*Tales of Orenthia*

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"Tets..."

His name had escaped her lips softly. The dark aura died out slowly and the surrounding area became soothing. Tetsuri sighed as she slumped in his arms. He realized now that he had to be more attentive how he reacted to things. Iliana was just as human as he was and she needed to be treated as such. Se wasn't some robot that he programmed with commands. It was relieving to see that she hadn't given into the darkness. It was still confusing. He had so much to learn about her, that he thought he knew.

He could learn from this very experience with her today. Tetsuri looked down at her and brushed a piece of hair behind either of her ears and smiled. She was stronger than he had given her credit for. Now, he felt like a complete jerk. He made up his mind to give her a proper apology. He felt so bad for putting her through that pain. It was hard enough for her with the Order trying to capture her. She didn't need him adding more pressure to her. He would let her be free-willed in battle, but still protect her when needed.

Tetsuri picked Iliana up in his arms and looked up around the city one last time. His ears flattened and a sadness filled his heart. They had to once again leave a burning city. It was such a tragedy to see that. Tetsuri made his way towards north exit of the city, passing fire and crumbling buildings that fell under their weakened bases.​
 
Iliana's body was down for the count as well as it should have been. In just a span of an hour her body had went from fit to brutally torn up. Scratches, bruises, and even gashes here and there littered her soft skin. Her head slumped against Tetsuri's arm while her orange hair fell over his arm as he walked her out of Herensho. The city was in a very bad condition and if Iliana were conscious, her eyes would still be closed. Yet another one had fallen to the Order all for the capture of the Neko and Oni. There were many other cities that they could plunder in search for them, but Tetsuri was still hell bent on not allowing Iliana to turn herself in no matter how many times she pleaded. Even though every single time they went to a city, they would defeat the threat but not fast enough to save the city itself. There was always a step or two that they missed and that stepped had made one more city crumble.

The morning was closing to an end and Treyla Forest started to liven up with the sounds of animals, sounds louder than the cackle of fire behind the two of them. Trying to save a city was not usually the first thing on their agendas for the morning but that only meant they had the rest of the day to train. Iliana didn't look as if she were going to do any training anytime soon. Somehow, the wound in her stomach had completely closed up, leaving her body still white as chalk, but not so much to the point that she was ready to die. A lot of her blood had been lost during the battle, but if she had enough to keep breathing that meant she had enough to stay alive. Whether the wound was healed when she was the Oni or after none of them knew.

What was important was that she and Tetsuri were both safe. Scratched and bruised, but safe. Herensho started to fade away from view as well as it should have. The city was left to become a smoldering and decrepit city that was far beyond the point of saving. Cities and people had to be let go of as hard as it was to swallow that pill. Iliana still lay motionless as Tetsuri walked through Treyla Forest with a heavy heart.​
 
Tetsuri was glad to finally be out of the burning city of Herensho. The smoke, and fire were taking its toll, even though he showed no signs of it on his face. The fresh air was like a breath of new life to him and he was glad to see the forest once again. So much had happened to both him and Iliana in so little time. The results of there training were good one's, but the damage to them both show that they needed to train harder. Hopefully, no other Order soldiers would be devious enough to attack right now to attack them.

He needed time to regenerate his energy, and Iliana was out cold resting peacefully. He never would have thought that the fight to save Orenthia wouldn't be easy. He still felt sadness as he looked back at the city one final time, before it disappeared behind a group of trees. His heart felt heavy. All those innocent lives were lost and he couldn't do anything to save them. Herensho was a very well known city. It flourished in resources and they had an unlimited amount of it.

Its no wonder they were a target of the Order. Still, they did not deserve such a horrid fate. Tetsuri meowed lowly and sadly. But, he shook off the feeling. He rested by a tree to his left and sat down with Iliana on his lap. He sighed and looked down at her. Its going to take much more effort than what we had put in. ​
 
"Mmmm...?"

The first thing that she felt was a stepstep stepstep stepstep pattern, her body swinging while being contained in a pair of arms. The pattern rocked her out of her unconsciousness, bringing her back to reality with a small grumble. Secondly, rays of sunlight stabbed down onto the closed lids of her eyes. All she saw temporarily was a blinding red and orange of the sun behind her eyes before they were forced open. She instantly wish she hadn't, hissing when the sunlight ransacked her vision, causing her to close them again tightly, whipping her head further into the arms. A small meow later and Iliana recognized her carrier as Tetsuri. Either he or a very large cat. Still, the sun was too unbearable for her eyes to take at the moment.

