Louis Abdul leaped nimbly off his horse and tossed the reins into the hands of Lucien, who had been walking alongside him. He ran along the half-submerged path, splashing dirty water around as he approached his comrades. "Hey Ocha! Sir Kichitsu! Where's everyone else?"
Ocha stood up to great him with a quick smile before beginning to speak in a serious tone; "They went on ahead the last bit of the way to the citadel. There's some sort of siege going on and so..."
The captain nodded knowingly, "And you were left here too watch for us. That was a good idea. ...Who's gotten here so far? Has Kiisan?"
"We arrived first with Han Li and then Kiisan showed up," explained Kichitsu, "We're still waiting for Lady Hyoko and those with her. We aren't supposed to expect Father Carlos or Lord Jirobane until later since Lord Jirobane wants to scout around a bit."
"Hmm...Why don't you come with us down to help Kiisan? I'll leave part of my retinue here."
"I am eager to access the situation myself...I suppose that will be alright," replied the blue clad knight.
Ocha and Kichitsu followed Louis Abdul back across the swampy ground to where the captain's followers had been waiting. "What's the plan, Sir?" Russ asked his commander.
"Tell Karl and Hans to wait here. The orders are to wait here until Father Carlos and Jirobane arrive. Anyone who shows up is to be directed to the citadel to join the main force."
Russ saluted smartly and then hurried to find Karl and Hans, two of his fellow soldiers who had traveled with the revolutionary force all the way from their humble beginnings in Serif City, and give them their orders.
Louis Abdul remounted and called the command, "Attention to all troops! Forward to the Citadel!"
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 26- Trustworthy Warriors and Wayward Strategists
As soon as Louis Abdul appeared over the horizon Mio got up and left his map lying on the ground to rush to his side. "Get out your flares! We have to send a signal message to the people defending the citadel!"
The longhaired commander dropped his pack into Mio's waiting arms as he rode over to Kiisan. "We came as soon as we could. What's the situation?"
"Han Li and Sir Mekkachi saw signal flares over the citadel requesting aid. When we got closer we Mio was able to guess the situation. It looks like the Imperials were thinking the exact same thing as us about this place, just the other way around." Kiisan sighed and shrugged, "Who would've figured?"
Louis Abdul glared at Han Li in irritation, "The way you talked about this place before you made it sound so deserted! How long ago did you last visit this place?"
"A good twenty or so years ago, not that long..." muttered the stern man angrily.
"Twenty years?! Not that long?! How old are you?" flustered the man from Serif.
The conversation was interrupted suddenly by the loud sound of a bursting flare. It was quickly followed by a second and a third shot off in different directions and rising to different heights. Orange, then blue, and finally yellow. Kiisan, Louis Abdul, and Han Li turned to stare at Mio in surprise. Mekkachi, who stood near the strategist, took his hands off his ears and put his flint away in his pack. Mio grinned cheerfully at Kiisan, but as he noticed everyone else's eyes also upon him his face quickly turned pink and he looked at the ground sheepishly.
"That was loud enough to scare the emperor all the way south in the Holy City, Mio!" exclaimed Rizu.
"I'm going to have a headache for weeks..." complained Lucien.
"Next time a warning would help..." scowled Han Li.
"WHAT?" asked Mio, loudly.
"Nothing, they were just complaining..." explained Kiisan.
"COULD YOU REPEAT THAT KIISAN?" he replied.
Kiisan shook his head and laid out the problem for his other friends, "He can't hear us because of those noisy flares. They're probably still ringing in his head..."
"For someone who knows how to use those things he's quite an amateur..." muttered the green-caped commander, "We'll have to teach him about flares later..."
"WHY ARE YOU ALL WHISPERING?"
The young revolutionary leader sighed and put a hand on his head.
*************
Kurin, with the gray kitten held securely in his arms, scurried to keep up with Kusa as she ran over to the two soldiers clad in Serif's uniforms of green and gray who sat under a cerulean blue banner. "Act on Heaven's Behalf"* the banner said in golden-colored letters.
"This is the correct meeting spot?" Kusa asked them.
"You've got it, Ma'am," the bright-faced young man replied, "I'm Hans, Captain Louis Abdul left me and Karl here to tell you all to keep going straight ahead t' where Father Kiisan's waiting."
"Ah, that's it, huh? Thanks Hans. See ya," she turned quickly and nearly knocked Kurin in the muddy water. He wobbled unsteadily for a moment, but fortunately caught his balance and walked back to more firm ground ahead of his partner.
"What they say?" questioned Hittoko with interest.
"We've got to go down nearer the citadel to meet up with your beloved Father Kiisan," Kusa explained happily, noting Hittoko's sweet smile at the mention of 'Father Kiisan.' The scavenger was still unsure though about the amount of the sentence the Lirwani girl actually understood.
*************
A signal crimson red flare burst into a fiery splotch of light. Mio jumped up excitedly at the sight and grabbed Kiisan by the arm, "We need to circle the citadel and attack now! I fired off a 'Will Attack at your Signal' for them and now they're telling us to 'Attack!' That's our signal! It's as simple as I explained earlier Kiisan, just give the orders."
All of the rebels had gathered back together by this time except for Jirobane and Carlos who were assumed to still be fiddling around somewhere along the path. Kiisan split the force in half under Mio's direction. Louis Abdul rode out towards the fortress on a southwestern path to circle around the Imperial troops from one side while Kiisan headed straight at the troops to engage them from a more northerly location. The plan was to split the enemy forces, keeping them separated by the river. After Louis Abdul had crossed the river with his troops Kusa and Kurin lit the bridge on fire, temporarily separating the two banks.
