Suikoden VII

Chapter Seven: Part Eight

Note: As a reminder, I'll be taking a break before starting Chapter Eight to get caught up on Investigations, Play, and Bath Scenes.

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Chapter Seven: Part Eight

Bhayankar's breath was hot against her face and smelled foul. Astraea found herself back in the Crypt when she was thirteen; facing down the fearsome beast who was both a treasure and instrument of the Reiser Royal Family. But she hadn't been afraid back then, and she wouldn't be afraid now.

Viki's scream shocked her back into awareness, and Bhayankar recoiled back from the scream, shuffling backwards away from them. "Bhayankar!" Astraea shouted, moving towards them. She glanced over her shoulder and saw Viki hesitating. She grabbed the other girl's sleeve and pulled her closer. "Stay with me!"

"R-Right!" Viki stammered, her eyes wide. "I-I'm sorry! I didn't expect to teleport us right in front of him, and I—"

"It's okay," Astraea said, calming her tone. Bhayankar was breathing harshly; nostrils flaring with each puff of air. Royal Army soldiers scattered as he was distracted, but dead soldiers and—pieces of them—were strewn around the grass. Astraea closer, gently pulling Viki with her but keeping the girl behind her. "Bhayankar," she said. "Do you remember me? It's me—Astraea. I'm sorry I was gone for so long."

Bhayankar's eyes continued to glow, as did the Beast Rune on his back. He didn't charge them but he was hissing sinisterly. His jaw clenched.

"You were able to calm him before, Your Majesty?" Viki asked. "How?"

"I talked to him," Astraea said cautiously. "I sat with him and told him everything about myself. I remember feeling exhausted and wanting to sleep, so I...I climbed onto his back and took a nap. That's how everyone found me."

Viki gulped audibly. "Was—Was the Beast Rune active then?"

"...No," Astraea admitted. "But we can still try."

Bhayankar roared, his claws raking at the earth and sending grass and dirt flying into the air. Viki dug her fingers into the back of Astraea's cloak; her breathing was unsteady. Astraea could feel her fear, but it was minimal; not all-consuming terror. Had it been, then Bhayankar would have reacted to it.

"Bhayankar," Astraea said, her tone coaxing and gentle. She held out her left hand and motioned to him. "Come here. Come to me."

Bhayankar went still, and—confusion flickered in his blazing eyes. But his jaw was still clenched.

"Oh dear," Viki said, her voice trembling.

"Viki, please be strong—" Astraea began.

"Who hurt him so badly?"

Astraea paused and glanced over her shoulder at the other girl. "What do you mean?"

"Those scars," Viki said, pointing to Bhayankar. The Sarcosuchus was still bleeding from Kion's slashes on his chest and front legs, but Astraea's brow furrowed as she looked at Bhayankar more closely. With the glow of the Beast Rune she could not fully examine his back but his snout...his head..his lower front legs...on the white scaly skin she saw lines. Crisscrossing lines of various lengths and widths. Across the back of his right claw was a wraparound scar that darkened his skin.

Brutality was etched across Bhayankar's entire body.

Astraea swallowed hard and her vision blurred. She met Bhayankar's gaze again. "Those marks on your body," she said. "Were they from combat? Or...did someone abuse you, Bhayankar?"

Viki shook her head behind Astraea. "I-I don't think it was all from combat," she whispered. "Some are—they look like defensive wounds, right? But the ones—the edges of his mouth. P-People don't make those marks in defense, do they?"