10: Chapter 9
Tsubasa Falls: Another week another chapter.
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Barely three days after the festival held for Kanathia's return Yukito set out for the border. There were tears, and people stood in the streets throwing flower petals in the air wishing him the best of luck. Through it all the group simply watched from the palace. Kanathia had been unable to follow so most of them had stuck with her. After all they had already been to a festival not that long ago. Fai and Kurogane were the only two that left. Kurogane having claimed he was bored and Fai tagging along as he often did.
The rest of the group watched as the parade of people slowly moved out of sight into the city. Kanathia left out a sigh as they rounded the final corner that blocked them from view.
"Are you alright Kana?" Hanada said glancing over at her friend.
Kanathia just nodded and then turned to leave. She saw no point in standing around all day.
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"So where did you want to go exploring today?" Fai asked as he waved at another group of people that he caught staring at the out-of-place Kurogane.
Kurogane grunted. A typical response from the man, not that it explained much. Fai folded his arms behind his head with a smile.
"You know Kuro-pu I think you're getting quite a few admirers here." Fai said nodding toward a few girls that were watching them with probing eyes.
"Stop with the weird nicknames mage." Kurogane forced back turning another corner. It was past midday now and Kurogane was trying to find his way back to the palace with no luck.
"Are we lost again Kuro-pi?" Fai asked peering down an alley they past and coming up short.
"No! Now stop with the…" Kurogane started to object before he realized that Fai had stopped. He turned back inquisitively. "What's wrong with you?"
Fai had moved to the side and was looking down the alley was open curiosity. Kurogane caught sight of the person Fai had spotted and stopped. "Isn't that the kid who led us to the palace when we got here?"
Fai nodded raising his hand and opening his mouth to call out only to falter when the boy was joined in the alley by two other men, each wearing black outfits that made them nearly blend into the shadows. It was a far cry different from the bright clothing of Ishilda that they had grown used to seeing over the past few days.
"Is everything done?" asked one of the two men.
The boy, Osho, nodded. Then a grin split his face. "We had good luck with the empress coming back right now. We don't have to go looking for her now. Is Hado already at the palace?"
The other of the two men nodded. "He left an hour ago so I assume he's getting in place."
"Good." Osho said then he frowned. "Now remember, we can't strike until the Emperor is far enough away that he can't simply turn back. I'd say another six hours at the least. We don't want the news to reach him before he's nearly at the border. By then it'll be too late for him to send back forces."
"Right." The other two agreed.
"The Cretian's have already held up their end of the deal?" Osho asked.
One of the other men nodded then tensed. His head swiveled from side to side until it came to a rest on Fai's blonde head. Osho and the other man followed his gaze, and Osho's frown turned into a scowl.
Fai, realizing he'd been spotted rubbed the back of his head and moved away from the wall with a sort of apologetic smile. "Ah, sorry, Osho right?" Fai said still smiling although he was watching the three with great interest.
Osho tensed then relaxed. It was clear to Kurogane who was leaning against the wall that Osho wasn't sure how much they had heard and thought that he could still play the whole thing off. "You were with the group I led to the palace?" Osho asked with a small smile.
Fai nodded. "Did I interrupt something?"
Osho glanced over at the men. "Nothing too important." Osho said with a forced smile. "Did you need something?"
Fai looked thoughtful and Kurogane tried not to scoff. "Perhaps directions?" Fai said coming out of his supposed reverie. "We're a bit lost, can't seem to find our way back to the palace."
"We?" Osho repeated and then finally seemed to catch sight of Kurogane standing in the shadows. He jumped. The men behind him tensed. Kurogane's eyes flicked to the two men.
"If they draw those blades I'm not guaranteeing their lives." He snorted.
"Now, now Kuro-pu." Fai said placating. "I'm sure they only have the best of intentions."
Kurogane tried not to laugh, but a thin smile still crept onto his face; which was instantly replaced by a scowl when he realized Fai had used one of his ridiculous nicknames again.
"Right, well, directions." Osho said. "You'll want to go straight up this road you were on then take the second bridged on your right. Turn left and follow that road until you see…" Osho trailed off as the two men he was with stepped closer and put wary hands on katanas that were strapped to their sides. "What are you doing?" Osho asked the two with just a hint of panic in his voice.
"I know you can't tell," one of them started, "but these guys aren't exactly normal. We've been hearing rumors that the Emperor hired extra body guards. These are probably them."
Osho looked at Fai and Kurogane with a bit of bewilderment. Then he stepped back and pulled a knife from under his jacket. The amused twinkle in Fai's eyes was slowly going away to be replaced with an assessing gleam, but the smile remained intact.
