This Strange World Needs a Kicking Chapter 35
This Strange World Needs A Kicking! – Ch. 35
By Laura S. Fox
Copyright © 2021 Laura S. Fox
All Rights Reserved
Gay Romance
Intended for Mature Audiences Only
This story will contain graphic depictions of sexual intercourse, strong language and it is not meant for readers who are less than 18 years of age.
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Chapter Thirty-Five – Behind All The Bad Things In A Story, There's Always A Villain
Sebastian ignored the pointed look Galien pinned him with as he kept saying he was fine. "I believe you have an important task to do. And no, I don't mean visiting your lover who also happens to be my concubine in his quarters right under my nose. It's tacky even for someone like you." Insulting and hurting Galien's feelings had worked before, and it had to work now. They were all running out of time.
"A concubine you don't care to bed, and a chosen that belongs to someone else. My-my, how the mighty have fallen," Galien taunted him, but only with his tongue. His eyes were shadowed by worry.
He had always known there was much more about Galien than what everyone thought they knew. Fiana's son was thought to be nothing more than a rake interested in succumbing to life's debaucheries in all shapes possible, but Sebastian was much aware that was nothing but a façade. Just as he had suspected that the fire goddess must have bestowed at least some of her magic on her son, he knew that Galien was a lot more than met the eye.
Even in his annoying attempts to convince Sebastian to marry Pepin for the sake of the kingdom, he still believed that he was doing the right thing, and not for Ifigia, but its prince. Of course, things had changed, astounding adventures had happened, and now their whole world was upside down.
"Someone has to care about doing the right thing," Sebastian insisted, one hand on the doorknob. The pain inside his chest was throbbing slightly now, not as acute and surprising as before, but still there as a warning.
As much as that signaled that the time he had to send Milo, Kai, and Tani back to their world was getting shorter and shorter, it also gave him something to work with. The wielder of that dark magic that was now trying to carve a tomb inside his chest had to be somewhere near. One thing Sebastian had learned about Uxilan was that they needed to be close for their magic to reach its peak.
Pepin could be right in his assumptions, after all, as circumstantial as they might be. Sebastian had someone to confront and not a moment too soon, which meant that he needed to get rid of Galien and send everyone to safety.
"Conrad," he said sharply, "please escort Sir Galien to my quarters so that he can take his companions and head back to his palace."
For a moment of silence, he expected the captured prince to protest against being treated as a mere guard, but nothing of the kind followed.
"That will be my pleasure, Your Majesty," Conrad replied.
"How can you be so cruel?" Galien pleaded as Conrad grabbed his arm. "Do you even realize what risks I'm taking just to see you?"
Despite the flaring pain in his chest, Sebastian examined the two other men in the room with curiosity. The look in Conrad's eyes wasn't the fierce one he had known. When the fallen prince looked at Galien, he appeared slightly amused and just a tad confused. And Galien dropped all pretenses, and his eyes were filled with shameless adoration.
Under any other circumstances, Sebastian would have found himself in his rights to let out at least a low chuckle. Galien was guilty of changing lovers in the same reckless manner as he was – no, that had been before Milo, and it would never repeat – but, on the other hand, Conrad was just as famous for leaving broken hearts behind him, discarded like useless little trinkets.
He closed one hand over his chest. "If it is your pleasure, then please do not dally," he said and opened the door.
He knew he could count on Galien to do the right thing. Now, it was his turn.
***
"I cannot believe he locked us in here like this," Tani said while they took it upon themselves to scout through Sebastian's things for anything that could be used to free them from the royal quarters. "I know. We should think like we're in an escape room situation."
"What's an escape room?" Pepin asked.
"Some silly entertainment from my world," Kai said with importance.
Both Tani and Milo snickered. "Silly entertainment? Do you hear him talking? It's like he's trying to cosplay Sebastian," his sister said.
"Hey, I've been doing it for weeks now. I know what I'm doing," Kai warned them. "And really, guys, do you want Pepin to think that I'm really that useless?"
"How are we doing that?" Milo asked. "And I think your boyfriend likes you anyway."
Kai stole a glance at Pepin, who blushed slightly and then looked at him while biting his bottom lip. Gosh, something was melting like ice cream right in the middle of his chest, only that it wasn't cold but warm.
