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Chapter Ten
“Get down!” Riku shouted in alarm, hurling himself at Kairi as a figure came hurtling down from the treetops. Kairi was not sure of what was going on - everything was rushing around her; she only hoped she could rely on Riku to understand the situation. They dropped to the solid ground, pine needles being scattered everywhere as Riku scrambled back up to his feet.
His alert turquoise eyes met the stern, dark glare of a tall man, stood a short distance from him. There was not time to look this attacker over properly; Riku noticed the glimmer of cold, merciless steel in the grasp of his quivering gloved fist. A streak of fear shot through him.
“Who are you!?” the deep shout suddenly burst from the man. His long, brown hair fell messily around his face, and over his heaving shoulders.
Riku scowled, trying to keep his temper. Though he wanted to explode with rage at their attacker, he had to remember that he was unarmed - and he had Kairi to protect. There was only one option available to him - and that was surrender. Holding his hands up slowly, he tried to show he had no weaponry.
“Don’t hurt us,” he said, as coolly as possible. He dared to take a step closer. “We don’t mean any harm.” Standing behind him, Kairi nodded. Waves of fear ran through her body - though, Riku’s presence was enough to keep her calm for now. She knew he would not let anyone hurt her, but she was, understandably, terrified of what could happen.
“How do I know that, huh?” the man scowled deeply, teeth gritted together as he grasped the hilt of his sword with a second hand. Clearly, he was not taking any chances when it came to these two trespassers, despite their seemingly innocent appearance.
“Because we don’t have any weapons,” Riku replied matter-of-factly, keeping calm for now. “We can’t attack you. We don’t even know - ” He was about to reveal that they were not of this world, but stopped himself before he went too far. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he massaged his brow. In his situation, the last thing he needed was an aggressive local. “Look, just trust us, okay?”
The man laughed mockingly.
“Not a chance!” he smirked, before unexpectedly throwing himself at Riku, ready for battle.
Frowning, Riku pushed Kairi to one side for the second time, knowing that this was not going to be easy.
“Stay out of the way!” he warned her as he darted back, dodging the perilous blade with light-footed movements.
This was going to be difficult from the outset. He was unarmed, and this man seemed intent on battle, no matter how much Riku tried to dissuade him. Skidding back after deftly avoiding the man’s next jabbing attempt, Riku frowned, knowing that he somehow had to immobilize this foe. After all, he didn’t want to kill anyone - but he couldn’t help getting the feeling that this situation was kill, or be killed. He had to somehow wrench the weapon from his hands.
“I don’t recognise ya,” the man scowled, swinging one arm back to take a swipe at Riku, “and that ain’t good. We don’t take kindly to newcomers, ‘specially in a time like this.”
As he brought the blade down, attempting to slice Riku’s shoulder, his young foe rolled out of the way, before springing back up to his feet. Although flustered, he had a baffled expression.
“Time like this?” he repeated curiously. He wiped the sweat from his face.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” the man growled, making another run at Riku. His dark hair flew around him. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Slashing forwards with the blade, he threw his weight towards his combatant - only to make a wrong move. His arm forward, his body stretched, he was practically allowing Riku to retaliate. Ducking under the outstretched arm, Riku threw a heavy punch into his attacker’s chest, sending him back with the force.
Unfortunately, his grip was strong enough to keep hold of the sword. Noticing the irritated look in Riku’s flustered expression, he laughed coldly. Although, the flipside of this coin was that he seemed to be in considerable pain - and, as a result, slightly weaker. Breathing heavily, he rose back up to his feet, standing still for a moment in the hope of regaining some of his lost energy.
Refusing to give him this chance, Riku raised his fists, racing forward before landing another punch - right in the man’s left cheek. He cried out with the pain, falling to his knees - but, again, did not let go of his hilt. He could see right through Riku’s strategy.
Riku sighed, realising this for himself. He hated having to fight dirty, but it seemed to be the only option in this situation. Closing his eyes, hoping he could forgive himself, he brought a foot back - before slamming it into the man’s stomach.
As some sort of agonising reflex reaction, the man released the sword, swinging his arm down to clutch at his winded stomach.
“D-Don’t!” he shouted, watching as Riku picked up the fallen weapon. “Get back here!” He watched as Riku approached Kairi.