"Why is it that I am always waking up in your arms?"she mumbled, fearing the answer. As of late, Iliana did happen to find herself waking up in the safety of Tetsturi's arms. Lately, it had been bothering her. Iliana normally didn't 'fall asleep' during a battle with the Order, but every time she asked him, he didn't give her a full answer. Deep down inside, however, she knew it had something to do with her power and the Oni's power as well. If anything, it made her feel a lot worse than she already did. Tetsuri always seemed to maintain consciousness when he fought and went he rarely went on his Neko sprees. Iliana, on the other hand, woke up remembering little to nothing of the battle before.

"What happened to me this time? Did I blow up half of Orenthia...?"she asked. Her voice was more mellow as usual. So mellow to the point where it could hardly be recognized as her own. Iliana gave a defeated sigh and tapped the side of his arm, motioning for him to set her down. She blinked her eyes a few times to let them adjust to the sunlight before setting her feet on the ground. At first, she wobbled and had to grab hold of his arm for momentary support, but after a couple of denials of being set straight by him, Iliana was standing. She quickly turned her face away from Tetsuri in a horrible attempt to mask her annoyance.

"Yet another city gone because you won't let me go with them..."she growled.​
 
The sound of her mumbling relieved him. She was finally comin to and he smiled. It seemed that she got a good bit of rest despite the cause of her slumber. He was also more than sure that she wouldn't remember a thing that happened. He kept her in his arms for a few moments more. She may have been well-rested, but he was more than sure that she wouldn't be able to stand up properly. He continued to purr and meowed a little more. That side always came out of him, when he watched her wake up. Something about the question she asked made his ears perk up.

"Its because you always pass out. Besides, I can't just let you hit the hard ground face first. We wouldn't want you eating the dirt." He was joking a little but serious at the same time. Iliana really did seem to pass out when that dark power unleashed and there was no memory of what previously happened to her. His ears flickers and he purred a bit more. What would they do? They couldn't save the city and he was more than sure that it wouldn't end with Herensho. More cities and lives would be put into danger on their account. Their had to be something that they were missing. A important piece to the puzzle. Tetsuri snapped out of his thoughts and gave his attention back to Iliana.

He only shook his head 'No' as a response to her question. It had not been her fault or his that Herensho fell, but he was still saddened by it. The worst part was with each fallen city, the more Iliana wanted to just give up and turn herself in. That wasn't something that he wanted to hear, but she was so stubborn at time. Even though he always won the arguments in the end.

"Yet another city gone because you won't let me go with them..."

That was the words that he did not want to hear. He looked at her as she stood up and his ears flattened. He was upset to hear her speak like that again and growling. Tetsuri stood up and frowned as he glared at her. He had reached his boiling point. She was trying to surrender once again. She had failed ot realize that if she gave herself up all of Orenthia was doomed. To surrender was to say that she gave up on all of Orenthia, and he was not going to allow that to happen.

"I already told you, Iliana! You are not going to just turn yourself in. What do you think that it will accomplish, huh? You just give up and let them win? Stop trying to give up before the fight is truly over! I told you that you are not going in with the Order and that is final! Now, Enough of that talk!"​He scolded.

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The moment his ears dropped she knew she was in trouble. Tetsuri couldn't hide his expressions even if he wanted to. The ears, tail, and meowing gave it all away. He meowed a couple of times in confusion, ears flickering at the same rate as they always would. Normally, Iliana would melt in the adorable gestures, but as of then, Tetsuri was giving off a lot more than cuteness when he snapped at her. His ears lay flat against his purple hair and a clear scowl was written across his face like some ancient text she had never seen before. Iliana, now that she noticed it, had never seen him that angry before. Save for the battle moments, Tetsuri was a fairly calm and collected man. He didn't let just anything get under his skin, much like the way Xavien would act from time to time. Of course, her brother had no other choice but to maintain mental stability. Tetsuri's stable mind had now crumbled.

Iliana was to angry to apologize and suddenly felt she had no right to! She was perfectly right in what she said! All Tetsuri must have heard was 'go with them'. Her dark orange eyes flicked upwards to his in a quick, bird-like fashion, catching his ears fall the moment he barked out his order. An order. That's what set her off.

