102

 

102. Dead Leaves

The Akeogi Forest was cold and lonely.

Slivers of autumn sun passed through the trees, illuminating the moss-caked ground and its foliage. For generations, the people of Yamato had circumvented this forest, feared for its confounding pathways and hidden nooks. Few braved the dark labyrinth of trees, and fewer dared to do it alone.

Sakakibara Shun flew through the forest without an inkling of hesitation. His wooden sandals acted as excellent hooks as he kicked his body from one tree branch to another. He was high enough that those on the ground would hear no more than a faint rustling, while he kept himself concealed beneath the canopies of green foliage that stretched on for miles.

Along his journey through the thick trees and the large, overgrown roots below them, he found crumbled stone pathfinders, rotting wooden shrines, and other relics from times long passed. These were not mere vestiges of Yamato's past – they were also reminders of its present condition.

It seemed to Shun that the humble dimension of Yamato was on the verge of collapse. The Exalted Light – Emperor Hanazono – had been thrown out of his own palace. Kyo, the capital city that the emperor had called home for generations, was now in shambles. And Koga Suzunosuke, the official who had seized control of the government, now commanded an army of monsters on a campaign to eradicate every last trace of the royal family.

That was why Shun had volunteered to journey north of the emperor's camp and scour the voluminous forest for any traces of the enemy. With every strike, Koga brought out new horrors from his monstrous bridge, and the emperor's Royal Guard had no idea what to prepare for next. Additionally, their numbers had dwindled, so they needed all the intel they could get.

Days ago, the Emperor's illegitimate daughter Azuka Ingram had come to the camp with her allies, but Shun didn't trust her. She seemed different, out of place, and instead of the hundreds of reinforcements she had promised months ago, she'd brought only five of her comrades. Koga's mutants rampaged the land, and no matter how strong those foreigners were, a mere five would not be enough to stop this campaign of destruction.

The billowing sleeves of Shun's green haori jacket fluttered violently in the wind as he continued forward, keeping a furious pace. His long black hair had fallen out of its topknot and now flowed behind him with the rest of his clothes. A heavy beard covered his stern, taut face.

Shun felt two faint auras in the distance. No civilians had any reason to enter the forest, but cutting through it would be the quickest way to reach the Royal Guard's camp. Certain that he had located the enemy, Shun knew his next order of business was to return and make a report.

"Tenpu."

With a whisper, Shun sent his aura spiraling through the trees and merged it with the wind. In the next instant, a miniature cyclone erupted from his body and propelled him backward. He was one with the air, ducking and darting through the branches that made up the dim forest. This sudden explosion of psynergy would certainly alert others to his presence, but Shun was convinced that no one could match his speed.

Later, as the slightest hints of fatigue began to show through on the veteran's face, he burst through the wood to an open clearing. Beyond the next patch of woods, far in the distance, Shun could see the Natsume Mountains. Hidden high within their rocky crags was the fallen emperor and his last line of protectors. Koga had stolen not only the man's power, but his homeland as well. If the Royal Guard failed here, the emperor's bloodline would perish. It was the Emperor's light that had kept them safe throughout the ages, and no one had ever disturbed the balance until the advent of Koga and his foreign technology.

Shun stifled his thoughts and sped onwards. His body had begun to ache, and his psynergy was depleting. He had barely crouched to rest before his body was smothered by a massive explosion. In an instant, the soft grass of the clearing was torn from the earth, scattered across the picturesque plateau along with the royal soldier's viscera.

"Perfect hit!" A barrel-shaped man with a bear-like face called out. His feet were perched on the edge of a lightweight hovercraft that floated in the distance, high above the Akeogi Forest. Lowering a smoking metal cannon from his gargantuan shoulders, he turned to face his partner, who lay in the center of the disc-shaped vehicle. "See that, Yamazaki?! You owe me four ryo!"

"What are you getting so excited about?" Yamazaki Susumu pulled his triangular straw hat further down over his face, blotting out the bright sun. "That guy was only a D-class."

"A win's a win!" Shimada Kai shouted happily. "Now pay up!"

"What does a guy like you even need money for, huh?" Yamazaki sighed, then reached into the pocket of his blue-and-white robes and pulled out two gilded chips. "Here, if you want it so bad, go and get it."

With a flick of his wrist, the two ryo went flying over the side and into the forest.

"Aw, come on!" Shimada gaped. "That's so mean!"

Yamazaki was unfazed as he stared back at his ally. "A soldier should have the heart of a demon."

