Chapter 17: Russian Revenge

Yuri took a knee in another part of the castle, his pants shifted about the dirt as the familiar beeping came along with a timer. Once finished, he would go to another part of the castle and place another high powered explosive. Each press was reopening a section of his mind where memories that were strongly pressed began resurfacing.

Rusian wasn't only a name to a person born into the country known for it's power. No it was something one would hold with pride, for this was given to them by the great Wiglaf who was the loyal servant of the even greater Beowulf. 

The Emperor of Rusi is the descendent of Wiglaf and had heard of the horrific prophecy of a child with the wolf's mark bringing ruin to Brigaden. When the time came many would be under their spell and remain within the walls while dogs of the child keep the country safe. Word spread fast of the King and Queen of Brigaden's death, and the sudden relative that took over. 

Threats had failed, letters returned in blood, and finally even the invasion saw nothing new, it was for the sake of his ancestor that he must stop that child. With no other option, The Emperor sent the Spopovich family to search for someone to assist them during this crucial time. Yuri soon got word of strange powers in New Port, tracing the strangeness back to the Greek Institute. With his pride striped and eyes to the ground, Yuri begged for Samuel's help.

"On one condition..."

Those words were heavy in that room at the time, still Yuri thought what his Emperor had told him.

"We will give you anything."

Another confirmed beep indicating that he had set the timer on this explosive. 

"Nobody should find these." Yuri looked about the dark halls. He soon had the realization of him being lost in this oversized castle. With a sharp swear, Yuri walked down a corridor and went through door after door. Suddenly, his eyes fell upon a green one he had not seen before. "This might be where I should go." 

Low frequency lights tried their best to fill this abyssal room, only to bring a certain amount of it to the destined area where someone wanted them to be. 

"What a peculiar room." Yuri continued down the barely lit pathway. As he continued his eyes came upon something else glowing in that darkness. Inside of a tube ahead was a man that seemed familiar to Yuri, the green clothing with a bluish star across the chest. It finally dawned on him that one of his Rusian soldiers were in it.

"What is this." He traced his hand along the cold glass. "What the hell is this..."

Whoever was within the tube opened their eyes suddenly and displayed themselves twisting in agony. Their teeth sharpened, eyes grew and became an inky black while their body grew larger, growing hair until he was covered.

"A Lycan?" Yuri's eyes opened widely. "They are making my people into those beast..."

Yuri's heart had darkened, he hadn't felt a hatred like this after seeing the atrocities committed onto his people during a rebellion war against the Rusi Royalty. He recalled their bodies covered in scars and the cries of women and children who had any connection to the crown, flames once thought to have been exhausted was rekindled by the embers of hatred for the mistreatment of his fellow men.

"Rest easy comrade." Yuri rubbed the glass with his left hand as the beast tried to jump out towards him. "I'll have this castle reduced to nothing."

Yuri exited the room, his calm face still held underneath however was a fowl anger.

"Tomorrow Brigaden will be erased from this world."

News of Duke's sanity being crushed touched Queen Mary Ann's ears, annoyance was her first emotion of the news that her top Colosseum fighter being out of commission because of his mental health deterioration.

"What have you done with that idiot?" She asked Creighton. 

"We had him imprisoned." Was his answer. "In all my years of servitude to you, I've never seen such a man losing his will like that. He speaks incomprehensible nonsense and during questioning his replies were screeches." Creighton shook his head. "He seems unfit for anymore battles in the future, what shall we do about the Tournament?"

Maryann tapped her fingers as thoughts poured forward.

"A break shall be given to our fighters for now." She announced. "You will tell each one personally and I..." Japheth's face flashed into her mind. "While your dealing with that can you summon Japheth for me, he should be awake by now."

"Yes your majesty." Creighton tried hard to hide his displeasure of Maryann conversing with the... young man...

Groans escaped Japheth's room, he rolled about the soft mattress trying to find a way to get such boredom away from his mental.

"Where the hell is Yuri?" He growled, recalling the order of staying put for now.

"How am I...?"

Sharp knocks rattled his room door, Japheth pulled back the heavy golden brown doors to see Creighton's piercing glare.

"Her Majesty has summoned you." He stated in a monotonous voice. "Follow me to the throne room." Without saying anything else, Creighton walked down the hall with Japheth following cautiously.

He's never been far into this huge place, guards kept Japheth from travelling any further now he was close to a massive door that Creighton used one hand to push open. In the room where every person was dwarfed by pillars touching a ceiling that seemed like an instant death once someone falls from that height, was only Queen Maryann. Her posture was straight and eyes ahead fully focused on Japheth.

