114

 

114.  Hellbound

 

"Cover me."

 

Sabine remembered saying those lines and rushing forward, but that's when her memories ended. It wasn't until she woke up afterwards that Caleb informed her of what had happened. Ravi had swooped in right at the last second, and, according to Kamo, saved Sabine's life. The three had fled then, Sabine in tow, while Tani Sanjuro went berserk and shredded a large part of the woods. But he never pursued them.

 

Three days later, she stood together with Caleb at the edge of a river, watching Azuka, Ravi and Kamo train with the only living remnants of the Royal Guard who could still fight: Chiaki, her nine friends, and Reijiro. The Shinsengumi spy known as Yamazaki had murdered every other warrior, leaving only women and children at the mountain camp. Yakushiji Chigusa had been able to heal Sabine with her puzzle-like ability, but that was only because Sabine had managed to survive the day.

 

While the non-combatant remains of the royal family prepared to hide themselves deeper in the mountains Azuka led her army of 16 across the Kurogaya Plains. She was given little time to mourn for her father, and remained mostly silent during the march. Occasionally as they stopped to rest and train, she would excuse herself to a private corner of their encampment, only to return later with no explanation.

 

Meanwhile, Ravi and Kamo did their best to train and analyze the abilities of Chiaki and her friends. Despite the fact that they had only received formal training for self-defense, they had each developed their own abilities, and burned with the desire to fight for their homeland. After circumventing the Akeogi Forest, they marched toward toward Sakuragaoka Village, a hamlet that sat between the forest and Kyo, the old capital.

 

"It will take us days to reach our destination," the empress explained. "They may not be expecting us, but the capital will still be overrun with the Shinsengumi and their troops. If we’re to take it back, we need a plan. We can't possibly take them all on at once."

 

Slowly, everyone nodded. Then, Azuka turned to face Ravi and Kamo.

 

"Every single battle must be carried out as quickly and efficiently as possible, or avoided altogether. We can't be using strong foes as ways to train our pupils. This is war. It's kill or be killed, no matter the cost. Had the three of you taken on Tani all at once, you could have easily stopped him."

 

Ravi nodded in agreement. "The Shinsengumi are bloodthirsty, and far more capable than we expected them to be. We're no longer members of a peacekeeping organization. Survival is our top priority now."

 

Kamo let out a sigh. "Why did I sign up for this?"

 

Sabine and Caleb listened to their mentors from the sidelines, but the dark words did little to comfort them.

 

"I feel so useless," Sabine muttered.

 

"Welcome to the club." Caleb tossed a pebble into the river. "I've been feeling that way since the tournament."

 

"He did something at the end, didn't he?" Sabine asked. "He pushed something in the back of his head, and it powered him up."

 

"Y-yeah..." Caleb said shakily. "Something wasn't right there."

 

"But so what?" Sabine spat. "I would have died if Captain Ravi hadn't appeared. That's the truth, right? That's what Captain Azuka was dancing around back there. My pride put everyone in danger."

 

"You didn't know." Caleb brushed his ice blue hair back and stood up. "Captain Kamo and I are just as guilty. We should have run in sooner."

Sabine buried her head in her arms. "Goddammit...I just wish Amyr was here."

 

As he heard soft sniffles trickle out from Sabine's muffled head, Caleb froze.

"Amyr..." Sabine cried. "That's all I feel. Just layers and layers of guilt toward Amyr. He'd be so disappointed to see me now. He should have just let me die. What am I supposed to do? I can't do anything right...and now I just have to live the rest of my life with this ball and chain he's made for me?"

 

"Geez, knock it off, Sabine!" Caleb shouted. "Look, I know how you feel. Amyr was like a big brother to me. He meant a lot to me too!"

 

"You don't understand. You weren't there when I spoke to him last, Caleb." Sabine pulled away. "Amyr was the only one who knew who I really was. He saw through me, and I loved him. It was only during the tournament when he told me what he did that I felt the same way. I thought my dreams were finally going to come true. I thought my life was about to change."

