Kyoko was alone.
Every direction she looked there was sand and more sand. Nothing but the hazy line where the sky met the ground stretched in every direction. Panic settled in. How had she gotten here? She remembered walking with Cain and the party and… nothing else.
She picked a direction and started walking.
"Cain!" she yelled. "Cain, where are you? Kuon! Murasame! Manaka! Anyone!"
Where had they all gone? Surely Cain at least would never have left her out here alone. Had something happened to him?
She started walking faster, her jog turning into a run.
Her sandaled feet slipped and she tumbled down a slope. Grains of sand slipped down her shirt and into her mouth as she came to a stop, spitting in disgust. She pushed herself to her feet, then looked up.
A wall of sand stood before her.
Kyoko floundered, falling backward. The wall loomed, growing taller every second. It soon covered the sky, trails of sand falling like stars as darkness settled. Kyoko screamed, scrambling to get away from the wave, but she was surrounded. The wall was everywhere. Closing in.
The sky went dark.
Dust and grain slammed into her. She flailed, kicking and screaming even as her body began to slow. Became trapped in a crashing wave of power. It filled and clogged her lungs. She couldn't breathe. Shave couldn't move. She was buried alive. Still alive yet completely immobile. Unable to even blink.
Her thoughts swirled in panic, heart crying out for Cain, for anyone to save her.
Help me…
Kyoko woke with a cry. She clamped her hands over her mouth, taking huge shuddering gasps of air. Fragments of her dream lingered. Goddess, but she could still feel the sand pressing all around her. Trapping her. Destroying her.
Someone moved beside her.
"Kyoko."
It was Cain. That's right… She had fallen asleep next to him. Laid down her cloak as a makeshift sheet to keep her off the sand.
"I'm fine," said Kyoko, still shuddering. "Just another bad dream."
Cain moved closer, wrapping his arm around her as if she were cold. She found herself snuggling into his side, the remains of her dream finally dispersing thanks to his presence.
"I'd say I'm sorry for your distress," said Cain. "But if it gets you into my arms I can't honestly say I'm sorry."
Kyoko let out some sort of dignified sound that definitely didn't sound like a squeal, pushing away from Cain. It was no use. He wouldn't let her move.
She eventually gave up, cheeks pink as she thought about the fact she was pressed against his chest. She was still an innocent damsel after all! What was he doing up anyway? His shift should have ended hours ago based on the waning stars.
She turned her attention to the sad group settled away from her and Cain. Everyone was asleep, using whatever they could find to make blankets or tents. She and Cain had set up camp near the edge, Kyoko opting to sleep near Cain's outpost rather than with the others. They were all extra wary of her since the betrayal, Manaka included.
All things considered, the group was lucky. They'd managed to evade any monster attacks, and no one had died from wounds or dehydration. If their luck could hold out until tomorrow, they should reach the outer guard's post before their supplies ran out.
"Any movement?" said Kyoko, trying to pull together some dignity. "Seems like the night's been quiet."
"It has," said Cain, returning his gaze outward. The stars provided just enough light for her to make out his features. The night suited Cain. His hair and eyes melded with the darkness, giving her the impression that he was an envoy of twilight. Master of the shadows. How different from even a few days ago when he blazed like the sun.
Kyoko covered a yawn with a hand.
"Cain, we need to talk," she said.
His gaze shifted to her, but he didn't speak. She took it as a sign to continue.
"Your wounds from earlier," she said. "How did you get them to heal? You promised to explain later."
"I did," said Cain. "Do you remember that each Accursed is given two special abilities?"
Kyoko nodded. It had been one of the more frustrating things about the Accursed, not knowing exactly the sort of powers they held. Reino's teleportation had been a pain to deal with, as had Naomi's splitting ability.
Then the implication hit her.
"Is that one of your abilities?" said Kyoko, her panic rising. "Cain! You can't use that. You'll go dark."
"It's fine Kyoko," reassured Cain. "It doesn't use much energy, surprisingly enough. I'm only in trouble when I use my other ability."
