Continuous Whiteout
Hello everyone and welcome to the newest chapter of Breath of the Rifleman! Now first, I think I've found a possible groove to work with as far as my story writing goes with more focus put on a story one week before shifting it to another story next week. In this case, it means some chapters will be coming out sooner than others and then the following chapter will take a bit longer. Hopefully that won't prove to be too much of a bother for anyone. Now then, next order of business is the usual shout out to Noble Eight, LoneTaker and groche9655 for their input on this story. And with no guest review questions to answer this week, onto the chapter!
Deserted Military Base: A Cloudy Morning
Waking up early was nothing new to any of the three hunters in the group of four, and as a slayer, Gyomei had his share of early mornings too when it came to traveling. However, he noticed an odd mood upon awakening and finding the two Matagi and one Ainu sitting and staring out the window. The atmosphere would remain as the group sat down to eat breakfast which mostly consisted of the base's food that, thankfully, hadn't spoiled. "What is it that is troubling the three of you," he questioned at last while slurping up some noodles from his bowl.
"It's the weather," answered Subaru for the three of them, "we'd been under the assumption yesterday that the demon calling itself 'Anastasia' was the one responsible for it. But now we're starting to rethink that possibility."
"And I imagine you have reason to believe this is so," said Gyomei, "especially if all three of you are sounding this concerned about it."
"It's the fact that another snowstorm kicked up last night," said Yae, "that Anastasia demon did have ice powers, but if she was fully responsible for the storms then they should have subsided with her death."
"There were fewer ice chunks blowing around than before," added Isosange, "but the clouds still remain and the temperature hasn't increased all that much if what we're feeling is right."
"You are correct young one," observed Gyomei, "despite our slaying of those demons yesterday, the temperature has only increased mildly. Given that this is July, the cloudy weather is passable to my understanding but not this abnormally cold temperature. Am I to take it that you theorize another demon is still out there?"
"Afraid so," said Subaru, "though it's only a theory, the weather is capable of changing fast. It should've been at least close to normal by now. So with your permission, I'd like to investigate around this area a bit more."
"If you are proposing investigating alone, I'm afraid I can't allow that," said Gyomei, "given the threat we'd just faced, it's highly possible that the other demon or demons lurking around possess just as much power or possibly even more. And, as a slayer and a Hashira, I cannot consider my task complete until I have solved the issue that is plaguing this region." Subaru couldn't really see a way to argue with that, especially not when he noted a couple of the scratches Gyomei had taken in the last fight. It was only a few cuts, all caused by 'Anastasia's' razor sharp ice flakes and they'd likely be gone in a day or so.
But the fact remained that anything capabe of landing any kind of hit on a Hashira was a serious threat. Subaru had also received a few cuts and bruises during the fight as well, one of which was an especially nasty scratch on the back of his right shoulder. He'd gotten that while slicing off the head of a demon attempting to go after Isosange as said demon had turned around quicker than he expected and struck right as it was losing its head. Speaking of Yae and Isosange, they had a few scratches as well, but before Subaru could make mention of it, Yae stood up.
"Well if you guys are still on the job, then that means we're in too," said Yae, "you'll still need a guide for the region and I might have an idea for where to head to next."
"With last night's snow, will we even be able to pick up a trail at this time?" Questioned Gyomei.
"The funny thing about that," said Yae, "we'll be going in the direction the snow is coming from." Gyomei raised an eyebrow at her explanation, clearly hoping the Matagi girl would elaborate. Instead, Isosange spoke up.
"It's the direction of the storms," explained Isosange, "they've been coming out of the North. The coast is in that direction, so if we head that way, there's a possibility we'll encounter the wen kamuy responsible for all of this."
"But aren't there at least a few miles of coastline?" Questioned Subaru as he pulled out a map of the region he'd picked up back at the Matagi village.
"There are," said Yae as she pointed to one spot on the map, "fortunately, there's an old lighthouse right around this area. We can head there first and make it a temporary staging point for searching the entire area. While I don't have a problem camping in the cold, it'd be better if we didn't risk frostbite with these frigid night temperatures."
