Rupture: Rise of the Demon King (27 page)

“Do you really believe that?” she asked.

“Yes! You’re beautiful and amazing,” he said, grabbing her arms and pulling her down to him.

“Thank you for standing up for me,” she whispered.

Seeko leaned in and answered just as softly, “You deserve better.”

And she closed the gap, kissing him. It quickly went from a simple peck to passionate kissing. He ran his hand through her hair as their bodies interlocked. They rose and Mori fumbled for the handle, pushing open the door.

The two stumbled in and fell back to the floor. Seeko stopped the kiss and looked around the room. A bed covered by dark red drapes sat to the left. More red and black curtains covered the windows.

Mori pulled on his shirt and he went back to kissing her. They stumbled back to their feet and fell onto her bed. She leaned up, sitting on his lap. Seeko pulled off his shirt, and Mori grabbed hers to take it off, but hesitated.

“My dad still wants to talk to me …”

Seeko sighed and lay back onto the bed. “Oh … yeah.”
Damn, so close.

“I’ll try to be back as soon as possible,” she said, moving off the bed. She walked over to the door and leaned on the wall.

He could hear her take a deep breath and then leave.

A single candle sat on the bedside desk, and soon a small green flame flickered upon it. Seeko leaned up and scanned her dark room. Paintings of raging waters hung on her walls. A chair sat in the corner, facing the window. Mori must not have done much in here, he suspected. The only other thing was the closet full of clothes. Most of the clothes were colored red or black.

Seeko scooted to one side of the bed and lay there, waiting. He lost track of time and soon fell asleep to the sound of the storm outside.

/ / / / /

Seeko awoke to darkness. He leaned up and saw Mori sleeping next to him in a nightgown. The drapes were pulled closed around the bed, but he pulled them back. The room was less dark and a glow trickled in from behind the curtains. He pulled them back as well, revealing an ugly, overcast morning outside.

Past the wall, the ocean was crashing into the rocks and the lighthouse sat far away in the heavy wind. He watched the trees bend ferociously in the wind before noticing a dark speck fly off the lighthouse. He peered through the trees, trying to see what it was. More specks appeared near and around the lighthouse, flying erratically, and he came to a simple conclusion.

“Demons,” he mouthed.

Mori snorted and rolled over in her bed. Seeko dropped the curtain back down and sat on the bed.

“Hey,” he said, rubbing her arm. “I hate to wake you up to bad news, but I think I found the next portal.”

She half opened her left eye and stared through him. She reclosed her eye and buried her head in her pillow. She mumbled into the pillow.

“Hey, did you hear me?” he asked.

She pushed herself out of her pillow. “Yes, and I said, ‘How is that bad news?’”

“It’s in the lighthouse.”

“What?” she yelled, jumping up. She pulled back the curtain and looked out at it. “My dad isn’t going to be happy.”

“Is he ever?” he said with a smile. “Oh yeah, by the way, what happened last night?”

“He yelled at me for running away. Then he asked me to tell him everything about you and the journey. He still isn’t happy, but he seems to have some sort of respect hidden behind his harsh tongue.” She smiled and dropped the curtain. “It’s all because you stood up for me last night.”

“I couldn’t just stand there and watch him tear you apart,” Seeko said, returning the grin.

She leaned on him, closing in for a kiss. “I never got to thank you last night.” She gave him a quick kiss and walked to her closet. “But it will have to wait. Who knows what time it is with this horrible weather?”

Seeko laughed and sat in the chair. “I guess we should go talk to your father.”

“Yeah. We have to tell him that the portal is in his lighthouse.” A set of clothes, almost exactly matching what she had on the entire journey, fell on her bed. Mori began to take off her shirt to change.

“Hey!” Seeko yelled and held up his hand.

Mori sighed. “What is up with you? I could understand it when we first met, but definitely not after yesterday. Would you have covered your eyes the whole time?”

