"Your parents don't have servants?" I asked Keru through the my link with her.
"Most Kitsune don't, even One Tails have enough magic to live like kings by human standards," Keru answered, "We respect power, and those with fewer tails will pay respect and offer service to those with more tails... but it's never quite so formal as the human concept of having servants... as once a Kitsune grows its ninth tail, their powers plateau out and won't get any stronger."
"So Kitsune look forward to growing their ninth tail and equaling those they'd payed respect to for all their lives," I commented, my hand clutching the sword tightly.
"And thus gaining the respect of those with fewer tails, and the cycle begins again," Keru finished, "It's why Kitsune wouldn't have servants... and why my parents didn't have servants..."
I then glanced back to the door to the small armory that I had found. The man who had claimed to be a servant was likely still in there. He couldn't hear my thoughts, or at least I didn't think he could, but I got the sense that there was more to him than he let on. Especially if Keru and her family didn't have servants. And with the sword in my hand, I felt supremely confident. The sword wasn't really turning me into anything, but it seemed to boost my confidence, reflexes, and combat knowledge. Like simply holding it made me some sort of master Samurai with all the combat knowledge that went along with it. Which was good for me, because normally I wouldn't last long in any sort of fight. By nature I was more of a gamer than a fighter. And since the man claiming to be a servant wasn't who he appeared to be, I decided to confront him and see if I could get him to talk.
I slid the door open and rushed into the room, only to find it empty. There was no one there. The man was just gone, yet there was no other door and no damage to the walls. I only blinked at that in great surprise.
"He's gone," I stated the obvious.
"A ghost," Keru said slowly, "It had to be... and likely serving whoever killed my parents..."
That made me gulp nervously.
"A ghost... but he looked so real," I spoke.
"It's among their abilities," Keru answered, "the real worry would be why are they interested in Kitsune... if discovered they could be torn apart by magic and can't journey into the afterlife... which is what ghosts typically want."
That made me shudder with what I had found earlier and the plans that wanting to brainwash me and then transform me for some dark purpose. And apparently some ghosts were involved in the plan, which had killed two Kitsune and desecrated the spirits of those who had died previously.
"Keru..." you began nervously, "Could he sense our link?"
"No... not even other Kitsune could sense our link..." Keru answered, "A Kitsune might sense that there is magic there, but won't know what it is for... and since your questions have all been thoughts, that ghost doesn't know what we've been conversing."
I wiped my forehead with my free hand. It gave me some relief.
"Would it protect me from the brainwashing if they catch me?" I asked.
I felt Keru give a mental shudder, indicating that she didn't want me captured, "I don't know... I wouldn't think so... but then that's depending on whether or not they're using magic to do the brainwashing..."
"And there are other ways," I sighed and looked about the empty armory and then gazed at what Keru saw, still the Council's palace. There seemed to be some light coming from within. She'd have to be able make her report and get help. Maybe even one of the Nine Tails would even help us.
"Just stay safe," Keru told me, "You have the sword... if the ghost comes back the magic in it the blade will slice through it."
I nodded, "Where do you think he went?"
"Likely to whoever his real master is," Keru answered, "Stay in the palace... preferably in an open spot where he could see him coming..."
I nodded in agreement and nervously made my way into the hallway, clutching the sword with both hands. As I walked I watched Keru enter into the crystal palace where the Council of Nine Tails met. She entered into a sort of lobby where two One Tails were manning a counter, looking very much like secretaries. One was male the other was female.
"Hello and good evening, may I help you?" one of the One Tails asked vocally to Keru.
"I am Keru Maida, daughter of Mitsu and Akane Maida, wife of Richard Williams," Keru told them, "I must regret that I must inform the Council of not only trouble and sadness but potential danger to our kind..."
"Williams... you married a human?" the first One Tail asked curiously, he didn't sound judgmental or hateful, but very curious.
"Would you not be here to ask he be given Kitsune magic and to become a Kitsune?" the female One Tail asked.
"Our parents appear to have arranged our marriage, and while legal... we are still getting to know each other, thus any transformation of him into our species is best left until a later date and is not the reason I am here," Keru answered, "What brings me here has more to do with odd events... murder... and desecration of the spirits of the deceased."
"Your husband..." the male gasped.
"No, but I fear that he may be a target for whoever did commit the crime and must report to the Council to insure that there is justice and that my husband lives long enough for me to get to know him and that love may bloom between us..." Keru finished.
I continued to walk along and made my way through the palace, and figured the study where I'd found the plans. The room was large enough that no one could easily sneak up on me, or at least I didn't think anyone could easily sneak up on me. I made it and moved toward the center of the room. I ignored the desk and walked past it. Through the link, I sensed the female One Tail leading Keru down a hallway that housed crystalline statues of every existing Nine Tail Kitsune. It looked artistic and representative of what had to be their great power. The room I was in was calm and quiet. I was nervous about the situation. The servant had to be a ghost and had to be involved in the killing of Keru's parents, but that was all I knew. And that left me with worrisome questions. Like, what could ghosts want with a Nine Tailed Kitsune that they'd brainwashed? Why would they want to transform a human to do it? How could they have figured out how to do it, or would it even work? Who were their masters? Ghost? Human wizard? Some rogue Kitsune? All these ran through my head that I was sure sent my worry to Keru in overdrive.
"Stay calm, Rick," Keru advised me, "the more you worry the more likely something will happen."
"I'll try, K--," I began, but was cut off as something large, heavy and wooden hit me in the back of the head. As I blacked out, I could only here Keru screaming my name over our mental link.