"Not to mention, a regular camp site in this type of weather would be much harder to defend against a demon attack," added Gyomei as he pondered their options. It only took a few more moments before he made a decision. "It is a good plan and if nothing else, we'll at least be able to cover some ground in our search for the demon. Now then, time is of the essence, so let us finish breakfast and get packed. Even without being able to see the map, I'm certain we are in for a lengthy journey."
"It's about a few day's walk from here to the lighthouse," informed Yae, "so the sooner we move, the be-." She stopped as the sound of footsteps outside caught everyone's attention. Subaru was quick to move to the door with his revolver drawn while Yae and Isosange took cover behind some of the tables with their own weapons pointed at the door. Gyomei himself, simply walked right up to the door and waited, listening for the new arrivals as they approached.
They'd been sure to lock the doors that night, so it was mildly surprising when the sound of a key being inserted into the lock was heard before the bolt was turned and the door was shoved open. "Damn, what's with all this snow and ice late-," the stranger didn't get a chance to finish as Gyomei's large foot came into contact with his midsection and sent him flying out and into his other two compatriots. Subaru was out the door in the next second with his own weapon trained on them as the Stone Hashira moved outside.
"It seems these are not demons we have at our door," said Gyomei, "who are they Subaru?"
"Soldiers," replied the Matagi as he kept his revolver trained on the men in blue, Japanese military uniforms, "though I'm not sure why they're here now."
"W-Who are you two?" Questioned one of the downed officers, "there was supposed to be a small group of other soldiers here."
"We are demon slayers," answered Gyomei, "and it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you that the men stationed here, were all killed by the demons we came here to hunt."
"Ah shit," said one of the other soldiers, "I told you guys those rumors were true." Subaru was about to speak up when another officer came walking around the corner.
"What," he said as he reached for his rifle, "you two on the ground n-."
"I'd advise against that," said Yae as her rifle pointed out of one of the building's windows and at the head of the officer, "now why don't the rest of you come in. It's still kind of cold this morning."
A Short Time Later: Main Officer's Building
"So all the demons responsible are dead," said the apparent commanding officer among the three soldiers who'd arrived, a man with short hair and a trimmed mustache, "I'm sorry we couldn't make it up here sooner."
"The military has many concerns other than demons that it deals with on a daily basis," said Gyomei, "we only discovered the situation ourselves because hunting demons is our main priority and profession."
"Even the child's?" Questioned the other Officer, a man with a very short crewcut as he glanced at Isosange who was busy sharpening her knife.
"We're the local guides," Yae answered for the both of them, "though with as many as we helped kill yesterday, we might be on track for getting the job."
"It's actually somewhat common for new slayers to be recruited during the jobs of other slayers," said Gyomei, "the former Fire Pillar found the Snake Pillar when he slew a snake demon, I myself recruited the Flower and Insect Hashiras, Shinobu and Kanae. And Subaru, back there, was more or less recruited along with his friend by the Water Pillar, Tomioka. Of course, it is not an easy life and only those with the resolve to push through even the most dire circumstances should consider joining."
"Well this job isn't over yet," said Yae with a sigh, "we still got an investigation by the shore to get to."
"And it's looking like that's where we'll find our demon," said Subaru as he and the other officer, a man with bangs hanging down his forehead, approached the group, "this guy's been fiddling with the radio in the corner over there and has discovered something interesting."
"Well first off," said the Officer as he brushed his hair a bit with his hand, "thank you all for cleaning this place up. From what your Rifleman has told me, it was iced over when you first arrived."
"Most of it melted after we killed that 'Anastasia' demon," explained Subaru, "we mostly just reorganized everything."
"And thankfully the radio was still intact and working," said the Officer, "I've determined that all the radio broadcasts coming from back towards the city are coming in more or less fine. But all broadcasts that were being received in the direction of the shore and from Abashiri prison have ceased entirely, as if the channels are down."
"From what I understand," said Gyomei, "some of your radios use a device called an 'antenna' to receive signals. If you are not receiving any signals whatsoever from them, am I to assume they've been damaged or removed?"
"That is the most likely possibility," said the mustached commanding officer, "and from what you've told us, the most likely current location of the remaining demon or demons is out towards the shore."
"And the sooner we get there, the better," said Subaru, "if another one of those storms hits while we're out trekking, I'm not sure even Yae and Iso could get us where we needed to go."
