Author's Note: Well, here's the fourth chapter. As always, I apologize if it's still rough. I'm kinda juggling this fanfic with an original story along with my day job. On the brighter side, it's not as dark or smutty as the last one. Consider it a sort of standalone intermission story about the weary life of those commanding officer types.
000
The noon sun shone its blinding light across the cloudless sky. But despite the heat, a cool breeze flew across the dark surface of the ocean. A lone ship floated in its midst with sails furled and bound tight.
Far ahead was an island lush with tropical forests and on the beach was a small, seaside village. Other ships had docked there as well and in various shapes that hinted to different other cultures. There were galleons, junks, and even a few longships.
And as expected, a thriving, colorful market could be seen from the deck. Traders in all manner of attire and nation mingled with the brown and green of the lightly-dressed natives. But despite it all, not a soul on the ship took the time to admire this scenery.
The vessel teeming with not only sailor. Soldiers dressed in mail and a few knights in thicker plates were also walking about. Most were preoccupied maintaining the weapons while the sailors devoted themselves solely on tending the ship.
One knight stood over a small table, flanked by two others. His armor was indistinguishable from the rest but his brown, matted hair and coarse chin had a commanding look about them. His bluish eyes had a stony look as they scanned the map that was on the table.
"Once we are finished here, we should either cut across these islands or circle around them and make straight for the Port of Matthaios." he said, drawing his finger across a dark, green archipelago and then tracing around it to a paler landmass that was roughly northwest.
Before another knight could add his input, a loud, pulsing sound suddenly drew everyone's attention. In the center of the deck was a large, ring of runes but overimposed by an even bigger cross with arrow-pointed tips. Latin script was written on all four of its arms.
The circle usually went unnoticed, faded even, but the reaction it received from the rest of the crew had revealed its true importance.
"Make room, all of you!" barked one female knight and the sailors scrubbing that particular area made a last, hurried swipe before backing away.
The circle was emitting a light of bright blue and its radiance competed even with the brilliance of the sun. No doubt the commanding knight could not be blamed for looking warily towards the beach. The glowing, blue pillar could draw unwanted attention as well from its onlookers.
Fortunately, he knew the light would soon vanish as a mass of either began accumulating at the circle's center. The aether dispersed, along with the light, and swept across the deck as a mild gust.
A young woman straightened up from the remaining aether. Her armor was quite distinguishable even from other women on the ship. It was more feminine for one thing. Her stee faulds went far over a long battle skirt of blue. Her gauntlets, greaves, and plate were similar to the rest save for the emblem of a bronze eagle on her chest. On her right shoulder was a pauldron hammered into the face of an exotic bird of prey. In contrast, a simple spaulder rested over her left.
Her hair was pale white and tied into a large braid by a red ribbon. A pair of hazel brown eyes opened slowly before taking their new surroundings.
"Commander!" greeted the lead knight but stopped halfway as his eyes took in the true state of his superior officer.
Her armor was badly charred in most places. Singes slightly smeared across her cheek and her sword was missing.
"It is not as bad as it looks." she assured him.
"It is if you have been touched by dragonfire Commander Tessa." he spoke doubtfully while his eyes inspected her armor.
"Ganthir, you know as much as I do I would not even have an arm left if such were the case." she calmly argued before striding over to the map.
"Well... what of the dragon?" asked one of the knights.
"He is stronger in the air..." said Tessa, "... and takes to it just as fast. We will have to revise our strategy. What word of our spies?"
"They are safe but if we are changing strategy, we might as well change course." Ganthir replied soberly.
"What do you mean?" Tessa asked with a quizzical look.
"The dragon mage is a friend of the locals... and sentiments against the Order are rife among the traders." he explained, "Our spies have confirmed this and they are lucky to have left when they did."
"We best sail further south before people take stronger notice of our sails." he finally advised, "... assuming they haven't already."
"I see..." said Tessa, "If is for the best, south it is then."
She placed an unscorched hand to her chin and studied the map carefully. "But let us stick close to shore." she added, "I have found the dragon's lair and I know we have no need to pass the seashore village to get to him."
"What if the locals have some form of protection as well?" asked one skeptical knight. "For all we know, he could already be down there starting a riot."
"And even if the merchants stay out this, it is quite clear that they will have a less charitable impression of the order." said his partner.
"How we are perceived is irrelevant." Tessa coldly stated, "It always was and always will be. What is also irrelevant are the natives. The dragon deceives them much like he himself is deceived by the lies of this world. To strike him down would be to strike down that illusion and open their eyes. As messengers of God and knights of the Church, we must use the Truth to liberate them from this bondage."
"We stick close to shore." she firmly repeated, "That is an order."
Ganthir hung his head apologetically for his subordinates. "Understood," he said before nodding sternly to one of them. The knight sighed in defeat and began shouting orders to ready the ship. Crewmen scrambled immediately as the sails were unfurled and the anchor was hoisted. A few more soldiers ceased their maintenance and began assisting as well.
"So what changes are we to implement in the new strategy commander?" Ganthir then asked.
"We make greater use of our numbers to meet him in the air and then take that advantage ourselves to keep him grounded." she explained, "We'll have to make the most of all our mounts as I've seen him capable of shattering flight enchantments."
"What if he summons another dragon?" asked the remaining knight.
"That is what we must avoid." Tessa replied while unrolling a blank parchment. Her finger glowed with blue aether as she inscribed her battle plan on it. "Fortunately, he would likely expend a great amount of mana to summon such a creature. We will use counter magic so that he will be completely open and spent for capture."
"We could also banish his beasts," said Ganthir, " but our main objective remains: How are we to drag him down?"
"It's quite simple." said Tessa, "His transformation is actually his own enchantment and once dispelled, it also has a dangerous side effect of leaving him severely weakened. Our only disadvantage is that he knows all this but I very much doubt he will do much to prepare. He fights no differently from the rest of his ilk: like a wild animal."
The ship went slowly along its course but by the time it was late in the afternoon, Tessa's ship was out of the village's sight (and vice-versa). There was now only beach foliage and tropical trees swaying in the warm, southern wind.
"This shall be a night raid then?" Ganthir asked.