“What, no! I … okay, fine.” Seeko’s hand fell and his wide eyes ogled her bare body. He followed her curves, unable to pull himself away from her beauty. Where her shirt and skirt would have sat on her body was pale, leaving a very distinctive tan line.

“I should get dressed,” she said, blushing. She picked up her clothes and covered herself again. Seeko watched her pull on her shirt, hiding a few scars underneath it. She pulled her hair out of her shirt and let it flop against her shoulders. “Okay, I’m ready.”

Seeko stood up, joining her at the door. They headed toward the staircase. Lorissa sat outside Hannet’s room, idly brushing her hair, but stopped and stood at the sight of them.

“Hannet’s doing fine, but she still hasn’t woken up,” she said. “Keith fell asleep by her side.”

“Keith fell asleep?” Seeko said. “That’s unlike him.”

“It was partially my doing,” Lorissa said. “I convinced him to. He did all that running and worrying and he needed the rest.”

“Maybe we should just leave them be,” Seeko said, looking at Mori.

Lorissa opened her mouth but hesitated. Instead, she spoke through their minds.
“Maybe you two should go confront Luxant alone. He never saw my eyes, and I think one red-eyed monster is enough for him right now.

“Luxant still wasn’t too happy about the rest of us after you yelled at him last night,” she continued. “He was shocked that someone would stand up to him for his daughter. He thinks you two are in a relationship.”
Lorissa’s eyes shifted back and forth between the two.
“Which might not be too far off.”

“You can tell what my father’s thinking,” Mori said. “You could help us say the right things to him. Give us insight on what he wants from me.”

Lorissa went back to brushing her hair. “That’s not a good idea. If he found out I was reading his mind, he would probably have me killed.”

“Okay, fine.” Mori sighed. “We’ll go alone.”

A loud barking caught Seeko’s attention and forced him to turn. Zach, accompanied by a brown hound dog, walked up the hall.

“Parcel!” Mori yelled.

The dog ran up and circled Mori. She knelt and petted the dog.

“So that’s your dog, I guess.” Seeko said. “Which I forgot about …” The dog looked normal, but a closer inspection revealed that the dog had two short tails.
Of course; can't be a normal dog.

“Yeah, I was just taking him outside to his cage,” Zach said. “Dad is going to be in the dining hall in a minute.”

Mori rose. “Let’s head in and get this over with.”

Zach called the dog and jumped down the stairs, Parcel chasing clumsily after him. Mori walked over to the double doors opposite the staircase. Lorissa moved back to her room, leaving Seeko to join Mori.

She opened the door, revealing a large room with a long table in the center. Large windows lit the backside of the dining room. Mori and Seeko entered hesitantly. Mori walked along the right side of the table and sat at the farthest chair on that side, next to the center chair.

“Where should I sit?” Seeko asked, still at the doorway.

Mori smiled. “Next to me.”

He did as commanded. Mori sat her hands on the table, waiting patiently. Seeko moved his hand and grabbed hers on the table. She jumped and looked at him. Her confusion was quickly replaced with a smile followed by a quick kiss.

I don’t care how this all turns out—I have her.

After a few minutes, Luxant appeared through a door behind them. “Is this all who will be joining us this morning?” he asked.

“Zach should be here in a minute,” Mori answered.

“What of your friends?” Luxant said. He pulled out his chair, sitting next to Mori, in the center chair.

“Most of them are still sleeping. We had a rough day yesterday,” Mori said.

“Yes, you told me all about your rigorous journey,” he said.

“Yeah,” Seeko said. “And today is probably going to be worse.”

Servants came into the room with food, placing trays on the table. Zach ran into the room and sat next to his father while he was distracted.

“And how will your day be so bad?” Luxant asked.

“Because we have to close a portal today,” Seeko spoke again.

“We could wait a day, Seeko,” Mori said.

“Is that why there are demons attacking the town and cutting off supplies?” Zach asked.

“No such thing is happening!” Luxant snapped. “And how will your day be so bad?” Luxant repeated, glaring at Seeko.

