City of Saints

Translation: Latin


Scindo: rend
vallo: defend
incidere: cut
exuro: burn
congelo: freeze
dimidium: half
declino: deflect
vinculum: bond
contraho: constrict
declino quod redomo: deflect and tame


Kota sat painfully on his stool in the darkness of his cell. Lady Shiva had him bonded again, his wrists behind his back and his arms strapped to his sides. His ankles were even tied and a blindfold across his face. She hadn't offered him medical attention for the lacerations along his body from battle as punishment for his outburst. His sense of smell was all he had and it was filled with the scent of his own blood. He lifted his head at the sound of footsteps. They sounded familiar, steady and sure in step. He tried to sniff the air again but failed to pick up a scent other than the cold copper of blood.
"Kota, you're still injured?" He clenched his teeth hard at the sound of Kuran's voice. He hadn't expected him to come back.
"Lady Shiva wasn't pleased with me. So I'm here again." Kuran sighed as Kota listened to the sound of his skin against the metal bars. He thought he might say something more but he didn't.
"You have a heightened sense too don't you?" Kota pressed his ears back; he had noticed him flick his ears at the slightest sounds in an effort to detect things around him.
"Somewhat. The blindfold helps." Kota's ears stood on end as the metal door creaked open, sliding metallically against the concrete floor.
"You shouldn't be in here." Kuran's footsteps fell against the floor confidently, undeterred by his warning.
"Stop." His ears fell back defensively as he pulled his tail in. There was nothing he could do against him the way he was bound. For some reason, his heart was trying to pound its way out of his chest. Kuran's scent penetrated his senses as he listened hard for his proximity. He wasn't touching him at all but he could sense him right in front of him.
"Why are you so scared?" His fingertips brushed against his chest and Kota snarled instinctively, pulling back the best he could under the circumstances. Kuran clicked his tongue at him in disapproval.
"What do you have against me Kota? Why are you so against being with me?" Kota's fire vanished inside, his breathing slowed and his chest lost its tightness from before.
"Would you do something if I asked you to?" He paused waiting for Kuran to respond but after a moment continued.
"Would you kill me if I asked? It's a simple request really." He clenched his jaw and swallowed hard, lifting his chin to bare his throat.
"All you'd have to do is put your hands around my neck, I wouldn’t make a sound. I would just go to sleep." He waited in his darkness as Kuran stared at him, his hands still at his sides. He knew the Kitsune wasn't aware of his exact place but somehow had managed to look up directly at his face. Kota gasped as hands took hold of his face, caressing his jaw up to his ears as he waited for them to become violent. He furrowed his brow as fingers slid through his hair and untied the clasp holding on the leather blindfold. It fell away as Kota stared up at him, a confused expression on his face.
"I won't kill you Kota." He clenched his eyes shut and lowered his face, his ears pressed back in sorrow.
"Why not?" His voice shook as Kuran lifted his chin, his lips lightly falling against his briefly before he moved away to whisper in his ear.
"I love you Kota." Kota snarled and let his fangs loose across his cheek before Kuran had a chance to withdraw. He pulled away, blood running down his face as Kota sat bristling.
"Don't say that to me." His words were low and full of menace but Kuran only calmly turned towards the door to address the guard sitting there.
"Please remove his restraints and take us to the training room." Kota stopped his growling and lowered his ears in suspicion.
"What do you intend to do." Kuran turned and looked at him coolly, his hand wiping away the blood dripping there, making it smear.
"If you 're going to act like an animal then I will tame you like one." The guard stood nervously outside the door, unwilling to enter the room.
"I'm not going to take that off him. If you want it off do it yourself." Kota smiled and nodded towards the guard.
"He's a smart man. What's to say I won't go berserk and kill everyone if you let me go?" Kuran laughed in his throat and walked back to him. Still confident, still sure of his footing.
"Sorry to disappoint you but you're no where near a berserk. And as a keeper I would stop you from killing anyone." Kota snorted at him and looked away as he squatted and began to untie his ankles. He couldn’t see his face, his hair was dangling down to almost the floor, but his long fingers worked quickly at his bonds. Kota found a floor stone to stare at instead.
"You aren't my keeper, I can disobey if I wish." Kuran stood suddenly and moved forward. Kota stiffened as his arms encircled him; he had to lift his chin to keep from being suffocated by the warm scent of his clothes as his fingers worked the brass clips on his arms and wrists.
"Why are you so tense? You act like I'm going to hurt you." Kota furrowed his brow and began to pull at his restraints, eager to be out of them and away from Kuran. The final clip was removed and Kota's arms sprang free. He was sore and stiff from his injuries and winced as he rolled his shoulders. Kuran moved towards the door, waiting a moment for Kota to follow.
"What shall I tell my Lady if she should come?" The guard was nervous; he didn't like what they were doing. Kuran only smiled.
"Tell her he is with me." Kuran continued as the guard backed away for Kota to follow. Kota smiled at him coolly as he exited, laughing a little at the man's unease. They left the hall quickly and Kota found he had to almost jog to keep up with Kuran's long strides. He didn't feel right walking next to him, and instead followed behind him. His gaze fell to his hand; the palm turned facing him as he swung it gently. Everything in him desired that hand around his throat, choking the life from him quietly. Kuran glanced at him from over his shoulder and Kota quickly looked away.
