Chapter 3: Seduction and Capture by Stacia Elf Gypsy Wizard Hunter!
Screams of agony echoed down into the dungeon below the Arcadian castle. Demons watched over it like a hawk looking down at prey. They were torturing an elf wizard by causing him pain and draining him of his magic which was connected to his life essence. High-pitched laughter had escaped from the demons' lips. They were enjoying the poor fool's suffering.
The man tried to break out of his bonds. The thorn ropes held taut against the wooden plank he laid on. They sliced through his skin. Blood began to fall down his arms. He cried out in pain. His screams had ceased. Breathing hard, the wizard closed his eyes. He wished for his suffering to end. He then heard a sultry voice whisper into his ear.
"Magic makes our demon king and his demonic minions strong. Be a good little sacrifice and surrender it all! Your suffering will end once they have every last drop." She cooed.
The man opened his eyes. He saw a beautiful maiden with long pointy elf ears with lavender eyes and long ocean blue hair cascading down her shoulders standing in front of him. She was as beautiful as the greek god Aphrodite. A dark smile was on her child-like face. Wearing only a small top and a long skirt which was the color of a red ruby, the elf gypsy glared at the wizard like he was a shiny jewel she had found. The wizard began to whimper when she approached him. She stomped on his precious jewels with a sandaled foot. He screamed like a girl. The maiden laughed at that. The wizard glared at her and her ears with anger.
"You disgrace our kind working for the demonkyn. Traitor!" He spat.
The elf gypsy just smiled.
"I was hired to capture elven wizards and give them to the demon king for drainage of their magic. They pay me generously and do no harm to me or my kin. I'm just doing my job as a wizard hunter." She told him.
She looked over at the tubes that was stuck onto the wizard's neck and stomach which was slowly draining the life and magic out of him. The wizard was becoming skinny and wrinkled by the minute. She smiled and left the elf to his doom. The maiden was then summoned to the throne room where Princess Faye and Lord Malice were waiting.
She entered the throne room and fell to one knee. She bowed before them with a smile.
"What is it do you request of me, Stacia elf gypsy and wizard hunter, my liege?" She asked.
Lord Malice motioned her to rise with a smile of sharp canines.
"We need you to capture the elven wizard Elri for us. He has been nothing but a thorn in our side since he went to get the one who would fight my brethren and myself. His magic is very powerful. If we had it, no one could stop us! Take some of my minions with you to complete the task. If you fail, Princess Faye here will chew off your ears and use them as earrings!" He told her darkly.
Stacia nodded. She left the throne room silent as a mouse. She got ten demons and they teleported to the dark woods to lie in wait for Elri and his companions. Elri woke up and gasped hard after having that dream vision. Sweat began to pour down his forehead. They had to be prepared for anything and be fully alert. When he went back to sleep, he didn't dream.
The next morning Myka awoke to feel the sun upon his face. It was warm to the touch. He then saw Kohaku giggle at him. She handed him a piece of the cinnamon pear bread after he hugged her.
"Where's Elri this morning?" He asked her.
Kohaku smiled at him.
"I heard his heavy footsteps toward the center of the clearing. You'll find him there. He might want to train, but eat your breakfast first." She told him a moment later.
Myka thanked her and walked to the clearing while chewing on the bread. He held onto the hilt of his katana and stayed on alert. He then saw someone strike at him with a long wolf's head staff and blocked it with his sword. He turned to see Elri and sighed in relief.
"Oh, Elri. You startled me. I didn't know you wanted to train already!" Myka cried out catching his breath.
"You must be prepared for anything, Myka-San! Danger can be around every corner ready to strike and destroy. Nice block by the way." Elri replied to him while leaning onto his staff.
Myka thanked him after he finished the rest of the bread Kohaku gave him. He then looked at the wizard with concern.
"Are you feeling better today? I heard you breathe hard last night from that night terror you had." Myka said to him.
"I'm alright. I have those sometimes. It's what happens when my visions come to me in my dreams. It scares me sometimes. Danger is coming to us soon. We must be ready to fight it. That's why you were chosen. We must stop the demons from destroying everything and everyone in its path. Including myself." He told the young warrior gravely.
Myka walked up to Elri and looked him right into the eyes.
"I will make sure no one hurts you. You and Kohaku are the only family I got now. If those demons harm you in any way and dishonor you, I'll make sure they feel the wrath of the Samurai warrior whose blood courses through my veins. That's a promise." He told him darkly.
