12 The Kappa King's Lament I

  [Player: Kazuki Arata]

  [Level: 3]

  [Waza: Black Hand, Thread Cutter, Aura Sense, Dark Rider, Retribution]

  [Kegare: 35%]

  [Status: Status: System Status: ERROR]

  [Objective: Escape th | New Objective: ?E?R?R?O?R?]

  ---

  "Ladies, gentlemen, and distinguished entities of the deep!" A voice suddenly boomed through the chamber, smooth as silk but with a vibrating edge that sent shivers down Kazuki's spine. "Your king has arrived!"

  The kappa erupted in a cacophony of croaks, slaps, and gurgling noises that might have been applause.

  From behind the throne, a figure appeared… and Kazuki couldn't tear his eyes away.

  The Kappa King strode forward with impossible grace, each step deliberate yet fluid, as if he were both walking and swimming. He froze mid-stride, one foot suspended in the air, head tilted at a sharp angle that should have been uncomfortable. He held this pose for several heartbeats before suddenly snapping into motion again, darting forward with unsettling speed only to halt once more, this time in a theatrical bow so deep his crown nearly touched the floor.

  He was tall, much taller than any kappa Kazuki had seen, with iridescent scales that shifted from emerald to sapphire under the fungal light. His body was lean and muscular, adorned with strands of pearls and polished stones that clicked together musically as he moved.

  But it was his face that commanded attention; angular and striking, with high cheekbones and full lips stretched in a knowing smile. His eyes were pure gold, lined with what appeared to be some kind of glittering cosmetic that extended in points toward his temples. Atop his head, where other kappa had bowls of water, he wore an elaborate crown that wrapped around the water dish, adorned with crystals and tiny fragments of something red that pulsed with internal light.

  He wore a cape of what appeared to be woven water lilies and reeds, trailing behind him like a living thing. In one webbed hand, he clutched the Shirayuki Knife, its blade gleaming cold and dangerous against his scales.

  The Kappa King suddenly sprang upward, performing a full flip before landing in a dramatic sprawl across his throne, one leg draped over an armrest, the other planted firmly on the floor. He twirled the knife between his webbed fingers with perfect precision.

  "My beloved subjects!" The Kappa King's voice was melodic, with a hint of an accent Kazuki couldn't place. His voice dropped to a whisper that somehow carried throughout the chamber. "Today is a momentous occasion."

  He lurched forward, suddenly shouting: "TODAY!" He leapt from the throne and began to pace frantically before it. "Today, we welcome distinguished guests from the world above!"

  He spun toward Kazuki, his movements impossibly fast, suddenly standing directly in front of him. "Three little wanderers who've stumbled upon our domicile!" He reached out, hovering a webbed finger just above Kazuki's Kegare marks without touching them. "How utterly... fabulous."

  The Kappa King sauntered backward, his hips swaying with each step, never taking his golden eyes off Kazuki. His expression shifted wildly, first gleeful, then contemplative, then darkening with sudden malice, only to brighten again with excitement.

  "Hello, darling," he purred, returning to crouch before Kazuki, tilting his chin up with one long, webbed finger. "You've caused quite a stir up there, haven't you? The Eye is upon you, it seems.'" His pupils contracted to pinpoints. "How delicious."

  He stood suddenly, spinning on his heel. "Remove their gags! I want to hear their screams..." His voice softened, becoming almost tender. "Or applause. Either will do."

  Three smaller kappa scurried forward, yanking the gags from their mouths.

  "Who are you?" Kazuki demanded, his voice hoarse. The bell, still clutched in his palm seemed to warm at the sound of his voice.

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  The Kappa King froze mid-stride, his body going completely rigid. Slowly, so slowly it seemed painful, he turned back to face Kazuki, one eyebrow arched impossibly high.

  "Who am I?" he repeated, pressing a hand to his chest in mock offense. His voice dropped to a venomous whisper. "Who am I?”

  He suddenly lunged forward, his face inches from Kazuki's, moving so quickly the air ruffled Kazuki's hair. "I am the last scion of the Royal House of the Deep Ones! The Sovereign of the Subterranean Streams! The Monarch of Murk and Master of the Moist Realms!"

  Each title was punctuated by a wild, elaborate gesture, his body contorting wildly. The surrounding kappa swayed faster with each movement, water sloshing from their head bowls, eyes glazed and unseeing.

