Aether Nexus: Curse of Love & Hatred

From Domitius’ perspective, it all happened so fast.

He didn’t even know Nina had moved until after the fact. All he could register was that he seemingly tripped, then when he looked up, his punch had sunk entirely into Mumu's soft body, completely absorbed.

For a moment, Domitius' eyes widened in surprise. The next moment, Mumu's black slits for eyes glinted with a flash of golden energy, then he countered, its plush paw flying in a blur.

The impact of the punch was immediate, with pain exploding in Domitius’ chest as he felt the sickening crunch of ribs giving way. The force of the gut punch lifted Domitius off his feet and sent him crashing into the snow, ass first—just like how Koul predicted.

For a moment, the surrounding area was silent, everyone present either frozen in shock, or facepalming out of embarrassment.

That was until a sound broke the stillness: Domitius’ booming laughter. He pushed himself up on one knee, clutching his side, his grin wide despite the pain. "Well, I'll be damned," he wheezed, eyes gleaming with a mixture of respect and amusement, "you've got quite a punch for a stuffed toy."

“Told ya so, mate! Hahahahar!” Koul laughed.

Dama, on the other hand, wasn't so pleased. “AHHHHH! Are you alright Mr. Domitius!?” he shouted while running to help Domitius.

Mumu, however, stopped Dama by hugging him to his belly, his face scrunched, giving off an angry expression. Nina slithered to her brother's side, sharing in his expression.

Domitius raised one hand up. “Don’t worry, kid. I asked for this,” he took a moment to cough into the back of his hand, “and I paid the price, hehee! I may have bit off more than I could chew! That bear of your's truly is remarkable, for just being made of wool and cloth. And it's not only the bear, but that fox too. I couldn't even see her move even though I never took my eyes off her! You know what that means, right Junior?”

Still facepalming, Ryuu answered with a detached tone. “They can help us fight the Oni, correct sir?”

An answer that elicted Mumu and Nina's heads to tilt in response, their angry expressions disappearing in favor of curiosity.

“Bingo!” Domitius’ bellowed out as he stood back up, still holding his side. “Though, only if Young Dama here would allow it. However, before you answer that, Young Dama, I would first like all of you Enohayens to meet our chief. There we'll discuss more about what has been happening to our village and what this Oni is.”

Koul and Liam exchanged glances, nodding with each other. “We agree.” Liam ended up saying.

“I-I guess…” Dama said nervously as he thought about Domitius’ offer. “Mumu and Nina…fighting?”

Smirking, Domitius walked back towards the village center. “Alright! Everyone except Clemens, come with me to the chief's!”

“Wait, everyone except me!?” Clemens repeated, stunned.

“Well yeah, we need someone to look after the crates and barrels, no? I trust you the most!” Domitius responded in an effort to reassure his young comrade.

“Oh… Well, if that's the case, I'll…I'll try my best!” Clemens exclaimed before taking position beside a resting Dorsey in the stables, ready to defend the food.

As he watched everyone else depart, he saw Domitius pump his fist in the air. “Don’t worry, Clemens! I'll have some of the guards stationed at the chief's come and help distribute the food, relieving you of your duties for the day!”

Later, as Domitius led everyone else north of the village, Dama looked in awe at the building they were approaching.

It was a modest, but well-crafted building that reflected a blend of practicality and authority. The structure was larger than the average villager's home they passed by, with a sturdy stone foundation and walls made of timber, carefully fitted to withstand the harsh mountain climate.

The roof was expertly made, its thick layers providing excellent insulation against both the cold and heat. The recent snowfall had added a picturesque layer of white to the roof, though the snow was carefully cleared from the eaves to prevent it from becoming too heavy and causing damage.

Wide, wooden steps led up to a small porch that extended across the front of the residence. The porch was covered, offering some shelter from the elements, and supported by thick wooden pillars. A few wooden benches were placed against the walls, providing seating for visitors and guards on duty.

The entrance to the residence was marked by a heavy wooden door, reinforced with iron bands and adorned with simple yet elegant carvings of mountain scenes and protective runes.

“My my, now that's a place for a chief if I've ever seen one! I couldn't have built it better myself!” Koul exclaimed, voicing Dama’s thoughts.

“Not to mention how well the surrounding area is maintained.” Liam added on as he looked onto the paths cleared of snow leading to the entrance and around the building. Around them were a few hardy evergreen shrubs, resilient to the cold and adding a touch of green to the wintry scene. “So, I gotta ask before we go in, the chief actually has a Soulful Technique?”

“Chief Okun's technique is formidable, but he's...not very inclined to use it unless absolutely necessary.” Domitius said, his tone a mix of respect and frustration. "If Young Dama's magic can help us fight, maybe even communicate with or understand the Oni, it might be just what we need."

“Formidable?” Liam, intrigued, asked, "What exactly is it?"

Domitius hesitated for a moment, as if weighing how much to reveal. "The chief's technique allows him to manipulate the earth around him freely. It's how we've managed to fortify and defend our village whenever the Oni comes near. Again, it's a really formidable ability! But convincing him to use his power is…challenging.”

Gus frowned and crossed his arms in a huff. "If he has such a powerful ability, why isn't he doing more to help with the Oni?"

“Oy, Gus!” Koul and Liam shouted in unison, “Be more respectful! You're representing Enohay here!”

Shrinking back a little, Gus muttered under his breath. “I'm just saying…”

Ryuu sighed. "Ai… I would be irritated myself, but, Gus you say? I slightly agree with him. Chief Okun believes in minimal effort, which kind of ticks me off. He thinks the situation with the Oni will resolve itself or that it's not his problem to solve directly. It's frustrating, but we have to work within the constraints we have, ugh…”

Domitius then stopped in his tracks, causing everyone else to stop too—except for Dama, who walked straight into Koul. “Trust me when I say this men, Chief Yamanaka may be a bit troublesome right now, but he wasn't as lazy back then…” Walking up to the chief's house, Domitius continued, “It all went downhill after that damned plague that took his wife. He has never been the same boisterous leader since I'm afraid.”

Thinking on it for a short moment, Koul looked back at Dama, who was listening intently, and smiled. "Then maybe it's time for Dama to step up. If we can show the chief that we're serious about solving this problem, maybe he'll be more inclined to help."

Domitius stopped again at the front doors, turned around, and nodded with a smirk, appreciating Koul's determination. "Mighty fine point you got there, mate, let's hope so. For now, let's get you settled and see what your magic can really do! After what I've experienced, I guarantee it will provide the breakthrough we've been waiting for!"

Dama, while shocked at first, pumped his fist into the air, trying his best to put on a brave persona he thought Koul and Domitius would approve of. “Y-Yessir! I'll do my best!”

Gripping the iron handlebars of the front door, Domitius opened them. “Alright, welcome lads, the chief is inside.”

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Next: (Chapter 38) Briarstone’s Chief: Part 2