"Does boyfriend mean lover?" Pepin questioned, his blush never going away.
"Yes," Kai said promptly. "And I need to find a way to get us out of here, and then another to take you with us."
"But didn't you say--" smart-mouth Tani started.
"Shut up," Kai cut her words short. "I got here, you two got here, and we have no place in this world. I mean, not normally. And Sebastian got to travel to our world. Who says we cannot take Pepin with us?" He set his chin high and crossed his arms while examining everyone just to see who had the guts to challenge him.
"No one," Milo replied and put his hands up. "But still, aren't we getting ahead of ourselves? What do we even know about this traveling to different worlds?"
"We'll find out," Kai announced, although he had no idea where to start. "I know. I think we should hide until we find a way, just so that Sebastian doesn't send us back before we do that."
"First, we should get out of here," Tani reminded him. "Why is Seb so strong?" She walked over to the adorned doors and examined the lock. "Ouch!" She withdrew her hand after pressing her fingers against the ice coming off from the other side.
"He just is. Nice to be an ice prince, right?" Kai said with a snort.
"I don't think it feels very nice for him right now," Pepin intervened. "He's very much in love with Milo, and I don't think there will be anyone else for him for as long as he's alive."
They all fell quiet and looked down. "Yeah, that's a bummer," Kai agreed, being the first to break the silence. He didn't dare to ask Milo what he thought about that. It wasn't fair; Milo hadn't believed Sebastian for a moment, and it wasn't the ice prince of Ifigia he was in love with. Actually, he was in love with –
"Are we going to be in some weird love triangle?" he asked out loud.
Milo smacked him playfully over the head to bring him back to reality. "What love triangle? What I see is a classic four-way, and that without counting royal concubines and whatnot."
"Are there such things as four-ways?" Tani asked all eyes and ears.
"You're not allowed to ask about these things," Kai scolded her.
"I'm not allowed to get isekai'd either, but here we are, right?"
There wasn't much he could say to contradict his sister.
Their little quarrel was cut short by strange sounds coming from the other side of the door. They all stared at it while the ice inside the lock melted and fell into a small pool on the floor.
"It looks like our leisure trip is over," Galien announced as he opened the doors wide open.
"Where's Sebastian?" Tani asked, looking around the duke.
"He has important matters to attend and informed me that I should take you back to my palace."
"Actually, he got ordered," Conrad intervened from behind Galien.
Kai noticed right away Conrad's amused smile. The prince of Estfalia must have warmed considerably toward Galien to smile like that. Also, he was there, in the palace, which meant –
"Conrad," Kai started, "can you keep an eye on Sebastian and what's going on in the palace? Pepin thinks that there might be Uxilan assassins around. Or at least allies of theirs or something. But, wait, you got stabbed that time..."
"You can count on me," Conrad replied right away. "Unlike before, now I am under a special kind of protection."
Kai smirked as he noticed Galien smiling smugly. Ah, so that was why Galien had wanted to see Conrad so much. But couldn't he protect Sebastian just the same?
"The least I can do. Unfortunately, fire cannot protect ice," Galien explained as if he could read his thoughts. "But Conrad will be here, and he'll be our eyes and ears. Don't you believe I deserve a kiss?" He turned toward Conrad.
Tani surprised everyone by slapping her cheeks with her palms. "A yaoi kiss? For real? Ah, I so wished I had my phone!"
Kai firmly put his hands over her eyes and held her close, which immediately made Tani launch into a fierce struggle. "Stop it, butthead," he warned.
"Don't torture the little girl," Conrad said. "There won't be any kiss to witness."
Galien pouted. "You're no fun. Mark my words, Sir Conrad, you'll fall for me one day. Children, let us be on our way. I need to show this stubborn man that distance makes the heart grow fonder."
Conrad laughed and held the door for them. Kai stopped by his side. "Will you take care of Sebastian? Even if you don't like him very much?"
"I will. It is my duty. Also," Conrad added, and his voice dropped, "don't let him know, but I'll do it for that rake of a duke, as well."
Kai made a short move to simulate zipping his mouth, locking it, and throwing away the key. They nodded at each other in understanding. Then, Kai hurried up and took his sister by the shoulders.
Pepin stood there, unmoving.
"You're not coming with us?" Kai asked, knowing that a positive answer was impossible.