"But of course, the cover of night will prove advantageous." Tessa replied as the soldiers returned to assembling themselves. "Normally, I would not advocate taking so much action so soon but in this case, we are not dealing with a nocturnal adversary."
She said these words with the same stoic, impersonal manner as always but one glance in her eyes and Ganthir she was quite confident.
Now if only his own instincts weren't so troubled.
"COMMANDER!"
The elderly knight sighed wearily in his head as those instincts proved true. From the crow's nest, a male squire slid down frantically with a scope in hand.
"Look!" he said, urgently handing the scope to Tessa before pointing to the sky.
The young woman looked through it as directed and her eyes widened instantly. "Shieldmages at the ready!" she shouted.
A series of piercing roars resounded across the orange sky before it was covered by a swarm of wings. An entire flock of dragons was making its way from the lone spire of her foe's hideout. The sun's rays flashed across their scales of gold, green, and red. Slenderness characterized their builds with serpentine necks and lean muscles. Short yet sleek horns crowned their heads while their crimson eyes glared with not hunger but fury.
The first assault came seconds after they flew in range. Some shot streams of fire from their maws. Others spat it out in large, explosive balls. The shield mages could barely keep up conjuring barriers and redirecting the flames. Their blue domes and metamagic wisps fizzled in the face of the heat and burning light. When a few managed to break through, sailors and soldiers flew across the deck with the splinters of singed wood. More fire caught on to the sails before quenched by harassed frost mages.
One glance and Tessa knew only one thing would result if this kept up: chaos. She had to get her men together. And despite the protests of her arm, she rushed close the central mast while grabbing a longsword on the way.
She closed her eyes and raised the sword's tip above the wooden boards. Her mind stilled in focus and reached deep into her memories. Golden light flashed as she recalled fields of ripe wheat and sun setting on her little farmhouse home. The warmth of white mana flowed into her and she felt its strength reverberate through her blade.
Opening her eyes, she the blade alight with the serene power and plunged into the floor. But instead of piercing wood, it phased through and another circle materialized from the point. Its appearance was completely identical to the one before save for its new color.
Pulling out the sword, she raised it high and it released an even greater flash of light. Above, the fires began to divert. An invisible force seemed to actively dispel them. Not even the smallest ember could touch the ship now.
"Zephyr mages, to your positions!" she barked and several sailors and soldiers scrambled behind each of the sails. Their hands raised up towards them and large circles began to appear on their canvas. Like Tessa's, these had runes of rings around the edge but in instead of a cross, a simpler, four-pointed spiral was imposed upon them.
The sails filled up with and the ship gradually increased its pace. Meanwhile it was only though Tessa's sheer power alone that provided safe passage away from the marauding dragons.
Upon getting further out sea, their foes could no longer keep up and finally retreated. But at that point, Tessa saw they had in fact succeeded. The ship was now too far into the ocean and sailing back would only mean sailing back to the swarm that was likely still lying in wait.
"What now commander?" asked a morose Ganthir.
Tessa sighed wearily and spoke words that forever left the most horrid taste in her mouth, "Change of plans."
"Where to then?"
"North for now." she answered, "No doubt every one us here is in need of rest. Tend to the injured quickly and repair the sails. I will determine our next course by morning."
Dinner for the crew was a quiet affair save for the orders being carried about and the occasional protests of pain from tended burns. By all accounts though, it was a miracle that there were no serious casualties.
Everyone except for Tessa had to eat their meals on deck as much work still needed to be done. That didn't mean she had neither food nor labor on her own plate.
Her cabin was large but it was open to all and she spent the rest of the evening munching only on bread and partaking a small bowl of broth. Despite Ganthir's insistence, she tended her own arm (and easily did so as her skill with healing wasn't exactly subpar).
Bookshelves were on port and starboard walls of the cabin. Volumes of bestiaries and arcane texts filled them completely. A larger, round table preoccupied it and the large map was all that preoccupied her while she ate. A white, wooden ship represented her vessel while a black miniature dragon stood for her most recent adversary.
Another sweep across the map revealed two more black miniatures, no doubt indicative of the other foes she has already fought. Further north, on another archipelago, was a rat. Far to the west, a hulking, humanoid construct.
Finishing her food, she began drawing more aether lines across the map, starting from the point of their next destination. The result was a sort of crossroads with routes that wound east, west, north, south, and everywhere else in between. And at the end, a port was marked by a glowing, blue dots that slowly faded.
A swirl of numbers ran through her mind. Supplies. The numbers who are injured. The time it takes to recover. Their rate of travel. Even the speed of the winds and currents were taken into her calculations. But no matter how much she ran through, something kept her from selecting a final route. Her conundrum expressed itself as soon as the multiple routes faded and replaced by a singular line that split north. One path went further to the islands were the rat miniature stood before traveling south and heading west. The other forsook the northern lands completely and simple went in that direction.
She massaged her head gently but laboriously. Something could not be determined and her heart fell ill at ease making a choice before it does.
The sound of approaching footsteps calmed her for once. Perhaps knowing more about the damage would help. She knew something had to be done, anything, to make up for the obvious failures that had transpired.
"Any more to report Ganthir?" she asked before turning around.
"No more than what you already know." the senior knight answered, "I just came to see if you're still straining yourself over our next course."
"What else would you have me do?" she grumbled, leaning her weary backside against the table, "I ask that most sincerely. This is the third rogue planeswalker whom I've failed to contain. Furthermore, I've failed to fulfill our oath to the Two Empires-"
"From what I recall, the oath you made was not to bring the dragon in irons." Ganthir said, "It was not even made to the Empire but to a woman in good standing in the one Empire's court. You did not fail her as much as we all failed the Church in this task."
"She gave us information." said Tessa.
"She was not exactly discreet with the dragon mage's identity." Ganthir replied with a small smile, "The true oath you have yet to fulfill is currently rolled up in your chambers, by your bedside."
Tessa sighed and slowly walked past him to the door. Perhaps it was better if she just went and tended to those who still needed tending.
"That scroll hasn't showed any signs." she said, "We cannot afford to answer its call when we will be too far on the voyage home. We have other orders. You know this."
"That I do," Ganthir firmly spoke, "and I also understand the burden which you bear to arrive at a decision."