“Are you alright?” Kairi asked, touching Riku’s arm as he moved towards her. The silver-haired boy nodded, before carefully taking hold of the sword’s blade.
“Take this,” he said, within an exhausted puff of breath. “Hold onto it. If he sees I’m not gonna use it, he might just understand that we aren’t a threat to him.”
Kairi nodded, taking hold of the hilt as Riku instructed. The sword was heavy, but she managed to clasp it tightly.
“Stay back,” he ordered. “He might make a run for his sword. At least if you’re a little further back, I can stop him.”
With that, he turned to see the attacker, struggling to his feet, dusting down his thick black trousers. He seemed to be in pain, rubbing at his cheek every now and then.
“Sorry I had to do that,” Riku apologised, standing a short distance away from him - standing between him and Kairi. “Look, we need your help.”
“You ain’t getting my help,” the man spat. “Not after that.”
Riku raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I did try to get your help peacefully,” he snorted, folding his arms. “You refused. You were the one that started the fight.”
“You shouldn’t have been sneakin’ around in the woods,” the man retorted. “You ain’t from around here, I know it.”
“How do you know that?” Kairi piped up, peering around Riku’s stern figure. Looking back at her, the man smirked.
“Well, if you were from around here,” he explained, “then you’d know that leavin’ town is strictly forbidden right about now.”
Riku looked at him curiously.
“Why?” he asked tersely.
“And that’s exactly how I know you ain’t from around here,” the man laughed, as if getting one-up on Riku. Well, in his mind, anyway.
“Does this have something to do with what you said before?” Riku questioned, before repeating the earlier words. “At a time like this?”
“‘Course,” he nodded, accompanied by a frown. He looked the newcomers up and down disgustedly. “With all these shape-shifters like you lurkin’ around, it’s dangerous.”
Riku’s eyes widened. He looked over his shoulder at Kairi, who seemed similarly stunned.
“Shape-shifter?” he repeated. No, it couldn’t possibly. Could it be Gilgamesh causing trouble in this world, too? “Wait… what exactly was this shape-shifter like?”
Sorry for the long wait. ^.^;
<3
Chapter Ten
“Get down!” Riku shouted in alarm, hurling himself at Kairi as a figure came hurtling down from the treetops. Kairi was not sure of what was going on - everything was rushing around her; she only hoped she could rely on Riku to understand the situation. They dropped to the solid ground, pine needles being scattered everywhere as Riku scrambled back up to his feet.
His alert turquoise eyes met the stern, dark glare of a tall man, stood a short distance from him. There was not time to look this attacker over properly; Riku noticed the glimmer of cold, merciless steel in the grasp of his quivering gloved fist. A streak of fear shot through him.
“Who are you!?” the deep shout suddenly burst from the man. His long, brown hair fell messily around his face, and over his heaving shoulders.
Riku scowled, trying to keep his temper. Though he wanted to explode with rage at their attacker, he had to remember that he was unarmed - and he had Kairi to protect. There was only one option available to him - and that was surrender. Holding his hands up slowly, he tried to show he had no weaponry.
“Don’t hurt us,” he said, as coolly as possible. He dared to take a step closer. “We don’t mean any harm.” Standing behind him, Kairi nodded. Waves of fear ran through her body - though, Riku’s presence was enough to keep her calm for now. She knew he would not let anyone hurt her, but she was, understandably, terrified of what could happen.
“How do I know that, huh?” the man scowled deeply, teeth gritted together as he grasped the hilt of his sword with a second hand. Clearly, he was not taking any chances when it came to these two trespassers, despite their seemingly innocent appearance.
“Because we don’t have any weapons,” Riku replied matter-of-factly, keeping calm for now. “We can’t attack you. We don’t even know - ” He was about to reveal that they were not of this world, but stopped himself before he went too far. A frustrated sigh escaped him as he massaged his brow. In his situation, the last thing he needed was an aggressive local. “Look, just trust us, okay?”
The man laughed mockingly.
“Not a chance!” he smirked, before unexpectedly throwing himself at Riku, ready for battle.
Frowning, Riku pushed Kairi to one side for the second time, knowing that this was not going to be easy.
“Stay out of the way!” he warned her as he darted back, dodging the perilous blade with light-footed movements.