Kyoko gave him a doubtful look.
"I'm serious," said Cain. "I… didn't want to use it at first, but it takes little to no dark magic to use. My other ability, however. It's much more taxing on my mind."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember my armor?"
Kyoko nodded.
"Apparently, it's different from the other Accursed," continued Cain. "It's stronger and harder to break. That's how I was able to withstand so many of Lory's attacks."
And thank goodness for that. Based on Cain's pieced together memories of that event, Lory had been throwing everything he had at Kuon to try and kill him. Not that she could really blame him, but she couldn't help a twinge of anger toward Lory for doing something like that.
Kyoko huffed, folding her arms and shuffling to put her back to Cain.
"Kyoko…" he said.
"Seems like your abilities focus on defense," grumbled Kyoko. "Good thing too, since you never take care of yourself."
"It appears to be that way," said Cain. She looked back over her shoulder, noting how his dark eyes were focused on her. They were solid, full of… something. Perhaps a promise or determination.
Now that she thought about it, it probably wasn't a good thing. It meant he'd put himself in even more dangerous situations knowing he could just heal himself afterward.
"Just remember to take care of yourself," said Kyoko. "Just because you can heal yourself doesn't mean you can take unnecessary risks."
His answer was a very unconvincing innocent face
She glared at him.
"I mean it, Cain," she said.
"Between my ability and your medicinal skills, I doubt there's anything that can take me down," he said. Then his face darkened. "Also, there's something else. I had to make another wish from the Djinn."
"You-!"
The only thing that stopped her from standing up and screaming at Cain was the fact that it would wake everyone else up. It'd destroy their privacy. As it was, she was too angry to even speak. What in the bloody dentures of Gurlock's upper arch was he thinking? Here they were, trying to get rid of the contract and Cain was making it worse by stupidly going out of his way to—
"It didn't increase his hold on me," said Cain quickly. "All I asked was for him not to reveal our location to the other Accursed. To keep us hidden. The harder a wish is to fulfill, the more power he gets. Mine is easy to comply with, so he gains no extra power."
Kyoko's breath came out in a hiss, the steam from her head escaping as well. She rubbed her temples in barely controlled frustration.
"I guess that makes sense," she said. "As long as you didn't tell him to actively hide us."
Cain shook his head.
"Then it couldn't be helped."
Kyoko grumbled under her breath. Stupid Cain. He'd taken another month off her age, she was sure!
His arm nudged her side to get her attention. Through his black bangs, he was giving her a very tender look.
"I don't plan on letting the darkness take me Kyoko," he said. "So long as I have you, I know we can make it."
Against her will, his words pulled at her lips and heartstrings.
"I'm still mad at you," said Kyoko. A large yawn split her jaw causing her eyes to water. "I don't think going back to sleep is worth it at this point. How much farther do we have to go before we reach Mosall?"
"Not much now," said Cain. He nodded toward an inconspicuous location. "I put a tracking spell on the gems in your necklace. The thieves that took it haven't moved for the past day. I think it's safe to say they reached the city."
"That's good," said Kyoko. Then something hit her. "Wait, when did you put a tracking spell on that?"
"Before I gave it to you," said Cain. "I had one on your previous necklace as well."
Kyoko gave him a flat stare. "Please consult me before you do things like that. I feel like a piece of property you have to monitor so it doesn't run away."
Cain pulled her closer with the arm still around her middle. He buried his face into her hair, his breath tickled her skin sending goosebumps through her whole body.
"Sorry," he said. "But knowing that you're safe brings me comfort."
Kyoko didn't answer, still too focused on his proximity. She also decided that it was sweet, even if it was a little stalker-ish. She knew he did it out of a pure desire to keep her safe. To always know where to find her if she was in trouble.
How he spoils me, she thought. She felt as if she had to constantly relearn this. That Cain loved her and cared about her safety. It never failed to give her a warm fuzzy feeling.
As nice as that feeling was, she was looking forward to the day when that knowledge was no longer a surprise.
