Be it Kyoukas was a military captain, his free time was severely limited. Regardless, Rakshal and Igni managed to arrange a meeting with the enigmatic man within the week.
In the twilight of a long day of waiting, Igni led the way to a different park within a completely different Faifeleth city. The older god appeared to be in a slightly better mood this time, humming softly and nonsensically as he commonly did, with his small snake-child around his neck once more.
Meanwhile, behind him, Rakshal was more anxious than he thought to be seeing the captain again. He successfully kept the anxiety hidden, but inside, he felt timid.
He intended to do it this time.
He would ask if the captain was a friend of his family.
Distant, pleasant quacking and soft splashing brought him out of his thoughts. Around a large tree, and Igni's wide body, he caught sight of a large pond and red hair that carried a slight shine in the light of dusk.
As they came closer, he saw Kyoukas standing near the edge of the water, a small bag in one hand and the other scattering seeds into the water. It was a picturesque sight, made all the more so by the time of the day and the backdrop of grass and green trees.
"Were you mentioning Shouhei Zafahr before?" Kyoukas asked once they were close enough. "The pirate?"
"Yes," said Rakshal. He briefly looked at the ground, then moved to sit on the grass, facing the captain a considerable distance away. Igni jumped into a nearby tree. "He's an acquaintance."
"Ah." Kyoukas closed his small bag and brushed off his hands before placing it into a pocket. He turned to look at them. His expression was softer than before. "Would you happen to know what happened to him?" he asked quietly.
Rakshal wilted inside. "Did he go missing? I last saw him over a year ago..." He glanced at Igni.
Broad shoulders shrugged. "Dunno nobody named Shouhei. Sorry." He hummed. "Though, with them Faifeth'hai an' Raja'shun..."
Kyoukas glanced towards the grass, eyes briefly fluttering as if withholding a different reaction. He then turned away. "The Faifeth'hai have taken much from me and those I love..."
Rakshal's lips parted, only to close into a thin line.
"I will not stop until I see the Raakhirahi off the throne and the Wasihli in their place, as they should have been millennia ago," Kyoukas continued, his voice low and restrained. His words were said with a dark conviction that was almost alarming.
Lips parting, Rakshal swallowed.
The gloom disappeared as suddenly as it had appeared, and Kyoukas sighed, smiling languidly towards the gods. "I'm glad to see my hard work pay off, regardless. I've worked alone for a long time."
Over 100 cycles, Rakshal thought somberly. That brought a question to mind. "Do you know about the experiments and abductions?"
Kyoukas tilted his head to the side, a strange, dark look appearing in his eyes. "I know about...the abductions..." He placed his hands behind his back, focusing sharply on Rakshal. "Experiments?"
"Yeah..."
Taking a breath, Rakshal explained the entirety of the situation as he and Igni knew it along with a bit of what he was told by Ali. He did not include the bits about the ancient bashmut, feeling it wasn't time to explain that—yet.
Grey eyes had widened, growing larger as the short minutes of explaining passed. When Rakshal finished, the captain was undeniably horrified.
"We, the Raja'shun captains, have absolutely no knowledge of this," Kyoukas said, voice tight. "This has been happening for some time, then," he murmured, solemnly shutting his eyes.
"Do you know anyone who can help us get the victims out? Someone proficient in sciences or something, maybe?"
Grey eyes flashed in the orange light as they flipped open. A cool, calculating expression overcame the captain's face. "I am a scientist. I am more than willing to aid, however I can. One definite I know of is that I'll need a decoy at some point..."
Both grey and mismatched eyes looked at the tree.
Igni blinked, having been paying attention while lazing on a shockingly wiry branch. "M'too large t'be bait." He grinned widely, putting his fangs on display. "Can try, though."
Rakshal couldn't help but smile. "Shiayni, Igni."
Somehow, the fanged smile widened menacingly.
"The predator is bait, then," Kyoukas murmured, cracking a small smile. He then focused, wiping it from his face. "I will have to scope out the Isrid and see if I can gain access without resorting to...more violent means. Not that I am against them," he softly scoffed.
