Fowlhunter [GL]

Ying spluttered indignantly. “We just helped you!”

“And that’s over,” Ennanis said idly. The air crackled with the sound of charging Soleki. “You’re still Beasts. Any other reason I shouldn’t just kill all of you right here?”

Asha squirmed, but seemed too afraid to make a sound.

Meanwhile, Ying’s hackles raised. Three against one, and you think you’re in a position to threaten? Are you just bluffing? But Ying knew she wasn’t. On Mount Casca, she had seen the Graveyard Commander take out entire troops of Beasts by herself. She sweated. What could they do now? Make a move for it and snatch Asha? But at that distance, she’d never be fast enough.

Just then, a voice beside her spoke.

“We’re not on Mount Casca right now,” Lochlan argued. Ying turned to look at the boy, who spoke with an unexpected calmness. “At most, you can only arrest us and take us to trial. By angel law, angels can’t kill unless it’s in battle.”

“Oh,” said Ennanis. Her voice sounded distant. Then she twisted her hand, digging the spearhead further into the skin of Asha’s neck, spurring another yelp from her.

“Do you think I really care about that?” continued the Graveyard Commander. “My only job is to kill Beasts. And I certainly wouldn’t mind having one less enemy on Mount Casca.”

Well. It was worth a shot.

Ying’s thoughts flashed to Jemi, who was likely making her way here right now. But she would need time to get here, and time to plan an attack that would get them to safety—one wrong move, one second of faulty timing, and they could all end up skewered. They just had to stall—but how? The silence in the air was deafening, only broken by the ominously-growing buzz of Lienna. Gnashing her teeth, Ying searched for an opening for her to pull Asha free, but the angel never loosened her hold.

In the end, it was Ennanis who spoke first.

“Where is your leader?”

“Ah— huh?”

“The Cockatrice. The Princess of Beasts. Or whichever one of her million names you want to use,” Ennanis said patiently. “Where is she?”

“She’s d—” Asha began to say, but Ying shushed her with a look.

“We don’t know,” Ying said instead, loudly.

For you see, Ying had been by Jemi’s side for a long time. She was her mount while they fought upon the alps of Casca. As such, the pixiu had been a first-hand witness to Ennanis Zoleil and the Cockatrice while they fought… as well as been a first-hand witness to the strange relationship they shared. Their fights were more like dances; there was a sort of possessiveness, a twisted obsession to it. For eight years it was like this. On a few occasions, Jemi had even sent Ying away to wait in the forest, and then she would return, oozing from wounds, a delirious smile on her blood-splattered face when she let Ying take care of her injuries.

Ying had always been an observant creature. Now, she saw the dark, wild look in Ennanis’ eyes. She did not think it wise to even pretend that the Cockatrice was dead. It felt dangerous. So that was what she chose to say:

“Out of all of us, I was on Mount Casca that night,” Ying continued carefully. “After you went spiralling, our Princess went rushing after you. After the arrow hit her… she disappeared. We have no idea where she’s gone since.”

Ennanis stared back at Ying. Ying’s skin prickled. But finally, though her expression tightened, the angel commander relaxed her spearpoint minutely. She went on.

“Tell me, then. What were you all looking for?”

“What do you mean by that?”

Ennanis flattened her gaze. “Did you really think I wouldn’t notice? A bunch of Beasts just so happen to be here for the first major Beast attack in Wataron in months, and conveniently decide to help out? You’re obviously behind this in the first place.”

Ying steeled herself. She had to say something to persuade her.

“I understand your suspicion, Commander, but it’s just a coincidence. No one has control over a Runt.” It was true. Jemi was merely… a special case. “We were truly just enjoying the festivities—the Ball of Souls is very popular among the locals. We decided to help you solely out of our desire to keep the human civilians safe. We don’t ask for any repayment. The very least you can do is let our friend go in peace.”

Ennanis obviously didn’t look convinced. Of course she wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between a Beast and Runt when they were the same thing to her: an enemy. Right; this plan had ultimately counted on Ennanis being able to put aside the battlefield for courtesy’s sake.

Sure, they were eventually planning to stab Ennanis in the back; they just hadn’t expected Ennanis to beat them to the punch!

Just thinking about it made Ying feel rather moronic. Because, really, what else had they expected? What else had Jemi expected? That Ennanis would thank and happily follow the Beasts after they had helped her out once? This plan was doomed to fail from the very beginning.

“What are you looking for?” Ennanis repeated. “Answer me.”

Unless… this outcome was all part of Jemi’s plan, too. Oh, the sly girl, her. As Ying finally understood what the Beast Princess had wanted her to do, she mentally cursed her.

Slowly, as if surrendering, Ying raised both her hands. Lochlan looked at her, shocked, but she ignored him. Soon, the boy did the same. Asha, still locked within the angel’s spear, meeped agreeably.

“The truth is, Commander,” Ying said fluidly. “We’ve been looking for you. We know that you seek the Kraken. We can help you with that.”

“What is your motive?”

“We are deserters from the Beasts,” Ying answered readily. “We don’t agree with the goals of the lunar army any longer. They’re trying to use the Kraken, but we know they’re playing with fire. So we ran away. We know you’re also after the Kraken. Our goals align, and we have information you need. We may be enemies on the battlefield, but you know this is too valuable an opportunity to pass up. So what do you say? Do you want to kill three Beasts now, or stop the world from ending?”

Ennanis stared… and stared.

Then she said,

“Why would I ever believe the words of a Bea—”

She didn’t manage to finish her sentence. For it was just then that someone barrelled into the angel, crashing them both into the lake.