Chapter 33

            Gackt knocked on Kage’s door. Kami and Hyde on each side. Miyavi standing a little behind carrying there stuff. After all he was supposed to be Gackt’s servant.

            “Yes? Can I help you?” asked the woman who answered the door.

            “I’m Lord Camui. Tell Kage I am here.” Gackt said with a bored look.

            “Wait here.” Replied the woman, shutting the door in Gackt’s face. A few minutes later it was opened again. “He’s waiting for you. Follow me.” She said and led them back into the room they had first met Kage. Sure enough he was sitting there looking pleased.

            “I’ve changed my mind.” Gackt announced glaring at Kage.

            “I see… what brought along this sudden change?” Kage asked suspiciously.

            “When I realised how much power I’d have as prince of my kingdom and Lord of yours.” Gackt answered. It was a risky strategy. But Uruha had assured him it was the most believable in Kage’s eyes.

            “Honesty. I like that.” Kage replied with a smile. “You’re here for power?”

            “That’s right.” Gackt said, a challenge in his eyes.

            “You take after your father.” Kage laughed. “Yes, I can grow to like you. Very well. I will give you another chance to be my son.”

            “Well you’re my father. You have to give me a second chance.” Gackt arrogantly replied.

            “What is with the humans?” Kage asked. “And the half breed.”

            “The half breed is my servant. I hired him while we were here. The humans are… there my night time fun.” Gackt replied.

            “So you’re into men?” Kage asked. “Fair enough. You have good taste. There both beautiful… I can see why you ignore there humanity.”

            “Yes. There only flaw.” Gackt replied wrapping an arm around Kami’s shoulders. “I think I want this one tonight.” He added as he licked Kami’s neck.

            “Now, now. This isn’t the time for that.” Kage scolded. “Let me show you too your room.”

            “We need two.” Gackt announced. “I make my toys take turns. Only one stays with me at once. Don’t want to spoil them.”

            “Yes off course.” Kage announced. “I know exactly how you feel. Follow me.” Gackt glanced at Kami and followed upstairs to a grand bedroom. It had a large bed and a sofa and a huge wardrobe. It was beautiful. The second room was more normal in size and contained two single beds, one for Miyavi and another for Hyde, because off course Gackt planned too chose Kami every night.

            “I’ll leave you to unpack and get adjusted.” Kage announced. “Meet me for lunch in about two hours.”

            “What now?” Hyde whispered once Miyavi had declared Kage out of hearing range.

            “We snoop?” Gackt suggested.

            “No. Maybe you should try talking to him alone. Get some information out of him.” Miyavi suggested. “It’s safer. We should at least try that first.”

            Hyde joined Gackt and Kami later. Miyavi had gone off to get the remaining belongings from the house.

            “This house is really creepy.” Hyde complained.

            “Yeah I know. But we need to stick it out.” Gackt agreed.

            “I hope we get some information soon.” Kami complained.

            “Wait… I think I here something.” Gackt whispered. Hyde and Kami remained quiet but couldn’t here anything. “He’s coming back.” Gackt whispered. “He’s coming to check on us.”

            “Get in the bed.” Kami whispered. “Let’s make the cover story believable by letting him catch us together.”

            “You sure?” Gackt asked, already removing his shirt.

            “Yes. We need to get him to trust you.” Kami replied. “Quick.” By the time Kage reached the room Gackt was lying in the middle of the bed, Kami on his left and Hyde on his right. Hyde had his hand on Gackt’s chest, his head buried in Gackt’s neck as if he was kissing him. He wasn’t but as long as Kage fell for it. Kami had decided to be more daring and had his hand inside Gackt’s trousers resting gently. His lips were on Gackt’s chest as he gently kissed him. Gackt had the hardest job, of pretending he was in the middle of being sexually satisfied.

            “Father, you could knock.” Gackt complained and then let out a fake moan. “Kami stop it.” He wringed in just the right tone of voice to make his father know he didn’t really want Kami to stop.

            “I’ll come back later.” Kage announced walking out. Gackt let out a few more fake moans and sighs until he was sure Kage was out of ear shot.

            “Well he fell for it.” Hyde announced as he moved off Gackt.

            “Yeah he did.” Gackt replied.

            “Cecil I will here no more of this.” Kage snapped to his girlfriend. “My son is telling the truth and that’s that.”

            “But Kage…. He has two humans with him.” Cecil complained. “Doesn’t that give you a clue that he’s properly on there side?”

            “No. He is using those men for sex. I saw it with my own eyes.” Kage snapped. “A man who has two men pleasing him is not a man who cares about humans feelings. I will here no more of it. Gackt has my blood and will see things my way.”

            “I think you’re deluding yourself.” Cecil replied. “You want an heir so bad you’ll believe anything.” Kage glared then slapped her hard across the face.