It hadn't taken two days. It was taking three. That was Murasame's calculations based on their current position. He recognized the area, the shelf of rock on his left and sloping sand dunes on his right. From this point, it was only a day's walk from the city. It meant they were almost there.
He walked at the head of the group, leading them beside the rock shelf. They all followed, trudging along like the broken mess of people that they were. Their food supply was gone, eaten quickly by those whose packs had been destroyed in the attack. Water was depleted, save the canister of water supplied by the dark duo trailing them from behind. Seriously, why were they still here? Murasame had no idea.
Not that I can complain, he grumbled. If they hadn't shared their water, the group would have run out yesterday. If that had happened there would have been some casualties... and panic. Lots of panic.
He continued forward, maneuvering over the treacherous terrain with one hand pressed against the giant rock on his left. The long shelf served the purpose of both shelter and shade for the group as they traversed the last few miles. This area was always the more dangerous, monsters naturally drawn to the city where people lived. If they could just make it to the eastern watch post then they'd be home free. It shouldn't be much farther now.
Something moved ahead of them, and Murasame stopped. The others stopped behind him as well, clustered together.
A few moments later, one of Murasame's men came from around a corner. He was out of breath. Something must have happened.
"Stay here," Murasame commanded, walking up to meet his scout. The group stayed behind, most collapsing to the ground to rest.
"What is it?" said Murasame, far enough away that the others wouldn't hear. His scout, Yamir, grimaced.
"Not good," said Yamir. "I spotted the eastern outpost. It's under attack."
"What!?"
Murasame strode past the man, heedless of the attention his cry had brought him. He hurried along the shelf toward the break he knew would be there.
Man-made steps ascended, making climbing easy as he scrambled to the top to see out past the barrier of rock. What he saw made him curse.
The tower had fallen.
The eastern post, made so painstakingly out of wood and stone had been knocked over. He couldn't make out much from this distance. What he could see was not good. The barracks were in flames and a horde of skeletal undead seemed to be congregating near one side of the cliffs. Was anyone still alive?
Yamir came up the slopes beside him.
"Shoot. How are we going to make it past that?" said Murasame. "Can you see anything else?"
"I got a little closer," said Yamir. "Soldiers are still fighting, though they're pinned against the shelf. The enemy has three necromancers at the back resurrecting the undead the moment they're destroyed. It's only a matter of time before the patrol is exhausted and falls."
And when they did, the monsters would be free to roam the area. Murasame's group wouldn't be able to outrun that.
"We need to start moving," said Murasame. "Start making for Mosall without stopping. If the monsters get wind of us, the civilians are as good as dead."
"What about the other soldiers?" said Yamir. "Shouldn't we help?"
Murasame hesitated.
It was moments like this that he hated being a commander. Where the noble action could kill everyone he was in charge of.
He should command his men to go help those still alive. Try and win against the throng of monsters attacking the outpost. But if they failed, or the men died before Murasame got there, then what? Their noble efforts will have been in vain and the group would be vulnerable as a result. They'd die. Murdered by the disgusting dark creatures. After his promise to keep them safe, could he risk their lives just to potentially save a few others?
Footfalls sounded.
Murasame looked behind him, annoyance shooting through him. What was Cain doing up here? And Kyoko as well? And two of his other men! They knew better than to clamor around like a bunch of children drawn to a loud source of noise. They were supposed to stay in their positions.
"Cain, get back to your post," growled Murasame. "And Kyoko, get down, you're going to get hurt up here!"
Both ignored him. Both crouched beside them, waving their hands in front of their faces. Magic shimmered, and the two grimaced.
"That's not good," said Kyoko. "They're still fighting… Cain."
The two exchanged a look, and something passed between them. An unspoken acknowledgment.
Cain rose.
"On it," said Cain. He paused to a glance toward Murasame. "Keep an eye on Kyoko."
Or else you'll answer to me.
The last part was more implied than said, but it was definitely there. Spoken in his threatening gaze.
Before Murasame could ask what the hell he was doing, Cain was gone. Running along the tops of the rocks toward the fight.