 

Caleb rubbed his forehead. "Sabine, I..."

 

"Caleb," Sabine said. "Why did you join the Guild?"

 

Caleb stared at Sabine blankly. "So I could be a hero."

 

"Me too," Sabine said with a dark laugh. "But it's only taught me just how weak I am."

 

Caleb stepped forward and tried to give Sabine a hug, but she shook him off.

 

"No," she said with a sigh. "Sorry, but that's not what I need right now, Caleb."

 

At sundown, the sixteen left their encampment and traveled once more, using the cool air and dark shroud of night to aid them in their journey. A day later, they arrived at the first real Yamatoan village that the foreigners had ever laid eyes on.

 

The village was a quaint, rustic collage of farms and houses that stretched out past the horizon. From the view on the hillside, Sabine doubted there could be more than a few thousand people living there. Food, new clothing, and soft warm places to sleep all seemed very enticing, so it was decided that the group would pay a visit to the village chief.

 

Houses on the northern side of the village that belonged to the richest inhabitants had been built out of clay and wood, with large thatch roofs to cover the wide estates. They were surrounded by beautiful gardens, with wide gates in the front. Further down the hill sat smaller huts that belonged to laborers and farm hands.

 

A stone road stretched down the center of the village, lined with teahouses, shops, and brothels. The signs and decorations on each building were so small and subtle that if Reijiro hadn't pointed any of them out, none of the foreigners would have even realized that they were walking down the main street. Pubs and eateries were nestled between one another, only distinguishable by mysterious, barely-lit lanterns out front.

 

After questioning a few villagers who each looked at the foreigners with wide, curious eyes, Reijiro found out where the chief lived. His was an estate built over a spacious acre of land, and also contained the meager town hall. It was getting late, but the Royal Guard managed to catch the elder just before he turned in.

 

Chief Imai Hirobei was in his 60s and wore deep green robes. Hirobei seemed excited to meet newcomers, and invited the 'travelers' inside for tea and rice crackers while they discussed things.

 

As soon as they went in, Azuka pulled out the emperor's dagger and introduced herself. "I am Hanazono Ingram Azuka, daughter of the late Emperor Mikado, and current heir to the throne."

Hearing that, a maid dropped a plate of refreshments right to the floor. All eyes would have been on the empress if all the inhabitants of the house hadn't instantly bowed their heads in reverence.

 

"F-forgive my ignorance..." the village chief whimpered. "Please..."

"And we are the remainders of the Royal Guard, the guardians of the Exalted Light," Reijiro exclaimed. "We require your assistance."

The group relocated to a banquet table in the town hall. Azuka sat at the foot of the table, carrying herself with the clout of a true leader. While it looked a bit strange to Kamo and Ravi, they understood the importance. The people of this world expected to be commanded by the one who bore the title of empress, and Azuka seemed to be further enhancing her skill as a leader.

 

Azuka explained select details of what happened as maidservants set the table with food and drinks. Then, she questioned Hirobei. "Have any Shinsengumi passed through here recently?"

 

"No, Empress." The man shook his head. "However, we did meet a band of Iga scouts. Two foreigners traveled with them."

 

Azuka raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

 

"A swordsman and a beautiful woman," Hirobei explained. "Both with hair of shining blonde. They traded for food and supplies, but did not explain where they were going. They did not ask us any questions, either."

 

Azuka sent a glance to her comrades, then turned back to the man. "Do you have any means of contacting them?”

 

"The Iga clan?” Hirobei asked for confirmation. “Yes, of course. The nin are friendly with us, and often travel down from the mountains to trade.”

 

“I want you to send them a message,” Azuka said carefully. “The Empress has brought a squad of her finest troops and plans to retake the capital, but we’re in dire need of aid. The yokai threat will only spread from the capital in time, and once that happens, there won’t be much we can do. We need help, and would be thankful for whatever number of troops the Iga clan can send – this is our last chance to strike back."

 

"Yes, Exalted Light." Hirobei kept his head bowed as he conversed. "I-if I may be so bold as to ask, when are you leaving for the capital?”