As the soon as the two sides met, the battle began to rage like wildfire. Kiisan could only catch glimpses of his companions through the thick combat. Haneh slashing upward with her dirk, Russ letting loose an arrow, Lucien swinging a spear, and Yuber twirling his twin blades in a dance of blood. "...Battle again..." He gritted his teeth and struck with his staff. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion. He saw Sonoa draw her curved dagger and Mai Mai pounce. "...where's the help from inside?" To his right Han Li raised a hand and shot a slicing gust of wind through an opponent. "...what am I doing?" Kiisan forced his way toward the river to try and see how Louis Abdul was faring. Mio stood on the bank with a spyglass; Falina was beside him ready to defend against an attack.
"They're just fine Kiisan," the strategist told him, "It's what's going on inside that's confusing me now...They gave us a signal, but..."
There was a loud snapping sound like a thick rope being cut and then a hail of stones sailed out over the walls of the fortress. "What sort of reckless attack is this?!" yelled Kiisan.
Mio ducked down and tried to cover his head with his small hands, "I don't know...whoever's in there is either very stupid or is working on a plan."
Hai-Yong rushed over to Kiisan from some distance away and turned him around to face the main battle. "We're the ones suffering the most from this! What are those people thinking?"
Kiisan blinked heavily lost in a daze, his head whirling from all the excitement. "The Imperials are just moving in closer to the walls to avoid the stones! What now?!" added the red-haired man desperately.
A signal flare shot off above the outermost walls of the citadel as the volley of stones ended. It sparkled yellow at first and then turned green. "What did that mean?" asked Falina.
"G-get back from the fortress--f-fast!" stuttered Mio.
"How're we going to tell them that fast enough?!" worried Hai-Yong.
"Mr. Hai-Yong!" Falina cried anxiously, "Do what you did yesterday to get Kiisan to slow down! Whistle! You can whistle!"
Trying to act as quickly as possible the tall, muscular man did not stop to ask Mio or Kiisan's opinion but put two fingers in his mouth and gave a loud shrill whistle before grabbing Mio's aquamarine banner he had left leaning against a bush and waved it high above his head with his right arm and waving the others back with his left.
His quick action had its desired effect. Nearly all of the rebels withdrew quickly, leaving the Imperial soldiers standing near the wall in confusion. Their commander, a somewhat heavy man with a long ponytail waved his cutlass in the air, "What are you waiting for?! They're withdrawing! Attack! We can crush the rebels here and win fame!" The soldiers stood around quietly, some starting to move forward in compliance with their leader's commands. The rebels prepared to fight if necessary, but stood their ground, wondering what the meaning of the withdrawal had been.
"I hope you're up for a boiling!"
Kiisan's eyes turned up to see a woman with long brown hair standing on the wall. The slight breeze blew her hair like autumn leaves and ruffled her white robe. She appeared quite indignant, but as she tugged the rope she held in her hand Kiisan was almost sure he saw a glint in her eye.
The rope released the tops of a row of what appeared to be barrels arranged along the wall, pouring steaming water down onto the Imperial soldiers who still stood, for the most part, below the wall. "I can't believe this..." moaned Mio in frustration, closing his eyes tightly.
Hai-Yong blinked a few times and rubbed his eyes to make sure he had seen what had happened correctly. The Imperial troops had been doused with boiling water. "...how cruel..."
All the fight was taken out of the Imperials. The revolutionaries, however pleased by a victory, had also lost nearly all of their pep. Kiisan detailed his comrades to aid whatever Imperial soldiers would accept it was left standing alongside Mio by the riverbank.
"That person was a strategist I bet..." the orange-haired man speculated.
"Maybe..." mumbled Kiisan, "But she's nothing like you..."
"Seems like a tricky plan that my father would approve of...it makes me wonder...who was that strategist?" Mio wondered, peering at the gates of the citadel as they slowly creaked open.
"She was beautiful, wasn't she..." Kiisan mused.
"A beautiful strategist? A beautiful strategist all alone...it's Sanada Morin. ...Definitely..." Mio said slowly, growing gradually more sure of himself.
The main gate was nearly open and the brown-haired woman walked out of the gates followed by two men who appeared to be priests from their dress. The two priests rushed toward the injured soldiers who had been abandoned by their companions, but the woman strode out in the direction of Mio and Kiisan to get a better look at the remnants of the retreating Imperial detachment.
Mio ran over to her and Kiisan watched silently as the strategists met.
"Lady Sanada Morin! It really is you!" exclaimed Mio.
"You are...?" she asked and gave him a strange look, "One of the Silverburgs?"
"Yes, yes, I am," he responded emphatically, "I'm Mio de Silverburg."
She brushed him aside briskly and headed toward Kiisan, "As I assumed. Now, I must speak with your commander."
Kiisan frowned as he saw Mio literally droop at her words. The orange-haired man ambled off toward the citadel with his head hanging down, he clutched his staff and began to run after his friend, but the serious woman cut off his path. She smiled deviously, "Thank you for the help, Father Kiisan."
*"Act on Heaven's Behalf" was one of the slogans of the Mount Liangshan bandits, the heroes of the original Suikoden story from China.