He placed a hand on her soldier just as she considered taking another step forward.
"That does not mean you need no rest." he added, "I've experienced enough of the wilds in other lands to know what you just went through to find that dragon. I can tell you spent all night waiting for him to fly out again in the morning. No amount of healing will stave off your sunken eyes for long."
He could feel her shoulders tense but then droop. "Many of my soldiers are hard at work." she spoke, "It just feels wrong for me to rest when there is still so much to be done."
"You have done enough for the past few days." said Ganthir before dropping his hand, "No doubt you will do more. But for now, rest. It's not like they won't be turning in soon after you."
She couldn't tell if she really was too tired to argue or that she understood his point. Either way, she turned and headed to the door further to the back of the map chamber.
Despite her rank, she hardly demanded for a large bedroom. The only thing spectacular about was the large window at the very rear end of the ship. Dark, violet curtains had been drawn over it and the only source of light came from a single candle on a bedside drawer. Her bed was very simple, with plain evergreen covers and a chest at its foot. No doubt it stored her armor and what few other clothes she had.
Her arm had fully healed by then and so removing the charred gauntlet was painless as when she then took off the rest. Each piece was placed orderly upon her bed. Reaching for her back, unzipping her battle dress was the one thing she needed to slip it entirely off her front and down her round thighs. Her physique was quite curvaceous that had been belied by the bulkiness of her knightly gear. Its lack of emphasis was only due to the small bloomers and modest chemise underneath.
It would seem that such was unnecessary in the privacy of her own room. Regardless, she would not allow even herself to look down and find cause for vanity. Instead, she folded her dress and placed it alongside her armor before heading over to her chest.
A large, nightgown was inside with long sleeves and classic frills. Over her head it went and her arms quickly slid through till everything was in place. A few minutes later and her battle gear was stored away in the dress' place.
Heaving another sigh of exhaustion, she fell on her knees and clasped her hands together wearily. She had forgotten how beat up her legs after trudging through all that jungle foliage. Large roots had bruised her feet when they made for uneven, bumpy ground. Her muscles ached from having to cut through the vegetation. The presence of beasts ensured they had only little rest. No matter how many jungles she has traversed before, it was always a dragging, painful expedition. She could only assume that it was by God's grace that she had the fortitude and the resolve to push on.
Speaking of which, giving thanks for it was all that went through her mind as she prayed. A few more were drawn from memory yet she recited them passionately with the same mind. Before finishing, she glanced a the drawer and briefly reflected on Ganthir's words that spoke of her true obligation lying within. Still she felt nothing.
Standing up, she blew out the candle gently and went under the covers. Her eyes closed even before the darkness engulfed the room. And as she laid there, she listened to the creaking sound of her moving ship. The groaning of wood and the distant splash became her means to lull her mind.
For six hours, this worked. Her mind was free of heavy thoughts but not lost in a depressing, dreamless oblivion. She had no need for sight but only sound and the sensation that cushioned her sleeping form.
But suddenly, something disrupted the melody of this natural lullaby.
THUMP!
Tessa's eyes threaten to spring open but she reined her wild reflex just in time. Yet again, there was another bump coming from somewhere close, dangerously close. Its loudness overcame the soothing creaks of the moving ship. It slow persistence heightened her wariness. Focusing hard, she concentrated her mind to pinpoint the source.
It was then that she recalled the drawer and opened her eyes in realization. She quickly sat up and glanced. True enough, a powerful read glow was flashing threateningly through the drawer's gaps. Its wooden body shuddered as something inside strove to push it open by itself and break free.
She rushed over to it and yanked the knob. Immediately, a cylinder of fiery red launched itself from the drawer. It hovered unsteadily in the air and its orange light came from the sparks and embers the sprinkled from it but somehow did not set either wood or sheets on fire.
The light barely lit up the room and Tessa was hesitant to let her hand touch it for fear of what might happen. As she slowly did however, a few words were called back into her mind.
"Should I ever call you to fulfill your oath, this will let you know."
Looking more closely, she then recalled that the cylinder was in fact a as scroll. Made of thick paper, its knobs on both ends were round and flat. A glyphic, branch-like symbol was stamped on their surface and they too gave off the same burning light. According to her knowledge, this symbol was called a 'kanji' and was a form of writing native to the scroll's place of origin.
As the aura threatened to grow even larger, she knew she would never see the end of this if she didn't act. Slowly, a single finger grazed the paper surface. Its aura did not burn but quite hot enough to be excessively warm.
The scroll almost snapped open when it unrolled. Upon it was an even larger kanji and encircling was a ring of several more that were several times smaller. These strings glowed just as intensely and also spread out from the ring like a magic circle.
The paper stiffened into a sheet as it floated in front of her. In the next second, it flipped itself over the ground and smacked itself across the floor. Before Tessa could react, the paper had begun rapidly deteriorating into greater tongues of red aether. Only thing left were the symbols that were now written on the floor.
Just when she thought the light couldn't get brighter, she found herself shielding her eyes as the symbols lit up their intensity. The sound of raw power surging echoed across the room. She could feel the wild pulse of red mana coursing through the walls of the ship and the shouts from below knew it had woken the men as well.
Her feet moved without any regard to her dress as she bolted through her door.
Once through the map room and out onto the deck, they froze in place as her eyes beheld the sails. A red kanji had marked itself on all the canvasses, each adjusted in proportion to their size. The largest ones obviously stood out the most to her and it took a few seconds to register something else that was going on.
Several of the men were scrambling for rope as different parts of the ship moved roughly by themselves. Over at the helm, Ganthir was struggling at the wheel as it forcibly wrenched out of his attempts to steer. Tessa sped up the stairs leading up and rushed over to him while the others could only look around in confusion. The vessel was steering itself towards and entirely different destination.
"Ganthir wait!" she commanded, "Tell the men to stand down!"
"Stand down!?" Ganthir replied but he was only half-surprised, "I trust you have a better understanding of what is happening right now." Though a brief nod was all the answer she gave, it was perhaps enough for him.
"Everyone!" she then shouted to the crew over the wooden railings, "Let the ship be for now!"
"Commander what's going on!"