"We injured several of their officers," she declared. "And I don’t want to give them time to recover. We'll stay here to rest and recuperate for half a day, and then we'll leave."

 

"Understood," Hirobei said reluctantly. "We've heard stories about the old capital from traveling merchants ever since the Shinsengumi moved in. From what they say, the city has been ruined. Monsters walk the streets, while the beautiful memorials of old have been warped into grotesqueries. One claimed it to be a portrait of hell."

 

Azuka lifted a slice of sashimi from a platter on the table and passed it through her lips. "Then to hell we go."

 

*

 

"Open up!"

 

Tani Sanjuro slammed his bloodstained fists down on the back gate to the Royal Palace in Kyo, which had now become the temporary base of the Shinsengumi stationed there. He had lost his entire army, his clothes in shambles, and some of his wounds had gotten infected due to the sloppy makeshift first aid he'd applied on his way back.

 

To put it simply, Tani was not in a good mood. In fact, his burning resentment toward Yamazaki had been one of his most prominent sources of motivation during his long, arduous escape.

 

He thinks that just because Vice-Commander Hijikata has been favoring him, he can do whatever he wants. Well, he's got another thing coming. He'll be the first one I deal with!

 

The 7^th Shinsengumi Captain also faced another imminent problem: the possibility that he would be forced to commit suicide upon reporting in to Hijikata. There were many rules in the Shinsengumi, but only one punishment: suicide to atone for shaming the squad. Hijikata's rigid system kept most soldiers fighting for their lives no matter the situation, and it gave many of the new recruits a forced sense of purpose.

 

"When a warrior engages in combat with the enemy, if he is to flee after attacking without securing victory, he will be punished." It was one of the most basic rules, and Tani had violated it.

 

The sound of footsteps along wood trickled out from within the gate. Someone came to answer the door.

 

I'll announce that the forces have been neutralized. That's the only option I have. Hijikata is still in Edo, so I should be safe for the time being. After resting for a few days, I'll take whoever else wants to come with me out to attack him before he can attack me. Then everything will fall right into place.

 

"Who is it?" the gruff voice of Harada Sanosuke called from inside.

 

"It's me, Tani!" Tani called back. "Can't you recognize my voice?!"

 

"Well, I dunno..." Harada deliberated. "You could just be a kitsune shapeshifting into Tani! How am I supposed to be sure?"

 

"Just open the damn thing, you ingrate!" Tani screamed. "I don't have the patience for this right now!"

 

"Alright, but if you're a monster, I'm gonna kill you!"

 

The massive wooden gate slowly opened, revealing a dark passageway that led down into the depths of the ancient palace grounds. Standing in the corridor was a tall man in a leather jacket with tight blue jeans and a chain hanging from his pocket. His accessories included blue suede shoes, thick black sunglasses, and a pompadour that protruded out from his head.

 

"Wow, it really is you, Captain Tani!" Harada shouted with a dopey grin on his face. "Sheesh, someone did a real number on you!"

 

"I need medical attention immediately," Tani spat out as he barged into the hallway. "I hope you have a Regeneration Tank hooked up to a generator."

 

"Yeah, I think we've got one or two," Harada chuckled, as he fell into stride with the man. "What happened?"

"Before I answer that..." Tani quickened his steps. "Tell me any news I've missed."

 

"Well, the Commander and the Vice are still tied up in Neo-Edo," Harada said.

 

"So we haven't much time..." Tani calculated.

 

"Aggression from the Iga troops is increasing," Harada went on as the two passed through a door. "But now that we've got Kyo all wrapped up here, it should be smooth sailing for us."

 

"Have you seen Yamazaki or Shimada recently?" Tani abruptly changed subjects.

 

"Oh yeah, they stopped by. Said they were going to Neo-Edo."

 

Tani frowned. "Slippery bastards..."

 

The duo made their way through the musty wooden corridors of the palace until they arrived in a wide hall that had been transformed into a command center. Off ancient murals hung wires, transmission modules, and flat screen panels, all of which had been imported from otherworldly sources.

