"SQUIIIIIIIIID!!!"
Rui tackled Knox down before he could fall victim to Peaches' amok. Everyone from Yertle grimaced, squinting their eyes when the ascending sun reflected against the reaper's scythe. Series of metallic slashes resounded. We opened our eyes to the scenery of ink squirting out of the squid's body before its form separated into perfectly sliced rings. Wings burst out of the reaper's back. He hooked his arms to each ring and safely delivered them to Yertle.
Peaches glanced at the awed crowd, pointing at Slade as soon as he found him.
"Iguana, I want this cooked."
Slade's eyes bulged from their sockets from the audacity he had to order him around.
"Haaaah?! Who the heck are you to tell me what to do?! Who are you calling an iguana, you fucking eyesore?!"
"AHHHHHH!!!" Freyjadour wailed. He was curled into a ball on the ground while his body smoldered from the sun's light.
"Oi, what's happening to you?!" Crowley queried.
"Quick, get him inside!" Ikesha ordered.
"Do we have to?" Caleb grumbled.
Slade snorted. "I mean sooner or later we're going to get rid of him anyway. Let him burn."
Everyone, especially Elik and his group, watched Freydjadour's execution with their eyes bearing successful retribution. Freydjadour's hair burned until he was left with a bald and shiny scalp. His form became spindly; bones were apparent under his dry and sun tanned skin. A tattoo of a green octopus holding swords surfaced on his left arm. His screaming died down. The smoke and smolder on his body disappeared. Silence ruled from the chaos of confusion.
"Hmm? He should be ashes by now," Garrison commented.
"Are you really a vampire?" Raphael queried.
Freydjadour jolted, having a realization. "Shit…" he whimpered. He slowly sat up. His nose resembled a cat's. Whiskers sprouted from his upper lip, acting like a mustache. His head was shaped like a chicken's egg.
"Ha…ha ha ha. That's right! You are in the presence of The Great Kumo from the deadliest, coolest, fiercest, and strongest devil of the sea, the Black Tentacles!"
"Black tentacles? Your tattoo is green though," Buck pointed out.
Kumo whirled with a disgruntled expression. "Shut up, you brat!" He then pointed at each and every one of us. "Shut up shut up shut up, all of you! I'm sick and tired of being your rag! Captain Shivers won't sit around as soon as he finds out that his right-hand man, Kumo The Copycat of the Sea, was mistreated like this!
"Pirate, huh?" Laeroth scoffed, rubbing his chin in deep thought. "I heard of Black Tentacles. Aside from looting, you guys go around in different continents and carry out dirty works of nobles. What did you do to the real Vosredal Prince?"
Kumo's wide grin sent a shivering message. Caleb's huge hand landed a slap on his cheek that shocked him.
"What was that for you damn mutt?!"
"I wanted to slap that grin off your face, it was annoying me."
Slade came up and slapped him on the other cheek. This time the werewolf and the dragon took turns on smacking him. His head was roughly turned away from each land of their palms.
"Answer the old man!" Slade snarled.
Caleb snorted. "Yeah, yeah, yeah! Answer the old man!"
Fists rammed on top of the duo's heads. Laeroth's eyebrow twitched.
"How can he answer me when you keep smacking him like a donkey's arse?!"
By this time, Kumo's cheeks swelled like a chipmunk's. His eyes were teary.
"The Black Tentacles has Token XI. It's worth engaging with them if you are aiming to collect all the tokens," Knox spoke. Kumo froze when Knox made his presence known again.
Knowing Knox for a short period of time, he could be very manipulative. He was always up to something. I wouldn't be surprised if he was the one who threatened Kumo and not the other way around.
"How about it, prince?" Laeroth asked.
"I don't see why we would pass this up," I replied.
"You think small fries have a chance against the Black Tentacles?" Kumo questioned smugly.
"You think they'll survive if we sink their ship in the middle of the sea near a whirlpool?" Sevor asked.
Kumo's eyes widened. He ground his teeth, ready to pummel the twins down.
"You don't stand a chance! And besides, they're in Bone Island right now. You won't be sinking any of our ships near a whirlpool!" he proudly declared.
The crown on my head talked. "Paprika, head to Bone Island."
Paprika, who was watching from atop the stairs, bowed. "Yes, my Lord."
Kumo palmed his face before slapping his mouth three times. He yelped when Crowley grabbed his bony shoulder and raised the cuffed links.
"Congrats on your momentary spotlight. I'm sure you're stupid enough not to notice you've been used by that shrewd kid."
Knox was already behind Crowley. He poked the Hanuman's butt with his finger that generated a small electric spark. Crowley jolted as he was electrocuted for a second.
"How rude. I am nothing more than a starry-eyed child. I am in the same category as Buck."
"Yeah, sure, a Buck that's raised by blood-thirsty warlords, crafty nobles, and deceptive kings!" Crowley snapped.
