Kaila's most trusted have, for the first time in living memory, truly question their leader's wisdoms. Normally they can at least feel somewhat what he is, but the pure acts of self sacrifice have always escaped them for anyone but their master in the midst of battle. But planned self sacrifice? Planning on putting oneself in danger. . . Lan and Ran don't have words but look clearly upset at the idea. Tyar drifts about, eyeless, just a shadow in the air as she thinks. Tiski however is able to find her voice, though it is quiet.
“Are you. . .Sure, this is the correct course of action to take?” There's only the slightest waver in her voice as Kaila's sharp eyes land on hers and she looks to be trying to stand her ground against his focused gaze.
He lets himself watch her for a while, indulging her objection – for an objection it is – with another pass over his plan and his resolve. When the thoughts are past however, and he once more comes to the same conclusion, he gives her only a nod and watches her bite her lip painfully. Reaching out he brushes a finger across her now bleeding lip and whispers for her not to do that before turning once more to address his team. “We will be the only ones going, and we will tell no one. We can not hesitate, and we do not have time for me to handle all the objections I know the camp would have.”
Jentou holds tightly to his brother, the slight scowl on his face clearly showing his objections but he says nothing. He can't. He knows Kaila can not be swayed. He knows it, he feels it, but that doesn't stop him from not wanting it to happen. Despite Kaila clearly wanting to looks strong in front of his team, the white clad man pulls him into a fierce hug before letting him go so they can take off.
The others shared a brief glance with one another as Kaila and Jentou prepared to take off. They all had an understanding that none agreed with the plan, however they all would accept it. By the looks of it, there was no suading the verdict. It was clear Jentou had already tried.
Kaila and Jentou took off into the sky with Tiski following underneath them. It hovered closer to the tops of the trees in order keep watch of any of Gin’s forces should they be ahead or in hiding.
Lan, Ran, and Tiski, kept to the ground as they exited the camp, wanting to be sure that there were no enemies near the camp’s perimeters. When they were far enough out, the other three took to the skies as well.
To what could be considered their fortune, the group had to travel a little ways away from their own camp in order to find Gin and his small band. Tiski waved an airy limb, signalling for the group to slow their pace and then waited for instruction. “Circle them. We can’t let them know which direction we came from.” Kaila’s voice was low, but they all heard him clearly. With swiftness, each of them dived back into the forest, not wanting to be caught mid-flight. “Remember the plan.” His voice was stern and finite. The way he never looked back as his wings retracted left no room for argument. The second in command could feel the faint repression of complaints, but he lead them forward.
They were all aware of what he meant. They were to follow the plan and that’s what they would do no matter how much they didn’t approve of it. Save for Jentou, the rest kept a bit of distance as they followed, staying low and under cover. The closer they got, the more they could hear Gin’s group. They weren’t doing a very good job at being sneaky to begin with so it was easy to pinpoint just where each of them were. Tiski peered through a few bushes before slipping next to Jentou and Kaila. It created a fingered hand to point out there were five in that party, including Gin. Not wanting to risk their cover, it said nothing and floated into the branches above to hide. Kaila simply nodded, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.
~*~
Gin has had it. Even with both wings broken and an eye gouged out, this prisoner of theirs is till causing them trouble. She thrashes and kicks, slowing their progress back to the palace. He thought getting a life traitor would be more amusing, but as it is, she mostly just spits and hisses, leaving him more and more furious. He'd had a moment of triumph with this one, but that was hours ago. He scowls fiercely as once more she forces the procession to stop by curling her spine and getting a kick in on one of his minions.
He draws his blade, Seishu's blade, and stalks up to her, pressing the blade hard enough against he blue throat to draw a considerable amount of blood. She spits at him and his eyes glow a sickly yellow. “So, this is what I get for being nice to you traitors!” he snaps at her. “I was going to bring you back, let you live, have a little fun and maybe even a few more of those oh so enjoyable chats with you, but I suppose a traitor is in the end a mindless beast that really should just be put down.”