Shimada took one look back to his partner, and then scanned the long drop to the bottom of the forest. With a deep breath, he hopped over the side, surging wild bristly psynergy through his feet.

Psynergy crackled, and soon Shimada's right leg became that of an elephant's. He stomped down hard as he hit the ground, which both cushioned his body and sent a blast of wind

*************

rippled through the silk kimono worn by Ravi Katjagaarda, ex-Captain of the 1^st Division of Dimensional Knights. Cross-legged on the edge of a steep cliff in the Natsume Mountains, she shuddered a bit as the sharp wind caused goosebumps to rise on her muscular arms. Despite the serenity of Yamato's nature, wild and unspoiled as far as the eye could see, Ravi felt no peace in its scenery.

After their defeat at the hands of Zeigfried, and losing the Guild to the Church, Ravi, Kamo, Caleb, and Sabine had fled to Yamato – partly in order to help Azuka save her homeland, and partly in order to seek sanctuary in a dimension that was unaffiliated with the organization that sought to detain them. But Ravi still didn't feel the least bit safe.

Much has changed in the past few days... I lost one disciple and gained a new one. I feel neither joy nor sadness, for surely it was all how fate would have it. But where does this fate lead? The transformation I underwent during the battle with Cecilia bestowed upon me the ajna chakra. Have I truly reached enlightenment? I certainly don't feel enlightened. I took pity on that woman, and later, I was filled with anger when Zeigfried assaulted us. Is emotion a barrier, like I was always taught...or a gateway, like the Seneschal would have me believe?

Ravi closed her eyes and saw herself in a plane of oily, colored darkness. In the neverending dream, the priest from the Church of Holy Truths had seared her third eye shut, blinding her once again.

The Guild is no more. No shackles are left to bind me to that duty. I am free to choose my own path. But my life without duty is insignificant. Thus I have sent myself into a new battle in order to fulfill a duty of friendship. Azuka's torment is my own.

"Well, it's a bit rustic, but it's pretty enough." Kamo Metro's voice suddenly cut into Ravi's mind. "Just sucks that we can't take a real vacation."

Ravi looked up to her friend. He wore a black haori jacket and a white hakama skirt, a uniform presented to him as a courtesy from the Royal Guard, just like her green kimono.

Kamo smiled warmly. "You ever get tired of all this fighting?"

"Life is a battle," Ravi said, glancing back at the expanse.

"Such a pleasant outlook," Kamo said flatly. "I used to tell my students that we make wounds today in order to heal tomorrow... But honestly, I only said it because I thought it sounded cool."

"The Guild fought for peace," Ravi stated firmly. "We saved people."

"Yet we still couldn't save ourselves." Kamo picked up a rock and tossed it over the edge. "To tell you the truth, I never really was keen on us working for the Church, especially knowing what Caleb had gone through. Now, all the kudos and respect we get from our buddies – I dig that. The kinship, that's what's kept me going."

"And what about now? What keeps you going, Captain Metro?"

"Azuka's one of my best friends." Kamo smiled. "She's saved my ass more times than I can count. It's about time I risk my neck for hers. Besides, we're fugitives right now, and this seems like a decent hiding place to me."

"How is Azuka?" Ravi asked. "I've barely talked to her since we came here."

"She's holed up with the royal dudes just like yesterday." Kamo scratched his ear absently. "I know she told us to start working together with the Royal Guard, but I think it's pretty obvious those guys do not like us."

"You don't know the half of it." A faint smile began to form on Ravi's face. "The very thought of a woman leading them sends them into an uproar."

"Yeah, and the enemy's armies are supposed to be run by monsters and all kinds of crazy machinery." Kamo threw his hands up. "All we have are these guys with their spears and swords. What do they expect us to do?"

Ravi did not respond, but knew that her ally of many years could tell she was listening. He was content to sit and wait as always, and after a few long minutes, she opened her mouth again.

"I can't see what lies in front of me, Captain Metro," she said. "I am blind."

"Well, even eyes need a rest sometimes." Kamo placed a hand on her shoulder, then gently spun her around. "C'mon, let's head back. Otherwise Sabine and Caleb might think we're hooking up back here or something."

The two made their way down to the bottom of a slope where the central encampment had been setup. Makeshift tents and barracks stretched out along the cliffside, positioned strategically over chasms and steep banks. Far below the camp was a river, and beyond that, the Kurogaya Plains and the Akeogi Forest.