"I warned you about drawing blades." Kurogane said pushing himself from the wall.
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"It's nearly dinner time." Creshenth complained. "Where exactly did those two wander off to?"
Syaoran shrugged. "We've only been here for a few days. Chances are they got lost in the city. It is a bit confusing."
Sakura nodded. She had no idea how anyone found their way in this city.
"Do we really have to wait for them to get back before eating Kana?" Creshenth whined. "I'm starving."
Kanathia said nothing continuing to walk toward a destination unknown to the rest of the group.
"Stop complaining Creshenth." Hanada reprimanded frowning. "Jeez, I swear you've done nothing but complain since we left Hoenda."
Creshenth stuck his tongue out at her, but stopped talking nonetheless.
Kanathia stopped walking suddenly causing most everyone in the group to bump into each other. Her head tilted to the side as if she couldn't quite figure out something. Without warning a figure fell from the shadows above them. Syaoran watched its descent with wide eyes and snapped into action before the rest of the group had even registered what was happening.
To Syaoran the intended target was clear. Kanathia. He shoved her roughly out of the way sorry that he didn't have more time to make sure she didn't injure herself. A shriek went through the air, and he was unsure whether it was Hanada or Sakura. A knife flashed from under within the black clad hands and Syaoran watched as it struck right where Kanathia's heart would have been and right where his right thigh was now. He grimaced as the blade buried itself in his leg, but whipped around and grabbed the person's wrist managing to keep the wound from becoming worse. Without a thought he struck with the back of his hand and hit the back of the figure's neck. Immediately they went limp and fell to the floor.
Syaoran staggered back sure he had disabled the threat. He sank to the floor examining his now bleeding thigh. The rest of the group seemed to be coming out of their momentary shock. Hanada hustled to his side. "Holy crap kid. Where did you learn to do something like that?" she said wide eyed as she looked at the knife.
Creshenth had made his way to Kanathia who had propped herself up on the floor and was swinging her head around in confusion. Finally her eyes landed on Syaoran. "Syaoran." She said his name with a weird inflection. "Are you alright?"
Sakura, who had been kneeling next to the unconscious assailant, looked his way as well.
Syaoran nodded just the slightest bit. "I'll be fine. It's not the bad." He said tugging the knife from his wound and tearing off the bottom of his robe to bandage it.
Hanada knocked him backwards in a hug startling him. He felt his cheeks getting warm as blush slowly crept across them. "Ah, um, Miss Hanada…why…"
"Thank you." Hanada said pushing back onto her knees and helping him back up. "You saved Kana's life. You deserve at least a hug right?" she said beaming. Then she grabbed the ripped part of his robe which he'd dropped upon being tackled and started to bandage his wound.
When she was done she stood and offered him a hand. "Do you think you'll be able to walk?"
Syaoran nodded trying to hide his crimson face.
Hanada dropped back and helped Creshenth lift the would-be assassin off the ground. "We should probably get to a place with more guards in case there are more of these guys hiding around." Creshenth suggested as they walked.
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"Holy hell." Sanfirith said as he took in the group which had just entered the dining room. "What happened?"
Syaoran immediately sat down looking a bit pale. Creshenth and Hanada sat their charge down in the chair next to him. "This person attacked Kana." Creshenth said with disdain. "We should probably…"
A long groan cut him off. The assassin's eyes flickered open. Syaoran was the first to move again, but this time he pushed his chair just slightly further away from the person and in front of Kanathia and Sakura.
Sanfirith stepped forward and removed the mask covering the assassin's face. Pale skin and red hair on a very feminine face surprised most of them. Only Syaoran, Sanfirith, and Kanathia seemed unfazed. Though the latter might be because she couldn't see what had left the others ruffled.
"Who are you?" Sanfirith said and twitched a finger causing ropes to constrict the girl before them.
She just glared back. Then she turned her gaze on Syaoran. "I see the Ishildan military is recruiting younger than I remember." She said haughtily.
Syaoran blinked. It wasn't technically true, but there wasn't really a reason to correct her either.
Sanfirith opened his mouth to ask another question, but was cut off by the door at one end of the dining hall banging open. In shuffled a disheveled Kurogane and a smiling but slightly worn out looking Fai.
"Ah, there you are." Creshenth said frowning. "We thought you got lost again."
Fai straightened up a bit smile still gracing his face. "We were." He said simply. "However, that nice young man who led us here on-"
"Nice?" Kurogane interrupted scowling. "He attacked us? What the hell was so nice about him?"