"What? Are you crazy? You must not want to save Orenthia! You must not care about the state of all of these living things!"she said. At every interval her voice arisen, her body did the same, until she was eventually standing on both of her feet, stomping up to him. "I never said I was giving up! I don't know about you but I'm sick and tired of seeing cities like Herensho, Klie, Torrus! Fall right before our eyes because you're too naive to see that we can save them in the drop of a dime!"she snapped.

Iliana was breaking many barriers that she and Tetsuri had both set up. Ever since the conversation with Fei, Iliana silently devoted herself into helping Tetsuri defeat the Order at all cost. Even though it was ultimately up to her and the Oni's power, she still needed the Neko as a Guardian. Every single moment they trained, every drop of blood that spilled in the battles they fought, every time Iliana found herself waking up in his arms, she had told herself constantly that Tetsuri had formed a bond with her as well. Iliana's nose wrinkled in anger, a pink rush of frustration brushing across the cups of her cheeks as she stood inches away from him before fiercely turning way from him, as if the sight of him disgusted her so.

"I don't remember anyone telling me I have to obey your orders, sir."she hissed before folding her arms, preparing to walk away from him.​
 
Tetsuri growled at her sudden change in tone. They had many arguments, but nothing as highly as this one. Tetsuri looked at her with a stern, serious expression and his ears spiked up and flattened multiple times. He clinched his fist so tightly, that his veins popped up. He couldn't believe what she was saying? Did she honestly believe that he did not want to save all of Orenthia? She was blind. Blind to the fact that if she just GAVE herself up, that would SPELL doom for all of Orenthia.

To turn herself in, would mean that she had given up on all of Orenthia. She was practically wanting to hand over the powers of the Oni and give the Order the key to destroying Orenthia. Well, he had enough of it. He had enough of her trying to just give up! He was the Guardian Neko. The Neko destined to save Orenthia along with the Oni. But here she was before him.

"You think I'm not aware of that?! You and I both know that if either of us unleash our true power, it would spell danger for Orenthia. We have to think rationally in times like this! But, if your so persistant on thinking that your way is right, then go on ahead and just leave! I'll do fine on my own in saving Orenthia!"
Tetsuri gave her a glare and walked away. He had no time to waste. The Order was already making their move and he needed to plan his next course of action.​
 
There was no words she had to say to him as he turned away from her and walked out into the thick of Treyla forest. Iliana was left alone to stare at his backside, watching his tail writhe from left to right in anger and frustration. His ears stay flattened against his hair. There was no wind so it was left unmoving. Iliana continued to watch until he turned into nothing more than a tiny black dot. When he had completely vanished from view, her face cooled down from its firey rage and fell in disappointment. She could not fathom what had just happened between the two of them. One minute they were fighting the Tyrants in Herensho and the next, they were going their seprate ways. Treyla forest was nearing the mid day setting. The sun peaked through the canopies of the trees overhead. There was still not a good bit of noises in the vicinity, but she had no need for any noise at the moment.

Iliana deliberatly turned back and walked through the denser part of the forest, mouth set in a fine line. Oh, how she wanted to scream into the forest air so that everyone could hear her ange and dismay. If she were in her Oni form, shemay have done just that. However, she couldn't rely on the Oni to save her from herself now. She and Tetsuri were on two completely different sides of their quest. Her words rang true but his rang a little truer. Orenthia needed her alive and well in order to defeat the Order, but by turning herself in, she had might as well sent them all directly to their graves. However, too many cities have been torn and destroyed simply because the Order was searcing despeartly for her. If anything, all she needed to do was to give herself and that action alone would save many lives to come.

Her mind was being tugged in far too many directions and it was heeding a terrible ache oin her head. A small and slightly incoherent groan came from her mouth while she stepped across a log. Despite how livid she was at him, Tetsuri's status still crept back into her mind. His angered expression was burned into her mind, haunting her and every step she took farther and farther away from her. Her anger was now starting to be drained away by worry.

"I...never meant to yell at him..."

"Oh, belive me. He wouldn't care one way or another if you're mad at him." Iliana's entire body froze in fear, all of the color draining from her face. The idea of being watched had crept up on her after she crossed the same familiar tree, but to hear a voice behind her, as if it were breathing down her neck, Iliana's mobility had suddenly faltered. A sickening chuckle later and Iliana's body trembled.

"A-and how would you know?"she question in an anxious whisper. The omnious feeling on the back of her neck left momentairly...only until her body was suddenly impaled to the ground.