"This is Red magic! I know it!"
"Did those savages plant a curse without us knowing!?"
"The Commander has told you all to stand down!" Ganthir barked as he appeared at her side before turning to her. "Well, what happened?" he asked.
"You remember the scroll?" she began, "It just opened, right when I was already deep in my sleep. It's struggle to free itself from my drawer woke me. But at the moment I touched it..."
She made a brief gesture to the sails and sighed. "Wonderful." she groaned quietly, "All that time I spent calculating for our next course only to have a meager scroll force itself on us without explanation."
"To employ such heavy-handed tactics, It would seem our contact in the Edo Empire may have a dire need for our aid." Ganthir suggested, "Who knows? Perhaps it is a bigger sign. Maybe the Lord has answered your prayer for knowing which path to take next."
"Ganthir, you know me well enough that I cannot help my doubts." she grimly replied, "I expected the scroll to act merely as a signal. I did not expect it to unleash untamed, pagan witchcraft on my ship"
Though as soon as said this, she sighed and added, "Although... it as as you said. I gave her my word. Perhaps the truly divine act was that the scroll did what it did before they reached a point where return would be difficult.
After giving the order to Ganthir to have the men resume their rest, Tessa went back to her room. Her feet dragged more and more wearily each time. Once she reached her bed, the lullaby of the ship was no longer needed. Her consciousness gave way from the weight of so much exhaustion.
The next sound she woke up to was the mild pounding on her door. Sunlight was falling through the thin gaps of her curtains.
Again, the pounding continued but she knew it was just Ganthir having to knock it with his thick gauntlets. She appreciated it actually as she always feared taking too much rest. Throwing off her blanket, she landed her feet on the wooden boards as loudly as she could. This would tell him she heard. As if in response, the knocking stopped but was soon replaced by the sound of Tessa herself moving to don her armor.
"Have we arrived?" she inquired as she reopened her chest and started taking out her gear.
"We are mere moments away from making port." he answered through the door, "It also seems clear that the sign on our sails carries weight among the locals here. They've vacated a particular port. Am I to understand that we are to wait there for whoever summoned us?"
"You understood correctly." Tessa confirmed and made the final adjustment with her gauntlet. Ganthir stepped aside the moment she opened the door and followed her faithfully as they stepped back on deck.
Judging from the brightness of the sun, it was nearing mid-morning. As she feared, she woke up a little too late for her liking. Just yards away from the ship, she could see the piers of Edo's port, with its red gates called torii marking their end. Their round pillars supported a narrow room that curved inwardly typical of an oriental style.
The port was as busy as the seaside village which they had left. Here too many merchants from different lands had docked, displaying their exotic wares. The only few differences were in the form of the locals, their behavior, and the attitude of the merchants themselves upon sighting their ship.
The natives of the previous isles were dressed in a very tribal fashion (with tribal being a word Tessa would rather replace with indecent). Many wore little clothing at all save for green and brown cloth. The more modest elderly donned grass skirts and rough ponchos. Much of their interaction with the foreign merchants consisted of constant trade, delivery, and bargaining.
Over here, the locals were dressed in kimonos, and hakamas that seemed modest at first glance but Tessa noticed several were too form fitting. But more different was their reaction to the merchants. Many were curious while some (presumably merchants themselves) had far more critical eyes when they examined the goods in their hands.
"Well... where are they?" grumbled one of Ganthir's subordinates, "They have some nerve bewitching our ship like this and not even bothering to show. Surely we must not stand for such disrespect Commander."
"With patience, we can and we must." Tess coldly yet calmly responded, "I swore an oath to that woman in exchange for her aid in locating the dragon mage. But the sooner we fulfill that oath, the better. Our order, as well as the Church, would stand better to be in good graces with the Edo Empire. Fulfilling this oath will be a good start."
"And it would seem our opportunity has arrived." noted Ganthir as he pointed ahead, to a much larger and darker torii gate that marked the main entrance to the port.
Perhaps it was the trick of the sun but the whiteness of her kimono had always seemed so bright compared to the rest. Such was how the priestesses of this land (or miko as they are called) distinguished themselves along with their red hakama. Yet even among them, the young woman who was now approaching their ship carried with her other effects that Tessa was yet to see on other mikos.
Just like her, this priestess carried a sword at her side. It was a katana sheathed in a jet black scabbard. It matched the color of her long hair which fell straight with only two strands on either side tied into loops by red ribbons. Strapped diagonally to her back was an impressively large scroll, a rope of hemp bound it to her from shoulder to waist.
With her arrival, Tessa now saw the reactions of the people when the ship was first sighted heading to shore. Most of them did their best to shy their eyes away from the miko but it was difficult with not just her appearance. Flanking her were two imposing, female samurai. Few of the merchants had begun whispering amongst themselves. An entourage like this clearly indicated that she was in a position of power much like herself.
Tessa gave orders to bring down the plank immediately while selecting Ganthir and his subordinates for company.
"I'm glad to see you have answered my summons Rovere-san." said the miko with a small smile. However, this smile did not extend to the sharpness of her eyes nor that of her entourage's stoic faces.
"Indeed I have Sakurano-san." Tessa responded in turn (and in the priestess's own tongue no less), "I take it then that you have a grave matter that requires the aid of my order?"
The miko simply nodded and made to turn around. "Come, we'll discuss this in the temple." she said. The knight commander's party followed suit while bearing the stares of the people.
Once past the larger gate, they were officially within the territory of the Edo Empire. The foreign presence here was as sharp as it was in the seaside village. She had only a glimpse of the night life there as her foray into the jungle was a hurried one. But like it, everyone was there to partake of Edo's culture. The only difference was that it was the merchants coming to the locals and doing the buying this time as bringing their own goods would have brought them too far from their ships.
Still, she could feel a mild bitterness in her thoughts knowing all of them were only accepted under the overhanging rule against proselytizing. Everyone was free to show and sell worldly goods but they ban the spiritual goods her order brings.
It was why she could never fathom the sight that surrounded her party. Everywhere men and women walked to and from the port. Their kimonos increased in the variety of colors and patterns. Some traveled with a load of their own goods while others left with much lighter cart.