 

Tani had arrived with good timing, for shining out from the largest panel in the center of the room was the ferocious visage of Hijikata Toshizo, in the midst of a squad briefing. Bowing before the giant head on the screen were the Captains of the 4^th, 8^th and 9^th divisions, the ones who had been originally sent in to secure the old capital.

 

Gazing over his allies, Tani was left with mixed feelings. Unlike the original members of what was now known as the Shinsengumi, Tani had been invited in afterwards by an existing captain: his old student Harada Sanosuke, who had gone on to work as an instructor at Commander Kondo's dojo. Some of the men in the Shinsengumi were exceptional warriors who had been hand-picked by the government, but Tani considered others to be far from worthy – like Yamazaki Susumu and Shimada Kai, who had been hired personally by Hijikata.

 

Although he still had yet to exchange words with half of the men in the squad, Tani had the hierarchy memorized perfectly in his head.

 

            Commander – Kondo Isami

            Vice Commander – Hijikata Toshizo

            General Commander – Yamanami Keisuke

            Advisor – Ito Kashitaro

            1^st Division Captain – Okita Soji

            2^nd Division Captain – Nagakura Shinpachi

            3^rd Division Captain – Saito Hajime

            4^th Division Captain – Matsubara Chuji

            5^th Division Captain – Takeda Genryusai

            6^th Division Captain – Inoue Genzaburo

            7^th Division Captain – Tani Sanjuro

            8^th Division Captain – Todo Heisuke

            9^th Division Captain – Suzuki Mikisaburo

            10^th Division Captain – Harada Sanosuke

            Head Spy – Yamazaki Susumu

            Head Scout – Shimada Kai

 

Despite being the second to oldest member of the squad, Tani had been assigned to the 7^th division, only three tiers above his own student. But he was an adult, and he knew that numbers meant little compared to the honor he received from the job itself.

 

Tani was happy to dedicate his life to the Shinsengumi. He served both his country and the shogun, and for a Yamatoan warrior, there was no greater duty. The dimension had once been composed of many different provinces, but thanks to Koga's yokai foot soldiers and the Shinsengumi, the entire world was now in the process of being united under a single shogun leader. Soon, the outer provinces would also be subjugated, and Koga would rule it all. Tani knew that the victors wrote the history books, and he deeply looked forward to the day when his name would also be etched in the annals of time as one of the most heroic men who'd ever lived.

 

"Captain Tani, you're back." Hijikata's holographic eyes drifted across the wall to the middle-aged man. "I trust things at Kurogaya went well."

 

Tani put on his poker face. "Has Yamazaki not already informed you of the results, sir?"

"Oh, he gave me a detailed report of his experiences on the front line." Hijikata smirked. "But I was asking more about your engagement with the foreigners."

 

Suddenly, it all made sense to Tani: why he had been ordered to take such a weak battalion, and why Yamazaki and Shimada had fled so suddenly.

 

That sneaky son of a bitch. He sent me there to die.

 

"You can rest easy, sir." Tani returned Hijikata's bloodthirsty eyes with a mask of confidence. "The Royal Guard and its foreign supporters have been utterly neutralized."

 

"That's reassuring to hear," Hijikata said flatly. "When I first saw all those wounds along your body, I became worried that you might have fled."

 

"Unthinkable." Tani shook his head with vigor. "They are dead."

 

"Well then." Hijikata nodded. "That is all I have to tell you for now. I will stop by Kyo quite soon to check on the developments, but in the meantime, I leave everything to you all. Do not forget, men – we are the strongest. And we must continue to be."

 

"Yes sir!" all five captains shouted in response.

 

As he watched grey static appear on the screen, Tani spoke up. "Now that that's done with, we can begin the real report."

 

The other men eyed the 7^th Captain oddly.

 

"Just listen." Tani's mustache curled upwards as his mouth morphed once again into a sneer. "I'm in deep shit here, and you're all going to help me climb out of it."

Next: Mad Monster Party