"You have the plans for the inhibitor?"

Kouki nodded, unable to suppress a smile at their disbelief. This was exactly the type of reaction he'd wanted. Surprise and hope. Thank the gods for Lory's insight to make Kanae review the plans. Her picture-perfect memory just might save them.

They were in the last stretch of the trial, all hands coming out as he tried to convince the voters that Kuu was still a competent king. This was their last and greatest reveal. If this didn't convince them, nothing would.

"I thought all the plans had been destroyed?" said Hoshi from the stands. The trial had gotten out of hand at this point, comments and questions being flung from all sides. Kouki didn't mind as it made the reveal more natural. If it got crazy, Zahir, the moderator was there to calm things down.

"They were," said Kouki. "But even that possibility was accounted for. Obviously, I can't go into detail of what those were, but thanks to our failsafe, we were able to recover the research and plans for the devices."

They'd had Kanae sketch it out before leaving, her last act as an employee of the palace.

"If you have the plans, why haven't you used them?" said another magistrate. "It's been weeks since the attacks."

"And we lost a lot of light wielders and arcane scholars," said Kouki. "Not to mention the strain from cleaning up after the battle." Or that their main engineer, Hirotaka, had betrayed and left them. "The first inhibitor should be completed in the next 24 hours, along with two others."

"Except you have no proof," said Sulmod from where he sat. "You're just as likely to be 'close' to rediscovering how to build these devices, let along actually making them. I don't hinge my bets on something I can't see."

This brought the murmurs and doubts back. Because of course it would. Fear was so much easier than faith for most.

Kouki pulled out sheets of parchment, handing them down the row of people. They contained some of the plans for the inhibitor. He'd brought it in the hope to convince them that they indeed could rebuild that inhibitor. It would have been nicer if they'd had one prepared, but luck had not been kind to them. Hirotaka had made it seem a lot easier than it actually was. Just finding a handful of mages that could understand the complex circles and chambers in the outline had been hard. Finding ones perfectly trustworthy had been another task altogether.

Learned as these men presumed themselves to be, they probably couldn't differentiate between a fake plan or a real one, and Sulmod's whispering doubts had already taken a hold of most of their minds. This was why even with the paper, Kouki doubted they would convince many. But hopefully, it would convince enough.

He finished his last spiel, answered questions and dismissed the occasional offhanded comment from Sulmod before finishing. He sat down beside Julie, the queen giving his arm a squeeze.

"What do you think?" she said.

He looked around the room. "I think we'll be lucky to get six votes. Eight if we're lucky."

That was just enough to avoid impeachment. Julie's face jolted up to her husband's. Kuu's expression remained still, but it was impossible for the king to be indifferent. Those that knew him saw the weight he carried. They saw the light draining from his eyes. He'd already lost his connection to the demi-goddess. Now this, the final tether to the power he wielded for the sake of other was being stripped from his as well.

"Then this is it, isn't it?" said Kuu. "All our preparation and it didn't matter." He spoke evenly for a man that might have his kingdom stripped from him.

"If dad were here, he'd say something about truth always being worth saying," said Kouki. In spite of the situation- or maybe because of it, Kouki gave a short laugh. "Where did that sorry sod go to anyway? Watching him leave certainly didn't help our chances."

Zahir strode to the center of the room, the red and gold sash of an intermediary hanging around his shoulders. He'd done a fair job of keeping the discussion from turning into a lynching. In that, they had been extremely lucky.

He called for the men to quiet down. It was time for the vote.

Zahir listed those that had the right to vote. Twenty-five in total present. They were representatives of their dukedoms, magistrates, mages, generals and the like. It was both too many and not enough. Kouki would have a vote as archduke and head of the Takarada household, but his father would not. He'd give up that privilege after handing the title down to Kouki.

Kouki spent hours going through the numbers. Talked to people, debated over politics and called in all the favors they had. It still didn't feel like enough. It probably wasn't. Without the inhibitors here, his final revelation hadn't changed the aura of the room in the slightest. They were going to lose.

"All those present who wish to utilize their power to vote, please stand," said Zahir.

Kouki stood, along with his fellow voters. Five of the twenty-five opted to remain seated, their abstinence causing other problems. He knew Kuu should have passed a law making it illegal to abstain from voting. Those that remain seated would probably have voted for Kuu if forced to choose.

Sulmod had seen this, his sneer pointed in Kuu's direction. But the king kept his gaze forward, the nature of this trial barring him from voting.

"All those in favor of impeachment," said Zahir. "Please, indicate."

Hands lifted. Too many. Kouki quickly counted even as the votes were being noted by official scribes.

Fifteen. That was how many voted against. It was two over the necessary two-thirds needed for impeachment. A crushing defeat. The room buzzed with noise. Everyone could see the evitability. Only five votes remained, and they weren't enough to keep Kuu in office. They'd lost.