"AH!"
​
 
"I have no time for her half-thinking. Father is on the move and she is thinking," He made a fist with his left hand and punch a tree, "Selfishly!" Tetsuri's insides burned just as hotly as Iliana's flames when she powered up like the sun phoenix. His rage was building and boiling to the point where he almost built a small aura of lightning around his body. The tree fell over, parted from its base and tumbled to the ground with a thud. His hand shook and his eyes began shining blue. Quickly, he grasped it with his right and closed his eyes, bits of sweat building on his forehead. He needed to maintain control. Otherwise, his outburst in power would not only alert the Order, but destroy a bit of the forest as well.

That was not something that he wanted. Every fiber of his being was still boiling. He tried to breathe and calm himself as much as he could. But, he knew that it would be wrong to hate her. Her suggestion was one of an honorable trait, yet it showed no signs of thoughts on the outcome. Now, he was here, alone. Alone to think of a plan that would save Orenthia. A plan that would save- his heart beat was heard jumping in chest before her name 'Iliana' rang through his mind.

Tetsuri knelled on one knee as a sharp pain hit his chest like wild-fire and burned. There was an unseen weapon hitting his chest and he didn't understand why. Tetsuri looked back behind him as an eerie feeling befell him. Just what was going on? The trees began to fade further and further away lining along with the path that seemed to stretch along with his vision, making the darker part of the forest seem more like a black dot.

~!Meanwhile, In the deeper, dark part of the forest!~

"AH!"

Soldiers of the order had captured and pinned Iliana to the ground. Who would be smart enough to know when to capture Iliana at her weakest point when her defenses were down? The soldiers maintained a tight grip on her arms and legs ans well as one kept a boot on her back. The soldiers were circled around her masking her vision from the man who made his way through the crowd of soldiers.

"So, this is the Oni? She looks to be just a mere mortal girl. No matter," The man stepped through the crowd and in front of Iliana and looked down at her,

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"Take her to the ship!"

With the snap of his left index finger and thumb, the dust and wind picked up about 5 feet away, picking up dust and kicking up wind. The trees split as a giant airship slowly flew upward.

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"I have special plans for you, Oni. Toss her in the cargo hold of the ship!"

With that being said, Iliana was carried off towards the ship. A staircase manifested, giving them access tothe inside of the ships. Terrios smirked as he looked off in Tetsuri's direction, and then made his way in the ship. The ladder dispersed and they departed.

~!Back At Tetsuri's Location!~

Tetsuri began walking again and looking ahead of him. He still wasn't sure what was going on. But, he did not want to see Iliana at all. For all he cared, she could go and get herself hurt. His ears flattened and he sighed angrily. It was a pain. Suddenly, his movement was stopped as the ground start to shake, causing his attention to shift towards a huge airship. His eyes widened as he looked at it. There was no mistaking the identity of that ship. It was the Hamergirth, his fathers ship.

Tetsuri shook his head and began to make his way towards them as the ship flew away, only to stop at the thoughts of Iliana's words ringing in his ear. He stood in place and lowered his head. No, that is what she wanted. She wanted to be captured and now, she had received her wish. A very foolish wish at that. Tetsuri turned away and began walking in the opposite direction.

"She has received her wish. Its not my problem now. It is hers and hers alone. So, she will have to save herself."

​
 
"LET ME GO YOU HORRIBLE EXCUSES OF MEN! YOU SAD, DIRTY, ROTTEN HUMANS THAT I HAVE EVER BEEN DISGUSTED TO SEE! DO YOU KNOW WHO YOU'RE MESSING WITH? I CAN KILL YOU ALL WITH A SINGLE BLINK OF MY LEFT EYE! UNHAND ME RIGHT NOW! I SWEAR TO YOU, THE MINUTE I AM RELEASED, I WILL MAKE...YOU...ALL..PERI--"

A sudden hard pain cracked across the back of her skull until Iliana's eyes were dropped to black, enveloped in a blanket of nothingness. All the sounds of the forest, if there were any to report, had disappeared. The sun, air, and even the soldiers had vanished from sight and mind. However, before unconsciousness called out her name, Iliana was sane enough to make one little glimpse of blue above her. As much as she wanted that blue to be Tetsuri's eyes or aura for that matter, it was nothing but the sky. A vast, baby blue sky that stretched higher than she could ever imagine being. That blue was the last sight she had before her body slumped deeper into the arms of the soldiers.

