The white tower
This story is rated PG-13 for sexual situations
Chapter 1 - An Unlikely Pairing
When the young man had been walking on the road, it had been fairly safe for the road was well-protected and he had seen many guards along the way. But the road led directly to the Castle and he did not want the inhabitants of Otherworld's Castle to see him. There would be too many questions that he did not want to have to answer. So an hour ago, he veered from the path, going into the forest to the northwest of the Castle. He had tried to be quiet, but he had no forestry skills, and with every step he took, a twig would snap or leaves would rustle. Suddenly, his feet got tangled in a root hidden in the brush and he fell with a loud crash. The wind was knocked out of him and he lay there defeated and angry at his clumsiness.
Then, to his dismay and horror, he heard laughter and the sounds of approaching feet. He struggled to his knees but was pushed down from behind by a heavy boot. In seconds, four men surrounded him.
"Do you think this one could make more noise?" one of them asked through his laughter.
"I could have heard him in the next village!" another exclaimed.
He flushed red with embarrassment and turned to face his tormentors. Four very large and very rough looking men stared down at him. Fortunately, they were human and not demon, so they would probably not eat him, but they were obviously bandits who roamed these forests looking for unwary travelers, so he would be robbed and very possibly killed.
Rough hands grabbed him and bound his hands and feet while the others searched through his clothes and his leather carryall for valuables.
"This one is poorer than we are!" one of them exclaimed, after pulling out everything in the carryall. "But he might be worth selling as a slave in Demon World."
The largest of the men lifted the young man and slung him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes. Hanging over the bandits shoulder, he watched his belongings left scattered on the trail and bleak despair overtook him. How would he get out of this mess?
After a short time, he was thrown hard to the ground. He looked up to find himself in the middle of the bandit camp. There were at least a dozen heavily armed bandits, all ruffians and scoundrels of the worst kind.
One of them stood up from his place near the campfire and walked over to the captive. Bending down, he lifted the man's face and examined it.
"This is one is very pretty. He should fetch a good price in Demon World."
"I will not be some demon's slave!" the captive said, hoping that he sounded brave, but fearing that terror had made his voice a few octaves higher than usual.
"A slave? No, my pretty boy, you will be much more than a slave."
The captive blanched white. If he told them who he was, they might set him free. Or they might hold him for ransom instead. Or even worse, sell him to his grandfather's enemies. Unable to decide which path was the best, he remained silent.
Soon he was forgotten, just another a piece of luggage in the pile, and the bandits set out a watch of two while the rest went to sleep. He tried to make himself comfortable, but he was still tied hand and foot, and sleep was impossible. Besides, all he could think of was the terrible future that awaited.
Suddenly, a strong wind whipped through the camp and scattered the embers of the campfire, which fell painfully on several of the bandits. They jumped up in alarm, weapons drawn and looked around for an enemy.
"Free your captive." came a quiet voice from the trees.
"Who said that? Where are you?" Had the Castle's guards found them?
A slightly-built young man came to the edge of the firelight and stood there. The flames flickered across his face revealing pure white hair that fell in a peak over golden eyes. He had no weapons, but then he needed none. The bandits recognized him immediately: Tennu, one of the Protectors of Otherworld and a very powerful demon. Suddenly they wished that the Castle guards had found them instead!
"Leave." Tennu said in the same quiet voice.
The bandits looked at each other, surprise written on their faces, and then as one they scurried into the trees. They didn't know why a Protector had let them go free, but they didn't wait around to question their good fortune.
Tennu knelt down and began to untie the young man. "You would have been safe if you had stayed on the road."
"I took a wrong turn and got lost."
"Don't lie to me, Raike." Tennu said in a calm voice, tossing Raike's leather satchel to him. "I have been watching you for quite a while now and you purposely veered off the road."
"So you know who I am? Then why did you follow me? What do you want with me?" The former captive said in alarm. Perhaps Tennu was not the Protector he was reputed to be. After all, he just let a dozen bandits go free.
"I know who are you, Raike, son of Yusuke. And I followed you because I feared that something might happen to you. And it seems that I was right in my assumption."
Raike looked at Tennu, his brow furrowed with concern. "Then I thank you for your help."
"Why are you heading in the direction of the White Tower?"
"That is my concern, not yours." Raike said, not wanting to give his reason to a friend of the Castle. Tennu was one of those whom he had been trying to avoid.
"Well, then I shall take you to the Castle to clear this all up." Tennu said with a smile.
"No! Please don't!" Then Raike sighed, defeated. He had no choice but to trust the demon that had just saved his life. "I was going to beg the new Sorceress for help."
"What help would you need from Jaal?" Tennu asked.
"My father is a Battle Demon and Raizen, my grandfather, is one of the rulers of Demon World and probably the strongest Battle Demon that ever lived. And I am nothing! I inherited no powers at all. Perhaps the Lady Sorceress can help me find latent powers or something -- anything!" Raike said miserably. "But you wouldn't understand. I know who you are, Tennu. You are one of the most powerful Protectors that Otherworld has. You have both Wind powers and Bobcat powers."
"I understand more than you think, for I too am on the road to the White Tower. I am going to offer Jaal my services." Tennu said frankly.
"Why? You have everything! You are respected and powerful, not useless like I am."
Tennu said nothing, lost in thought, then said in a low voice, "And because of that power, my own father nearly killed me."
Raike looked at the demon in alarm. Wasn't his father Tekken, the leader of the Bobcat Clan and one of the males of Queen Vara?
Tennu saw the questioning look on Raike's face and elaborated, "Several months ago, one of the Tala duplicates hid inside of me in order to kill Queen Vara and my father slashed me open to save her." Tennu lowered his head, and continued sadly, "It took me months to fully heal. And for many days, they didn't know if I would live or die. My father chose Vara over me. I can't forget that -- and I can't forgive him." He brushed a hand across his eyes and turned away.
"So that's why you stayed in Otherworld and didn't return to Suzaku." Raike mused.
"Yes." The demon looked at the young man. "It seems that we are both going to the White Tower so we might as well travel together. I doubt if you will survive on your own."
Raike blushed again, but nodded his head, grateful for the company of the powerful demon.
So this very unlikely pair set out together to see the Sorceress Jaal who lived in the White Tower with the Blue Dragon; one to offer his services in order to escape the memory of his father's claws and the other in a quest to find power.