The houses appeared flatter compared to the houses in the order's homeland. The roofs curved inwards much like the torii gates but only wider. Children ran past them carrying paper pinwheels or those sticks skewering round sweets in sticky, brown sauce. As noon fast approached, some have taken to open up their parasols while others cooled themselves with ornate, paper fans.
The samurai were not the only ones bearing swords. Fighters and guards alike roamed the streets alongside many of those she would suspiciously classify as rogues and mercenaries. A few were even sparring to test the mettle of each nation's warriors.
Further in though and it grew less crowded as they entered the more suburban area of the town. She could tell from the way the houses raised their floors upon platforms in a manner traditional to the Empire. Here more people were inside quietly cleaning or otherwise resting peacefully until lunch. And at the center of it all, there stood the large temple.
It was clearly meant to be more majestic than its surroundings. The ebony roofs piled on each other in two floors while zig-zag shapes of paper hung from each corner. Ivory white colored its walls in a typical fashion. Its green, grassy gardens were a direct contrast to the pale, dusty ground which surrounded it. The building's finer detail was clearly far more elaborate and signified its religious importance to the pagan population.
Luckily for Tessa, she knew where they were really headed. Right after the black torii gate, their party turned right and walked upon the path that circled the shrine. A few other miko sweeping the grounds passed them by and while a priest shot suspicious glances but did not say anything further.
A smaller building awaited them behind the temple but it was still as large as the houses nearby. Its roof though matched that of the temple's so that it was hard tell apart from the rest of the building.
Only Tessa and her correspondent walked inside. It was a staple custom to remove one's shoes upon entering any household. Unfortunately, Tessa's greaves made it difficult to comply and she thought better than to trouble herself so she entered. Sakurano's samurai entourage made their disapproval clear in their face but the knights stood strategically closer to the doorway.
That didn't stave off the consequence of the next local idiosyncrasy.
"Please, sit." Sakurano with a polite gesture to a nearby table (despite the extreme shortness of its legs). Outside, one of the samurai women smirked but turned around so it was possible for only the commander to have seen. Sakurano however maintained a graceful and polite air (she may have even understood the hassle it would take to sit in such armor).
Sighing in resignation, Tessa crouched as low as she could and let her skirt and faulds spread. Her legs knelt to one side in a fashion that was remarkably ladylike but it was also a contrast to the imposing image she would have rather exerted on any she met.
"Dozo..." said Sakurano as she gently set down a ceramic tea set and poured out the native, green brew. Tessa took hold the cylindrical cup just as gracefully (an impressive feat as well given the gauntlets she wore).
"I trust my information was useful, yes?" Sakurano began, "Did you capture the dragon mage?"
The disappointed frown that Tessa gave would have been enough but she answered honestly nonetheless, "Unfortunately, no. I came unprepared. Thank you for your cooperation however, as well as your concern. On my oath as knight-commander, I will see the dragon answers for the crimes he committed here."
"Not just here mind you." Sakurano corrected, "Still, that is unfortunate... but onto business."
The knight lowered the cup after tasting the bitter but somewhat refreshing tea. Her opportunity to gain the Empire's trust for God and the Church was at hand.
"No doubt you may have wondered I chose to hand you an enchanted scroll instead of asking you to eliminate the dragon directly." she said and Tessa nodded in acknowledgment.
"You had another task in mind for me my order." Tessa immediately guessed but her eyes narrowed when Sakurano shook her head slowly.
"No... just you." she clarified and Tessa's eyes widened again.
"Beg your pardon?" she suddenly blurted in English.
"There is no need to remain silent about it. I know what you are and I am the same." Sakurano replied in English as well. Her accent was mildly thick and she resumed speaking in her own tongue, "The two of us are the only ones in this room or even in the whole town who can travel between this realm and the Outer World. We are both Planeswalkers."
"Is this why you're specifically requesting my aid and leaving the others out of it?" Tessa inquired, returning to the local dialect as well but it did not conceal the prod of suspicion in her tone.
"Hai." said Sakurano, "The true menace I am currently tracking is possibly far more dangerous but I strongly suspect his kind are closer to your specialty."
"However..." she added, "He lies not here but in the Outer World."
Sakurano stood and drew something from under the table (while likely demonstrating how its lowness is justified in the process). In her hand was something that clearly did not fit in a world where the written word was on bound scrolls and thick tomes.
It was a light brown folder. Plastered across the front with tape was a label written in type-written kanji. The small fact that there wouldn't be a typewriter for a hundred miles just goes to show how out of place it was.
The fact that Sakurano was another Planeswalker was no secret to either her, the town, or to the entire order. It was how she learned of her in the first place. Despite that, to think she would openly flash the great contrast between this realm and that of the other.
Such things always troubled the knight deeply and personally.
"About a year ago..." the miko began again, "there was a wave of massacres in my city. The victims were all members of the criminal underground. Yakuza, delinquents, gang members, and even politicians of questionable repute."
"A vigilante problem?"
"Hardly. I myself have taken my sword to such villains and I hear you are no different. It was the manner of how they were slaughtered that drove me to identify the killer." she explained.
"And what manner was this?"
Sakurano opened the folder and slid it towards her. "See for yourself."
Inside were several lengthy paper reports, all type-written in kanji variations. Though instead of reading, her eyes immediately drew themselves to the pictures attached to them by clips.
She couldn't tell what repulsed her more: the sight of the mangled corpses and spreads of dried blood or the fact that she was seeing something that did not belong. The bodies were all shriveled up and it looked like the many dungeons she had frequented, crawling with undead. A few severed hands still clung to their katanas and nailed bats. Chests were shown to have hearts torn out. Several heads could be seen with faces rendered beyond recognition by massive claw marks. The tearings of flesh and twisted bones at the necks were inconsistent, as if they weren't lopped off but struck up with such great force.
"Clearly you have a demon on your hands." Tessa presumed, "If you presume such is my specialty, you are very well on the mark."
"Precisely." Sakurano said with a smile, "Although, I do not believe any mere demon or oni could accomplish this. At one of the crime scenes, the police also found something that would be of great interest to your order."
