Paws of Fire: Tiger in Town - Chapter 14
#1 of Paws of Fire: Tiger in Town
Chapter 14: The Clock is Ticking
Jalhamut ascended to the tower of Shah, entering the dark chamber of the wise phoenix. As he closed the door behind him, the orange glow of Shah descended from up high. The great orange bird of flame landed softly on the ground in front of Jalhamut, glaring worriedly at Jalhamut with blazing orange flames where his eyes would have been.
Jalhamut knelt down and bowed his head in respect to the mighty bird. "Mighty Shah...I have returned. Forgive me for running from my duties. I was a fool...I-" Jalhamut was starting to sound desperate as shame overwhelmed him, stammering and stuttering before Shah gently placed a talon on Jalhamut's lips. The bird smiled gently, finding himself a comfortable place to sit on the ground in front of the cheetah. "Be at ease, Jalhamut. Why you abandoned us is not important now. You have come to me despite what has happened...tell me what you wish."
Jalhamut explained his encounter with the behemoth, the reuniting with Aveyi and Nick, the death of Zephyr, and the confrontations with the three new enemies. He went into detail about Ryu more than the others, describing in most part the time Ryu had rescued him from a shameful demise by trappers. He then went on to describe the sickening scene where Nick threw away everything he held dear to fuck Lush.
"Apparently, if I were to kill Lush, Nick would die too. Part of me wants to kill her anyway, because Nick deserves to die for cheating in front of Aveyi like that...but something tells me more is going on that I do not know yet..."
Jalhamut sighed before going on. "Ryu and Lush are waiting outside of Bai'ji, demanding entrance. Ryu said there's two others that live here that he fears. I can only assume Uraku is one of them, given his power. The other I would have to assume is Daniel...but my question to you is-"
He looked sternly up at Shah as he asked his question. "Is it safe to bring those two inside?"
Shah remained silent for a moment as he reviewed everything that he was told. The wise bird had a worried look on his half-beak, sighing as he stood up again. It was his turn to reveal what he knew to Jalhamut.
"Jalhamut...what you say disturbs me. The three you have met are known as the Shades. They are the most powerful soldiers Drayak has to offer. Sit down and get comfortable. I have a lot to say...as I have been revealed more about the journey Uraku and Daniel had embarked on in Daniel's own world...and I fear what those two are up against may bring trouble to both our worlds."
Jalhamut looked up at the phoenix, sitting down and crossing his legs as he listened intently to Shah. "Uraku and Daniel aren't here?" He then reflected back to when Daniel was fighting with Qurrah. He now remembers the last words Daniel has uttered that would bring Uraku to his world. "That's right...Daniel invited Uraku to his world just before he died...so Daniel is alive after all, in his own world?"
Shah nodded, smiling weakly at the slight relief that information gave the cheetah. "He is indeed alive. He even has the opportunity to come back here with Uraku if he chooses, but he'll have to end his life in his own world for good to do so...just like Nick did. But with the new information I was recently given...I fear he will not return with Uraku."
"I visited Daniel's world to tell he and Uraku that they were to save his world first before comming back. I did not know what exactly the danger was...but I know what it is now. I do not know if Daniel will realize this in time...but the utter destruction his world has faced is not the end. I can see that in the future, if Uraku and Daniel were not to intervene...everything on his world would return to being filled with great structures, and polluted air."
"The truth is...his world is being given a second chance by the hands of the humans that defiled it. The brightest minds that use technology that does not harm the world and cures diseases are still alive. They are defended in an underground world from the destruction on the world above. However, those humans are being manipulated by the humans with deadly weapons...the military of their world."
"Unless the bright minds are given authority over the others...Daniel's world will not recover, and eventually everything will be lost. But I have not told him enough, I fear. The destruction of the surface may deter him from comming back."
The great bird sighed, bowing his head in shame as he put himself in Daniel's shoes. "It would take a miracle for him to discover this truth on his own..."
Jalhamut nodded, but spoke up confidently to Shah. "Given how Uraku described Daniel, and from my own experiences with the human...I am confident that know matter how hopeless the situation is...he will find a way." Jalhamut wasn't entirely convinced, himself. However, he wanted to give Shah as much peace of mind as he could. Jalhamut already proved to be a weak king...but he wanted Shah to remind wise and powerful, in case the cheetah gave in to his shame again and fled.
Shah smiled at the king, nodding as he went on. "The other troublesome situation is the one we have here. When the undead retreated from camping outside our walls, I was worried something devious was being planned. Now I can see what it is...the Shades know about Uraku and Daniel."
"Lush has outwitted us with her power. Nick is not himself, I can assure you that. Lush is capable of manipulating another mind to give in to any hedonistic desires if the slimest shimmer of want was present. Given her looks, I wouldn't be surprised that Nick had some desire for her, even if it was so faint he didn't even notice it. She must have stretched it out and overwhelmed his mind. They are tied now, and as long as Nick stays in lust with her, he will be cursed...and I fear not even Aveyi can seduce him from Lush's side."
Jalhamut let out a deep sigh. He was relieved to hear that Nick hadn't meant to cheat on Lush...but the illusion was hard to push out of his mind. If this was Lush's power...it was pretty strong.
"Ryu was wise to send viper back to Drayak. If he had set foot in this city, I would destroy him in an instant. I'm the most powerful being other than the gods themselves, after all. He must be training his soldiers more in using the weapons he devised from Nick's original time here."
"The one I am troubled by the most is Ryu. As powerful as I am, he'll know what I plan to do before I do it. He cannot kill me, but I cannot kill him either. We cannot devise any scheme to outsmart him or his companions as long as he's here. The only way to defeat him is to accidently do so."
"Our hands are tied right now. We cannot let Nick die, because he is innocent. We will allow them entry for now, and I'll hold back my wrath...but you must do what you can to keep them from this tower, Jalhamut. If Daniel and Uraku do return, they will appear here. We cannot allow them to be alert of their arrival, or they will murder them both the instant they arrive. I cannot be sure that even their arrival will spark inspiration in me, or give any of us a clue as to what to do next...Ryu's presence is enough to make planning a detriment."
The phoenix flung his wing up high in the air, signalling the dismissal of the cheetah. "Go now...bring them in, and lead them anywhere but here. They will be looking for them both. When they finally find them, I want them both to be prepared to fight if they must."
Jalhamut nodded, turning and walking to the door, shivering with foreboding as he exited.
Shah looked up into the height of his tower, screeching, "Daniel! If you can hear me! Please hurry!"
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Daniel closed the book. He curled his knees to his chest, hugging the book. He knew what he had to do here now, and he knew he had some time left still to go to Uraku's world to help them with the return of Drayak, but he was powerless right now. He was stuck in a cell, waiting for the man to return. Right on cue, the door swung open, revealing the man, holding Daniel's clothes which were neatly folded and cleaned.
"Hello again." The man sat the clothes next to Daniel before turning around, looking away from him as he started putting the clothes on. "Come with me once you are dressed. I'll give you a tour." He folded his arms behind him, waiting with great patience as Daniel shuffled around to put his clothes on.
Daniel finally put on his overcoat, tucking the book into it as he walked up to the man. "Okay...let's go then." Daniel sounded cool and collected, wanting to paint a picture that he was willing to be complient with the man. This seemed to please him, as he walked through the doorway, Daniel following behind.
This would be his only chance, he thought. He needed to find something to make alarms go off. If Uraku was still alive, the alarms would be the perfect signal to bring Uraku to him, and they could begin doing what they were meant to do. "I heard everything, Shah...I know what must be done now. With Uraku here...it can easily be done." thought Daniel.