Japheth reached the throne and was told by Creighton to take a knee onto the golden floors, Maryann's hand motioned for him to stop.

"You don't need to do that." She smiled brightly. "Uh... how are you today?" She twiddled two bright red thumbs, her unsure way of speaking was cute to Japheth

"I'm alright." Japheth snickered. "What about you?"

Exploration was the best word to describe movement through such a huge castle, door after door was displayed through the seemingly endless hallways. Japheth was impressed with Maryann's memory of this gargantuan home.

"Are you hungry, Japheth?" She asked.

Scents of different seasonings came suddenly to his nose.

"The kitchen is just ahead."

Through another set of doors was the scene of chaos as men and women in chef clothing ran about hands filled with pots, pans and plates. Some were filled with delicate designs of culinary arts, others were messy from the person who had the chance to devour the arts.

"My Queen!" 

Everyone bowed instantly when an individual called out Maryann's presence.

"The cookies I ordered?" She asked. 

From the corners came a small woman carrying a basket.

"Your treats!" She placed them into Japheth's hands.

"I had them baked for you." Maryann stated. "Try one."

Warmth embraced Japheth's hand while inside the basket, he removed a cookie coated in fudge. The aroma was too much to bare, once he inhaled it's sweet smells Japheth would hold his breath keeping that air of goodness within his lungs for as long as he can.

"Wow this smells amazing!" Japheth grinned. He took the whole cookie into his mouth greedily and let the flavors burst forth. "You had this made just for me?" He smiled. "Thanks Maryann."

Silence took the kitchen as all of the servants awaited their Queen's next move by hearing her name called like this.

"It's nothing much..." Maryann's flushed face was turned away.

All of the faces turned in surprise once they realized that the once icy queen they saw for years was being melted from her feelings from this young man. 

She continued through the castle returning to her grand tour, while Japheth stuffed his face with the cookies he was given.

---

"Joshua, I'm hungry." Evelyn complained.

Odin's Stowaway was filled with talk of how one of Brigaden's top fighters was found babbling like a madman and running about in the nude. While that interesting subject lingered.

"Breakfast is still on the stove." Joshua sighed.

Evelyn sat next to Joshua on the bench outside of the inn and restaurant "Hey I wanted to ask you something. I know that you and Misery will leave one day, but are you guys going to leave me here.

"Ever since my sister died, I've been an orphan and people just see me as a nuisance. You both treated me really well and I'm thankful for that, I just wanna know what's beyond these walls."

"Well..." Joshua scratched his head. "This is the first time I've been traveling too, I was born on an island known as New Port it's apart of the Dragonic Archipelago way to the west of here."

"You came from beyond the seas?" Evelyn's eyes lit up. "What was New Port like."

Joshua went into deep thought disregarding his earlier one.

"It wasn't much honestly." He smiled. "I went to school and learned, some things happened and now I'm here. I'm sorry I'm not good with details of my life."

"How dull." 

"Hey now." Joshua tried to maintain a friendly smile.

"You know I was going to school too, but since my sister can't pay the fees anymore... I was forced to leave. Are you going to leave here soon?"

"Maybe."

"If you do... Can you take me with you...?"

Joshua felt a weight in his chest.

"I mean..."

"Of course we will." Misery entered the Inn. "Leaving you here is a bit barbaric don't you agree Joshua?"

"Where were you?" Joshua asked.

"A walk." Misery smiled.

"Well be careful out there, there's a mad man on the loose." Joshua warned her. "I've heard so much horror stories here from just one night. "

Misery tilted her head.

"Horrific huh?"

Helicopters came in droves taking a great deal of space in the nameless village, Rusian soldiers exited and started to make a formation.

"Talk about a large crowd." Chris sighed. "Hey, Darren you finished yet."

I was sitting cross leg for my morning meditation, Sin Jayeon isn't infinite so it's good to recycle the energy within my body and the air to keep the purity in a state of balance. My eyes opened to answer Chris.

"Yeah I am." I got up. "We're soon going to attack that castle, but what about the people within it."

"We only plan on attacking the castle." Aria popped up. "We have no reason to harm the people, and thanks to a certain incident many are staying home."

"What incident?" Chris and I asked simultaneously.

"Don't hurt your young brains about it." She laughed. "Still it's better to not get in the Rusian's way, they do hold a deep grudge with the Queen. Imagine your family members being killed by those beast and used as food." She snickered. "Still it isn't my place to say, so you guys better think the same. Our job is to stop that woman from supplying Donavan nothing more nothing less."

"I... alright." I reluctantly agreed. "When are we going to get this over with."

"Now."

"Sir, Creighton!" A soldier called out.

"Speak."

