Mio peered through his telescope speculatively; a group of people was approaching from the west. "Lady Sanada, come take a look at this," he called.
Sanada did not hurry up to the battlement, but when she reached her fellow strategist she did as he instructed and peeked into the telescope. "Westerners," she declared thoughtfully, "I was expecting some. Let's go out and greet them." The dark-haired woman promptly turned and headed back down the stone steps.
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 64- Like the Wind
The beast shook its head furiously, throwing the dagger loose, then turned its attention back in the direction of Anamaria and Ignatius. Han Li, however, was not done with his foe.
A swirling blade of wind slashed the golden wolf's left back paw. It snarled and whipped around again to face Han Li, who undaunted, threw off his cloak and dashed towards the wild creature. The closer of the two heads bared its fangs, then opened its gaping jaws, lunging toward the swift man. To Carlos it appeared as if Han Li were about to run right into the beast's mouth until at just the last second he ducked down and drove his dirk into the under side of the monster's chin. The injured head howled; the other nipped furiously as the air as Han Li dancing out of reach back among the trees.
"The plan," Sasshalai told Kiisan quickly, "Is that Anamaria and Ignatius will attack from the other side and we'll attack it from this side. We can defeat it, but only Father Carlos can subdue it."
Kiisan glanced at Carlos momentarily. The ebony-haired priest stood shaking, his mouth hanging open. "Carlos is going to subdue it?! Right now it's all he can do to keep from passing out!"
The small boy jumped out of the way of the beast's viciously swinging tail, "Han Li thinks he can. When the right time comes, he'll have to."
The young priest sighed, "I suppose there's nothing else I can do but hope for the best, anyway." Despite the small numbers involved it seemed to him as if this battle was as loud as any of those that had been conducted between the opposing human forces before. Occasionally one of the Beast Rune's mad charges toppled a tree, causing any of the six in the vicinity to scramble out of the way. Branches snapped and leaves crackled under every heavy step. Anamaria and Ignatius charged almost recklessly towards the golden wolf and reluctantly Kiisan ran forward as well. Pebbles and clods of dirt began to rise off the ground and pelt the creature from the same side. Kiisan saw one fly dangerously close to his head, only to suddenly lose all force and fall harmlessly to the forest floor. Apparently Sasshalai was forced to aim every projectile separately.
The wounds they inflicted on the enraged Beast Rune, although they battered and slowed the creature, did not seem to be having quite the effect Kiisan would have liked to see. He was beginning to grow tired from so much dodging and his staff was starting to feel quite heavy in his hands. "Step back!" Sasshalai's voice warned him. The brown-haired young man was not even sure if he had really heard the boy's alert or if it had been directly at his mind, but he complied quickly.
Han Li seemed to have spent the time since he stuck his dirk into the beast preparing for what was probably a very difficult spell. The dusty man appeared to say one final word to softly and then slightly waved his hand. A warm, spring-like breeze came down through the trees and began to circle the golden wolf, moving more slowly as it grew closer to the ground like the fog coming in from the sea. Kiisan took a deep breath and suddenly he began to feel a great calm overcoming him. Sasshalai marched over to his side and with a look of annoyance jumped onto Kiisan's booted right foot. "Ouch! What did you do that for?" the young priest shouted. The relaxation he had felt had been quite comforting after so many days of battle and he was not overly thrilled for it to be cut short.
"Now's not the time to let your mind get foggy," the boy from Klikk stated stubbornly, "This mist isn't especially healthy, you know."
The warm air settled around the Beast Rune in a sort of cloud and the creature lay down and placed its two heads down upon its front paws, closing its eyes as if it were quite tame. Han Li stomped over to Anamaria and Ignatius, unceremoniously shaking them out of their magic induced reverie, "Pull yourselves together! That was for that foul rune, not you!"
Carlos stepped forward timidly. Han Li walked around the back of the resting monster to the younger man and grabbed him by the sleeve, pulling the dark-haired priest behind him as he approached the Beast Rune from the front. Surprisingly, Carlos did not say a word of protest, but allowed himself to be led along, although his face still betrayed his fear.
When they stood just before the monster Han Li approached it with a look full of sarcasm, and touched one large black nose with a hand, "Oh, how cute."
Carlos just blinked.
"My task grows smaller and smaller..." the wind mage noted, "But with this fiend at least I'm finished. It's your task now." He turned and looked Carlos squarely in the eye. The younger man flinched and Han Li drew back from the Beast Rune's enormous incarnation.
Carlos took a step forward.
One hesitant step followed by another.
A single step at a time he drew as close to the golden wolf as Han Li had before, and mimicking the other man's gesture, set the cerulean shield down by his feet and placed each of his hands on one of the creature's noses. The Beast Rune opened one angry eye partially, but meetings Carlos' serious gaze, closed it again.
"I know that I'm supposed to say something," Carlos said, looking over his shoulder at his companions, "But I don't know what."
"It will accept whatever you offer, I've been told," Sasshalai smiled faintly.
"I don't understand why I would be picked for such a task at all," he replied, shaking his head. He looked back down at the resting beast. Centuries of bloodshed lay behind it, and if it had its way centuries more bloodshed would lie ahead.
"I, um..." he intoned more softly than before, "I'm not very wild or angry like you. I'd really rather just have peace. Do you think you can accept me despite that?"
The form before him disappeared quite suddenly in a gentle light, leaving the golden shape of the Beast Rune embedded in the center of the blue shield at Carlos' feet. He picked up the shield and slid it onto his arm properly, turning his arm slightly to admire the design. The young priest then thought directly about the danger he faced and promptly fainted.
It took a while for the two groups to meet up, but when they reached each other there was excitement all around. The apparent leader of the Westerners shook Sanada's hand heartily, introducing himself as Captain Fairwind, leader of the state of Failon and the chieftain of the Zexens. The hawk perched on his shoulder shrieked at him in a chiding tone. While Sanada and Fairwind spoke together Mio took in the assorted people from Western Aronia with a certain sense of awe. The palest man, who had orange hair topped by a black hat was introduced as Chief Banto, leader of both the state of Litafi and the Chisha Clan. The third male member of the group had unruly black hair and had a stiff blue hat hanging over his shoulders clung to the leash of a large, shiny beetle-like insect. The man's name was Yan and the insect, a mantor to be exact, was called Sapphy; they were here to represent the Carna Clan. The tall, golden-skinned woman with dark hair was Neraini from the Safir Clan, the dark-skinned, but fair-haired Kashira was chief of the Karaya Clan, and the youngest of all, Yukari, who wore her black hair in two long braids was sent by the Alma Kinan Clan.
Sowari, being a westerner himself, took to them immediately, asking about how things were fairing in the coastal region where he and Carlos had grown up. Fairwind informed Sanada that they had toppled Imei's ruler, Governor Wyn L'El, and that three western states that called themselves the "Grasslands" were interested in taking revenge on Aronia's government and in making a deal with the rebels allowing them their own country once the inevitable overthrow of the government was completed. Everyone appeared quite overcome with delight at the mutually beneficial situation and chatted happily. Mio himself stood by quietly, admiring their colorful costumes.