Pepin shook his head. "Sebastian is right about making sure that Reya doesn't suspect anything. But I'll keep a candle lit every night, hoping that I will see you again," he said and threw himself in Kai's arms.
They hugged each other for a long time. Kai sniffled and then looked away. "Something got in my eye," he lied.
Tani grabbed his arm. "We will find a way to bring Pepin back with us. Mom so needs to meet her son-in-law."
Galien cleared his throat discreetly. Kai looked at him and realized that he wasn't doing that to hurry them. A few feet away, Milo appeared to be engaged in some dead-serious conversation with Conrad.
***
Sebastian walked purposefully toward the council room. He had sent word already for councilman Madigar to meet him there, without letting him know that they were about to have an intimate conversation, away from prying eyes and ears.
"Your Majesty," the older man jumped from his high chair and bowed to the ground, holding his position there for long moments.
"You can stand," Sebastian said and closed the doors behind them. "I believe that it's grating that you're still willing to keep up with this charade when we both know what you truly are."
He stood still, expecting denials. If he were wrong in his assumption, suggested as it was by Pepin, then he would know from the councilman's reactions.
Madigar straightened up and gave Sebastian a shrewd look. "Does Your Majesty recognize me for what I truly am?"
No denials, then. That was a good thing, and it would save everyone precious time. "The one you are right now, yes. You're not councilman Madigar anymore."
"Haven't been for a while," the older man admitted. "Do you care for my real name?"
"I'd say I don't, but I expect that you'll enlighten me, whether I wish for it or not."
Hollow laughter followed. "Very well, I am Metust, head of the House of Uxilan, and I am here to punish the one that destroyed my kind."
Sebastian didn't flinch as Metust discarded the appearance of the old man who once had been known as councilman Madigar, and instead of that shriveled body, a tall man dressed all in black with his face partially covered appeared. He sustained the dark gaze without saying a word.
"Nothing to say? I would have at least expected you to act surprised," Metust taunted him.
"I've never been the one to perform for the sake of an audience, and I'm not about to start now. What do you want?"
Metust laughed, throwing his head back. "What could I want? Revenge."
"Very well. My life is yours," Sebastian said calmly.
That made Metust stop mid-laugh. "What do I hear? Your Majesty, I thought you weren't the type to perform like a trickster at a fair."
"I have conditions," Sebastian added.
"Ah, that sounds more like the ruler of Ifigia we all know, although I still find it hard to believe that you would be willing to give up on your life without a fight."
"I am not lying. Answer my questions, and I'll surrender without lifting one finger to threaten you."
"Very well." Metust crossed his arms over his chest. "Ask away."
"Were you the one to curse me to travel to a different world?" It was a risk he was willing to take. If the Uxilan didn't know about it, he would entangle himself in his web of lies.
"Yes," the simple reply came. "I must say that I was much surprised to discover that at least a part of you remained here despite the curse being as strong as it was." The dark eyes examined him with curiosity. "The curse was never meant to be parried in such a manner. You were supposed to get trapped in another's body, not split like this."
"Maybe you suck at curses," Sebastian found himself saying.
"Suck at..."
"Never mind," Sebastian said quickly. Why had those words from a different world had to rub off on him like that? "It appears that your curse didn't work as you wished. Now, I must ask, what did you want to achieve with it?"
"We're at the hour of honesty, it appears. But, Your Majesty, it is quite simple. Knowing how we couldn't defeat you, not with your goddess's protection by your side, and the magic you were born with, we had to do something to weaken you."
So they hadn't known that time that Reya's protection was no longer with him. Sebastian remained silent and just encouraged Metust to continue with a slight wave of the hand.
"We had to infiltrate the palace, so I killed that old man," Metust spat, "and this way, I could be close. Then I visited Luna Celeste's quarters, claiming to be in need of a charm to soothe my soul after losing my sons in battle."
Sebastian felt his jaw turning into steel. One of the reasons he hadn't wanted to believe Pepin's words was because he knew how devoted the old man had been to the kingdom. And this dark magic wielder had taken everything from him.
"She's a shrewd woman, your lady with charms. For a moment, I thought she saw through my disguise, but I played my part well, and she is, after all, just someone with lesser magic, not on par with what I wield," Metust proclaimed, puffing out his chest. "I left my curse floating in the air of her quarters, with the mission to sink inside the next charm she gave you."