Seeko paused and the silence became awkward. He cleared his throat. “Well, I think there is a demon portal in the lighthouse,” he said.

“No!” Luxant yelled. “I would never allow my lighthouse to fall to those monsters!” He looked at Mori, ferocious. “Is this another one of your jokes? Because you didn’t learn your lesson last time?”

“This isn’t a joke,” Seeko replied. “Demons are surrounding your lighthouse. We’ll check it out, at least. If it isn’t there, then we return—no harm done. We aren’t going to tell anyone about your lighthouse.”

“Your claim is ridiculous, but … I will allow it,” Luxant said. He stood up and walked toward the door.

“Aren’t you going to eat?” Zach asked.

“I lost my appetite,” he mumbled as he exited the room.

Mori pushed her food around her plate. “My dad seems to think better of you Seeko,” she said. “That’s rare.”

“I don’t know. All I’ve ever said has made him angry,” Seeko said.

“Welcome to the family,” she replied, taking a bite of her food.

/ / / / /

The three walked into the hallway and found Keith and Lorissa talking.

“Hey, how’s Hannet doing?” Seeko asked.

Keith shrugged. “She woke up, but fell back asleep after a couple of minutes.”

“That’s good, right?” Mori asked.

“Yes, that’s good,” Lorissa answered.

“Just tell them,” Zach said.

Seeko sighed. “Okay. We found where the next demon portal is, and the sooner we close it, the better.”

“Isn’t that always the case?” Keith asked.

“Yes, but Mr. Angry isn’t happy about it being in his lighthouse,” Seeko said. “If this is true, we’ll need all the help we can get.”

Keith glanced at the door to Hannet’s room. “She’s in no condition to fight anything.”

“She can stay here,” Zach said.

“But with
Mr. Angry
, as you put it, around, and the demons outside, I’m not so sure how safe she would be.” Keith crossed his arms. “I want to stay behind with her.”

“I’ll stay,” Lorissa said, opposing him. “You are a way better fighter than I am and they will need you to help fight off whatever demon holds the necklace.” She opened her hands. “I’m a great healer; it would be better for me to stay for her.”

Keith looked defeated. “Okay, fine. I’ll go. When do we leave?”

“Not for a while,” Mori said. “I want to get you all some new clothes.”

Zach stomped on the ground. “Aw, that’s so boring. I thought you guys were going to do something cool. Like battle each other or something.”

“Zach’s right,” Keith said. “We should focus more on preparing for the portal. Afterward, you can measure us for some new clothes.”

“Okay. I just feel bad having the only nice clean clothes.”

“I do too,” Zach said.

“You’re not going,” Mori said.

“What!” he said. “Why not?”

“You’re way too young. This isn’t a game, you could get really hurt or die,” Mori said.

“Fine!” he said. “I’m going to get Parcel and bring him in, since that’s the only thing I can do.” He stormed off and jumped off the ledge.

With that, Seeko, Mori, and Keith went to the courtyard. The skies threatened rain again, but in the gloomy weather, Seeko sparred against Keith and Mori for a while until they had to leave.

/ / / / /

Dull and unlit, Luxant Lighthouse sat in the distance. Trees and a rugged path separated Seeko from it. Keith walked up from behind, passing him. With Mori next to him, Seeko followed Keith.

The dark clouds above the group blackened as day collapsed into night. Seeko looked up, saw the silhouette of a giant bird crossing the gray sky, and knew rain was coming soon.

The group snuck past demons leaving the lighthouse. They continued to the shore and followed it the rest of the way to the lighthouse.

Seeko listened to the demons in the Voice as they ran past.
“Flee! The hero approaches!”
they said. At least most of the demons would be gone, he concluded.

Thunder cracked in the sky, sending a shiver up his spine. He took another step into the darkness, following Keith. Then Keith suddenly stopped, and Seeko bumped into him, his dark frame almost invisible. A lightning flash brightened the sky, and the trio stood before Luxant Lighthouse.