"In that case," said the Commanding Officer as he stood up and signaled his fellow soldiers to do the same, "I implore you to go ahead and take some of the extra snow gear with you. There are likely unused extras at the moment due to the current, circumstances. And one other thing." The three soldiers bowed to them then. "I would like to thank all of you for ending the one responsible for this tragedy, and we wish you luck on your hunt for the others."
"Your help is most appreciated," said Gyomei as he and the others also bowed, "I promise you, we will do our utmost to end the threat facing this land."
Several Hours Later: On the Way to the Shores
The Soldiers were as good as their word, offering the group better snowshoes and gloves for their travels, as well as fresh food to replenish what they'd already eaten along the way. They'd set out shortly after that, moving at a fair pace to make up for any time they might've wasted while talking with the soldiers. Yae hadn't been kidding when she said they needed to get a move on as the temperature didn't rise much with the sun still being obscured by the clouds, and it would drop very quickly once night fall came. Funnily enough, it was usually her and Isosange who would need to stop for a rest because, despite being raised as winter hunters, they still had not gone through the intensive training of Total Concentration Constant that the two slayers had.
In fact, there was even a point where Gyomei had to carry Yae and Subaru carried Isosange when it seemed like the wind was picking up for a storm again. It didn't last long, thankfully, but the Matagi could tell it was somewhat embarrassing for the two. Fortunately for them, they were back to walking on their own through the snow and woods as the types of trees present began to slowly change as they got closer and closer to their destination. "We should be arriving at the coast in about another day or so if we keep this pace," announced Yae after retaking her position at the front, "And that's factoring in the high possibility of getting hit by a storm."
"I'm suddenly reminded I've only ever been near the sea a couple of times in my life," said Subaru, "and I don't really want to remember how they turned out given it was part of a demon slaying mission that nearly went south."
"How long have you been a demon slayer exactly, Subaru," asked Isosange as she glanced back at the Matagi.
"Not counting the two years of training leading up to Final Selection," said Subaru, "about a year or so now if I got my times right."
"You trained for two years to become a slayer," said Yae as she too glanced back, "I've been practicing with this rifle for longer than that and yet I still can't pull off half the stuff I saw you do yesterday."
"The Demon Slayer Corps utilizes a special training regimen specifically designed to increase one's physical abilities far above that of an ordinary person," explained Gyomei, "that is one of the few reasons we are able to keep up with demons in combat. On average, we usually have only a handful of slayers that make it through Final Selection and the length of their training varies depending on how quickly they can learn and master the techniques they're shown. One to two years is the average amount of time a Trainer usually spends teaching a new recruit before sending them off. Though in rare cases, exceptionally talented individuals are able to complete their training in even less time than that."
"What's the fastest time a Slayer has ever completed their training?" Questioned Isosange.
"I cannot recall the fastest completion time in the history of our Corps," said Gyomei, "but in recent history, I and my fellow slayer, Tokitou Muichiro, were able to not only complete our training but become Hashira in a span of two months."
"TWO MONTHS!" Exclaimed the group before Subaru spoke up.
"You mean that short kid with the vacant expression on his face is as strong as you?" Questioned a surprised Subaru.
"You misunderstand," said Gyomei, "he became a Hashira after only two months of training, but in comparison to the rest of us he is closer to the middle in terms of fighting ability. Sanemi, Giyu, Obanai and Myself are currently stronger than him."
"And that puts you where, in comparison to the rest of your Hashira friends?" Questioned Yae.
"Gyomei here is considered to be the current strongest slayer in the entire Corps," answered Subaru, "not so surprising given how he took down that demon yesterday."
"Talent or no," said Gyomei, "it still required a lot of time and very hard work to reach this level. And yet, so long as demons remain, we must continue to be vigilant and keep an attitude of constant improvement. Even now, there are things I can do better at and people I can learn from. I have already learned much in just the short time I've spent with the three of you."
"That's awful ni-," Yae started to say before the wind suddenly picked up, "shit! Here, take this!" Yae pulled out a rope from her pack and tossed it behind her where Gyomei caught it. "Run that through your belt or something that'll keep it attached to you then pass it back to Isosange and Subaru!" The Stone Hashira did as instructed, sliding one end of the rope through the belt of his slayer uniform before passing it back to Isosange who repated the process before handing the end to Subaru.