Luna must have wished to help an old man's soul after burying his children and played an unwitting role in that abominable plan. Sebastian decided that she would never learn the whole truth; it might prevent her from opening her door to those in need if she ever came to suspect everyone of being secret wrongdoers. As much as he wasn't fond of her, her charms brought peace to many and healing of the heart.
"What was the curse supposed to do?" Sebastian asked in a measured voice.
Metust examined him with suspicious eyes. "It was supposed," he began slowly, "to identify the weakest soul in all possible worlds open for an exchange of such magnitude, and have yours replaced with it. Your magic should have gone with it, and all your power. And in your stead, a shell of you with nothing but a useless soul inside should have appeared."
Sebastian pondered. Obviously, Metust was unaware that his plan had actually succeeded. Only that the curse must have underestimated Kai Martin and the true power of his soul.
"We waited for the curse to follow its course, and the next day, I waited for you to kill you, while wandering the hallways of your palace."
That must have been when Conrad got stabbed by an Uxilan dagger, Sebastian drew his own conclusion.
"Not only were you saved by your reckless concubine, but you appeared to have suffered very little changes in magic wielding and power. Although your manner of speech became strange, and you seemed to have no recollection of simple things such as where rooms in your palace were, you were unaffected. And yet," Metust continued shrewdly, "you know that our mission was to send you to a different world. Were you?"
Sebastian schooled his face into a neutral expression. "Partially. I was aware of being affected by something I couldn't explain and had visions of strange places, unlike anything in this world. Otherwise, I've been here the whole time."
The ice in his veins had to count for something. He could tell the most blatant lies if need be, as long as they served a noble purpose.
Metust frowned. "The magic we placed in the curse should have worked. What other questions do you have?"
"What did the curse contain?" Sebastian asked promptly.
The head of Uxilan appeared taken aback by the question. As long as the ingredients were obtainable, he would ask Luna Celeste to make it so that she could send Milo, Kai, and Tani back to the real world.
"Your life is not enough to get an answer to such a question," Metust replied.
"What would it take, then?"
"Ifigia as a whole. Burned to the ground."
"No." Sebastian turned on his heels and froze as the pain inside his chest flared again.
"You got stabbed," Metust accused. "I haven't heard from my people, which only means that you killed them all, but even now, something keeps you in place, and your pallor becomes more pronounced. You must have been touched, after all," he added with triumph.
"What did the curse contain?" Sebastian asked through his teeth. "And no, you cannot have Ifigia."
Just two things he needed to accomplish before the thread of his life ran short. To send Milo and his friends back and rid the world of Uxilan for good.
"There's nothing else I want," Metust replied. "It appears that we are quite in a conundrum, Your Majesty."
Villains had to be handled with care. They were overconfident bastards, as they called them in Kai Martin's world, which meant that they could be played.
"I can offer something." Sebastian turned to face the Uxilan again. "The Shimmering Cavern."
Reya would never forgive him. But he would make sure that Metust died with him, and the world would be left without evil bent on destroying it.
Metust frowned and looked at him carefully. "The Shimmering Cavern cannot be destroyed. If Ifigia disappears, your goddess can make another. But not without that magical place that creates life out of nothing."
Not out of nothing, Sebastian wanted to correct him but stopped in time. What did this assassin know about love? His dark heart couldn't comprehend the notion.
"It can," he said with confidence. "Only I know how."
"Are you trying to make a fool out of me, Your Majesty? The role doesn't suit you."
"No, nothing of the kind. Tell me what is needed to make that curse, and I'll give you my life and the Shimmering Cavern along with it."
***
"I still cannot get my head around how you've spent weeks here without giving yourself away," Tani whispered as they followed Galien down the hallways of Sebastian's palace.
"Trust me, it wasn't that easy," Kai replied. "I mean, at least several times I thought I was done for. And it surely felt as if I had some sort of protection, now that I think about it."
"What kind of protection?" Tani asked.
"I don't know, especially since Pepin told me that whatever Reya cast over Sebastian to protect him from those magic jerks was gone. But still, seeing how those Uxilan assholes died by their own poison like I was wearing a high-powered anti-magic reflective coat or something..." Kai stopped. "No way," he whispered. "I think I know who protected me."