* ~ * ~ *

There was no telling how much time had passed since she was captured, but one thing was for sure: she was not riding in style.

Iliana was flinged out from her curled position at the end of the cargo bay, elbow and forehead slamming into the sheen of the ship. Stars burst before her eyes as wave upon wave of pain washed over her. Before she had even been able to open her eyes, she was already being brutally hurt. The sound of a humming engine was all she needed to know that she was taken captive inside of a giant airship that belonged to the Order. Memories of the fight and being followed in Treyla forest snuck back up to her. She whimpered while she fingered the large and ever-growing bump on the side of her head. Whoever was piloting that thing sure wasn't being generous to the carg-

"AHHH!"

This time, the ship seemed to have slammed on the breaks in mid flight, for Iliana went plummeting head first into a metal door that was keeping her held there. It was not a very pleasant thing to feel either. A gash cut across her forehead, allowing for a trickle of blood to soar down onto the tip of her nose, droplets splattering on the airship floor. Iliana could not even stomach up the will to cry. All of her emotion seemed to have been left back with Tetsuri. Back when she snapped at him and he did the same to her. With her own blood being the only thing she saw as she was carried off into the Order's fortress, Iliana, for the first time in her life, had felt defeated. There was nothing she could do. No one would come to save her.

She had lost hope.​
 
"Gah!"
Another numbing shot of pain hit his chest and he dropped to his left knee. His breathing had stopped for a moment and he clinched his shirt, making a fist over the center of his chest. He looked up at the blue sky, just as a flock of birds flew from the direction of the ship. He sighed and lowered his eyes. Shortly after, about a minute or so, the pain had ceased. Tetsuri stood up slowly and stared at the sky, quietly. Just what was going on? Was Iliana in more trouble than he had imagined? No, it was not his issue, just as he had said. The trees around him seemed to shift slightly towards the direction of the ship as well. It was as if they were signs saying that he needed to pursue them. Tetsuri turned to face the direction he came from and stared down the path.

~!Back on the Ship!~

They ship neared the orders base in the city of Traiser. The ship loomed high above the city's landing pad as it came to a hard stop. Terrios chuckled a bit and then laughed. He not only wanted her powers but something else. He also wanted his son Tetsuri's powers for his own use as well. Terrios commanded the pilot to land the ship. Once it was on the ground, Terrios had the hatch opened to the cargo bay. He walked through a door beneath the ships floor that lead to Iliana.

"Well, this is a fine mess we have here. It seems that she has suffered some injuries. No matter, that still won't stop me from putting my plan into action. Wake up, Oni!"

~!Back at Treyla Forest!~

Another sharp pain hit Tetsuri's chest and he closed his eyes in pain. Now, he was certain something was wrong. He opened his eyes slowly and breathed heavily. He had to know what was going on. He had to see what they were doing to her. No matter how much she hated him, or how angry he was, he didn't want to die. Not even she deserved that. He had also made a promise to protect her, no matter what. Tetsuri shook off the feeling of pain in his chest as best as he could, and then headed down the path towards the last place that he saw Iliana.

Hang on Iliana, I am coming!
​
 
Iliana was never asleep, though she wish she had been. Maybe if she didn't have any consciousness, she wouldn't have been able to fully feel every little cut, bruise, and gash across her face and arms. That was where most of the damage had spawned from. That was also the reason why she was curled into a fetal position when the soldiers and the man in charge had fond her. The door to the airship opened from the main lobby and seating area, giving the dusty and dark cargo an interruption of blinding light. Apparently with the light came pain, making her crumple in further into her pathetic position. There, she had no one to deal with, no fights to wage with, and definitely no one there to help her. All that was there was her and her thoughts, which were bad enough and seemed to only spawn about one thing and one thing only.

"Well, this is a fine mess we have here. It seems that she has suffered some injuries. No matter, that still won't stop me from putting my plan into action. Wake up, Oni!"

"...ana."

Voice reaching no louder than a whisper, a pelting spree of metal boots on metallic shingles drummed through the cargo hold, where the soldiers were hovering above Iliana. She still hadn't budged, though her words had let her lips move. Her lips and eyes were the only two things that had remained mobile through most of the ride. After all of the slamming and crashing into walls, Iliana gave up defending herself, realizing it was worse to shoot her arms out to protect herself while they were the ones taking all the damage. Still, she had no other choice but to get all of her muscles back into gear when the soldiers picked her up. 'Picked' may have been too kind of a word. It was more like hauled.