Fai grinned back. "Well he did give us directions before the fight."
Kurogane scowled more deeply.
"You guys were attacked also?" Sakura said rushing forward as though to help them if they were injured.
"Also?" Kurogane repeated then his eyes fell on the woman in the chair and then they continued to Syaoran's leg. "You let yourself get injured kid?"
Syaoran opened his mouth to reply only to be cut off by Hanada. "He got injured saving Kana's life. I'll not have you mocking him." She said and then turned up her nose at him.
Fai chuckled. "Not very good with the ladies are you Kuro-pu?"
Kurogane looked ready to bash Fai's brains in, but a snicker from the captive stopped everyone.
Sanfirith redirected his attention from the two who had just entered to the girl. "I don't suppose you're going to make this easy and just tell me who sent you?"
Once again his only response was a glare. A small beep filled the room issuing from somewhere near the girl's wrist. A wide smile stretched across her face. "Time's up." She said simply.
Her words were punctuated with ringing explosions that were far too close for comfort. The ground shook and whatever power source had been lighting the room went out.
Screams rent the air as stone began to fall. More explosions continued and smoke clogged everyone's lungs and made visibility near zero.
Above all the commotion everyone could hear Sanfirith shouting orders to get outside through some door he said was on the back wall.
The floor tilted. It was only then that the thought that this palace was built on the mountain side seemed to go through Syaoran's mind. He called out for anyone. He didn't just want to get himself out after all. He knew Sakura would be fine. She had been standing right next to Fai and Kurogane. They would see to her safety. He was sure that Kanathia was in good hands as well seeing as Sanfirith wouldn't simply let her die on his watch, but the other two were just civilians. They had no training in the martial arts or anything else for the matter.
He called out again and this time got a response. Through the haze he could just barely make out Hanada. He grabbed her arm and started to pull her toward where the door Sanfirith had been shouting about should be located. His hands searched through the air until they felt stone. The rumbling around them grew louder and he swore he felt the floor tilt further. He pulled Hanada closer and yelled, "Look for the door." He assumed that's what she was trying to do as she fumbled through the near blinding darkness. He found it first though. Someone had, thankfully, left it open. His fingers curved around the doorway and he reached back for Hanada's arm. He glanced all around him looking to see if there was anyone else he could, but seeing no one he pulled her toward the door.
They slowly groped their way down the hallway until it started to lighten and then they both broke into a sprint. The passage was soon lit by torches and then by daylight. Finally they made it to the end and stood gasping for breath on a ledge high over looking where the palace was. Or, more precisely, what was left of the palace. The place was in ruins. Fire and smoke rose from the collapsing building and some parts that were closer to the edge were slowly falling into the seemingly endless pit that lay between this mountain and the next where the city was.
"You're blocking the tunnel." Someone said behind Syaoran startling him. It was a maid and she was absolutely covered in soot. He moved out of the way as she and another girl rushed past them onto the ledge which he could now see gradually widened into a large clearing. He led Hanada that way. Only seven people stood there not including himself and Hanada. Sakura, Fai, Kurogane, Kanathia, Sanfirith, and the two girls. Syaoran's breath caught in his chest and Hanada seemed to realize what he did just as they reached the group.
"Creshenth!" Hanada screamed. "Where is Creshenth?"
Sanfirith looked down at Kanathia who now looked panicked. Both made a run for the passage. Sanfirith restrained Kanathia and, surprisingly, Kurogane grabbed hold of Hanada. The rumbling grew louder still and for a moment it seemed that even their spot far above the carnage wouldn't go untouched as the passage spewed out flames and smoke, but then it died down, and they were left standing there realizing that there was no way that Creshenth would be making his way out of that passage.
Hanada stared horror-struck at the opening, and then back to Kanathia who just then began to cry.
Tsubasa Falls: The second half of this chapter is the brainchild of Kana, because eI had no idea how to write dramatic things. The first character death too. It's always sad when a character dies, even if you didn't particularly like them. I did warn in the last chapter that this was going to get a bit more serious though.
Kanathia: It certainly was a bit of a jump. Last chapter ended with happy faces and a festival. This one ended with death and destruction, but death is jarring I suppose.
Tsubasa Falls: That it is. Well, voting is still up, not that we've actually any votes on the comments. Remember all you have to do is say "A" or "B". I recommend voting if you don't like unnecessary character deaths. Because *hint hint* That's sort of what it's for.
Kanathia: Well, on that morbid note we leave you. 'Til next time.
Kanathia & Tsubasa Falls