"Cain, get back here!" yelled Murasame. He was going to get killed. There was no way one lone mercenary could turn the tide against that many, no matter how good they were. It would take a master swordsman or skilled magician to—
Another person flashed past him.
This time Murasame was fast enough to stop them. He grabbed Kyoko by the wrist, halting her in her tracks.
"Where the hell do you think you're going?" said Murasame.
"To help," said Kyoko. "Cain will be done by the time I get there and many will be injured. I could save some lives."
"Now listen here," said Murasame. "Go back to the others. If Cain wants to get himself killed being a hero than—"
Magic thumped into his chest.
Murasame staggered backward, flailing his arms to keep from falling. By the time he righted himself, Kyoko was already gone, running along the same path Cain had taken. And hell, that man was fast. He must have been using magic to assist his speed.
Now is not the time to admire them!
"Sir?" said Yamir, his eyes following the dark duo running across the rocks. "What should we do?"
Murasame screwed his eyes shut, teeth grinding until they ached. Then he scrambled up the last step to stand at the top.
"If I don't come back in an hour, lead the people on. That is an order"
He left before Yamir could protest, cursing those married idiots for making him chose the path of suicidal hero.
The world was drab. A blend of muted whites and grays. Little held color, save those with life or light within them. Kyoko was one such source. Unlike the dull hues the others emitted, her image was one of vibrant color. Bright reds and vivid tangerines. She alone brought dimension to Cain's world. She alone brought warmth. Such was the consequence of imbibing his soul and essence with dark magic.
As he got closer to the scene, another aspect emerged. The opposite of Kyoko's light. The darkness. It surrounded each skeletal undead, covering them in a shroud of malice. It collected in a glob of flickering shadows, pulsing with energy as the monsters advanced on a small circle of muted blues and whites.
Those were the soldiers, each one fighting valiantly to survive. They wouldn't last long. As Cain watched, a few lights flickered before being snuffed out.
Cain skidded to a stop atop the shelf. Here he had a perfect view of the battle. The monsters had surrounded the Ashuron soldiers, their backs thankfully to a wall. If it wasn't for that, they probably would have already fallen. Each man fought bravely, those heavily injured in the back as their friends fought to save everyone. Unfortunately, their efforts were in vain. Each time a soldier destroyed one of the undead, the bones would scatter only to be reassembled in a flurry of magic. This was caused by their leaders in the back, three skeletal necromancers holding rods of power. Those guys would need to be taken care of first.
Cain took several steps back, then launched himself forward. Magic pulsed at his feet, surging as he rocketed faster and farther than normally possible. His aim was true as he soared straight for the nearest Necromancer.
Cain drew his sword midair, bringing it crashing down on the monster's skull. It slit down the center, severing spine and ribs from their opposite sides. Cain skidded, pivoting to quickly take several steps back, expecting the others to converge on him.
They didn't.
Bones and teeth clacked as the undead clamored around. Hesitated. Why didn't they attack?
His eyes caught his own hand. The darkest black that surrounded it.
That's right, thought Cain. I'm one of them.
He could feel it. The energy in his own body singing with desire. To unleash his power and destroy. To murder and kill. It was all his rage. Enhanced by the magic within him. The same dark magic that surrounded each creature of destruction.
A mad grin stretched across his face
"Sorry to disappoint," said Cain, "But I serve the light."
He smothered the darkness within.
The monster's understood. They brandished their weapons, the nearest necromancer waving its arms as he commanded them. A group of around twenty broke off from the main assault, pushing toward him.
So few? Cain felt insulted.
His arcane magic swirled, shields snapping into place, and not a second too soon. Arrows thunked again Cain's shields. Those in the back were firing at him.
Cain had no time to counterattack as the undead swarmed. A mutated skeletal undead swung his cudgel to his head. Cain dodged the attack, slicing his sword through the gap between humerus and scapula. The whole arm detached from body.