"Speak up when talking to Terrios!" A hard, sharp pain hit her back before she growled, deeper than she figured she would.

"ILIANA."she snapped, orange eyes struggling to open past the dark bruises underneath her eyes. They were peeled back far enough to catch a glimpse of the man she feared she would meet face to face: Terrios, Leader of the Order. The smug smile on his face said more than Iliana could fathom putting into words. Holding eye contact was just as hard as trying to stand up until she eventually gave up and looked at the floor while he let out a cackling laugh.

"So she has a name! It won't mean very much. Men! Get her out of my sight!"

"Yes, sir!"​
 
Tetsuri dashed as fast as he could. The wind slapped his face and he had to lower his eyes slightly, because of the burning his eyes endured from running too fast. Leaves picked up and scattered with each of his steps. He even jumped from tree to tree, while his cloaked floated behind him and he grunted a bit. He felt so bad for leaving her behind. His emotions had built up and he allowed his negative thoughts to cause him to leave Iliana behind. How could he have been so naive? In the heat of their argument, he had forgotten what he had promised her, that no matter what, he would be there by her side.

But, in the end, he had turned away. Now, she was in the hands of the Order and he had no idea what they were doing to her right now. The thoughts of the cruel things that they may have been doing to her plagued his mind like a virus. He clinched his teeth together and his arms flung limply behind him. He tried to speed up a little faster and could feel his leg muscles tighten. That wasn't important to him. The only thing that he cared about was making it to her. To see Iliana again, to talk to her, and to let her know how sorry he was that he left her to get captured. He could feel a few tears fall, not because of the wind, but from the pain he could feel. It wasn't just his pain, but hers as well. Tetsuri mis-jumped short of a tree branch. His eyes opened wide as he fell backwards and he reached for the branch, but could not grasp it in time.

Thud!

He hit the ground like a rock, bumping his head hard and blacked out. Tetsuri laid there on the forest floor on his back, knocked out.

​
 
Iliana was pushed ahead of her by the soldiers on Terrios's command. They would have killed her right then and there if Terrios commanded it. The worse thing about it was that Iliana had no will to fight back. The will had left as her body and mind were being tossed around that cargo bay. She could feel her sanity slowly slipping away from her as she marched on with the soldiers. Her feet sluggishly drug against the ground. The soldiers had to tell her more than once to keep up the pace. She obeyed barely, just because she no longer wished to feel any more pain. The entire trip to the Order headquarters had tore her part so bad that she was numb with pain. Her lip was slightly swollen, blood trickling from the side that she quickly wiped away.

If not for the fact that it was an evil fortress, Luricshia was huge. The airship alone was vast, so there had to be a place to hold the ship. That thought made Iliana shudder in the inside. Did they have multiple airships that big in the city? If so, then Iliana was right in not having any hope for saving Orenthia. Those things were huge, much bigger than anything she had ever seen. It was not a settling feeling to know that the ships were scanning the skies looking for she and Tetsuri. Not they had to look any further. Iliana was right in the belly of the beast and Tetsuri? Well, he was just no where to be found.

"Look around you. What do you see?" Terrios said in a low and drawling voice. Iliana knew that he was speaking directly to her, but she didn't bring her eyes off of the floor at all. The entire time, she looked at tile after tile. Stone after stone.

"Rocks." Terrios didn't respond to her sarcastic statement, which could only mean bad news for her.​
 
Tetsuri grunted as his eyes fluttered open several minutes later. He gritted his teeth, using his left hand to push himself upright in a sitting position. With his left hand, he placed it on his forehead and closed his eyes for a few seconds. There was a throbbing sensation ringing in his head and he shook it a few times. The ringing went away a little, but there was still pain. He looked up from the spot where he had fallen down. multiple branches were either broken and cracked. The man branch where he had fallen from seemed to have been rotten in the center and was barely hang on now as it sung back and forth.

Tetsuri looked back down ad his legs as he began to go into thoughts about Iliana. The argument continually played over and over in his head. The thought of him running away crept up on him. Only this time he was in a black room. He lowered his eyes sadly as a small pain crept inside him. Right now, Iliana could be getting hurt in the most possible ways, and he was still blaming himself, feeling sorry about his action. He closed his eyes as tears began to form. How badly he had wished to tell her sorry. Before a single tear had an chance to escape, he quickly opened his eyes and hoisted himself up on the ground as he placed both hands on the ground.