"Is what's about to happen what I think it is?!" Exclaimed Subaru as he finished tying the rope to his belt upon catching sight of the wall of falling snow about to envelope them.
"It is," said Isosange as they all covered their heads with their arms as the sudden blizzard overtook the group of four. Under most circumstances, being caught in a blizzard at all was bad news. But what was hitting them now was one of the worst types of snowstorms that anyone could find themselves in, a whiteout. As its name suggested, the wind and snow swirled around in such intensity that you lost sight of anything more than an arm's length in front of you, and everything else in any direction you looked, was just a wall of white.
"We just need to keep going," said Yae as she started marching with the others following close behind, their hands switching between holding onto eachother's shoulders or the rope length whenever they had to let go of the person in front of them. As unbelievable as it sounded, getting separated from a group of people by even a few feet in a whiteout could mean you might not be able to find them again until the storm abated, if at all. So a number of methods were adopted to avoid such an outcome including holding onto eachother or, in this case, tying a rope line among them. It made for slow going, but it was better than losing people from the group one by one.
Not that their sense of time was all that great right now anyway with the howling wind forcing them to keep their heads down for the duration of the hike while the pelting snow kept collectiong around their feet, making even a fair walking pace difficult. Subaru could feel the cold even through his gloves and the wool hat he'd acquired for the journey as it sapped the heat from his fingers, nose and other extremities. It was much the same for everyone else, though no complaints were raised as that would've been a waste of energy at this point and no one could be heard unless they were shouting anyway.
At least, that's what Subaru thought until he heard a certain demon girl's voice in his head. "Subaru," said Azakeru in his mind, "we got something of a problem."
"No kidding," Subaru thought back, "being barely able to see in this mess is making for some slow going and let's not even talk about the cold."
"That's not what I mean," said Azakeru, "I know you've already figured on it and you're right, this storm isn't natural."
"Do you happen to have an idea of where the perpetrator might be then?" Questioned Subaru back in his mind as he caught Isosange in midstumble before righting her once more.
"Not as close as we'd like them to be," replied Azakeru, "she's still pretty far out, so it's likely her blood demon art is helping the weather along at this distance as opposed to being the sole source of it. Anyway, Yae's been drifting further and further off course for a little while now, which wouldn't be so terrible except for one problem that I know you can see if you just focus your eyes a bit more." Subaru wasn't quite sure what she meant by that until he looked up more and squinted his eyes at Yae, or more specifically, at Yae's feet.
"Ah shit, YAE!" Yelled Subaru as he realized what was about to happen. The Matagi girl looked back at him before glancing down, her eyes widening as she lost her balance over the edge of a cliff. Her fall was short, however, as Gyomei quickly grabbed her hand and pulled her back up.
"I believe we may have strayed off course a bit," said the Stone Hashira, "it might not be wise to continue like this much longer."
"I was hoping that this storm would've let up by now," said Yae, "but it looks like that's not going to happen. Let's move away from this cliff and find somewhere out of the wind."
"Yes please," added Isosange as the group moved back several feet from the cliff and headed into a mass of trees. If they'd been capable of feeling a whole lot at that moment, it might've made for an uncomfortable passage. But since they couldn't, no words of complaint were uttered as they emerged into a small clearing with a few overturned trees. At the other end of the clearing, was a cavity in the rocky hillside.
"This'll have to do," said Yae loudly over the wind, "at the very least, it's protected from the wind and we can actually see a bit thanks to the trees blocking some of the snow!"
"Then if you are all in agreement, we shall use this place as our camp for the night," said Gyomei, "you three get to setting things up. I shall work to improve the shelter just a little bit." He got a few shouts of acknowledgement before they finally undid their rope length and went to work. Yae and Subaru worked on getting the blankets and tarp to sit on out while Isosange worked on sorting the food. Gyomei, for his part, carried over a few large, split tree trunks that had hollowed out as well as whatever dry firewood he could find before entering the cave.