"Who?" Tani couldn't hold in her excitement.
"Galien," Kai asked, "how can I find Luna Celeste's quarters? I mean, I did wander in one day by accident, but I don't really remember where that was."
"She only appears when needed," Galien offered his reply. "Now let's go. We don't have time to waste. Don't tell me you're suddenly in need of a charm. You should know that Luna Celeste only wields lesser magic."
"Actually, I do. I totally have a sweet tooth and I need a fix, like ten minutes ago," Kai said.
"Sweet tooth? What kind of charms does this lady give?" Milo intervened.
"You'll see," Kai replied. "Now, Galien, what should I do? Should I call for her? Luna Celeste! Luna Celeste!" he suddenly shouted, making all the others turn toward him to shush him. "Ah," he said with excitement, "look!"
To their right, a conspicuous door had just appeared and soft light irradiated from within. Kai didn't wait for his companions to protest and barged through the door. "I know you cast protection magic on me so that I could defeat the magic jerks," he said in one breath while pointing at Luna Celeste, who stood at her table, smiling all sure of herself.
"Galien, please close the door," Luna Celeste said in her pleasant voice. "Now, who wants a charm?" She clapped her hands, and in front of her, on the table, various mini-cakes materialized, causing Tani to let out shouts of wonder.
"Must you indulge these children?" Galien asked with a huff, but he obeyed and sat on one of the chairs, just like everyone else.
"I must," Luna replied. "Let's see now..." she pondered as she took them in and then looked at the cakes. "For you, Galien," she said and picked a cake powdered with white and adorned with red cherries. "May your love life be blessed."
Kai observed with satisfaction how, despite his protests, Galien hurried to take the offered charm.
"For you, Kai Martin," Luna continued and took a beautiful layered thing in three different colors. "May you find your home."
"I want one, too," Tani complained.
"Tani, be polite," Kai warned.
"Easy for you to say. You got your cake," Tani accused.
She was usually much more behaved, but it was probably impossible to resist the temptations the lady with charms offered so freely.
"For a clever and beautiful girl," Luna said, making their quarreling stop. "May you always stay the way you are today." She handed Tani a multi-colored cake adorned with a tiny unicorn on top.
That left only one guest. Kai didn't touch his gift and looked at Luna and then at Milo. The charming lady appeared to ponder over her charms. Eventually, she picked one in moving shades of blue. "May you always choose what's right for your heart, Milo," she said softly and appeared to hesitate for a moment before handing him the charm.
Tani sighed in delight after taking the first bite. "Have you been eating these things every day, Kai? How come you're not fat?"
Luna laughed, throwing her head back and showing the column of white that was her neck. "My charms never make anyone fat."
"Now I truly know we're in a fairytale," Tani said with another reverent sigh.
They all dug in without another word, and for a while, only the sound of their teaspoons against the porcelain plates could be heard.
"Why are you here?" Luna asked and rested her chin in her palm. "I thought you'd try to stay out of harm's way."
Kai decided that he was the leader of their group. "Yes, but I had to see Pepin, and Galien had to see Conrad, and Milo had to see Sebastian." Oops, that last bit had been a slipup.
"And I wanted to see Seb's palace and meet everyone," Tani added, smoothing over his mishap.
Luna looked at them with a fond smile. "You're right, Kai. I did protect you, and not only that time, and not only you."
Kai hesitated for a moment. "You're more than just a charming lady with charms, right? Despite what people say."
Luna angled her head and examined him thoughtfully. "I'm just someone who has dear people in her life, and that is all."
"But I'm a stranger," Kai pointed out.
"Even so, you came here, and because of your strong soul, and Sebastian's, too, you are all here." She pointed at their group. "What is whole should never split."
"Hmm," Kai managed pretended that he understood what she was saying. "Have you ever protected Sebastian? Even when his mom didn't?"
Luna nodded. "And you, while you were in his body."
"Because Sebastian is the ruler of Ifigia?" Galien asked, evidently curious.
Luna smiled. "That's only a small part."
"Because he's the son of a goddess?" Kai asked.
Luna nodded slowly, leaving room for interpretation.
"Because you love him," Milo surprised everyone by jumping in the conversation.
Luna's face lit up. "Yes. Because he's my son, too."
TBC
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