This was going to be difficult from the outset. He was unarmed, and this man seemed intent on battle, no matter how much Riku tried to dissuade him. Skidding back after deftly avoiding the man’s next jabbing attempt, Riku frowned, knowing that he somehow had to immobilize this foe. After all, he didn’t want to kill anyone - but he couldn’t help getting the feeling that this situation was kill, or be killed. He had to somehow wrench the weapon from his hands.
“I don’t recognise ya,” the man scowled, swinging one arm back to take a swipe at Riku, “and that ain’t good. We don’t take kindly to newcomers, ‘specially in a time like this.”
As he brought the blade down, attempting to slice Riku’s shoulder, his young foe rolled out of the way, before springing back up to his feet. Although flustered, he had a baffled expression.
“Time like this?” he repeated curiously. He wiped the sweat from his face.
“Don’t play dumb with me,” the man growled, making another run at Riku. His dark hair flew around him. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”
Slashing forwards with the blade, he threw his weight towards his combatant - only to make a wrong move. His arm forward, his body stretched, he was practically allowing Riku to retaliate. Ducking under the outstretched arm, Riku threw a heavy punch into his attacker’s chest, sending him back with the force.
Unfortunately, his grip was strong enough to keep hold of the sword. Noticing the irritated look in Riku’s flustered expression, he laughed coldly. Although, the flipside of this coin was that he seemed to be in considerable pain - and, as a result, slightly weaker. Breathing heavily, he rose back up to his feet, standing still for a moment in the hope of regaining some of his lost energy.
Refusing to give him this chance, Riku raised his fists, racing forward before landing another punch - right in the man’s left cheek. He cried out with the pain, falling to his knees - but, again, did not let go of his hilt. He could see right through Riku’s strategy.
Riku sighed, realising this for himself. He hated having to fight dirty, but it seemed to be the only option in this situation. Closing his eyes, hoping he could forgive himself, he brought a foot back - before slamming it into the man’s stomach.
As some sort of agonising reflex reaction, the man released the sword, swinging his arm down to clutch at his winded stomach.
“D-Don’t!” he shouted, watching as Riku picked up the fallen weapon. “Get back here!” He watched as Riku approached Kairi.
“Are you alright?” Kairi asked, touching Riku’s arm as he moved towards her. The silver-haired boy nodded, before carefully taking hold of the sword’s blade.
“Take this,” he said, within an exhausted puff of breath. “Hold onto it. If he sees I’m not gonna use it, he might just understand that we aren’t a threat to him.”
Kairi nodded, taking hold of the hilt as Riku instructed. The sword was heavy, but she managed to clasp it tightly.
“Stay back,” he ordered. “He might make a run for his sword. At least if you’re a little further back, I can stop him.”
With that, he turned to see the attacker, struggling to his feet, dusting down his thick black trousers. He seemed to be in pain, rubbing at his cheek every now and then.
“Sorry I had to do that,” Riku apologised, standing a short distance away from him - standing between him and Kairi. “Look, we need your help.”
“You ain’t getting my help,” the man spat. “Not after that.”
Riku raised an eyebrow.
“Well, I did try to get your help peacefully,” he snorted, folding his arms. “You refused. You were the one that started the fight.”
“You shouldn’t have been sneakin’ around in the woods,” the man retorted. “You ain’t from around here, I know it.”
“How do you know that?” Kairi piped up, peering around Riku’s stern figure. Looking back at her, the man smirked.
“Well, if you were from around here,” he explained, “then you’d know that leavin’ town is strictly forbidden right about now.”
Riku looked at him curiously.
“Why?” he asked tersely.
“And that’s exactly how I know you ain’t from around here,” the man laughed, as if getting one-up on Riku. Well, in his mind, anyway.
“Does this have something to do with what you said before?” Riku questioned, before repeating the earlier words. “At a time like this?”
“‘Course,” he nodded, accompanied by a frown. He looked the newcomers up and down disgustedly. “With all these shape-shifters like you lurkin’ around, it’s dangerous.”
Riku’s eyes widened. He looked over his shoulder at Kairi, who seemed similarly stunned.
“Shape-shifter?” he repeated. No, it couldn’t possibly. Could it be Gilgamesh causing trouble in this world, too? “Wait… what exactly was this shape-shifter like?”
Sorry for the long wait. ^.^;
<3