"Ah! No way! I was raised by Rui!" Buck protested, pouting.
Rui hit his head. "Are you stupid?"
More of Paprika's kind crawled from under Yertle and started their chores after drying themselves off and slipping on to their servant clothes. One of the male servants bowed before Peaches and extended his hands forward.
"Master, how would you like your squid cooked?"
Peaches touched his chin in thought before staring at Slade for help. Slade crossed his arms.
"Honestly, you're hopeless," he said to the reaper and turned to the servant. "Grill the squid. We want shrimps on the side."
The servant nearly fainted but kept himself composed. "I…I'll see what I can do."
"Cian–!"
Everyone turned to the young and teary-eyed boy behind Paprika. He must have been still sleeping so Raphael had to leave him in the room to check what all the ruckus was.
He reached for me and ran down, only to trip. I leaped from where I stood, catching him before he could crash. The boy sniffled. His usually pale face was red. He crumpled my shirt with his small fists and leaned against my chest to go back to sleep.
"Let's put him back to bed Lucian," Raphael told me.
"No…It's okay. He's not that heavy anyway." Ciel made it his mission this morning to find me. His efforts would be in vain if we merely return him to the place I wouldn't be able to stay in for the entirety of the day.
We ate a feast, mostly seafood. The servants weren't able to comply with Slade's request of shrimps along with the squid Peaches hunted. Paprika wouldn't allow them to exterminate one another for the sake of their duty to please Yertle's residents. The enormous dining hall was filled with chatter, laughter, and arguments. No matter how much Slade and Crowley screamed at the misbehaving children, one naughty child would sprout after another. Paprika watched from the doorway with watery eyes. He clapped his hands, gathering mostly everyone's attention except for Buck and Ziru who decided to terrorize Rui with a crab they kidnapped from the kitchen.
"It's been decades since Yertle became this astir. Ever since Lady Bunzi, Lord Levi, and the inhabitants of Yertle moved out, Yertle has been sailing the seas without a destination. As the captain of this vessel, I am moved. It would be an honor if Lord Lucian would rename this once fallen and abandoned city. I am sure Lord Levi would not mind."
"I simply do not care," Levi responded.
I leaned back against the chair, watching Ciel enjoy the cluster of grapes Peaches placed on his belly. "I cannot think of anything. Perhaps we should wait for my brother?"
Laeroth wiped his mouth. "Waiting for that dumbass would only hold us back from the Scums' goal of world prosperity and peace. You are our leader now, Lucian. Our lives are in your hands."
The man's words struck me with a heavy mallet. Leader? I never led before. I was the Prince of Cludea, however, I was never bestowed any responsibility. I was a doll but Lucius severed those strings. I was still trying to learn how to stand and move on my own.
A hand on top of mine snapped me from thinking of the demise that would befall this city if I was the one to lead them. Caleb's eyes were fixed into mine. He had a calm and a reassuring smile.
"You don't have to carry the burden alone. I'm here whenever you need me, Lucian."
"These children are our duty too. We will protect whoever comes to join us. This is a shared responsibility," Sevor said.
Slade hit his palm with his fist and pushed my head down. "Shitty old dragon, why are you spouting that shit to this idiot? He can't even save his own foreskin let alone save your own hide! I'll protect this city with my shitty twin! If anyone dies, it's in our hides so if anyone dares to go to the afterlife, remember you have to deal with him!" he snarled, pointing at Peaches who stopped chewing on a tentacle for a second. His cheeks were filled with food.
Raphael lifted the grapes from Ciel's stomach and handed him three pieces for him to eat slowly. "My charge has enough to deal with. I am opposed to this but if he were to accept this task, I wholeheartedly believe that he would be as great a leader as his brother. Just know that if you abuse him, I shall not sit down and watch. If you were to make any request, ask me first and I shall do my best to fulfill it."
Peaches slammed his hands on the table, causing everyone to jump on their seats. He had a dark look in his eyes.
"If anyone would go against him, betray him, hurt him, talk badly about him, and look at him in the wrong way— whether he's the leader or not— you'll go to hell with forks up your asses."
Caleb, the twins, and Raphael whacked his head all at the same time. "There are children here!!!"
Laeroth scoffed. Ikesha and Garrison jabbed him in the gut.
"Don't worry Lucian-nii! With me here, no one can get close to you!" Ziru cheered.
"Give me a break, you'd be the first to die," Rui mocked.
"What did you say you damn mutant reptile?!"
Buck got in between them with a sheepish smile. "Let's calm down. We can all help out Lucian-nii."
Rui and Ziru tried to grab each other despite Buck's intervention. Crowley had to lift them like kittens, appearing as if he was an exhausted single-parent working three jobs.
As soon as breakfast was finished, I took Ciel to the bathroom to wash him. The bathroom had one circular tub. Two walls had white bricks while the other ones were painted with navy blue, having polished mahogany frames that made the artworks drawn on them appear like paintings. I turned the knobs on, filling the tub with lukewarm water.