He knew that now was not the time for sulking or feeling sorry for himself. The more time he spent sulking, the more danger Iliana was in. A blue aura began to manifest at his feet as he began to run off in the direction in which he was headed once again. With each step, his speed picked up. The aura around his feet added to the speed and doubled it. Leave scattered, animals stopped and looked, as a streak of blue zoomed past them.​
 
"You wish to know what I see? I see a future. I see a possible dream coming to life right here in this very city. Look around you, Oni, at the people. Look at their faces. Tell me what you see." The last thing Iliana wanted to do was humor him and his way of thinking. She had assumed his ego was buffed now that he had his main threat in hand shackles. Still, Iliana wanted to see if the man was really insane as she deemed he was. What he was doing to Orenthia could not have been justified at all. Whatever it was she was supposed to be seeing was nothing against the burning buildings and rotting bodies of the people of Orenthia. No. She would just have to see for herself what he was talking on about.

Eyes pulling away from the ground, the real bulk of the city came alive to her. There was a person for every piece of asphalt, it seemed. Crowds of people walked in unison like waves in an ocean, bobbing from one direction to another. There was the occasional clump of people at designated standing or sitting spots, chatting away like they hadn't seen one another in years. The colors were not very vibrant. If she spotted a green or pink, it was probably on the clothes of a child. The men and women wore bold royal blues, whites, browns, the dull colors. The color had suddenly drained from her face when she saw exactly what Terrios had wanted her to see. To add onto the ominous reality, Terrios even chuckled at her shocked expression.

Everybody in that city...wore a smile.

"You see, we want happiness too, you know? We would very much like the same good, care-free life as the others you claim you are 'saving.' How do these smiles and laughs differ from the others. Aren't they people of Orenthia as well?" Iliana could not hope to feed into what he was doing. It was a psychological breakdown from the inside but the damage had already done. The soldiers said nothing even as they followed Terrios and the other guards into the hull of a giant tower, the main head quarters, it seemed.

"You say we are evil and malicious when there is a grin on every face and a rose on every child's cheek. Why is that?"

"Brainwashing."

"Brainwashing hahaha!" he exclaimed immediately after, laughing from deep within his stomach. Iliana remained unamused, glaring ahead of her. "I simply do not have the time to brainwash everyone. You see how well it worked with my son, don't you?"

Tetsuri...

"Whatever sick lie you've told them is why you are evil. I do not need to say more."she bit back, fingers clenching at the way she called Tetsuri his son. As if he had ever treated him like one. But, most importantly, thinking of him only riled up guilty and angry feelings. Her position held her back from burning them all to shreds. Besides, the farther into the base they went, the more information she would gain. Even though the idea of being saved was a myth, Iliana was not going to lay away. That just wasn't her style.​
 
Each step took him closer to Iliana, as well as each step took him further away. He cut through the wind like a knife and it seemed to twist around him. The trees pulled slightly in the direction in which he ran and he moved like lightning. His cloak flowed so much behind him, that it almost flew off. Even if it did, he wouldn't have cared. That was an object that could be replaced. His arms hung loosely behind him, flailing up and down. Tetsuri's eyes lowered to a slant as he ran. He growled slight and he stomped the forest floor like a rampaging bull.

A group of trees slowly came into few, blocking his path. Tetsuri slowed his momentum enough to a point where he could throw his left hand with a horizontal slash as he summoned his sword, slicing the trees and clearing them out, opening the path to run freely. In the process of this, a few birds flew out of the trees and into the air, feathers floating to the ground slowly. The increasing pain that he felt intensified and he grunted, closing his left eye.

He had to get there soon. If he knew his father, he would most likely waist no time in carrying out his plans. The forest seemed to go on forever, or at least that's what's his eyes were displaying before him.

​"Iliana...."
​
 
"Iliana..."

Wh-what...?!

She knew he wasn't there with her. There was no point of looking around to check, either. But still...she heard that so clearly as if he were whispering right into her ear. His voice lingered there for seconds more while Iliana's expression changed from frustrated to shocked. Hearing Tetsuri's voice made things worse than what she would have wanted them to be. Why did she hear it when she knew he wasn't going to come back to save her. Did he even know she was kidnapped? Her originally plan was to give herself up, not to be taken. Now, there she was, bound by soldiers as they followed Terrios into the main chambers.