It's clear from the copious cuts and bruises littering her body that these little chats with Gin are anything but fun, but she doesn't back down. She looks back at him fiercely and spits, “How dare you befoul Master Seishu's blade with that grimy mitt of yours! You're not even holding it right!” That little bit enrages Gin more than anything else and he lets out an unholy sound of fury and draws the blade back, ready to run her through.
~*~
The cry is the perfect cover and without a sound, the team pounces. Tyar wraps around Gin, obscuring his view and stunning him for a moment. Lan and Ran know their part and in a flash the minions holding the captive are down, the two of them removing her from the scene and handing her off Tyar as it's thrown forcibly from around Gin. The formless nightmare is able to scoop her easily up and without looking back, takes off in the opposite direction of their camp.
Meanwhile, Kaila works on taking down the remaining two minions, using all care not to harm them too badly. Unfortunately, this leaves Jentou charging the screaming Gin to watch his brother's back. It happens in a flash. Kaila feels the white hot burn of a blade piercing his brother, but he's unable to turn around for risk of getting them both killed. He manages to knock the second one out just as he feels his twin collide hard with his back and he spins to a gruesome scene. Gin is moving in, Jentou's blood dripping from their beloved master's blade, and as he places a hand on his brother's shoulder he can see the pant leg of his white outfit already stained red.
The wound is straight through the blond's midsection, a painful wound that gushes as it's impossible to stem completely. Kaila impulsivly slaps a hand over the hole in Jentou's back, slaming some healing energy into it, but in a flas the other turns and sends him into shock with a firm kiss. When he pulls back, the smile on his lips says it all. He tries, lord does he try, to object, but Jentou has already knocked the air from his lungs with a hard kick to his midsection that sendfs him flying back into Lan and Ran's arms. Tears in his eyes he screams at them to run before turning on Gin, his entire body beginning to glow with his specialy: blinding light.
~*~*~*~*~
Laying shivering for a time, Seishu does his best to keep himself inside his own mind and not pass out. When he feels hands trying to help him up however he lets himself be lifted and does what he can to help. He manages a small smile when he finds himself in his lover's arms once more and wonders what his underlings would think seeing him like this. Thinking about them hurst too much however and he buries his face in the smaller man's neck for comfort. “That would be great.” he whispers against the still damp skin on front of his lips, holding Enasi a little tighter.
~*~
Still under orders to bathe the little ones scrub furiously, wanting desparately to get to Seishu as fast as they can. Rasha and Rue have to help Inui who seems only capable of staring after his master until they announce he's clean enough and he bolts out of the water. They have to wrestle his outfit on as he tries to race through the palace naked to find the Nightmare Guardian. Once he's dried and dressed they let him go and dress themselves, Rasha hitching a ride on Rue since the fairy is faster. They catch up with Inui right outside Seishu's door and follow behind as he bursts into the room, his red eyes a little frantic at this point.
Seishu had spent most of the trip just trying to get what little comfort he can when the darkness is trying to eat away at him, only coming out of it enough to make a joke about how a good romp could “raise his spirits” as Enasi places him on the bed. Soon enough however, his bed is occupied by smaller bodies that all seem intent on making sure he's okay with the most avid cuddles he could hope for short of bedding them. He pulls out a few laughs as Rasha takes his chest, Inui burying himself in his left shoulder and Rue gazing at him worriedly from his right. He is both uplifted and saddened by the image as it reminds him of home and the little ones there. He tires to enjoy the worry coming off of them however and lets it soothe him for now.
The plan doesn't work however. Even not seeking out his realm, his connection to Kaila is is too strong to filter out his personal devastation. Arching back he lets out a scream, Rue instinctively tackling Rasha off the bed and hitting the wall to give them some distance from potential lashing out. Inui is openly shaken by the scream and starts crying, clinging to Seishu in a vain attempt to stop his pain. The guardian doesn't know what's happening to his beloved second in command, but it's enough to cause tears to flow freely down his cheeks as he sobs to the empty air in grief.
iFain
Merule