She took a lone photograph, larger than the ones in the folder, and placed it before her. Drawn in blood was a symbol. Its shape crossed between a crown and a hand. Five spire points tipped upwards, the ones closest the center grew taller with the long middle spike as the tallest. While below, two lines curved together downwards into a much bigger spike.
It was the symbol of the Planeswalkers.
"So it is not just a demon..." Tessa gravely surmised, "...tis a Planeswalker who wields their power, erratically at that. Still... even knowing that, I can think of only a few reasons for why he would leave a symbol so carelessly."
"I believe you and I are having the same suspicions."
"He is challenging us."
"By 'us', surely you are not limiting this between ourselves." said Sakurano with a bold smirk, "Since it involved criminals, half of the media found it difficult to report the killings as significant asides from how gruesome they were. But as they tried to tone it down, word of it continued to spread across the streets. In such a highly connected world like ours, it did not take long for it travel across other nations."
She paused and at last took a sip of her own tea. "You know as well as I that these places have others like us." she said, "As we speak, who knows how many have already identified the killer or are even moving in to challenge him?"
"Then they will only know this: the Order of Charlemagne always sees to such things first and sees to them soon after." Tessa coldly responded, "Now... am I to assume this is all you ask."
"There is something else as well." Sakurano continued, "No matter how wild or unpredictable the killings were, he made it seem like they would never stop. Yet suddenly, they did. For six months, the reports ceased and no more was heard of the killer. More than that however, I managed to discover something else, something else that connected all the victims."
"Asides from living lives of shameless thuggery?"
She gave a quick nod and reached for the folder. Her finger drew her attention by tugging several of the documents further behind. Taking the hint, Tessa slid them out before her eyes grew even wider as she put the rest down to scan it.
These documents were not separate but were in fact pages of a much larger file. Yet despite no intention to read the kanji, she could not put of the feel of foreboding as she saw the photographs there.
Women. Girls. Some of them were barely into adolescence. The pages contained numerous pictures of their faces, painstakingly pasted to profiles hinting to what this list could only be.
"Every single member of the massacred groups was heavily invested in human trafficking." Sakurano explained, "Particularly... well, I suppose you have already the idea."
"What happened to them?" Tessa asked automatically.
"That is my other concern." spoke Sakurano, "As the killings continued, they were not among the bodies. I grew more suspicious to learn that female members of the syndicates had also gone missing. But when the killings stopped... they started showing up."
"What?"
"Hai."
"That is... good news is it not?" Tessa said confusedly.
"If it were, I would have been satisfied charging you with the dragon mage's capture instead of summoning you when I needed it most." the miko answered, "I spent nearly a week checking up on them but by then, I had already felt that something was seriously wrong."
"Such as?"
"For one," she explained, "not all of them had in fact returned. Most were only students and former gang members. Secondly, many of them all somehow claimed to have not been there when the killings were taking pace."
"That is suspicious. You think this Planeswalker has somehow ensnared them?" Tessa posed.
"Your guess is as good as mine." Sakurano admitted, "There have been more rumors on the streets of a new syndicate that has taken over the gap left by the annihilated groups. I supervised countless investigations only to find smeared tracks every time. Whoever this person is, he's good at staying ahead."
"His motives are now clear as well." Tessa added, "From start to finish, I would say your story only describes a despicable individual who uses dark, ill-gotten powers to seize their women for himself."
"Would it be safe to assume that I now have your cooperation Rovere-san?" Sakurano asked.
"I would go so far as to take him into our custody." Tessa answered.
"I'd prefer if you just killed him." the miko spoke bluntly, "But then again, they do say that death is preferable to the sentence your order imposes on rogue Walkers."
Sakurano stood up and Tessa saw that this was to mark the end of the discussion. "So, how soon can you be ready?" she asked.
Tessa had not forgotten that this request is made of her personally and she would be disallowed to involve anyone else in her order. As Sakurano briefed her, smaller thoughts set to work on this at the back of her mind.
"I must speak with my men. It is their right to know the sudden changes this will entail." Tessa replied.
"I'm afraid you must do it quickly." Sakurano apologetically insisted, "We leave tonight. Just the two of us."
Any other of her subordinates would have protested at this point. They however, were not planeswalkers. It would take much of the order's resources to send even a small force to accompany her on this mission.
Such were the words that she soon spoke to Ganthir and the others. Ganthir himself was troubled but one look from him was all it took to silence the protests his subordinates were about to make.
"It is non-negotiable at this point." Tessa sternly declared, "I must assist Sakurano with her investigation and hopefully bring this demon-worshiper to justice. Ganthir, I leave it to you and the men to choose between waiting for me or sailing back yourselves. Either way, make sure our superiors are informed ahead of time."
The old knight heaved and this made it clear that he was only repeating his concern over her dedication to work. "Understood," he said.
Tessa gave a few more additional instructions that would make her return to the Outer World easier. By the time night has fallen again, she was presented with a satchel full of clothes she would need there so as not to stand out. Her armor and sword would stay but only in reserve until the moment to confront the rogue Planeswalker presents itself.
To her slight surprise, she was told to meet Sakurano back at her house. Inside, there was ano light save for two candles that were lit on the low table. The shrine maiden instructed her guards to keep the door closed so as not to disturb them, much to the mistrustful looks of Tessa's soldiers.
"You ready?" asked Sakurano as they both sat the same way they did earlier that day. Her hand was in between the candles, reaching out for hers.
The knight adjusted her satchel and made to check if her sword was firmly in place. "Yes" she answered at last she grabbed her hand.
The knights and samurai outside heard the sound of a soft breeze and instinctively looked inside.
All they saw was an empty room and the wisps of smoke rising out of blown candles.
Of the many things Tessa hated about being a planeswalker, this was among the worst. The feeling of volatile mana battering her was like waves in a cosmological sea of violence. In here, she could only take much solace in the warm light of White mana and the coolness of Blue. Fortunately for her, another force was now guiding her hand and she could feel that its owner was in mutual agreement with her need to get out as soon as possible.
Her body felt like it was swimming upwards without her accord. But at the same time, she trusted this path in the same way she would trust an elevator that was wild but ultimately managed to reach its destination. Such was the only way in dealing with the Blind Eternities.