On this sultry, early autumn day, resting soldiers of the Emperor's Royal Guard gathered around the stream, cooling themselves near the water and passing the time as best they could. Each man wore a decorated white haori jacket and red hakama, with a katana and dagger strapped to his side. Until they received news on the enemy, they had little more to do than train and gamble, and the days passed slowly.

Leading them was Onizawa Reijiro, a tall, well-built swordsman with a short, spiky black mohawk. Although he still looked young compared to some of the older members of the guard, his father had been their previous captain, so Reijiro had been trained by the very beast.

Caleb Harper, dressed in a blue kimono with a white fish pattern, was Reijiro's current conversation partner. His blond hair made him easily stand out among the raven-haired Yamatoans, but he did his best to fit in. "I'm sorry to hear about your father. It must have been devastating."

"Thank you for listening to our story," Reijiro said with a nod. "I didn't mean to say too much. I just wanted you to know the situation we have here. Onizawa Kenjiro was not just our leader. He was the knot that bound us all together, and he died an honorable death protecting his people."

Caleb kept his eyes solemn, and did his best to craft a response, despite how awkward everything felt. "He certainly sounds like a great man."

The young warrior gave Caleb a determined stare. "I'm sorry to hear that some of the others have treated you coldly. They hate to admit it, but we do need your help. Historically...our culture has been wary of foreigners."

"It's okay." Caleb shrugged. "You're friends of Captain Azuka, and we need a place to hide out. Hopefully, this little arrangement can benefit everyone."

"Indeed," Reijiro replied. "The empress wishes for us to try and negotiate with the enemy, but I feel it's far too late for that. The government is out of control, and they've proved time and time again that they do not wish to listen to our reason. I can only hope that the empress reuniting with her father after all this time can bring us some sort of providence."

"The empress..." Caleb repeated the word as he held in a chuckle. "Sorry, I just need some more time to get used to it. I never knew Captain Azuka was a queen."

Reijiro ignored Caleb's remark and went on. "Sakakibara, one of our scouts, is out searching for enemy movements. I suspect a squadron has been sent out to finish us off."

"That reminds me," Caleb said. "Captain Azuka told us that this government or whatever you're fighting against, they have ten separate squads of troops, right? And then on top of that, they're using monsters?"

"Yokai," Reijiro said, pronouncing the word slowly. "Demons, monsters, call them what you wish. They fill Yamato folklore, as well as the imaginations of many children. Tomes written in the ancient tongue detail the different types of yokai, but it'd be difficult, I imagine, to find a man who had actually seen one before the war."

"So hundreds of them just showed up out of nowhere?" Caleb raised an eyebrow. "And that's how they took over the capital?"

"Yes," Reijiro replied. "They use few human soldiers as of now. Instead, we're faced with monstrous adversaries as strong as five men each. That's why we've been reduced to this."

"But this country is huge!" Caleb exclaimed. "You have to have more supporters somewhere, right?"

"Other independent factions exist in Yamato, but they seem to be too busy protecting their own land from the government's expanse to aid us. On top of that, Koga has labeled us traitors and uprooted the Emperor's status. He says that the status of royalty is undeserved and archaic, and they're inclined to believe him."

Caleb scratched his head as he tried to understand the situation. "But right now we only have one potential squad coming for us, right? Because we're so far out here in the mountains?"

"That is what we assume," Reijiro answered with another solemn nod.

"Then I won't worry too much." Caleb grinned. "Hopefully the five of us can take care of everything and give you guys a rest."

"You are quite confident." A wan smile broke through on Reijiro's face. "The empress has spoken very highly of all of you, so I'm anxious to see just what you're capable of."

"You know, I was hoping we'd have one other friend with us, but it looks like he's not ready just yet," Caleb added. "His name's Cliff. He's kind of a weirdo, but deep down, he's a good guy. I hope he'll get here soon, or at least, whenever Mixam says he's okay to fight again."

"Then I look forward to seeing his strength as well," Reijiro replied politely. "And perhaps the two of us can have a friendly spar later."

"Sounds fun. Then the winner can fight with Sabine!"

Reijiro nodded hesitantly.

"She'll be pissed if you go easy on her," Caleb went on. "She's kicked my butt plenty of times, I should know."

Reijiro shook his head. "Hmm. I–"

"Rei!"

A female voice stopped the man in mid-sentence. Caleb looked over to spot the owner of the voice: a woman in a red-and-white kimono, peeking out from behind a high crag. She had a round face, wide cheekbones, and deep set eyes.