"Our numbers has been dwindling lately." The soldier reported. "And sightings of Rusian air crafts near the small village has been high."

"Dwindling?" Creighton stroked his white beard. "That can't be, our Lycans are basically undead, those bastards can't kill them."

"That's the thing sir." He continued. "I've seen three figures wondering the night and killing our brothers. Even Rusian fire arms seem to have an effect suddenly."

Creighton's eyes widened.

"You are sure of this?" He grimaced.

"Very much so, sir" The soldier replied. "Not only that they seem to use unnatural abilities to do so. One of them uses some sort of red technique and turn our brothers into nothing but masses of flesh."

"It seems my intuition was right." Creighton turned around to walk down the hall. "Even if her majesty said the Rusi can join the Colosseum because of our warriors, I had a sneaking suspicion that they came to wreck havoc again. Prepare an army and head out to that small settlement, no one is to be alive by morning."

"Yes, Sir." The soldier was about to leave. "The Rusi fighter with her majesty, what do we do with him?"

"I'll handle him when she's done." Creighton fixed his white gloves. "It's been a while since I've stained these gloves."

A setting sun came into view making the mood a bit too perfect, Japheth was awe struck by the sight. 

"Japheth when the fighting is over, where do you plan to go?" Maryann asked. "I've heard Rusi is under the hand of a strict Emperor."

"Well..." Japheth laughed nervously. He was under the Rusian name, but he had no idea what kind of place it was. "I can't say honestly... I'm more of a whatever happens happens kind of guy."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I don't really think to hard of the future." He smiled. "There was a time I was anxious about everything and I was so terrified of the outcome because I just had no way of handling anything bad. Now is a bit different, I have friends who care for me like I'm a brother and it's a great feeling."

"Tell me about them?" Maryann tilted her head.

"Well Chris is a guy who thinks like me but is more relaxed about it, Joshua is a bit of a pushover so it's fun to tease him and Darren... Well Darren is just a great guy, don't get me wrong they are all great, but he gave all of us a go further and beyond attitude." Japheth smiled brightly. "There was a time when I felt lost but they were there."

"That's amazing you know." Maryann stroked her hair back revealing the cursed eye she was brandished with for years. "My family despised me because of this scar over my eye that I was born with, I've only seen greed in men and women. People never saw me for who I am, to them I'm just a queen who rules, what... do you think of me?"

Japheth looked deep into her eyes. It might have been the sun but she seemed a much more dazzling than before. He blushed a bit.

"I think your a very kind and beautiful person." He said without hesitation.

Maryann's face grew red. She buried it into her hands.

"Thanks." She managed to get the word out.

"It's getting late." Japheth stretched and turned around. "You want to hang out again tomorrow?"

"I'd love that." 

Only Japheth's footsteps echoed as he walked down the hall towards his room. So when another pair appeared he instantly spun around.

"Quite late to be wondering these halls young man." Creighton said as he was caught. 

"I'm just getting back from Maryann..."

"Queen Maryann." Creighton's tone dropped to a threatening growl.

"Uh... Yeah... So I'll just go now." 

"Hmmm already, what about a drink with an old man?" He announced. 

Japheth felt he couldn't disagree.

"S... Sure..."

The two walked the empty streets the homes were quiet as if abandoned over the day. A bad feeling grew in Japheth's gut.

"I have served Queen Maryann from the day she was born." Creighton said suddenly. "To me she is a daughter before she is a Queen." His tone lowered. "So you know how a parent feels when their child has taken an interest in the opposite gender."

"I mean yeah I do." Japheth chuckled nervously.

"Still it is quite something, you Rusian people have a whole army approaching soon and yet your fooling around with your enemy." Creighton's eyes glowed a soft, yet sharp yellow. "You see this doesn't look good for you, Japheth. As the personal assistant and adoptive father of Queen Maryann, I cannot let you or your country harm the one precious to me." Creighton grew until his body cannot fit within the streets anymore. His wolf like appearance was grotesque, beneath his jet black skin and fur sickening crunching and tearing of flesh was heard.

"What the hell..." Japheth was horrified.

"I am truly sorry boy, but I cannot have you bring harm to the queen." Creighton's voice was as deformed as his body.

Japheth felt the urge to move and leapt back, a quick swipe came and left deep claw marks on the ground and walls.

"You did defeat the King of Fist, I shouldn't expect less of you." Without a moment to breath another attack came and then another.

Japheth found himself dodging and trying his best to get away from Creighton.

Joshua felt a violent shaking outside, he turned to Misery and Evelyn.

"Hey Evelyn." He called out. "Stay inside alright?"

She nodded in agreement.

Once he opened the door he was before the sight of deep claw marks and small traces of blood.