True enough, she could feel the pressure of the wild aether quickly leave her body, replaced by the coolness of a dark room.
"We're here."
Her eyelids winced and she could feel brighter light flood around her. Opening them, she found herself in a much larger room. The only thing close to windows were the wooden grails near the top of the ceiling. Beneath her were polished floorboards of pale brown. Outside, it was as dark as when she left but she didn't have to listen closely to hear the strong pitter-patter of rain. Half of her wondered if she was smelling humidity or that some part of her mind was still spinning from the Eternities.
"Change quickly." she whispered as she went to part one of the doors slightly and check outside. Tessa frowned slightly at such an abrupt command. Banishing her armor was quicker than manually removing it plus it saved up storage. The obvious downside however was that it was more mana intensive and she wished to abstain from using magic at all if she could help it.
Taking a deep breath, she hurriedly put down her satchel and raised up one arm. The light from her metallic plate grew so bright, it ceased to resemble steel before both armor and sword dematerialized into aether shards. All that was left was a runic mark on the back of her neck and her puffy unmentionables.
Few more minutes passed and Tessa was now standing behind Sakurano dressed in a white blouse and a long, black skirt. The plainness of her dress would have made it easy to mistake her for a teacher were it not for her height.
"Ready."
Sakurano nodded and slowly opened door wider. Another small surprise awaited her on the porch.
Two school girls stood guard in the same manner as the samurai entourage. Granted, they weren't carrying swords and where samurai had armor, they only had sailor uniforms with long sleeves and a dark blue color. A white stripe ran across near the hem of the short skirts. Their reaction to the obvious foreigner was far more curious than hostile.
"So this is her...?" said a tall one with a boyish bob of violet. The way her hazel eyes scanned here could have been everything between boredom to unimpressed.
"Not what I expected. I thought she'd be a knight with armor and everything." said a shorter one with brown pigtails curled into short rolls on either side of her face.
Tessa turned to look at the door only for it to slide shut behind her. Hasty thoughts began to race at this little revelation but she held them down with the assumption that this might very well be a minor detail.
"With all due respect, neither did I expect highschoolers to involve themselves in Planeswalker matters." she responded with as much stoic and less cool as possible.
"Oi what does that mean?" said the brunette as her brown eyes narrowed.
"Take it easy Amane. She's still here on Misa-dono's request." her partner calmly warned.
"But Kaname-!"
All three heard the sound of the door sliding open and Tessa's head looked back. Sakurano stepped out dressed in the same uniform. "So you're a student as well." Tessa noted. She had always thought the miko was quite close in terms of age. She never expected it to be that close.
"I'm not sure as to what else you were expecting." Sakurano responded with a smirk that felt a little unlike her, "I'm barely a year older than you yet we both of us have done things that seem beyond our age."
Contrary to this statement, Tessa always thought of Sakurano incapable of reading others so well. But just now, she took great discomfort to see this just worsened the worst of assumptions she had about her. She can see their points of disagreements slowly rising.
It's bad enough to have been dragged into this magical mess without working with the vigilante sorts eager to dive into it, she told herself, but that will have to wait. This killer must first be dealt with. I might even strike two birds if I make my plans carefully, as always.
"So, where do we begin?" she asked.
"Tomorrow." Sakurano answered, "Tonight, you will stay with me while these two work out your temporary enrollment."
"What?" said Tessa as her mind put weights on her feet to root her in place.
"I'm sorry if this seems abrupt." apologized the miko, "but it is necessary that you be a student here until the case has been solved. Our current suspects are in fact right within this very campus."
Tessa quickly looked past Sakurano's two schoolmates and saw that they were indeed facing the rear of a tall, pale green building. It had about four to five floors all lined with large windows. But despite their sogginess, she could see the chairs and tables of the classrooms inside. Several of them still had students in the midst of cleaning.
"It is certainly abrupt," Tessa replied a little too coldly, "but I have done this before. If it is not too much to ask, I would rather you at least inform me of such things beforehand."
"Watch yourself gaijin." snapped Amane, "I won't have you dictating Misa-sama. Don't forget you're here on our terms."
"That's enough Amane." Sakurano scolded.
"Eh?"
"Please understand, our guest here is known for her emphasis on details." she explained, "That is what we need right now if we are to bring this diabolic conjurer to justice... am I right Rovere-san?"
Tessa cordially dropped her demeanor and stepped down the porch. "I must admit Sakurano-san. This is still the first I will ever infiltrate a school like this." she stated, "Hopefully you were aware of that."
"Don't worry." Sakurano assured with her back to the knight, "You'll fit right in."
It was still raining by the time they arrived in Sakurano's apartment. Judging from the way she was addressed (and defended), she would have still thought her a girl of noticeable standing. Instead, all she saw was a young woman barely distinguishable from the Japanese masses that filled the bullet trains they used to commute. Students and office workers. Delinquents and call girls. They were all there and all were to her distaste (though far suited compared to the nightmare land that had dragged her in). Even more fortunate, she managed to find a seat instead of taking risk standing. The unbelievable warning sign depicting a man touching a woman's skirt didn't help her view of this country's society.
Sakurano lived quite well-off regardless. They arrived in a building that was far less dingy than the ones she's had to visit (or worse, stay) during her past investigations.
"Tadaima..." Sakurano quietly greeted her home as she flipped the lights on.
The inside resembled a condominium much more closely though not as spacious. There was a low table of white but this one was round instead of the traditional rectangle. The warm carpet covered the entire floor and contrasted with the cool air-conditioning. Asides from the entrance, the place had four other doors. Three of them were on the left while one more was on the right.
Sitting across the table was a flat-screen television and behind that, at the far most end, was a sliding window panel. Beneath it was a short bookshelf and from the folders on top, more folders and files lay scattered as proof of the miko's continuing efforts.
It didn't take long for her to recall the custom of removing shoes in people's houses here. Good thing her civilian guise came with a pair of brown, leather shoes that were easy to slip off. At her side was her empty satchel which she was still unsure where to set down.
"You hungry?" Sakurano asked as she went to the one door on the right. Chances were, it must've led to a kitchen.