Another monster approached. This time Cain took the initiative. He swung his sword, crashing it against the monster's shield as the spell within ignited. A loud boom pushed the undead back, his magic ricocheting left and right. Those unlucky undead in the way disintegrated, leaving a distinct V of pulverized bone. Cain drew his sword back, stabbing it straight through the shield. He felt the slight pull of resistance as his sword separated bone from cartilage.
Cain withdrew his sword, ducking another attack. He danced forward, calling to his side several pulse shots. They swirled briefly before raining down upon the monsters.
Cain continued to push, but his mind carefully assessed the situation as he did so.
He could fight these things for hours. Every time he destroyed one, their body would tremble before reassembling as before. Even the ones that had been pulverized to dust had almost completely recovered. He had to destroy the necromancers.
It proved harder than he thought as more skeletons barred the way. Their bodies provided a perfect distraction as Cain wasted time smashing through time and time again. This was beyond frustrating. He didn't have time to be careful. Every second meant another man possibly dead. Another life he could have saved.
…he could give himself a little boost. Just for a second to get to the necromancers
No, that's a terrible idea. thought Cain. What if something goes wrong? Kyoko's not here to stop me.
Still, he had to do something.
A streak of white crested the top of the ridge. It was Murasame. Cain never thought he'd actually be happy to see the man. The idiot also looked as if he was about to jump down and join Cain.
Cain drew back. Several buried circles erupted around at the same time around him, blasting skeletons into the air. With the are momentarily clear, it gave him enough time to weave a message spell toward Murasame.
"Cheese for brains, go help the guard. I'll take care of the necromancers."
Whether Murasame actually listened to the message was another thing, but Cain didn't have time to watch. The two Necromancers has stopped resurrecting undead. They had crossed their rods, A different spell was circling around them. A dark spell that Cain could now identify.
Shoot! He did not have time to fight what they were about to summon.
The undead around him seemed even more insignificant than before, and Cain knew he had no time. If he didn't destroy these necromancers, they would summon a monster that even Cain would have trouble killing.
Preparing himself for the pain he was about to go through, Cain threw more power behind his shields. The undead sprang forward, but it was too late.
Kyoko's going to kill me.
Magic burst from his feet. Cain shot forward once again, this time smashing straight into the bodies of the undead. They crashed against his barriers, the force of the collision breaking away at his shield. Then they shattered. But Cain kept going. He yelled, sword and magic smashing a path in front of him, but it wasn't enough. Bone and blade battered against him. They bit into his shoulder, tore across his face and pounded on his chest, like lettuce through a shredder. The pain didn't stop him. Not when his wounds were already slowly healing.
In seconds, he had crossed what would have taken him minutes. The Necromancers emerged through the mass, and Cain roared a cry of blood and magic.
What did he mean by cheese for brains?
Such a strange insult, and yet Murasame knew it had to be particularly scathing. Why else would Cain have called him that? Perhaps it was a term only those in the darkest circles of mercenary work would understand.
And perhaps he should think on this another time. He was currently occupied with trying to keep himself alive, as well as many others. He'd jumped down as Cain had instructed, right in the middle of the guards and caused quite a shock to those in the back. As it was, he had pushed himself to the front of the group, taking off as much pressure as he could.
Will it be enough? He thought grimly, quickly blocking an attack. He grunted from the effort, this skeletal undead particularly large. He hated these grotesque things, just close enough to the human form to be insulting.
The monster pushed forward, causing Murasame to stumble backward. He ground his teeth, the cudgel slipping past his sword. He dodged, but not quickly enough. The weapon grazed his arm.
Swearing under his breath, Murasame swung his sword up, just clipping the creature's wrist. It dropped its weapon, and Murasame took advantage of the opportunity. He dispensed three quick stabs, magic assisting him as he tore into the undead.
It fell with a cry a second later, but another one was there to replace it.
Sore from several other small scrapes, Murasame plowed on. The enemy didn't seem to be slowing.
Had he made the right decision? From the brief moment of stupefied amazement, Murasame had witnessed how Cain fought. Seen the intricate and destructive force he wielded. Hell, it took Murasame this much effort just to kill one creature, whereas Cain destroyed them with ease. But Cain was still just one man. Would he be enough to take out three necromancers?