"Damn..." Joshua turned to the sight of a large black thing going down the alleyway. "What is that?"

Misery came out and noticed it too, clinging to the blob was countless souls screaming in agony.

"So that was what I heard." She stated. "Well it doesn't involve us at all."

The blob flew back a short distance, that small opening made the scene of a bruised and bloody Japheth visible.

"Yeah it does!" Joshua flew forward to his best friend. When he was above it he sent a torrent of air trying to pin down the blob.

"Thanks!" Japheth collected the bricks of the buildings into his left hand and launched a boulder sized punch into Creighton.

Joshua flew by Japheth's side.

"What the hell is that thing?" He asked

"That's Maryann's Butler Creighton." Japheth panted. 

Creighton's nose was twisting back into place.

"That can't be a lycan... There isn't any like that when I saw them they were much more smaller." Joshua examined the large body. 

"Well he isn't an ordinary Lycan." Japheth took a deep breath and regained himself. "He's their king, basically the last boss for those mutts."

"Wow I thought that guy's form was a bit weird." Misery leapt down from the rooftop. "He must have been the second in command."

"You..." Creighton snarled. "Your smell... it's the smell of Duke's blood, you must have done that sickening thing to him." 

"Your nose is quite sharp." Misery smiled.

"I was planning on using this form to kill you swiftly and painlessly Japheth, for the sake of her Majesty." Creighton's twisting body started to grow smaller, until it was at a slightly taller humanoid size. "But it seems you all might be a bit too much for that large body." He began walking towards them, carrying an unseen yet heavy malice.

"Get ready!" Joshua sent a large gust of wind, but Creighton's body was holding firm. "How is he not being blown away?"

"He's forcing his legs deeper into the ground." Misery's eyes glowed red. "This is gonna be a hassle."

Creighton got onto all fours and launched forward using a devastating punch into Joshua's stomach sending him through several buildings.

"Joshua!" Japheth shouted.

"No time to worry for others, child." Creighton was about to send another one at Japheth this time, but the blow never came. He saw his arm fall to the ground and watched as Misery was about to slice of off his head with kitchen knife coated in crimson. He ducked quickly, but felt his stomach being caved in by Japheth. The punch sent Creighton back into a wall.

"You both are terrifying." He calmly stated. "Now I see how Duke was reverted to that sorry state."

Joshua flew back next to his companions; dried blood smeared the corners of his lips.

"You alright?" Japheth asked him.

"Just can't take another hit like that." He winced.

"Such a tiring trio." Creighton's arm quickly grew back. 

"Ahhhh..." Joshua felt his pain subside thanks to the sudden annoyance. "He can heal himself."

"It's not really a bother." Misery shrugged. "We just have to keep going until he stops."

"Easy for you to..."

Japheth felt the hair on his neck stand on ends, from the corner of his left eye, Creighton had taken enough steps to them. His hand was clenched into a fist carrying a deadly weight, just with his intuition in that small amount of time his body fell back to dodge the blow. 

Misery and Joshua jumped forward, with his winds, Joshua increased his kicks and spun at neck breaking speed. His foot had caused Creighton's stomach to cave in a bit. Misery's kitchen knife had already made it halfway through Creighton's arm, but it stopped suddenly.

Creighton's muscles had tightened to ensure Misery wouldn't take him by surprise again, he intended to kill her right at that moment, but Japheth stopped it by sending a rock fist into the Lycan King's jaw. 

Once all of this was done the four entered another stand still. By distancing from each other.

"We... we got lucky..." Joshua panted.

Creighton looked at the knife stuck in his arm, slowly he removed the object and sneered at the three.

"I didn't expect to be here this long." He growled. "Her Majesty must be wondering why her tea isn't by her bedside by now. Still it'll be nice if my brothers can send you and that army to Death's Door, so they can come here and deal with you. I will be honest you all are going to be an annoyance, still after testing you all out such butterfly attacks won't even tickle me." He tossed the knife away.

"What do you mean by your brothers." Japheth called out.

"We know of your camp and I think you all overstayed your welcome." Creighton came again, the blows were a bit faster Japheth and Joshua had no choice but to parry the blows into the ground. Misery backed away trying to find another weapon. She eyed the knife but didn't know if she should take the risk of getting closer. 

"Damn..." She groaned. "I really hate using hand to hand." She took a deep breath and felt the spirits within changing. 

Misery came back and joined the two, their combined strength was bypassing Creighton's monstrous fist and kicks.

"My time is short." Creighton jumped up. "If I don't end this I'll..."

A sudden noise soon caught his attention. Creighton's eyes widened as he saw a piece of the castle where Maryann slept being taken by flames and a cloud of smoke.