Tessa had to admit that the hour was late. She could see the city lights twinkle as raindrops continued to drizzle against the glass. Many planeswalkers had found that the journey between this world to the other was enough reason to be hungry.
"I suppose." she finally answered as she took a seat near the low table. It barely even occurred to her that whatever dinner she would have here stands to be different than the what she was used to. On the brightside, she could sit more freely without her battle dress.
The sounds of knife work on the other side of the door further proved her guess about the kitchen. And after that, the smell of unfamiliar soup wafted from it along with a hint of fried fish.
She glanced towards the files again and wondered if Sakurano would mind only to dismiss it indignantly. Her part in this investigation already gave her enough right.
It was actually difficult enough to speak Japanese. Reading it was another challenge entirely. It took a while (and a spark of blue mana) before she could scry the meaning of the characters.
All the documents she read so far were more elaborate reports on the massacred syndicates. And judging from the pile over the shelf, the body count was as bad as she was told. Further details went into describing their connected involvement in the underground sex trade. Their modus operandi covered everything from extortion and illegal recruitment to rape and kidnapping. As much as this operation sickened her, knowing that someone butchered all its heads just to take it for itself was even more so. Does Sakurano truly understand the danger of facing them? It would have been easier if she took it upon herself. Now she had to worry about the miko as well as her classmates.
"I wouldn't bother if I were you." said Sakurano's voice, "All you will find there is more of what I have told you."
"Well as you said," Tessa mused as she continued to browse nonetheless, "I'm quite stern when it comes to the details."
"I did say that." Sakurano admitted with a smirk, "Well in any case, dinner's ready. Let me know if you found anything else."
The knight commander finished one folder but decided to pursue the rest once she's had something to eat. Entering the kitchen, she was greeted by the smell of fish and some sort of mild broth. The sink and counter were relegated to the corner farthest from the door. Its cupboards were found both above and underneath. The dining table near the counter was the usual sort (much to her relief) with four chairs on either side.
Her meal consisted of just what she smelled: a simple serving of fish and soup she then identified as miso. Being a soldier, she was used to eating whatever was given to her without complaints provided it was enough sustenance. A look across the table to Sakurano told her the feeling was mutual and they ate in silence.
"Um... Rovere-san?" Sakurano spoke, suddenly breaking that silence, "You don't need to force yourself."
Tessa froze, knowing full well what she meant but asked still, "Whatever do you mean?" Her face remained solid and stony.
The miko pointed her chopsticks at the ones in Tessa's hand. One was teetering over the other like that of a crab with a lopsided claw. She could feel the large sweatdrop as the whole scene was destined to be awkward from the beginning.
"Spoon and forks are in one of the cupboards." she said while resuming her meal. (Tessa could swear she saw a smaller sweatdrop from her as well but she'd sooner recover from this than care for it.)
Just as she stood up, she heard a sudden clap, like two wooden planks clapping each other rhythmically. But perhaps stranger still was it felt coated in an electric buzz.
A ringtone.
"Yes, Kaname-san?" answered Sakurano, holding a red iPhone to her ear, "You've done it...?" Souka... you'll two be coming over then? All right."
A beep signaled the call's end but one look was all Tessa needed to know about it. With a sigh, she quickly began searching for the utensils and then ate her meal swiftly without sparing any time to dwell on more embarrassment.
The doorbell rang at the exact moment that she finished and even took it upon herself to wash while overhearing the voices of the two subordinates. But other than the words "uniform" and "rumors", she noted nothing else to bring up when she finally joined them back in the living room.
Immediately, a disgruntled Amane lifted up a blue paper bag up to her while sitting cross-legged at the low table. "Wear everything in this bag and make it quick." she grunted.
"You will be staying in that guest room, over there." Sakurano added (albeit more courteously). Briskly did Tessa go inside to change but a few minutes later, they heard a groan disbelief. When the door opened again, she came out dressed in the same uniform (complete with a skirt that was just as short).
"I suppose when you said 'everything', you really meant it?" she asked them all but her eyes cast an accusatory glare exclusively at Amane.
"Oh so you're wearing it?" spoke not Amane but Kaname.
"I take it was you who picked them then?" Tessa asked, redirecting her eyes towards her.
"What are you talking about Kaname-san?" Sakurano asked as well and it pleased Tessa that they too harbored slight suspicion.
"Forgive me Misa-sama." Kaname apologized, "But I saw what she wore under that armor and I have a feeling that sort of style gives people away."
Sakurano shifted her eyes thoughtfully towards Tessa but sighed, showing that she understood but disliked it nonetheless. "Very well... I'm sorry Tessa-san but you must bear it as Kaname-san is one of the few I turn to when it comes to blending in. I hope you will share my trust in her."
"If it really cannot be helped..." said Tessa, "But if we're going to work together, I wish you'd all be a little more honest with me. Let's the keep the nasty surprises to a minimum shall we?"
"Sheesh... to think we'd ever meet someone stiffer than oujosama." Amane muttered, turning her face to the side.
"I heard that." Tessa and Sakurano both spoke frostily (and sting the violette twice as bad).
"Sorry."
"But since you mentioned that," Sakurano then continued as attention turned back to the knight, "Speaking to me so formally might not be a good idea either. I'd rather we all be on a first name basis. All right? Tessa-san?"
"Very well... as one Walker to another then, Misa-san." Tessa responded almost coolly but Misa only smiled.
Glancing at herself and then to the three, the knight mentally sighed. Here she was, standing bashfully in a seifuku for the first time. Before her sat three school girls who had more or less taken her into their little circle of highschool enforcers. Around her was a tranquil room that she would most likely grow accustomed to for the following months.
All this simply for the sake of diplomacy and having an oath to fulfill. She embraced the virtues but loathed the circumstances. Had such circumstances been normal (blissfully normal her thoughts added) she would have simply felt like a foreign student who had finally made friends in a strange country.
What she wouldn't do to have had that instead of seeing the machinations of that accursed world still underneath it all.
000
Author's Note: Well, not much to say after this really save that it may be a while until the next chapter. Again, please review and if anyone actually reads this, I would appreciate some tips on getting a story without having to change its category. I feel like if I switch chapters just to give something like this a little more exposure, it'd be cheating. Thanks and have a nice day! :)