It was the first time he'd seen one of the few women of the group reveal themselves. They had their own camp that was separate from the men's, and the two groups didn't usually intermingle. Long black hair parted in the center spilled down over her shoulders, curling slightly as it reached the middle of her back. With strong arms, toned muscles, and tanned skin, she certainly looked like someone who could hold her own in battle, which made it seem all the stranger that he hadn't seen her out training before.

"Chiaki!" Reijiro shouted in surprise as the athletic girl walked over to the two men.

"Uhh, Reijiro?" Caleb shifted his eyes nervously between the two of them. "Aren't you going to, uh, introduce me?"

"She's my younger sister. But you needn't concern yourself with her," he said dismissively, then changed his tone to a more reproachful one as he looked toward her. "Chiaki, what are you doing down here? Why aren't you up with the others?"

Chiaki looked up to her older brother, lower lip quivering. "Shun...Shun was just murdered."

"Shun?!" Reijiro's eyes went wide with shock, and he lowered his voice. "Chiaki, what are you talking about? How do you know this?"

"I can't say that." Chiaki shook her head in fright. "But we saw his corpse. Satoka and I."

"Chiaki..." Reijiro paused for a moment, then his eyes grew dark as he put two and two together. "Did you and Satoka leave the camp?!"

"We can talk about that later!" Chiaki insisted. "The enemy's near. They might attack soon!"

"Shun..." Reijiro grabbed his forehead and closed his eyes briefly. "We're dropping like flies. This is catastrophic."

Caleb let out a sigh and turned to Chiaki. "Where did you find him?"

Chiaki looked at the foreigner warily. "Wh-who are you?"

"He's one of the elites the empress brought to assist us," Reijiro explained. "Caleb Harper. Address him with respect!"

Chiaki promptly bowed her head and averted her eyes. "Please excuse me, sir. I am indebted to you."

Dumbfounded, Caleb raised his hands and mustered up an awkward smile. "Hey, it's okay. You don't need to do all that..."

The young girl turned back to her brother. "Shun's body was found one hour north from here, on the plains."

"I see," Reijiro muttered. "We must begin preparations. Return to the upper heights, Chiaki."

Caleb watched Reijiro coldly dismiss his sister, and couldn't help himself. "Hey, pardon my frankness here, but she seems like she can hold her own. Why don't you let her help us?"

Reijiro cast a cold glare to his new comrade. "We have no time to play around. The enemy will be here soon."

Chiaki gave Caleb a curious glance before making her own comment. "He's got a point, Rei. I know that some of us could be of help now that we're down to so few people!"

"Absolutely not!" Reijiro roared. "Are you out of your mind, Chiaki? It's bad enough that you've been leaving the camp unattended. How can you even ask such a thing?!"

"You need our help!" Chiaki responded. "Admit it!"

"Father taught you the way of the sword so that you could protect the home. You must be with the women and children to keep them safe if any enemies break through. Why do you not understand this?!"

"Why is it fine for me to fight behind you, but not beside you?" Chiaki's eyes seemed to flare up as her voice grew stronger. "Does it really hurt your pride that much?"

Reijiro's face reddened as he continued his rebuttal. "Women are not meant to fight alongside men!"

A new voice cut in. "Then the women shall fight alone."

Caleb, Reijiro and Chiaki turned to see Ravi standing in the distance, accompanied by Kamo and Sabine, who wore a yellow kimono. All of their eyes were fixed rigidly on Reijiro.

"Your empress has charged me with the task of assembling the strongest group of soldiers possible in order to hold back Koga forces, and I intend to do just that."

Reijiro stared up at the foreigners in bewilderment. "What are you talking about?!"

Sabine spoke up then, regarding Reijiro with unamused eyes and a sharp tone. "I was the one who took Chiaki and Satoka out to scout the surrounding area, under the orders of Captain Ravi. They're fine warriors, and they've been training diligently despite their lack of freedom. If the men of this group do not wish to fight with women, then you're welcome to sit it out. We can handle this shit on our own."

Reijiro shook his head. "You foreigners can't just come in here and make up your own rules! If you have different ways, then so be it, but you have no right to try and trample on our traditions!"

Silently, Ravi, Kamo, and Sabine stood their ground. Awkwardly, Caleb crept over to join them. Realizing he was sorely outnumbered, Reijiro eventually turned his back and stomped off. Farther down the river, some of his men looked over to their leader in curiosity. Reijiro stomped on and soon began barking orders to them.

Kamo let out a sigh. "Geez, what does he think this is, a war?"

Next: Witch and Demon