her and extended his hand in acceptance of her apology, "No worries, Kali. I can understand how it must have seemed to you at first. There is much to explain."

The warm fur of her hand encased his as they clasped hands and shook. Her golden eyes looked to his with a haunted maturity that surprised him. And she was the younger sister?

"I would like to hear what you have to say," Kali said with a reassuring smile. "Follow me back to the camp this way and you can tell me all you have to say in the meantime."

Blaze nodded as the others came up to clasp hands with Kali in proper greetings. He held his breath momentarily when Kendra came up to Kali, but the succubus only smiled and joked that she was the only one allowed in the group to kick Blaze's ass if necessary and would do it later if Kali still wished. That drew a cheerful laugh from the catwoman before she drew the surprised demoness into a tight, brief embrace. Kendra blinked but soon smiled and reciprocated the hug. With a wave of her hand, Kali led the group down the mountainside and into the forests in the moonlit darkness while she listened to Blaze recount everything that had happened.

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Dio sat inside Queen Roselei's tent as high ranking officers from each army reported injuries and losses sustained during the day long battle. It was late at night and it would not be long before many would try to get some measure of rest. The tired lionman tried to ignore the reports lest he hear the one report he did not dare imagine. His heart was torn into pieces after seeing Kali charge into that enemy line and disappear from his sight. He had not seen her since despite how hard he fought to get to her position.

Strategies were discussed and the lycan general remained silent throughout. He noticed Roselei's concerned glances his way but she did not press him for what troubled him. He was deeply grateful for that because he feared he could not summon the words had she decided to ask.

"Move aside! Queen Roselei and the generals must see to this matter!" a powerful voice hissed.

All eyes snapped to the entrance of the command tent and words fell silent as the flap was thrown aside. Dio's eyes narrowed as the gatorman Kaiman, one of his trusted lieutenants, ducked through the opening. The lionman did not grow angry for Kaiman was intelligent and would not interrupt without good reason. Kneeling before them and dropping his snout in utmost respect, he waited for Dio's acknowledging growl to speak.

"Guests have arrived within the camp and desired strongly to meet with the Queen," Kaiman hissed as he looked up and gestured with an arm behind him to the entrance. "They came escorted by one of our own who vets for them."

"There are no such things as 'guests' in a war zone! And you just led them here to potentially assassinate Her Majesty," cried the elven general in indignation, moving to begin drawing his sword.

Dio raised his hand to the elf to stop, "Kaiman is of keen mind and would not do such a foolish thing. I trust his judgment. If the Queen allows..."

Roselei rested her chin upon her hand with keen interest and nodded in permission for the audience. Upon seeing her reaction, Kaiman snapped his fingers loudly to the entrance to signal these guests to enter. The first figure to enter stopped his heart. Kali!

The catwoman saw the shocked lionman sitting there and he could see her wince from the already imagined scolding. A shock of bright orange hair drew his gaze from the sheepish catwoman and he knew his mane had to have gone shock white as Nadine stepped in behind her sister. By the gods, where had she been and how was she here of all places? He sat there stunned as the most unusual group of a cloaked drowess, a human male, a powerful looking gargoyle woman, and a beautiful woman with bat wings followed them in.

"Blaze!" Roselei instantly cried with joy and rose to move forward with swiftness to embrace the human male, startling all the attendants and generals present.

"Before you all make an old beast die before his time by shocking him to death," Dio's voice rumbled through the tent, "Can you please explain by the gods who these people are and what this is all about?"

Roselei blinked and blushed slightly as an embarrassed Blaze stepped back out of her hug as she let go. The Queen of the Elves smiled as she moved back to sit in her chair. "General Dio, I give you the group that battled to save my city from the initial hellhound invasion. What I do not understand is why you are all here. You were heading to prevent this war by order of Stavros. This was to be accomplished by destroying the generals of Koas to sow seeds of doubt and fear in her army by weakening her image."

Dio blinked as he listened to all of this before looking back to the human that cleared his throat. "We were, Your Majesty. Koas sent a kraken after us that damaged the ship we were on and a freak storm shortly after shipwrecked us far off our intended course."

Roselei looked to him with understanding before sighing in disappointment, "I should not be surprised that the evil goddess could have foreseen this. I am glad that you all have survived."

Blaze looked back to the others in his company who gave him a silent nod of approval to proceed. Dio sat there impressed that this young man could lead a diverse group with such confidence from them even in silent communication.

"With your permission," Blaze looked back to the generals and Queen Roselei, "We would like to make amends for our failure and join your forces to fight with the best of our abilities."

"No."

Everyone in the room blinked at the swiftness of the answer that carried the tone of authority with it. All eyes could only stare at Queen Roselei who had dismissed his request without any hesitation. Blaze most of all looked like a man who was told he could do nothing, was without honor, and had nothing left to live for.

"You will not fight," Roselei said with measured words to make sure her points came across clear, "Because we cannot afford to lose any of you in the mindless fields of battle. You have not failed in your mission. All reports show no visual identification of Koas or her four generals' presence. You are to continue from here to hunt them down and kill them. If Koas is using them as couriers of her guidance, their deaths and cutting of ties will destroy the confidence they have and create the panic of her lost support. We'll do our best to continue the fight here."

Dio glanced sideways in silence to the human boy and noticed his hands trembling in clenched fists of frustration. The look of desperation in his eyes was one that Dio knew all too well as a warrior. The boy still felt responsible for the lives lost because the war had already started and wished to make amends honorably. Dio could respect that but knew that the fields of war would not be kind to one clearly as innocent as this human.

"Rest tonight and tomorrow to prepare," the lionman rumbled, grabbing Blaze's attention before he said anything rash. "Think it over and discuss it with your comrades and you will come to see the merit in what Queen Roselei has said."

Those fierce determined eyes of the human stared back unblinking for a few moments as he considered Dio's words. The lionman could no longer find himself thinking of this boy as just that. Most men cowered before lionmen and here this warrior stared straight at him without a blink or look of fear. This was a boy no longer, but becoming a man in these harsh times. The demoness stepped up behind Blaze and rested a hand upon his shoulder. Dio noted they shared a look filled with the familiarity of love he so missed from his life mate. Nodding in acquiesce, Blaze and the others bowed to the Queen before turning away to exit the tent.

"We are in good hands with that one on our side," Dio muttered to himself softly as the flap closed after them.

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Blaze sighed softly to himself as he came to a slow walk after exiting the command tent. All of this was so frustrating because he wanted to fight to make amends. Damned the Abyss, if only they hadn't wrecked in a far off wilderness! That delay cost them so much time and cost these people around him so much more.

"Easy Blaze," Kendra hummed softly as she took his hand with hers. Her emerald eyes gazed into his and to the depths of his soul. She gave him an assuring smile with those soft vanilla lips, "We'll make things right before this all ends. Let it go and let us rest."