Elri understood. They then continued their training. Elri held his hands out and began to copy himself. Myka was confused at all of the wizards surrounding him. Only one of them was the real Elri and that was the one holding his wolf's head staff. Myka struck out at the wizard only to make a copy dissolve into dust. Myka decided to take his time. He closed his eyes and began to breathe slowly. He then opened his eyes and turned around. Grabbing his katana sword, he struck out and deflected the wolf's head staff of the real Elri who looked at him with shock. The blow caught the wizard off guard. He collapsed to his feet with a cut across his mouth from the sword. Myka was ashamed. Elri just laughed.
"Good job my boy! You are a fast learner and got great focus." He replied.
"Sorry about your lip,Sensei." Myka apologized.
Elri brushed it off and walked over to see Kohaku. Their training was over. Elri stood down near Kohaku and gave her a necklace made of bubbles. Kohaku smiled as she felt it with her hands.
"If you are ever in danger, my dear, this necklace will conjure a bubble that will protect you from the darkness with its magical shield. All you say is Bring this bubble to this field and protect me with its magical shield and you will be protected. Only say it when you are in danger though." He told her.
Kohaku nodded and thanked Elri for the gift. The necklace was soft and tiny in her hands. The companions then left the mythical vale and entered the dark woods. When they were in the woods, they turned around once they heard the sound of jingling bells. Stepping out of the shadows was Stacia the elf gypsy who was also a wizard hunter. She sashayed up to them with a smile. Demons watched the scene from the trees above them with a smile.
"Today must be my lucky day to find a young handsome warrior as yourself here in these woods. And you found me a wizard? How thoughtful of you." She purred after wrapping and rubbing a long purple scarf over Myka's neck.
Myka shivered in fear at the woman's inappropriate touch. He sliced the scarf in two with his katana sword and looked at her in anger.
"Be gone woman. The wizard does not belong to you. If you harm him in any way, I'll kill you!" Myka growled.
Stacia looked at Myka with a pout.
"Aww. Why ruin all the fun? I was going to let you and the little one leave with your lives after coming for what I came for. Now you'll die!" She cried out with glee.
Her lavender eyes looked at them evilly. She snapped her fingers and the demons jumped out of the trees in front of them. Elri grabbed his wolf's head staff and struck the demons that tried to grab him. The demons fell back a few feet in anger. Kohaku quickly recited the poem Elri taught her from her bubble necklace before a bright bubblegum pink bubble scooped her inside and enclosed around her. She was safe and protected from harm. The demons tried to pop the bubble, but were electrocuted when they touched it. They fell to the ground burnt to a crisp.
Myka fought off as many of the demons as he could. He slowly began to get tired. Elri was about to fight more of the demons when dark thorny vines struck out and wrapped around his arms tightly. Elri cried out in pain. He tried to break them but they held on tight and held him immobile. Myka turned to see Elri captured and ran toward the vines with his sword. He sliced the vines again and again. The vines were unbreakable. One of the vines struck out at Myka. The blow made him fall to the ground hard.
"Let go of Elri, you Cougar!" Myka cried out.
Stacia just smiled and laughed at him.
"I'm sorry but the demon king himself requested the capture of the wizard Elri. Lord Malice said he had powerful magic that would make him and the demons strong. I welcome you to try and come save your dear friend. You'll have to fight me first!" She said with a cry of glee.
"It's a promise. If you harm him, you'll die and anyone who gets in my path!" Myka yelled.
His eyes were dark and menacing. Two of the demons were about to run to Stacia when he took his katana sword and slice them through. They laid onto the ground and bled to death. Stacia looked at the boy with fear and shock. Her face then cleared to reveal a smug smile. She then snapped her fingers and the remaining demons with her grabbed the captured wizard and disappeared.
Myka cursed under his breath. Tears began to fall down his eyes. Kohaku popped the bubble she was in and ran to comfort her brother. She embraced him into a hug.
"Myka, don't cry. We will save Elri, just you wait. Remember what mother told us? You got to stay brave and keep the faith that everything will be alright. I love you and I know that you won't rest until Elri is back with us safe and sound." She told him.
Myka looked down to see his sister smiling at him. He smiled back.
"I know we will. You are so wise for such a little girl. Thanks for the reminder. C'mon. Let's find camp for the night and then we'll go rescue Elri in the morning if we can find where they took him." He replied.
Kohaku nodded. She helped find fallen trees and they placed them together to make a little wood hut. She then felt her necklace get cold and took it off her. When she did, a purple glimmer of light began to shine from it. Myka saw it and gasped.
"Elri's trying to show us the way to save him. His purple light will show us where to go to find him." He told her.
Myka then saw where the purple light ended and gasped. Elri had been taken to the Arcadian castle up the long dark mountains. They had to save their friend no matter what and stop the demons plan to cause chaos and destruction throughout the land. Tired, they both fell asleep. The next morning they would begin again on their journey to rescue Elri from the demon king and his ilk. They just had to follow the purple light that shined from Kohaku's bubble necklace.