"You look a little pale." Kota shot a sharp look at him.
"Whatever." Kuran laughed in his throat at his childish behavior but Kota still held fire in his gaze. He wasn't going to bend to him; he would overtake anything Kuran threw at him. He would not be broken.
"Here." Kuran stopped suddenly and Kota had to stop himself before he fell into him. He watched, aggravated by his actions as he pushed open a door unfamiliar to Kota. The buzz of electric lights reached him as a yellow unsteady glow fell across the floor. Large boulders were scattered along the room, along with old logs, a small shack, grasses and a tree. Kota's breath stilled in his throat as he stared at the tree. They were close to the surface, a thin beam of light trailed down from the ceiling and fell effortlessly against the emerald leaves. His feet moved on their own, completely overcome with emotion as he darted into the room.
"Kota!" Kuran's voice barely reached him. He stopped, panting a little, and slowly stepped into the light. A long sigh escaped his lips as the warmth fell over him, his eyes closing against the light letting the heat penetrate his eyelids. It had been a year since he had seen a tree, a year since he had smelled grass or felt the kiss of sun. His last memory of the surface was one of blood and pain and death, his last sight being the sun, masked by clouds and smoke.
"Kota." He hadn't heard Kuran's approach, but refused to move from the light. He opened his eyes and lifted an ear to him, turning his head a little to stare at him.
"Why did you bring me here?" Kuran's gaze was soft, why was he looking at him like that?
"I told you, I'm going to bond you to me." Kota snorted at him and lifted his face again, closing his eyes.
"I don't want you." Kuran sighed, his voice sliding from his lips before Kota could react.
"Contraho." Kota cried out and dropped to his knees, caught by surprise by the sudden pain along his body, as though he was being crushed. Kuran stepped before him, blocking the light he had been enjoying before as Kota fought to lift his head through the struggling pain.
"You don't know what you want Kota, you're a child struggling with yourself." He gasped as the tightening on his chest and limbs was released. Kuran stepped away from him, placing several yards between them.
"So you're a caster. I knew I didn't like you for a reason." Kota struggled to his feet again, feeling the rage rise inside him again. Kuran didn't respond.
"Well bring it on! You brought me here for a fight so fight me!" He didn't move as Kota counted the seconds. His jaw clenched tightly until his teeth were grinding. He screamed from the bottom of his chest and threw a pulse at him, drawing from himself instead of from the air. He didn't want to waste precious time.
"Vallo." A field flew out from around Kuran, shattering his pulse when it reached him. Kota listened to the air as it cracked in complaint to the scattered waves of energy. Kota growled low in his chest as the air began to burn and snap around him. His body even began to shake with the effort.
"Incidere." Energy struck against each of Kota's shoulders with such effort that they were pushed back. He didn't respond to the smell of his own blood now rolling down his chest and sides, but instead clenched his fists at his sides. He was pulling hard now, thin tendrils of smoke appearing from nothingness as tiny shocks jumped from one oxygen molecule to another. With a bestial cry Kota shot at Kuran in a dead run.
"Scindo." A burning strike landed between his shoulder and neck that did little to detour him as he crossed his forearms before him and released his energy only feet from Kuran.
"Declino quod redomo." The words passed calmly through his lips as Kota felt his energy severed. He stumbled onto the ground in shock and tried to reach for his power again but found he was unable to. A heavy chain ran from his collar to Kuran's leather band.
"What have you done?" Kuran smiled gently at him and placed a hand on his head. Kota couldn’t help but lean into the warm touch.
"You are not the only tool to be able to change keepers. There is a whole generation out there like you. And in some cases, when their original keeper has died, they must be tamed before they will take another keeper. It's a step that must be taken before they can be bonded." Kota calmed himself with the help of Kuran's fingers scratching at his ears. He was so unused to affection.
"So you have power over my abilities now?" Kuran nodded and wrapped a length of chain around his hand.
"Yes. I could sever you permanently from them if I wished but that's not of use to me." Kota stared past Kuran for a moment.
"Could you leave me in here for a while? I won't do anything." Kuran followed his gaze to the tree and spot of sunlight. It was fading, the sun was going down.
"I won't go far." Kota watched him unclasp the chain from his collar and turn to go.
"When will you come back?" Kuran didn't stop, but only spoke to him over his shoulder as he went.
"When you call for me, I will come." Kota waited until he had closed the door before crawling over to the small spot of sunlight again. He lay back in the grass, his hands behind his head and stared up at it. He was sure it was bad for his eyesight but he didn't care at that point. Kuran had managed to tame him, maybe that meant something? It had been so long since he had had a keeper and everything inside him wanted to be ruled again. But he had been born for Juliana, his genes had been slashed and altered to fit her exact specifications. How could he possibly be bonded with another? He sighed and closed his eyes, letting the light heat his eyelids again.