"Be careful," Rakshal found himself blurting. He paused, then sighed, lowering a hand to play with the grass. "I'd...hate for something to happen to you..."
"You are kind, my lord Monsar."
The corner of his mouth twitched. After a moment of silence, he exhaled again. "Thank my mother for that..."
"Your...mother?"
He took a moment, shutting his eyes, and swallowed again. "Yeah. I...wanted to ask before, but..." He stared hard at the grass between his fingers. "Are you...a friend of the Wasihli? A friend of...my family?"
Silence ensued.
His lips briefly trembled, but he looked up.
Kyoukas's eyes were wide again, arms stiff at his sides. He appeared to be staring towards Rakshal but was clearly elsewhere, reliving some event in his mind, some memory. Some trauma.
His body shook, hands clenching into tight fists. His mouth opened.
Nothing came out.
"Kyoukas?" Rakshal tentatively asked.
Blinking, the captain came back to the present. His eyes were visibly glassy as he looked Rakshal in the eye. "Who is your mother?" he asked, voice hoarse and distant.
Rakshal barely kept the lump down in his throat long enough to whisper, "Aiyool."
The captain's eyes hazed over. "I am...your brother Rashar's...husband." Tears fell rapidly, hotly. "My name is Rhasti Zafahr-Wasihl."
The dam broke as Rakshal nearly blubbered. He crawled over, then barely had the energy to stand and run towards his brother-in-law.
Rhasti opened his arms, arms Rakshal gladly ran into before shutting his eyes. Despite how slender they seemed, they were strong and lean, holding him gently yet tight, with reverence. They sunk to the grass as Rakshal finally sobbed.
Familial warmth. One of Rhasti's hands cupped the back of his head, and he felt nearly delirious with relief. The older man smelt pleasant, nothing too overpowering, nothing too strange. Rakshal desperately memorized it.
You were wrong.
He couldn’t stop crying even as he wanted to say more, moisture welling over and over in his eyes as he recalled his mother’s own tears.
We're not alone, Keeka. We're not alone.
The sun had set. Unfortunately, Rhasti had to leave, back to the Malaki Raja'shun barracks where he would rest surrounded by the enemies of his and Rakshal’s family. Though he was unwilling to depart so soon, he did so with a genuine smile and a promise to see his “little brother-in-law” again.
Rakshal sat at the edge of the pond, staring over and into it. He watched the fireflies, the insects, and listened introspectively to the chirping and other sounds of night. Goku was in the water, swimming quietly while tormenting fish. Igni had also allowed Rakshal a moment to contemplate after his reunion.
But the snake, in typical fashion, couldn't stay silent forever.
"What's on yer mind, Raaki?" came the inevitable call. Yet, his voice carried a surprisingly caring tenor, one Rakshal hadn't heard before. It was...nice.
Rakshal's shoulders rose and fell from a deep inhale. "I'm wary."
"Wary?" The genuine question prompted him to continue.
"You were right. Good things have happened. I just…fear it won’t last.”
"Hm..."
He heard movement and gentle rustling behind him.
"S'not a bad ol' way o' lookin' at it," Igni admitted. "Be alert. Don' take nothin' fer granted, yeah. Things can go bad 'n no blinks at all, yeah."
The older god’s voice began to fade, as though he was walking away.
"But, Raaki..."
Rakshal slightly turned his head to the side.
"...s'nice t'breathe, too, y'know.”
He sensed the snake disappear.
Blinking, he turned to face the water again. After a few seconds of nothing, one of his brows went up in stunned silence.
From his place in the water, Goku chirped.
With a small, amused scoff, Rakshal hummed in agreement. "That's the fucking nicest thing he's ever said to me. Maybe to anyone, for all I know…" He looked up at the stars.
A myriad of small lights glittered across the sky, twinkling and blinking down at him. The moon hid behind some clouds, peeking to wink and remind him of light in the greatest darkness. The great expanse above made him feel small and insignificant, yet simultaneously humbled him.
"Atiti Yiwa," he whispered, closing his eyes. "Shiayni nochi Gekai."
AFTER THE CHAPTER
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