"Come Ciel," I urged, extending my hand for him to grab on. Ciel shook his head and stepped back. I released a sigh, giving him a small smile.
"Maybe some other time then."
I suspended my feet inside the tub, sitting down with my clothes on to which I removed after my body was concealed. I leaned back; Ciel stepped forward with worry in his eyes.
"Cian!"
"I'll be okay."
If I go on more days without taking a bath, I would truly die.
I closed my eyes and felt drowsy. I couldn't afford to nap with Ciel waiting. The child made small steps towards the tub. A hand lightly tapped my chest.
"Cian."
I opened one eye to peek at him.
"Yes, Ciel?"
He lifted one leg, attempting to get inside but couldn't because of the height of the tub.
"Ready for a bath?"
The water swooshed with my movement. I lifted Ciel by his armpits and placed him on top of my stomach. I let him get settled first before I wet his hair by scooping water with the dipper and pouring it over his head. Ciel panicked, rubbing his face aggressively. I gave him time to calm down before giving his head another pour of water. I squeezed a small amount of vanilla scented soap on his hair and gingerly lathered it.
Ciel's eyes drooped as he relaxed under my touch.
"Don't sleep yet Ciel, you'll catch a cold."
I rinsed his hair well and proceeded to peel off the baggy shirt he was wearing that Raphael must have found in one of the wardrobes in the room.
Indeed, the tub water turned brown from the amount of dirt he was covered with. I lifted Ciel out of the tub and grabbed a towel to dry him off with. I carried him to his room bare naked and scavenged the closet for small clothes.
"You can distribute my clothes to the other children. It's a good thing Paprika didn't think of disposing them," Levi permitted. I brought out a dark green tunic with gold hems. Ciel had fallen back to sleep. I removed the damp towel and slipped the clothes on.
"Thank you. That's kind of you."
"You didn't have to bathe him. You could have asked one of the servants to do that for you."
I moved Ciel to the center of the bed. "He trusts me."
Levi scoffed. "You're making him depend on you too much."
'Why does he have to be such a wet blanket?' one of the female ancients muttered.
'Unlike Lucius who's heuristic, Levi is more austere,' uncle Caspian commented.
'He's a douche,' a child snorted.
'Cirrus, language please,' the female scolded.
'Bleh, what can good manners do when you're dead anyway, Yako?'
"Wouldn't it be nice to have someone to depend on? I didn't have any of that. Lucius was gone for eighteen blue moons, okaa didn't want to lose me, otou didn't want to lose okaa, thus it didn't matter to them if I had lost myself if it meant saving what matters to them the most." I pulled the duvet over Ciel's form, sitting at the edge of the bed.
The crown on top of my head liquified. Levi sat beside me while he placed his hand on top of my head to keep me from dying.
"You are my brother but you are more than a stranger to me. I wanted to see what kind of person you are before I…"
I closed my eyes. "I am a vegetarian."
Levi's eyebrow twitched. "I'm not talking about your lifestyle choice, you idiot."
Levi looked at the window where the sea sparkled from the sun's beam.
"Are you the type who would forsake the ones you love to save the world or are you the person who would forsake the world in order to save yours?"
I tilted my head in question. A surge of warmth filled my body before Levi stood and opened the window. "I gave you enough mana to last you for the day. I need to sleep. If you need anything, have Paprika find me in my usual seabed."
He jumped, turning into his dragon form and slithered into the ocean. I didn't want to dwell too much on his senseless words. Thinking about it would only drain me. I stood but I stumbled back when my belly throbbed painfully. I clutched my stomach, bending forward.
'Are you okay, nephew?' uncle queried worriedly.
"Ye–Yes."
The pain subsided when I caught the whiff of a strong spicy mint scent accompanied by lavender. I stood and walked outside, closing the door behind me. I followed the scent to my room. Slade and Sevor came out arguing. When our eyes met, my knees weakened.
Slade's eyes steeled. "Oi, what are you doing butt naked?"
Sevor jogged and held me up. "What's wrong? You'll catch a cold."
I buried my nose against Sevor's chest. He smelled minty. Slade came and lifted me up. The lavender scent was from him. My rear throbbed. I curled my hands in a tight fist when my tender hole excreted the same slippery liquid. The twins' eyes darkened. Slade's Adam's apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed.
"Let's get you to bed," he rushed.
The younger twin placed me gently on the mattress. Sevor lifted the blanket to cover me. Both of their heads turned opposite of me as if they wanted to avoid me at all cost.
"We'll get going," Sevor murmured.
"We'll close the door for you," Slade added.
They were both being ridiculous.
"Wait!"
I grabbed their wrists. Their bodies were rigid. There were big tents camping on their crotches.
"I…" I shakily spread my legs. My erection lied against my stomach. "Something is wrong with my bottom. Will…one of you take a look?"