**

Kuran sighed as he leaned against the wall. He wanted a smoke, but didn't want to leave Kota to go get one. It had been three hours since their fight and still he hadn't called for him. He hadn't managed to remove himself from the door and had been listening for the slightest movement. He couldn’t hear anything, unlike Kota who he suspected probably knew he was just outside. Either way he was proud of himself and practically humming with energy. He could sense the presence of the kitsune now and sometimes even his mood, but he couldn't be sure. All he knew for sure was that he was a force to be reckoned with. His fingers drifted up to his blood-dried cheek he had managed to cut open before. There was so much hate bottled up inside the boy's body he worried that he might explode, but then would see other sides of him. He shivered in remembrance to his request, he was saddened to think that his hands had itched to clasp his throat, but not to kill him. He couldn’t take it anymore, if he didn't get a cigarette he was going to ignite. He opened the door to the training room and walked quietly inside. Kota was curled up in the same spot he had left him, his tail wrapped around his body for warmth at the base of the tree. Kuran walked to him and looked up to the small hole. Stars shone brightly in the small patch of sky. He had fallen asleep trying to hold the sunlight. Kuran smiled at him and gently scooped him up. He only stirred a little but didn't wake up as he rubbed his face against his chest. Blood was still caked to his skin and clothes, from their battle the day before and the most recent. Kuran frowned.
"Lets get you cleaned up." Kota only sighed against his shirt and passed back into sleep.

yay plz R&R i'm getting worried this is shit >.<