Dark Crow Rising

"No one is here, but, my calling gnaws so viciously at my mind." I say to myself as I watch the halls where imitations of long-gone humans walked. They were laughing and chattering without a care in the world other than when a teacher walked by not so long ago. A familiar purr and jingle of a bell hits my ears. I turn and find nothing, so I look down.

A small cat, white-furred and amber-eyed.

"Hello." it meows with a feline smile as it hops up onto my lap. I glance at my battleaxe, Cenotaph, as a name forms on it after four seconds of quiet.

"Hail to you, Kone." I greet, tilting my weapon forward a little as she seeks comfort by me as battle continues to destroy the school and beyond. I am almost mesmerised by Kone's double-ended tail and the way it gently swings. Sometimes, it limply jumps to another spot.

"Do you have any treats for me?" Kone asks after they suddenly hop down from my lap. Only to then start scratching at my shin armour, eliciting all the irritating, high-pitches that they can. My face remains stoic and I narrow my eyes at the glimpse of the wound Father dealt all that time ago.

I want Him to be happy, I want Him to stop hurting Himself like everyone else in my good family. But, I cannot hold the Crimson Destruction in anything but contempt, She is vile. Tormenting my Father is one thing, but to do so with those who should've been put to rest so long ago. Such cruelty, this emotional manipulation and the disgracing of the dead.

A despicable entity to the core.

Rising as Kone backs off, she hisses as nothing is caught on her nose, "No treats..."

It's clear Kone holds a special place in Father's heart, his ancient, wounded capacity to love. He has told me of Kone in cryptic speak for some time, ever since I came to care for Par'tryont, my lion. He loved her so much, spoiling her rotten with as many treats as could be stuffed into her mouth. A sweet tooth with strings to both hearts.

I drop to a knee, gently and place Cenotaph down, "Do you have any preferences for treats? My pet lion, Par'tryont, has a fondness for roasted pork with the crackling left on."

A small paw goes to her mouth and she ponders the question. The signs of a watery mouth are increasingly clear and that pondering paw quickly becomes slobber-cleaning. My cat may be far larger than Kone, far more predatory in nature. But, I'd like to assume there is a mutual love shared between them when it comes to edible desires.

"Sweets!" she maows loudly as she purrs at the memory of a flavour that refuses to leave her tongue. Father likely could not resist to greet His dear friend the way He always did, so, I have a feeling she is holding that recent treat close. I smile knowing this, it is nice to see Father show something other than forced sailor tongue and prickly abrasiveness.

"Anything in particular?" I ask as her answer is quite broad. It can mean so much, tarts, cake, custard, fruity, biscuits, jelly, jams, doughs, chocolates, gummies. And, that is only such a skin-deep few for a selection! There are so many options and this vagueness is convincing me that as long as it satisfies a need for sugar, it is good.

"KILL THEM ALL!" a much-despised voice screams during another burst of Father's power. I narrow my eyes as I feel Her influence.

Kone cries all of a sudden and she collapses to the ground with a painful whine. Her growls deepen and her size grows as she explosively becomes more like a tiger. I snatch up her broken collar just before these six, glowing orbs of a light blue hue burn and melt it down. A complex network of magical tattoos burned to the surface of her fur and deeper as if wax strips had been peeled.

"So our destiny has arrived." I mutter as I stand before the snarling big cat. Turning back towards Cenotaph, I shake my head at the life-taking blade. If I strike Kone while her name is spelt out, she will die again. I do not intend to earn Father's resentment for all of eternity, even if he has the power to undo my mistake.

I pity this poor creature, even as she bares her claws and teeth at me, ready to charge at but a twitch. From a happy house cat with unfortunate reminders scarred into her flesh, to a beast of war rippling with the grotesque. I cannot be fully sure of why Father allowed a portion of the Crimson Destruction's power out. But, whatever the context may be, I need to try and save his friend.

"Can you understand me still, Kone?" I ask her as she leaps for me, trying to violently tear me apart the moment she can draw blood. Gently pushing them back, I skip a wide circumference away. My experience with Par'tryont might help me here, my Beast of Pride is stubborn and aggressive when he feels he needs to assert. Hurting them does not solve the problem when his instincts get the better of him.

Kone charges for me again and I catch her jaws on my right vambrace. My left hand does what it can to keep her front paws away, yet, my sister may be better experienced at the moment. I throw Kone away with soft-handed strength, right through the school building as my worries light up the close horizon. Blue fire trails after her roars and the spirit-burning power adds to the destruction of the grounds.

Running for the manipulated friend, I narrowly avoid the six orbs as they go on wide, offensive orbits. Explosions ruin the earth behind me and the souls bound in my greaves cry in misery. Trees fall and dust flies as Kone roars. The time between her mystical fury shrinks rapidly.

Flawless acrobatics and skilful, well-timed rolls see me through and I leap up for her. Catching them in my bronze clutches, we tumble out of control until she lands on her back. Stomping one firm foot onto her lower half, I keep her back set of claws down and away. A hand for the two in front treats them much the same and she continues to gnash up at me mindlessly.

"Focus on my voice, little Kone. You will not be treated if you continue to act like this." I explain as she roars fire at my face. Blinking against the heat, I keep it away and she returns to trying to bite a chunk out of me. I go flying as all six of her orbs strike me on my right. Crashing on my feet, I watch as the tigress returns to all four with a twitch on her expression.

"Swe..." she starts to go before her power and eyes flash a sinister crimson.

I turn to the sky as the tiger charges, "I will rid her of your influence, Crimson Destruction."

Bending into the cat's leap, I fall to my back as four sabre teeth go for my neck. Catching her by each part of her jaw, I force them back until I can fit my foot under her belly. Pushing up with my lower half, they soar high into the sky. My divine hearing picks up on the sound of a splash.

"Let us both hope fish are sweet enough for you, dear Kone." I comment as I leap after the out-of-sight feline. Cratering the forest floor, I react quickly to her ambush and glide her over the ditch. Rushing out of it, I latch onto her wet fur from behind and secure my grip. Flexing my muscles into hers, I ease her towards the water and bring us in.

Steam and splashes fill the woodlands where they can and the cat's aquaphobia sets in. Keeping them in my grip, I nearly crush her against the edge of the water. Resting on her, Kone shivers as Father's efforts and mine break the influence She has on the poor kitten. They remain a beast of war, but, now, her energy to fight is gone.

"Shhhh... Here." I tell her as I pass a fish towards her and I gently stroke behind her furthest ear. Letting them ease into the well-kept feeding frenzy, their mind remains occupied. Keep Kone focused on something else other than this imported evil afflicting her.

"Pond fishie..." she purrs as I continue to stroke her fur. I smile slightly as I feel her size steadily and slowly vanish. Should Father want it, I will have a kitten to present to Him once all is said and done.

"There's a good girl, there's a very good girl." I sing gently as I put my usually mournful talents to a different use. Today, I shall preside over a living life, not one in memorium.