He worked on arranging the hollow half trunks around the entrance to better block the wind and snow while Subaru and Yae switched over to lighting the fire. They rearranged the firewood in something of a pyramid formation before Yae pulled out a bottle of oil made from marine mammal blubber and some extra bullets she'd acquired at the military base which she handed to Subaru. The Matagi pulled the heads off the bullets and sprinkled the gunpowder on the wood and the dried spot they'd made on the ground before pulling out a match and lighting it. The fire lit as soon as the flame touched it and with Yae's addition of oil to it, they eventually had a good-sized fire going by the time Gyomei entered the cave.
"This would almost be kind of fun if it weren't for the terrible weather and vicious monsters wanting to eat us," said Isosange as she began putting meat and other assorted goods on long sticks to hold over the fire.
"You make it sound like that doesn't happen often," said Yae, "I remember our most recent camping trip wound up with us having to turn back because of weather like this."
"I take it that was around the time these demon-related phenomena began occurring," said Gyomei as he sat in a meditative posture, his hands clasped in prayer even while being warmed by the fire.
"Pretty much," said Isosange, "It was the first time I ever saw Yae call a storm too dangerous to travel in. Often times, we'd just tough it out until we got where we needed to go or at least got to shelter."
"Would you not call that being somewhat reckless?" Questioned Gyomei.
"Not in comparison to what we do for a living right now," said Subaru, "freezing to death might not be the best way to go but given what I've seen some of these demons are capable of, it might not be the worst way either."
"All I really know about it is that once you get cold enough, you're in danger of falling asleep and never waking up again," said Gyomei, "not unlike another demon you encountered recently."
"Speaking of demon encounters," said Yae as she pointed at Subaru, "It's been bugging me for a while, but can you see out of that eye? I saw you lose your patch during that last fight but not a single demon there was able to blindside you when attacking on your left."
"This eye used to bother me a bit when I was younger," said Subaru as he removed the patch to show his maple-leaf shaped scar, "but I've never had an issue seeing with it. The patch was more to keep people from getting nervous around me. The scar kind of resembled a tattoo depending on who you asked."
"I guess having an eye patch along with a gun would make some people wary," admitted Isosange, "but I don't know as much about how people in the larger villages and towns think."
"Some of them have never even seen a gun in their life," said Yae, "I imagine the more prim and proper ones would consider our lifestyle a bit on the barbaric side."
"Then they would be doing so from a position of ignorance," said Gyomei, "the art of hunting has long been considered a noble pursuit and we have even incorporated the tracking techniques of animal hunters as part of our training regimen. We even have those in the Corps with incredible senses of smell and eyesight, like Subaru here."
"I just have good eyes," said Subaru as he blew on his cooked food for a moment before taking a bite, "but Tanjiro's got the nose. It's honestly too bad he never considered taking up hunting for a living, he'd be great at it."
"I was actually planning to ask you about that," said Gyomei, "it's plain as day you've been friends with Tanjiro Kamado and his sister, Nezuko, for a fair length of time. How is it you became acquainted with them?"
"What is this, Subaru question hour now?" Commented the Matagi in mock offense, "tell ya what, I'll answer the more personal questions if you answer some of mine."
"That is more than fair," replied Gyomei before turning to Yae and Isosange, "you two are also welcome to share any of your stories if you'd like. It is a long time until morning and that's assuming the storm will allow us to continue by that time."
"Ask away and I'll see if I feel like answering," replied Yae with a shrug as she ate some of her own food. The conversation would carry on for some time after that as the group got to know one another. Subaru learned about the rest of Yae's story and her encounter with Giyu and Shinobu as well as Gyomei's past where one of the children he was caring for let a demon in to save himself before the Stone Hashira fought back and wound up pulverizing the monster until sunrise. As for Isosange, she'd apparently been orphaned very early on and was adopted by Yae who let the local Ainu teach her their culture instead of forcing the Matagi's on her.
Then, when they were all full and in need of sleep, the group huddled together for warmth with one person staying awake to keep watch. Subaru took first watch as he knew he wasn't getting to sleep as quickly as everyone else. The reason being, Azakeru just couldn't help poking fun at him in his mind the moment he laid down to rest. "Well, well, well," said the Demon Girl who Subaru could tell had a smug expression without even seeing her face, "you're huddling awful close with those girls while Gyomei's on watch. Whatever would Nezuko think if she knew?"
"She'd know it's fucking freezing out here," replied Subaru irritably, "common survival knowledge says that sharing body heat will decrease the chances of getting frostbite and other nasty ailments related to the cold."
