Chain Melody 15

“You have a lot of nerve offering your help after being one of the main reasons that I’m in this mess. Then there’s the question of what you did to Melody.”

Snapping the fingers of her left hand Chain summoned a sphere of light within to a most distinctive of ringing sound while glaring down Professor Plume beaks as he strolled into the heart of the temple.

“You wound me Chainmaid. I had intended to speak business with you before but you acted in a most undelightful way.”

“You were attacking Melody and I won’t stand for that.”

“Then perhaps taking you to her will absolve me of the crime.”

“You would be a fool to believe that I’ll let you take the Bandit Eater from here Plume Beaks!”

Interrupting Beaks attempts to offer Chain compensation for his prior actions the Bandit King fired off a shot at the professor as he threw Elliot aside with a combination of earth rupturing stomp and spiked ball led backhand. For all of the short lived success he had with tossing Elliot aside Roc was honestly surprised as no verse rose from the Builders’ Song in response to his shot allowing Beaks to casually shoot down the attack with a motion from his hand he shaped like a gun.

“You do not want to fail to delight me Bandit King. I have allowed you to live this long simply because you have proven useful in guarding this most delightful of treasures and as a political pawn. Even for all of your power you stand little chance against me, though…”

Beaks trailed off as he drew his sidearm from its place in his shoulder holster and fired off a shot at Elliot who moved to take advantage of the Bandit King’s distraction. To his surprise Elliot deflected the shot with his still radiant blade of light.

“What do you think you’re doing Master Beaks? The Bandit King is a threat due to his own petty grudges and is best stopped now while we have the chance.”

“He is useful Knight Prince Silverlance, more so alive than dead though I must say the power of your verse delights me in its ability to function when I have ceased the singing of the Builders. Perhaps you alone could defeat the slumbering Demon Lord beneath our feet.”

“Beneath our feet?”

Chain’s confusion about the Demon Lord’s location accompanied her looking back behind her to where the Sacred Sword that sealed it stood. Beaks smiled at Chain’s reaction and her subsequent loss of interest in continued hostilities. Taking a green apple from his coat he began to clean it off on his sleeve as he strolled deeper into the heart of the temple. Taking a bite of the fruit as he walked he surprised everyone by firing off a number of shots before anyone realized he had, shattering every primary joint in the Bandit King’s limbs. A surprised grunt escaped the giant as he fell helplessly to the ground. Chain, Elliot, and Finch stared in disbelief at the ease with which Beaks brought low the seemingly invincible Hero.

“Impossible…”

Chain simply breathed the word as she stared at the enraged yet helpless giant. Elliot did not verbally express his disbelief and instead became all the wearier as he began to more carefully watch the obviously delighted Plume Beaks. Beaks offered Elliot a knowing smile before taking another bite out of his apple. So focused was he, he almost failed to notice Finch’s significantly more vocal reaction.

“That can’t be… It can’t be! If you could defeat him so easily why didn’t you before Professor?!”

“Calm yourself Misthead, there is no reason for irrational outbursts. You should already understand why anyway; if I had there would have been no excuse to conduct my experiments.”

“You monster!”

“Says the immature child who foolishly released the Dragon God of the Stormroots and caused this situation. But do not worry Misthead, I am if anything delighted by your actions. You proved that my tampering with the Builders’ Song can circumvent the defenses of the civilizations of the Age of Ash and even proved your worth to the Builders giving them reason to sing of you of their own volition. Yes, I am naught but delighted Misthead. However, you will need to find a new spirit to be a part of your place in the Builders’ Song as your current one will be a necessity in allowing the Chainmaid to save us all.”

“Matches?! Why do you need Matches?”

“Ugh, don’t be a total idiot. I just told you that I would need a powerful enough spirit to attempt repairing the Sacred Sword.”

“But–!”

“You’re childish attachment could prove to be anything but delightful Misthead. I would advise against failing to delight me.”

Finch looked up at Beaks as he stopped and looked down at her, Fighting back tears and rage in equal part Finch gritted her teeth and was betrayed by her eyes risking a glance in the direction that she last knew Matches to be in. Beaks smiled with satisfaction while Finch nearly burst into a panic at the sight of Matches lying lifelessly at the feet of Uprooter.

“Matches?! NO!”

Scrambling back to her feet again at long last she simultaneously rushed across the heart of the temple and scooped up the rodent like fire spirit.

“Matches! Please! Be okay!”

Finch’s panic gave way to tearful relief Matches opened its eyes and squeaked weakly at the child Hero.

“Matches! Don’t worry. It’ll be okay. I promise. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Matches again squeaked weakly as Finch pressed it tightly to her chest.

“A touching display Misthead, but you can do little to help the spirit now.”

Beaks speaking of Finch’s powerlessness enraged the child Hero and she turned that fury onto him with a hateful look and accusatory words.

“You did this didn’t you?! It’s all part of your grand design!”

“I simply took advantage of the situation Misthead, though your compliments of my planning ability are most delightful. But no, you have the Bandit King to thank for the condition of the spirit as well as your own lack of observancy. But I would prefer you not lash out foolishly when it will better serve us to have all Heroes present alive should the need come for us to face the Demon Lord.”

“You seem to be getting ahead of yourself Beaks. Not only have I not agreed to help but this temple is a horrible place to even try repairing the Sacred Sword. Even if you were to be able to furnish me a forge and a large enough gate to hold it, and if that that spirit over there really is strong enough for my needs, there’s still the matter of the light of Sol.”

“Your concerns are well placed Chainmaid, but unnecessary. The only concern you should have is in being able to hone your ability to forge a blade from magic born of the First Well.”

With Chain’s interruption Beaks took his attention away from Finch and onto the maid whose hands he placed the future of the Stormroots. It did not occur to him that she could very well be the very destruction that awaited them and not the slumbering Demon Lord underfoot. Holstering his sidearm and extracting a two-way radio from his coat Beaks spoke of his plans so that Chain might understand his misplaced faith.

“Everything is already under my control. The return of your precious harpy companion. The gate to hold your forge. The spirit to link you to the fires of the First Well. The Heroes to face the Demon Lord should you fail. Even the light of the Great Bird Sol you so desperately need is mine to give you.”

With another smile Beaks took another bite from his apple before depressing the call switch of his two-way radio.

“Condor Command, give the command to engage the Condor Points and deploy the portal. It is time for me to make my throne with the Sacred Sword Nyr’s Tear.”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater