James and Tsukiumi leapt from one rooftop to the next. The wind whipped through Tsukiumi's hair.
"What is this form you have taken?" Tsukiumi asked as she watched him.
"This is the Sekirei transformation, close combat," Fighter responded as he cleared a ten-foot gap between buildings.
"Close combat?" Tsukiumi echoed.
"I'm still figuring out the finer details. We can discuss it later, right now, we have a King to save," James replied as he looked at the shadowy figure in the distance.
"Should I take him out now?" Tsukiumi asked as she raised her palm and water began to swirl around her fingertips.
"No, not yet. He's heading straight for the castle. He'll lead us right through the back door," Fighter replied.
They shadowed the cloaked man as he landed silently in front of the castle gates. He walked past the knight and into the castle.
"Let's go," Fighter said as they launched themselves over the high stone wall and landed in the shadows of the courtyard.
The cloaked figure approached a side service door. He was reaching for the handle. Before he could turn it, Fighter grabbed the man by the back of his head and slammed his face into the stone wall with a sickening crack. The figure crumpled instantly. He was out cold before he hit the ground.
Tsukiumi landed with effortless grace beside him. She stepped over the unconscious body and pushed the door open. "Let's move," she said.
They entered the palace and moved through the dimly lit hallways. "Where do you think they are holding the royals?" Tsukiumi whispered.
"The Prince wouldn't keep them in a guest room. They're probably in the underground dungeon," Fighter responded.
A lone soldier turned a corner. Fighter rushed forward and delivered a punch to the man's throat. The soldier gasped. His knees buckled as he was instantly knocked unconscious.
"You definitely possess strength comparable to Musubi," Tsukiumi observed.
Fighter dropped to one knee and fished a magic card out of the fallen soldier's pocket. He let out a small smirk. "This should give us access to the restricted levels," he said.
"Like a key card?" Tsukiumi asked. Fighter nodded.
Suddenly, a heavy oak door nearby creaked open. A woman walked out.. She had large, expressive eyes and long dark hair partially covered by a white lace headband. She was dressed in a traditional, full-length black maid's dress with ruffled sleeves and a crisp white apron.
Her mouth opened to scream, but Fighter was faster. He closed the distance in a heartbeat and pressed his hand over her mouth and leaned in close to her face. "Don't scream. I won't hurt you," he whispered urgently. "We're here to save the King. And don't worry, that soldier is just sleeping," he added.
"You are touching another woman!" Tsukiumi hissed as she marched over and snatched Fighter`s other hand away. She pulled it to her chest. Her eyes flashed with jealousy. "I am his wife! Unhand her," she stated.
Fighter looked at Tsukiumi, amused. Tsukiumi realised she was still clutching his hand tightly against her, and she turned red.
The maid looked between them. "Could it be, are you really here to save the King and Lady Eril?" she asked.
"Yes," Fighter confirmed.
"Please... oh, please save them! I will guide you to the hidden entrance of the underground dungeon," she pleaded. Fighter and Tsukiumi nodded.
She led them through the palace and out into a secluded garden. Fighter knocked out the garden guard and swiped his card. They reached a concealed stone hatch.
"Thank you, you've been a huge help. You should leave now," Fighter told her. "This palace is going to become a battlefield very soon," she added.
The maid blushed. She thought he was handsome. She snapped out of it. "Thank you, and may God bless you both," the maid whispered before disappearing back into the servant quarters.
James and Tsukiumi pulled open the heavy hatch which revealed a dark, winding staircase.
"Let's go," Fighter said as they descended into the cool, damp air of the prison levels. "The King seems popular; the staff here is incredibly loyal to him," he remarked.
"He must be a well-loved ruler to inspire such devotion," Tsukiumi added as they reached the bottom of the stairs.
The scene before them was horrific. A large, squat man stood in the center of a dimly lit cell area. His heavy boot pressed firmly onto the chest of a small girl. Her body was covered in dark bruises and welts. He held a blood-stained whip in his hand. The large man had a perverted, sadistic smile stretched across his face. He put his weight to crush the breath out of her. The girl's face was slick with tears and dirt.
"The King is so tight-lipped," the man panted as he kicked the girl's ribs.
She was bleeding from forehead. Her small frame trembled. "You should blame your father for what is happening to you right now," the torturer sneered.
"Stop it! Please!" a man cried out from a nearby set of shackles. He had tears streaming down his face. He had receding hair swept back and deep wrinkles etched into his forehead. His thin mustache trembled as he spoke. Despite his fur-lined cloak being tattered and stained, he bore the unmistakable air of royalty. "Leave her be," he added.
The fat man ignored him and raised the whip to lash the girl again before delivering another brutal kick to her stomach. She let out a weak, broken sob.
At that moment, Fighter moved. He appeared behind the torturer in a heartbeat. "You are absolute scum," he growled. He grabbed the man's neck with both hands and gave a violent, powerful twist. A sickening crack echoed through the dungeon as the man's neck snapped like a dry twig. Fighter let go, and the lifeless body slumped to the stone floor like a sack of meat.
"Vile piece of filth," Tsukiumi hissed as she stepped forward and delivered a heavy kick to the dead man's ribs and sent the corpse sliding across the floor.
Fighter knelt down beside the girl. He gently lifted her from the cold stone and wrapped a soft cloth over her small, battered body. "You're safe now," he whispered.
The Ultimatrix symbol flashed and a green beam scanned her. As the beam scanned, her wounds and injuries all vanished. The flash then disappeared.
The girl looked up at him through blurry eyes. She felt a sudden, overwhelming sense of warmth and safety radiating from him. "Mister... Hero," she murmured weakly before her eyes fluttered shut and she fell into a deep, exhausted sleep in his arms.
"She has been through a lot," Tsukiumi said.
At that moment, the symbol on the Ultimatrix flashed red. There was a surge of blinding light, and James emerged from the transformation, returning to his human form. "Hey there, King Reyd," James said casually.
The King stared at him. His eyes were wide with confusion and fear. "What... what are you?" he asked.
"We're just friendly allies. We live in the forest where the Dungeon is," James responded as he thought the Ultimatrix was green again. He wondered why it timed out.
Reyd looked between James and Tsukiumi. He noted that the blonde woman looked strong but she looked different. "You are connected to the Demon of the Dungeon," Reyd remarked.
"Actually, I am the Master of the Dungeon," James corrected him with a sharp grin.
Tsukiumi watched him. She realised James was playing a power game. She stood silently by his side.
"That is not possible... you are clearly human," Reyd stammered.
James's smile widened. "Anything is possible these days. Your son has been giving me a lot of trouble lately, and I'm here to make sure you vouch that your kingdom will never set foot in my territory again," he added.
"I am just a foolish king who let his own son spiral out of control," Reyd sighed as he looked at his daughter whose injuries were all gone. "Do you truly think I have the power to do anything now?" he questioned.
"If you choose to remain foolish, then your citizens will continue to suffer," James stated. "No matter who comes, prince or peasant, if they cause trouble in my area, I will kill them all. I have people I love there, and I'll tear this world apart to keep them safe," he stated.
Tsukiumi felt her heart flutter at his words. A deep heat rushed to her cheeks, and she looked away. Her face turned slightly red. Hearing him claim his love for them so boldly made her knees feel weak.
Reyd let out a long, heavy sigh. "You said the Church is coming," he said. He paused and said, " A father must take responsibility for his child's sins. I will do what I must."
"Sounds good. Remember, we'll talk more about this later," James said. He looked at the heavy iron bars of the King's cell. "Tsukiumi, could you destroy this cage?" he asked.
Tsukiumi nodded and stepped forward with her chin held high. "Hydra Blast!" she commanded. She thrust her palm forward and released a high-pressure torrent of water. The liquid hit the steel bars like a battering ram and snapped the metal.
Reyd watched the display in awe. "A water mage of such caliber," he muttered.
"Okay, let's move," James said.
Reyd gently picked up his unconscious daughter and cradled her against his chest. "Thank you for saving her," he remarked sincerely.
As James and Tsukiumi led Reyd out of the levels and back toward the palace gardens, Tsukiumi leaned in close to James. "So, you only saved him so you could threaten him into leaving the Dungeon alone?" she whispered.
James gave her a playful wink. He put his hand around her waist. "Well, let's call it a tactical negotiation," he responded.
"Get your hand off me," Tsukiumi said as she went red like a tomato.
They all stood in the courtyard and looked at the castle.
"I surrender," one soldier shouted as he dropped to his knees.
"His stare is too strong," another added as he pretended to pass out.
"What are they doing?" Tsukiumi questioned.
James chuckled. "Loyalty," he remarked.