"Mhmm," said Azakeru, "and the fact that you're in close proximity with some human women that don't actually wanna kill you for a change isn't refreshing at all."
"What about the girls at the Butterfly Mansion," Subaru pointed out, "they don't want to kill me."
"Because they haven't been out on a job with you yet," snickered Azakeru, "I'll bet they'd change their minds if you actually brought them along."
"But I'm not gonna," Subaru shot back, "so why don't we both get some sleep because we've still got a long journey ahead of us."
"Sure thing," said Azakeru, "but real quick, let's list all the women that hate you." Subaru rolled his eyes. This was gonna be a long night.
A Day Later
The journey continued much the same as it had yesterday with the group moving as quickly as they could through the snow-covered land. Every so often they'd observe the corpse of a frozen or starved animal, it's food stores currently scarce due to the sudden cold. Dead or dying plants also abounded the forest as they continued on their way. "Tell me," said Gyomei at one point, "this out of season weather, it's put nature out of balance somewhat, hasn't it?"
"Yep," said Yae, Isosange and Subaru at the same time before Yae continued, "Summer was just getting into full swing when all of this hit. It's not technically unheard of for the weather to turn cold suddenly as far North as we are, but the plants and animals are still used to the temperature being a bit higher during this time of year."
"And having more available food sources," Subaru picked up for Yae, "make no mistake, the environment is changing and shifting all the time and there's no guarantee that the bountiful food source of one season will even be around for the next season. But just speaking generally, the plants and animals usually increase during this time."
"But since these strange storms and temperatures have been occurring, food stores haven't been able to replenish properly and that means there's less food for small animals to eat and store. As it goes up the chain, that means less food for carnivores," said Isosange.
"Which ultimately results in affecting the tribes around this area when there's no longer any game animals to hunt," finished Gyomei, "just another reason we should make haste and end this interference."
"I don't think haste will be happening right now," Subaru pointed out as he noted yet another wall of white heading their way.
"This is turning into the longest short trip I've ever taken," grumbled Yae as the group was forced to seek shelter once again or be caught in another whiteout. That night would go much the same as the night before, with one notable difference. Gyomei decided to make a suggestion.
"I believe there might be a way we can all stay warm and keep watch," he said as the group finished their meal around the fire. They'd actually gotten lucky this time and managed to find an uninhabited cave in a cliffside to shelter themselves from the wind and snow. It didn't extend back very far but it was enough to keep them out of the snowstorm.
"What did ya have in mind?" Questioned Subaru, "last time seemed to work out pretty well, though the person keeping watch was always a little colder than everyone else."
"Precisely my point," said Gyomei, "huddling together for warmth is the best option under conditions like these, so I propose a group hug of sorts. I can sleep after a while by leaning back against the wall and the three of you can also take turns keeping watch without having to endure more of the cold than the rest of us."
"So, you're gonna bear hug us all?" Questioned Isosange with a finger to her chin, "if you wanted a hug all you had to do was say so."
"You misunderstand, I was merely suggesting-," Gyomei started to say. But it was too late as Isosange was already hugging his midsection.
"There, there giant slayer," said Isosange, "I know it's sad seeing nature disturbed like this. My own people and Yae's feel it even now. That's why we must succeed in killing the demons responsible."
"You are right, it is quite saddening," said Gyomei as the waterworks from his eyes started much like the first time Subaru had met the man, "I have often felt myself in tune with the land, but to know there are others just as in tune brings joy to my heart."
"Guess we know the sleeping arrangement to-WHOA!" Exclaimed Yae as both she and Subaru were grabbed by Gyomei and pulled into a bear hug with Isosange in the middle.
"We should all take a moment to prove strength from one another," said Gyomei, "while this is more or less routine for people like us, Subaru Genjirou, it can be described as nothing short of a perilous journey for our two companions. And yet despite what they faced with us earlier, these two continue to guide us along our path because they wish to help your people and others. It would be disrespectful not to show them some gratitude."
"Motherfu-are you kidding me?" Said Subaru, remembering at the last second that Isosange was only eleven and could actually hear the swearing at the moment, "we can show gratitude without a giant, uncomfortable bear hug. Maybe ask them if they want anything besides us dealing with their demon problem."