As another man to his right fell, Murasame's determination slipped, fear settling in.
Kyoko was panting by the time she reached the crest of the stone. Magic or no, that had not been a short trip. She carefully wove a simple shield, just in case the monsters below got it in their heads to shoot an arrow at—
Kyoko's mouth fell open. What in the light did Cain think he was doing!
Kyoko watched, eyes wide and hands trembling as Cain barreled through the monsters. Literally. She could see the blood flying from here. Oh, he was too reckless! Just because he could heal he thought he was invincible.
"Cain…"
Even as her heart cried out in pain, Cain's momentum stopped. Magic rained down on their location, and sand covered them from her eyes. She watched, heart in throat as flashes and sounds continued to spurt from the dust cloud.
After what seemed like several minutes to Kyoko, the dust began to clear. Then she let out a breath. Cain was the one that remained standing. The skeletal army around him began to fall, no longer capable of movement without their commanders.
She hesitated only a moment longer before making her decision. She stepped over the ridge, trying to smoothly slide down. She nearly tripped, then actually did ten feet from the ground. With a cry of fright, she managed to stick the landing just as the undead before her fell. She scrambled up, running through the mass of bone and sinew. She went straight for the battered sight of Cain, slumped on the ground.
"Cain!"
She slid down beside him, tears pricking at her eyes as she looked at him. He looked such a mess. Blood now stained his shredded cloak, flesh distorted and bruised. She raised a trembling hand to a particularly nasty gash, her touch light. As she did, his face raised to hers. Through his determination and stubborn expression, she saw how exhausted he was. She couldn't speak, too angry and upset to get her throat unclogged.
"It was the only way to stop them," he said softly.
"The only way?" she croaked out. "I can't believe I convinced myself I was being silly. This is exactly the type of idiotic thing I feared you would do."
"See, you're not surprised."
"It's not a good thing!"
Something moved. She looked down, watched as the flesh her hand rested on retreated. Her mouth fell open as blood stopped flowing and skin slowly pressing back together. This was too insane. In moments, her hand now rested on perfectly smooth skin. Not a single blemish remained.
Kyoko gripped his arm as her eyes raised to Cain, their gaze hard.
"I don't like it," she ground out. "Out of all the powers you could have gotten, why this? Why something that will just cause you even more pain?"
He'd abuse this power, she knew it. Today had proved that.
"What if your powers stop working?" she panicked. "Why if you can't heal fast enough, or does it stop poisons? What would happen if your whole arm got cut off? Would you re-grow it and—"
A soft chop to her head stopped her rant. Cain wore amusement in his eyes, even if it wasn't present on his lips.
"You're worrying yourself into a frenzy," he said.
"It's your fault!" she said. "You need to value yourself more, if not for your sake, then for mine."
He blinked, obviously taken aback. Then he deflated. "Sorry," he said. "I couldn't think of anything else to do."
There was the sadness she was looking for. The expression that said he had realized the mistake he had made. He looked out toward the battlegrounds, and her heart softened. She understood that look from him.
Her eyes followed his, zeroing on the bodies of flesh that dotted the scene. There were considerably fewer humans than undead among the defeated, but even one was too many in Kyoko's book. That was what caused Cain's melancholy.
The surviving group of guards caught her attention.
"This conversation isn't done," said Kyoko, standing up. She needed to see if anyone needed her medical assistance. "I'm going to see what I can do to help."
Cain nodded. "I'll check for survivors."
Their talk would have to wait. It needed to be put aside to assist others. With a final reassuring squeeze on her wrist, Cain let Kyoko leave, hurrying toward the group of men. Once this was all settled, they'd have a nice chat about when it was appropriate to use his powers.
He actually pulled it off.
Murasame resisted the urge to collapse with the undead as they fell, crumbling within themselves. If they were dying, it could only mean one thing. Cain had managed to defeat all three necromancers.