  The Kappa King leapt onto his throne with sudden agility, draping himself across it again like a cat.

  "We don't have... names... down here. But you can call me 'D' - the one and only Kappa King!" He threw his arms wide, and the chamber erupted in croaks and splashes.

  Suzume leaned toward Kazuki, her voice barely above a whisper. "He's insane."

  "Insane? No, my dear," The Kappa King called, his hearing evidently far sharper than human. He was suddenly standing beside them again, though Kazuki hadn't seen him move. "I am simply the only one here with any style."

  He leapt backward, performing a somersault before landing in a frog-crouch several feet away. He stalked toward them with the Shirayuki Knife glinting in his hand. "Do you know what it's like to be the only intelligent being surrounded by thousands of primitive idiots?"

  As if to illustrate his point, a small kappa nearby gurgled happily and clapped its webbed hands for no apparent reason.

  The Kappa King pointed the knife at the creature, his expression darkening with genuine contempt. He sighed dramatically, dropping to sit cross-legged on the floor with a sudden shift in demeanor. "The crushing boredom of it all! The sheer tedium of existence when your conversations are limited to 'kappa want food' and 'water good'!"

  He sprang to his feet again, pacing before them, his movements becoming more agitated, less controlled. "I've read every scroll in the underwater libraries! I've created fashion from river weeds that would make the surface world weep with envy!"

  The Kappa King stopped suddenly, his golden eyes fixing on Kazuki with uncomfortable intensity. His next words came slowly, deliberately, all theatrics momentarily abandoned. "And then I found it. The Red Door. The gateway to something... more."

  Behind D, Kazuki could see Fleet, and he was changing. Over the course of seconds Fleet shrank, his limbs shifted, his face lengthened and he transformed from a young man with a fox's tail and ears into... a young fox! The bonds, tied around his human form, fell from him silently. Suzume's fingers were moving too, despite her injuries, working at a knot. Fleet went to her and began to chew the rope binding her. Kazuki shifted slightly, trying to draw the Kappa King's attention, while secretly working the edge of the bell against his bindings.

  "What's behind the Red Door?" Kazuki asked, thinking of his dream; the crimson surface in his refrigerator, the symbols that made him sick.

  The Kappa King's smile widened, revealing myriad sharp teeth. His pupils dilated until his eyes were mostly black with just a thin ring of gold. "Chaos! Beauty! An end to this insufferable boredom!" He twirled, cape flaring around him. "Entities that will devour reality itself and reshape it into something interesting!"

  He stopped spinning and dropped into a crouch before Kazuki, his face inches away. "You see, I've appointed myself as the ma?tre d' of the apocalypse. Maitre 'D' - do you get it?! I'll serve up this dull universe to the hungering ones beyond the Door, and perhaps they'll keep me as a pet in whatever glorious madness follows."

  "This was always my destiny," he continued. "I am and always have been... the Cursed Prince" The Kappa King straightened, adjusting his crown with delicate fingers.

  Kazuki felt a flicker of movement at his back - Fleet was working on Kazuki's bonds, his sharp teeth worrying at the rope.

  The Kappa King continued his monologue, voice rising dramatically as he addressed his subjects. "And I have you to thank for it. You brought me exactly what I needed," and the Kappa King held the Shirayuki Blade high above his head. Its blade gleamed in the fungal light." This may seem like a simple knife to you. But it's much more. It cuts bonds. Spiritual bonds. And it can cut locks too - it can slice through the lock keeping the Red Door closed. Soon, we shall open the Red Door! We shall let in the entities that have whispered to me for so long!" He touched the pulsing red shard embedded in his headpiece. "They promise an end to boredom! An end to loneliness! An end to…"

  He whirled suddenly, eyes widening. "You're not listening to me!"

  But he wasn't looking at his kappa subjects. He was staring directly at Kazuki, whose bonds had just fallen away thanks to Fleet's efforts. Suzume was already free, rising to her feet.

  For a moment, nobody moved.

  "Well, that's fine," the Kappa King said, cocking his head at an unnatural angle, "this just makes things more... dramatic."

  ---

  [New Achievement: Eat & Run]

  [Next Chapter: The Kappa King’s Lament II]

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