            “I will not have you bad mouthing my son.” Kage cried in a rage.

            “I’m sorry.” Cecil cried, tears running down her face. “I’m only trying to look out for you.

            “Well don’t. I can look out for myself.” Kage angrily snapped at her.

            “Thank you” Klaha said gratefully as Mana’s final spell removed the last chain.

            “How long have you been here?” Kyo asked curious.

            “About 4 months…. It’s hard to tell.” Klaha answered. “It’s because I got caught.”

            “Who caught you?” Kyo asked.

            “Let me start from the beginning.” Klaha decided. “I worked as a sorcerer in a city west of here. I had to hide my power from humans off course, casting magic that I found as easy as breathing, but it allowed me to help people. I was happy. Then Kage came, he wanted me to work for him. I could tell he was a dragon straight away. I could also tell he was evil. I turned him down but that night Byakko came to me in my dreams, his chosen form of communication. He told me to accept Kage’s offer. You see dragons are protected from Byakko’s sight by Seiryu. They are his children, and only he can watch them. The same is true for me. Only Byakko can watch my movements.

Byakko knew that Kage was up to know good. But he couldn’t see what the dragon was up too. He wanted me to find out. I off course agreed to his wishes, and caught Kage before he left the village. I told him I had slept on it and decided to accept the offer. He though I was just after the better pay and happily agreed. Even though I only used a fraction of my magic, I was still seen as a powerful magician. That’s why he wanted me.

He had plans though. His wife and  his son, Keisuke, had been killed and he wanted revenge. I had no idea what he was doing off course. It turns out he was kidnapping human children, experimenting on them. He was trying to make a new dragon. He found that a human injected with dragon blood would too become a dragon. Only they have no free will. They are puppets to his. He is trying to create an army to eradicate humans. He doesn’t know who killed Keisuke, so he has decided to kill the entire species instead, leaving a few as his slaves. And off course to create more dragons.

But these new dragons. They will disturb the balance. Created from evil the magic within them will be evil too and it will pollute the magic of life itself like a poison. Only a few of these dragons exist now, but there are enough real dragons for this not to be of any significance. But when his army is created…”

“It’s the end.” Mana finished. A look of horror on his face.

“Byakko sent me two visions. One is if Kage succeeds. The second is how to stop him.”

“The dragon and the rider.” Kyo whispered. “What’s a rider?”

“I don’t know.” Klaha answered. “But the dragon already travels among you.”

“Gackt.” Közi replied. “He’s half dragon… or so we were told.”

“Gackt… he is the one who will save us.” Klaha answered.

“I have one last question.” Mana announced. “What are you?”

“A child of Byakko.” Klaha answered. “The white tiger of the west. A magician of both white and dream magic and seer of Byakko’s will.”

“Dream magic?” Mana asked. A sorcerer himself, he had been taught many forms of magic but not this.

“Yes. Sending messages through dreams, like I did with Kyo. But I was weak, my magic is depleted. I need meat to keep it up, and I have been fed none these last few months. I could only send my message to someone with an open mind. Kyo seemed my best choice, so I choose him. He was heading this way anyway. But dream magic has other powers. The dream world contains many secrets. I can walk from mind to mind, alter peoples personalities through subliminal messages left in dreams. But I don’t do this. It is forbidden. To mess with someone’s subconscious is dangerous and should never be done. Love spells are the worst.” Klaha gave Mana a look. “I was going to help that poor man you tried to alter, but his will was so strong, he didn’t need it.”

“Are you spying on us?” Mana glared furious.

“No. But when people cast magic in dreams, Byakko’s children’s can always see. I can’t say I was impressed. Your magic was done with malice and ill content. I had to watch you to make sure you didn’t try to hurt him again. But you seemed to be generally sorry, so I have decided to leave you be.” Klaha replied.

“I think we should get back to the campsite before it gets dark.” Közi warned. He could tell Mana was angry and didn’t want an argument to break out.

“That is wise, the guards will be changing soon. We better get away fast.” Klaha added, “Before we are all caught.”

On the way out of the cave Közi gave the men he had killed a guilty look. Klaha gently rested his hand on Közi’s shoulder.

“They were evil men. The world is better off without them. But grieve anyway. Killing a man should never be easy.” Klaha commented.

“They hurt Mana.” Közi replied. “They were dead before I even thought.”

“They’ve done more than that.” Klaha replied. “The guilt you feel is human. Never lose your humanity or you’ll end up like them. Killed by another righteous young man.”

“Közi will never end up like them.” Kyo replied. “He’s one of the good guys.”

 Silently the 4 men headed away from the cave, thinking everything over quietly. Klaha striding ahead then waiting for them to catch up only to stride off again. He was fast and graceful. Like the tiger god he was born to serve.