"About the only thing I want right now is to go to sleep," groaned Yae, "how long until you think the big guy lets us go?"
"Well, he is a hashira," said Subaru, "they can hold uncomfortable positions for quite a while."
"Ugh, fine," said Yae, "just don't do anything weird like sniffing my hair or something."
"Given that several strands are currently in my face," said Subaru as he tried blowing some of the ones in his mouth away from him, "I'll see what I can do."
"I think this is nice," said Iso with a smile on her face, "all cozy and warm, I want to stay like this for a long time." Fortunately for her, but not so much for everyone else, she got her wish.
The Next Day: Lighthouse Along the Coast
At long last, their destination was in sight. A lone lighthouse that stood on a cliffside along the coast. And out to the right of it, was the ocean. "Whew," said Yae as they continued their trek up a hill, "I gotta say, this is one of the rougher trips I've had going up this way."
"You said the place isn't really used that much anymore," said Subaru, "I take it they're not expecting a lot of ship traffic from this direction?"
"Not since the end of the Russo-Japanese War," explained the Matagi girl, "this place was used as a go between for some of the smaller Japanese ships that needed a place to stop for a bit and also served as an early warning site in case of attack by Russian ships. But now that that's done and over with, the old couple living up here don't have much else to do but maintain the property and provide lodging to the occasional visitor, at least so long as you're willing to sit through a few of their stories."
"That seems like a simple request for free food and lodging," observed Gyomei.
"Try saying that after sitting through a few hours of them," said Yae before noticing something more than a little unusual.
"There's no way," said Isosange as she looked out at the ocean to see, an incoming snowstorm.
"We need to move, now!" Exclaimed Subaru, prompting Gyomei to scoop up Isosange in his arms and begin trekking faster forward as Yae pulled out the rope they'd been using up to that point and tossed it back to Subaru. Isosange also grabbed a section and was quick to secure it to Gyomei while they ran. But despite their speed, the storm was still upon them before they reached the lighthouse. It would turn out to be the least of their problems, however, as something caught against Yae's clothing and caused her to stumble.
"What in the world is-oh Kami," said Yae as she managed to get a good look at what had tripped her. It was a person, no, a demon similar to the ones following 'Anastasia'. The odd thing about it, the monster was frozen solid, like a statue that had been dropped outside on accident. And it wasn't the only one.
The group realized that they were surrounded by several more frozen demons, and soldiers. "This must be the work of the other demon," said Subaru, "we'll have to worry about it later, though. If we don't make it to that lighthouse we might freeze to death." Everyone was in agreement on that front as they carefully but quickly walked through the field of dead, frozen bodies. Then, something else strange happened, the wind stopped.
"Uh, Subaru," said Azakeru in his mind suddenly, "I think we've got a problem. I'm feeling a demon a few hundred yards out to our right."
"Any idea if they can see-," Subaru started to say as he looked right before his eyes widened at a sudden flash in the distance. The Matagi stopped his movement just in time as the bullet hit the body of one of the frozen soldiers right in front of him, tearing through it and missing his face by hardly an inch. "EVERYONE DOWN, NOW!" The group did as instructed hiding behind the frozen statues as Yae and Subaru quickly unslung their rifles.
"Who in the world would be shooting at us right now," questioned Yae, "the only people who are supposed to be here are the lighthouse keepers!"
"The shot came from out towards the ocean," said Subaru, "whoever it is, they're either on the shore or-CLINK." The sound of a bullet bouncing off of Subaru's belt resounded as the Matagi looked down to notice one of the pins on his grenades had been hit. "Oh, you have got to be joking," said Subaru as he pulled his knife out and cut the rope attached to him before yanking the grenade out and tossing it up in the air. "Heads up!" he yelled as the sound of the explosion signaled the beginning of another, perilous situation.
And so our hero's search is over just as soon as it begins! Or more to the clique point, the hunters are now the hunted. Also, small apology I couldn't get this out within the week, but as mentioned I'm attempting a bit of a different writing schedule to try and improve the chapters a bit. Let me know how I'm doing in your comments and reviews as well as what you liked/disliked or if you've got any neat ideas for future chapters. Be sure to stop in next time as a duel of rifle bearers commences! 'Til then.