There were elaborate tables, chairs, and pictures set in random places across the room, bringing more life into the dull strips of wallpaper and the sort. Terrios looked behind him at the soldiers and muttered something that Iliana couldn't quite make out. Her guess was a dismissal, for as soon as they nodded, their boots skidded into a stop, tossing Iliana onto the ground as if she were nothing more than trash. She flung her hands out to catch herself from falling, but that need not be done. Terrios shot his arm out and caught her, pulling her closer to his face by her torso. It took everything...everything inside her not to snap and incinerate him into dust. Instead, she settled with glaring at him, looking into is eyes as if to warn him not to push her.

Oddly enough, Terrios saw this anger and malice inside her expression, but his smile never left his visage.

"With your power and mine combined, we can keep Orenthia smiling. You do know that, yes?"he slurred, tongue curling and loosening as he spoke. So much like Tetsuri.

"The only way Orenthia will stay smiling is when I defeat the Order and bring peace to the la--"

"Then riddle me this, Iliana," he slurred, "When you destroy the Order...will you kill the people in this city as well?" That got her. Iliana hated to show it, but her face fell in defeat, eyes no longer burning into his. The realization hit and hit hard. If she destroyed the Order...she'd be killing those innocent, smiling people too, wouldn't she? She never got the chance to answer, for Terrios chuckled out loud, loosening his hold on her shirt.

"As my woman, we can continue to make this world a better place," he said, lips curling up into a smirk. "As my wife, we can keep it happy and peaceful, like you know it is now."
​
 
There seemed to be no progress as he moved through the forest. It seemed to go on forever, or so that was what it felt like to him. He began to wonder even more about his father's 'other' intentions for Iliana. Images of her lines the forest and his tears swelled in his eyes, then fell in a trail behind him, hitting the forest floor. He never meant for any of this to happen. He never meant for her to get hurt. Iliana wasn't only just an Oni or a girl to him. She had become part of him in a special way. Something far beyond what words could say, or what the bond gave them.

To him, she was like a beam of light that lead his path. Who was he kidding? Even if he did save her, what were the chances that he would even get a chance to talk to her on a calm note. "Come on Tetsuri get it together," He said right as he exited the forest. He stopped for a second, took a deep breath, then took off again in a straight shot towards the path that would lead him straight to the Order's base.

Why was all this happening to him? Why was he always so naive to things that he should have noticed? Having a caring heart like he did was both a gift and a curse for him. Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! It was so stupid! Why didn't she understand what he was trying to say to her? His tears continued to fall, until he sensed a nearby soldier. Soldiers were still lurking through the area. It was a sure bet that they were searching for him.

He had no time to be captured by them, if he was caught then all hope of Iliana being saved would be lost. Quickly, he jumped on top of a nearby building and ducked low.​
 
"I..."

"You oblige?"

"N-no, I..."

"Want the people to die a horrible demise?"

"No!"

"Then you oblige!"he snapped, smacking her hard across the cheek. Iliana had no breath to scream in pain, for the slap didn't not hurt her at all. The sting was not painful....It was infuriating. She was growing angry, looking into Terrio's cold eyes with a dark-orange glare. Somewhere behind her pupils, a flash of violet passed, but he did not notice. His laugh started off as a dry chuckle, progressing deeper and heartier until he was laughing manically. Iliana blinked away the anger that ebbed at her as she watched Terrios laugh on. She thought long and hard about what he had just said. What he was proposing...was marriage. Something salty lodged in her throat when he pulled her roughly to his side, his arm clamped tightly around her waist.

"Come, Oni. We'll prepare you for our big moment in Orenthia history."

"I will kill you in your sleep."she snarled, a low growl threatening to bubble through her throat. Terrios put on a mock expression of shock.

"And to think that you don't think I'd have you well protected!"

"Protected and guarded are two different things."

"Oh? You're expecting someone will come for you?"he asked, lifting an eyebrow in amusement. Iliana wanted to say Tetsuri would. She wanted to shout how the Neko would have his head for capturing the Oni and putting her in danger. She wanted to...but she knew it wasn't going to happen. She knew Tetsuri didn't care about what she did anymore. Iliana's eyes hit the ground again as Terrios wheeled her off to the dressing chambers, wearing a sly smile.​
 
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