He sheathed his sword, heading for the closest guard. It was a scrawny man with a fair amount of talent in magic. They had been assisting each other during the entire fight, making up the vast majority of the left side's defense. The man was doubled over, looking as if he might faint.
"How..." he was muttering. "We're alive. How is this possible?"
His head jerked up as Murasame got close, eyes widening.
"You're not from our platoon," said the man, who had obviously just noticed this. "Who are you?"
Before Murasame could answer, another soldier came jogging up to them. He looked to be in better condition than the rest, though his stained garb would deceive the untrained eye. Most of that wasn't his own blood. What surprised Murasame the most was that he recognized the man. What was a Colonel of the Shaded city doing all the way out here?
The Colonel stopped in front of the man Murasame had been talking with.
"Thank the light you're alright," said the Colonel. "I should have figured you would be the one to hold the left."
The scrawny man shook his head, gesturing at Murasame. "It wasn't me. This man fell from the sky and saved us. We'd have fallen if it wasn't for him."
Murasame couldn't help a bit of pride as the Colonel finally noticed Murasame, the man's eyes widening.
"Lieutenant Murasame!" he gasped in disbelief. "Is that you?"
Murasame gave a tired salute, somehow able to smile despite feeling so tired. "Sorry for the delay, Colonel Ishibashi. Our trip took a lot longer than I expected."
The Colonel waved a hand. "Please, just Hikaru is alright, especially if you were the one that saved us. Your timing was just perfect!"
Murasame hesitated, his eyes scanning the area around. "Not soon enough it seems." Too many men were down, either dead or with terrible injuries. Probably forty in one hundred had survived, and this outpost was considered one of the stronger ones.
Still, even more had survived because he had come. That, he couldn't dispute.
His gaze froze as something else in the mess caught his attention. A certain bob of short black hair.
Stars, had Kyoko actually jumped down here? And what was she doing with the soldier?
Hikaru paused, followed his gaze. As expected, there was a notable amount of surprise in the man's face when he saw a woman attempting to heal one of his soldiers. Hikaru walked swiftly toward the woman, Murasame following by instinct. What Murasame didn't expect was for Hikaru to call out to her using her name.
"Lady Kyoko?"
The pretend physician looked up, her eyes widening in surprise,
"Hikaru?"
The commander let out a disbelieving laugh, rushing forward. The woman stumbled to meet him halfway as they embraced, blood, sweat and sand coating their bodies. Murasame watched stupidly as the two launched into an excited chatter.
"I can't believe it's you, how did you get all the way out here?" said Hikaru, holding her at arm's length. He scanned her appearance, taking it all in with fondness and surprise.
"It's a long story," waved Kyoko. "And what about you! I recognize that emblem. You've become a Colonel!"
"Yup, this transfer really helped my career," said Hikaru proudly. "I still miss the guys all the time, but it's been really nice helping out here as well. I was so worried about you when I heard the palace was attacked and the prince was killed."
"Ah, well, I'd rather not talk about that right now," the woman's eyes flickered to Murasame, then to the people around, the battlefield. "And we need to do this later. I should be helping."
"Yes, of course," said Hikaru, turning on the spot and calling out. "Everyone! This is Lady Kyoko. She's a skilled physician. If you have any injuries come to her. Anything she needs, you get it for her."
Those nearby and with the ability to do so gave nods or calls of confirmation. Murasame noticed more than one dubious expression. It was a mark of their respect for Hikaru that none verbally questioned him.
Even Murasame didn't dare.
"It really is good to see you again, Lady Kyoko," said Hikaru, holding her hands in a familiar fashion. "We'll need to catch up later."
"Later," the woman promised.
With a final one-armed hug, Hikaru marched away, waving for Murasame to follow. He did, along with the scrawny soldier and a few others. He couldn't help a peek back at the woman, who resumed her work on the injured soldier. It was common knowledge that Hikaru had been a palace guard and many respected him for that, but how did those two specifically know each other so well? He knew more than one damsel it the city that would kill to be that close to Hikaru. The man was friendly to everyone, but not that friendly.
