NOVEL NEXT Chapter 128: The Fault
Javis was having a rather pleasant day tending to the front gardens at the Venatus home estate. While the antelope was forced to pick up quite a hefty sum of additional tasks to make up for the lack of staff still remaining, being back in the gardens was the one chore he welcomed.
There was a sense of peace and fulfillment from cultivating something from a bud, to nurture and guide it until it established itself and grew ever higher. However, even when a plant was well rooted, even after it blooms and flowers in prosperity, even after it matures well beyond the need for such constant care...
Even then, sometimes they still needed a little pruning. A little guidance. The buck couldn't have kept his youngest master from his thoughts at the semblance if he had tried.
Javis was informed of Aster's fate by Talan, something the buck was ever so grateful to hear. To lose any of the Venatus sons was far more than the caretaker could bear, but the buck just had a soft spot for that human.
He knew the boy had what he needed... That his roots were well established and his blooms budding by the day... But even so, the butler couldn't help but hope Aster was still receiving a little guidance where he grew.
These thoughts seemed to hang at the forefront of his mind all through that morning, even so, the respected head of staff was busy tending to his duties as diligently as ever. That is, until a crunch of gravel from the front gate behind him caught his attention.
The buck stood slowly in his place, turning to greet his unexpected guest with the same respect he treated any esteemed visitor, however uninvited.
"General Candori... I regret to inform you that my masters are absent at this time, but I am certain I can assist you in their stead. What brings you for such an unexpected visit?" The glaring white tiger stood with his arms crossed over his chest as he replied with a smirk.
"Ah, that is a pity... I was hoping to have a discussion with young Talan. He is a worthy warrior, and while I appreciate his stance towards the weakness his father holds for the mongrel... I just can't find it in myself to see him as a king. I was hoping to convince him to simply become a general in my army instead." Javis spoke in a serious tone, holding on to that refinement he had so well crafted over the years.
"So I see. I can be certain to pass along the message." The general flashed a crooked smirk towards the buck, answering him a bit slowly.
"While it's not to say that I don't trust that you would do just that... From what I understand, the young panther is quite a ways away... En route to meet with the soft prince of Alora no less..." The butler's eyes narrowed just the slightest at that proclamation, quickly realizing the tiger had intercepted a message somewhere along the line. The butler kept his bearings otherwise as he responded.
"Forgive me for saying, but I can't say I follow that logic... Everyone has heard the news by now, the entire royal family was massacred during the attack on the capital. You must have misheard." Reiner Candori chuckled in amusement.
"Perhaps I have. But then again, the young panther certainly went on the move quickly enough. It's almost as if he were desperate to reach something. To draw his attention away from such dedicated cause takes a particularly CLEAR message... I think I'll just send it myself.
He needs to know the cost of letting such weakness thrive in one's own household, a lesson better learned sooner, rather than later... You know... Perhaps you can help me send that message after all... " The buck closed his eyes solemnly, bowing his head just the slightest as he moved a single arm to his chest, and the other behind his back. He spoke with a tone nothing short of eloquent.
"Ah, so I see... Before I assist you with your request, I shall grace you with a small word of caution, great general. Under no circumstances should you ever believe that any, and I do mean ANY, of the three Venatus sons are to ever be considered weak..."
Javis stood a little straighter as he cleared his throat, fearlessly staring the great tiger directly in his scarlet eyes. As professionally as ever, the buck gave his final answer.
"Well then, as the acting head of the Venatus estate, as the mentor to all three of the proud, and exceptionally gifted Venatus sons, and as a sworn protector of this home, and all that call it their home... Please, allow me to state this once more, with both the utmost respect, and unshakeable certainty..."
The buck walked over a few paces to grab his staff leaning against the wall nearby. The mentor to the panther children twirled his weapon once, ended with a practiced stance aimed towards the tiger, and faced his opponent proudly.
He could accept this, he had half expected it at the rate things were falling apart, after all. He risked this much the moment he smuggled that human off to The Selection in the first place.
Javis had nurtured the boy and his brothers from the beginning, always teaching, always training, always helping. In the end, the buck had raised the next hand of the beast king, the next greatest high mage in Alora, and even a human king with limitless and legendary potential...
Those fledglings were far clear of their nest now. They were far away from this monster for the time being. That was enough. Javis could accept this... But never without a fight. He repeated himself one final time.
"General Candori... I regret to inform you that my masters are absent at this time, but I am CERTAIN I can assist you in their stead." The general's wicked smile gleamed at the challenge.
___
Cortist was feeling a bit uncomfortable if he was being honest with himself. He hated feeling like an overprotective big brother... But something wasn't right. Wasn't Oust one of the many foes the human had made. Yet, Aster looked at Oust like he was in pain... Like...