Shaking these thoughts from his head, Murasame got the Colonel's attention.
"I need to return to my group," said Murasame. "They'll leave if I don't return within the hour."
"That's right, you left to get aid," said Hikaru. "What happened? Where are the rest of the men?"
"Probably in Mosall," grumbled Murasame. "Our group stumbled upon a Wurm nest and the supplies were destroyed. Then the mercenaries turned on us and left us to die. We just ran out a food."
Well, almost all of the mercenaries. A certain dark monster was still here, standing sentry on the edge of the chaos. Cain's eyes were surprisingly on Hikaru.
…Maybe it wasn't that surprising. Hikaru had just greeted Cain's wife in a very friendly manner.
"That's terrible," said Hikaru. "If those men are in the city, we can track them down and punish them for their crimes. But does that mean our supplies…"
"Gone. The Wurms saw to their clean up."
Hikaru swore.
"Ogata won't be happy to hear that," said Hikaru. "He was hoping- No. There's no use in lamenting. You're safe as well as the other citizens. That will have to be enough for now."
It just meant they'd have to send for another caravan to aid them. If any dared to make the journey. No matter who requested aid, it was slow in coming and not nearly enough to make a huge difference. Even the capital had barely done anything for them.
Murasame gestured seriously to Hikaru. This topic could not wait.
"Look," said Murasame, "I don't know how you know Kyoko, but I'd be careful of getting too close to her."
"What makes you say that?" said Hikaru.
Murasame gestured to Cain. "See that man right there? He's her husband, and he's bad news."
"Husband?" Hikaru looked toward Cain, then back at Kyoko, disbelief obvious. "Are you sure? How can that be? I thought…"
"She admitted it herself," said Murasame. "And she hasn't left his side this whole trip. They can't be trusted."
Hikaru looked unconvinced.
"A lot must have changed since I left," he muttered. "But he can't be that bad, especially if Kyoko chose him. Besides-" The commander gave a grateful smile. "He came to help, didn't he? If it wasn't for him we would have died. For that, he has my respect and gratitude. The same applies to you."
Murasame felt as if someone had punched him.
All the pride he felt previously fell away. He almost hadn't come, been one step away from making the decision to flee. He'd only changed his mind because he couldn't stomach the thought of Cain fighting when Murasame had chosen to run. How could he continue to condemn a man like Cain when he himself could not show the same amount of courage?
Murasame clenched his fists. He felt pathetic.
Hikaru gave a reassuring smile.
"We'll have time to discuss this later," said Hikaru. "For now, celebrate the victory, my friend. It is possible because of you."
"Thank you," said Murasame. The words hurt to say.
As Hikaru marched off to continue directing the men to douse the fires, Murasame started walking back to the camp. Voices followed him as he went. Hails of praise and calls of gratitude trailing his path. With each grateful smile he passed, the murky feeling grew worse. He walked in a sea of admiration while the two true heroes stood on the side, silently watching and assisting without any recognition.
Murasame disliked them. He couldn't help it. Cain's very existence grated on Murasame's soul. Yet, he begrudgingly had to respect the man's actions. He had to acknowledge that a man who personified darkness had assisted in saving lives and had done so without any indication of wanting recognition for his works.
Thanks for reading!
I sincerely apologize that I cannot continue to update every two weeks like I had been able to previously. It's just not possible with my current schedule and life load. I appreciate your patience with me and am thankful for your continued support. (especially when I was even late on my own late due date! Ugh, having your internet out does NOT help.)
On a super happy note, we got Imouto back! WHoooooo. Man, she is one part of writing I should never take for granted. So welcome back sister! XD
Anyway, I'd like to again thank you for your kind words and reviews. Kyoko will finish her journey, I am determined that it happens, but hearing your thoughts and words of encouragements really helps the process. So thank you all again.
Next update: Hopefully not a month away.
-Blushweaver
Hiya peeps! Hope you haven't forgotten poor ol' married Imouto! I've emerged from my den on love to catch up and help out Blushweaver-Sama