"It's like he's looking at Talan..." The thought escaped his mouth before he ever realized he had muttered it. Cortist wasn't expecting an answer.
"So, you have noticed it after all..." The panther jumped a bit. The demon had been silent for the past hour or so, but what he said piqued the panther's interest.
"And how exactly do you know-" The demon cut him off before he ever started.
"For many years, all I could do was watch... I am thankful for you, Cortist... But you were a fool to turn such a blind eye. You knew how badly that brother of yours wounded him. You were there the night he carved it over Solis's face. Solis looks at that tiger the way he looks at your brother...
"Trying so desperately to reach them for some unfathomable reason... Believing himself their lesser all the while. You don't see how much the boy hated himself, do you? What your brother instilled in him? That inferiority? You never acknowledged it anyway."
Cortist stood quickly, going immediately on the defensive.
"Oh, alright, yeah... Because I wasn't the one there for him EVERY STEP OF THE WAY RIGHT? I talked Aster down from the bad stuff COUNTLESS times." The demon responded swiftly in that raspy tone.
"And yet, even still, you glaze over Talan's transgressions, even as I point them out as the root cause to those problems... I understand... He is your real brother, after all." Cortist froze... Surely that wasn't it... Surely... The panther sputtered to answer.
"I- That's not... I just wanted the three of us-" The demon interrupted once more, his voice strict and unyielding.
"I think we could become an unstoppable team capable of tackling any foe, Even a legendary beast... You, me, and our brother Talan. That's what you once told my son. Do you remember that? And after... You wouldn't even stand up to the bully in front of you. The one terrorizing him for something that wasn't even his fault!"
Cortist's response was cut short once more, the deep voice of their master interrupting the pair as it spoke to both of them.
"Such an emotional discussion, I hate to cut it short, but we have more pressing matters now. My soldier... We only have a few short minutes before the sword wakes the mountain... He's about to force the trial, you're going to be called to answer it, and he's going to get every single person in that thicket killed when his heart wakes the beast...
"We are going to lose everything. There's no indirect guidance left... We are going to have to drop them both before the trial begins. It's time we carve out their damn paths for them, since these mere pups still haven't even opened their eyes. It's the only way we can circumvent this for certain, and push them where we need. It's the least interference left..."
Cortist had no idea what the god of death was rambling on about, but the demon hastily replied.
"I know the sword is nowhere near ready for that beast... But... Will they even survive the drop?" Death answered in kind.
"There's actually a very slim chance that he COULD pass the trial if we left this alone... But too many pieces would still fall before that happens. You are in control, for now, and as long as you keep that control for at minimum this, we can smooth out every wrinkle until the shield makes his choice...
"Until the sword is actually ready. There are a lot of branching paths that could go wrong during the drop that possibly will... Like every other step along this grand headache of a deal you talked me into... But this should do what we need." The three sat in silence as the demon pondered the logic there. Finally, he did reply.
"Alright... I trust your judgement. If this goes south, if I start to lose it..." Death abated his soldier.
"I'll have this kitten stop you if you engage the trial. He is more than capable of at least that much, even in his own current state..." Cortist finally spoke his thoughts.
"Sorry, ignorant `kitten,' here... But do one of you want to fill me in on exactly what it is I am supposed to be doing?" The demon turned to the young mage, and replied flatly.
"If my eyes change, kill me... It's that simple, I do the rest... Don't worry, I won't actually die so easily, as I'm certain you recall. Remain hidden otherwise, no matter what you think you see. Solis cannot know you are here... Our master will instruct you when it is time, and only then. Remember what's on the line..."
Cortist grumbled his distaste for the lack of clarity, but mostly withheld his disdain as he curiously watched the demon take a few paces away, ending with his back turned to the northern mountain.
What remained of human king Calium raised his dark sword high into the air, and awaited his master's instruction. He held that stance for quite some time without moving at all. The demon finally spoke to Cortist seemingly out of nowhere as he anticipated the coming command.
"You may want to hold on to something." The panther mage gave the demon another ignored glance in question, and yielded, deciding caution was probably for the best. Just as Cortist made it to a nearby tree behind the demon and braced against it, the command came from their master, a shout heard by both.
"Now." The demon sank the blade into the earth below, all the way down to the hilt, kneeling with the action.
A shadowy ring of dark flames built up around the buried blade for a moment, pulsed forth once over the surrounding landscape like a ripple in water, and, suddenly, the entire world around the panther was shaking violently.
A large fissure began striking out from the blade, the sides of the fault widening, and crumbling away as the very thicket was split into halves. The chasm shot forth, swiftly barreling down the mountain to the south, swallowing up the land itself as it stretched ever forward...
To directly where part of the prince's unsuspecting group were dealing with their own issues...
***