Kouki's felt sick from the weight of what he was witnessing He couldn't believe it. They couldn't impeach his king!

Zahir continued with the final vote, his words drawing out the pain.

"Now, all those in opposition of the impeachment, Please—"

The door to the hall burst open.

It was thrown with enough force that it caused everyone to turn and look at who would so brazenly entered. Kouki barely withheld a moan when he saw it was his father. Lory had returned just in time to draw out this loss and see the title stripped from Kuu.

But then others entered behind Lory. Kouki's eyes bulged when he finally recognized who they were.

The champions!

Shuffling, weak with pale faces - two of them requiring an escort to enter- each of the champions that had laid unconscious now entered on their own two feet. Jelly Woods, Hiou Uesugi, Tsuyoshi Momose and Galyth Matsunai.

"Sorry for the racket," said Lory, walking to the head of the room. With each step, his beaming face grew clearer. "I hope we didn't miss the voting. I had to take a detour and wake some people."

"The inhibitors?"

The statement was echoed through the crowd and until it wrapped the arena with its hum. The general public didn't know about the devices since the inhibitors bound for this city had been intercepted by the Accursed. But a few knew, and the word was being passed down like fire as details were muddied and expectations grew.

Kanae didn't watch the passage of this, keeping her gaze locked with Kuresaki, but her next words were for them. For the crowd.

"Surely you've heard of the device?" said Kanae, her voice loud. "A magical item which lays an invisible barrier that weakens dark magic and drives monsters away. It can also lighten hearts, suppress the sprouting of seed—oh yes, General. I am aware of the dark seeds, unlike most of the population. No doubt it may also ease the symptoms of the Sheuman's rot, which, if our evidence is to be trusted, may be a product of the Accursed."

Kuresaki took his punches well. He's already recovered from the previous blow, his next words condescending as he peered his nose down at her.

"I'm aware of these devices," he said. "I'm also aware that each copy was destroyed when the Accursed attacked the capital. Your trade is a bluff. You don't have the plans. Unless… you are working for the Accursed?"

He left the statement off as a question, dangling it in front of the crowd to draw their own conclusions.

Kanae rolled her eyes, aware that jumping down that rabbit hole would prove fruitless. "The point is I have it, and you need it."

"Supposedly."

"Oh, you want proof?" said Kanae. She raised a brow, her next words dripping with mock humility. "Forgive me if I hesitate. I thought you made it quite clear you lack the intellectual capacity to derive truth from evidence."

"And you demonstrate a complete lack of comprehension regarding such matters," he shot back. "Complex information like the stacks of ledgers that Mage Ogata presented must be thoroughly analyzed before being accepted as fact. It is easy to falsify information to present your argument."

"Bullshit," said Kanae. "Don't try to pretend you care about finding facts. If you wanted to analyze evidence and verify the validity of what was presented, you would have had a proper trial and not a lynching party."

"I am protecting the people from these monsters," said Kuresaki. The ends were fraying, veins bulging in his forehead as he pointed behind him at Kyoko. "I'm protecting them from the evils that threaten to destroy us."

Those supposed 'evils' looked more like snowflakes melting in the sun.

This wasn't going to work. She knew a donkey when she saw one, digging its hoofs into the sand. Plan C it was.

Kane started pacing, deliberately working the stage to begin circling Kuresaki.

"And just what horrendous things have they done that deserve death?" she openly mocked. "Please. Enlighten me."

Kuresaki took the bait. Eager to speak his words, the man unconsciously began mirroring Kanae, pacing around in a circle.

"They are Accursed," he said. "Members of the enemy force. One does not need to be in the heat of battle to execute a prisoner of war."

"You're wrong," said Kanae.

"Excuse me?"

"You're wrong. You said they are members of the enemy force, but they are not."

"They're Accursed!"

"Which is not the same thing," she emphasized. "If you listen to them, they deny any affiliation with the Dark Djinn and seek to destroy him. 'Accursed' merely means one has made a contract with the Dark Djinn to gain dark powers. What an Accursed does with those powers is up to him, and as I've already stated, Cain's chosen to forsake the Djinn and side with us." Her lips curled into a sardonic smile. "A defector, you may call it. Which, as a General, do you know what Ashuron's protocol is with defectors?"

She stopped pacing, Kuresaki stopping with her. The man was not cut out for these sorts of verbal fights. He was probably too used to people being intimidated by his status and the hang of gloom his eyebrows cast over his entire form. Not Kanae. She'd battled cats more intimidating than him.

"You take them in," said Kanae. "You feed them. Clothe them. Offer them amnesty in exchange for information. And here you have an Accursed saying that he'll give you all of it regardless of any reward save the protection of his wife. At the very least you should have considered that course of action instead of public execution for trying to help us."

"That would be suicide," shot back Kuresaki. "The Accursed are too powerful to be allowed free. Safer to keep a dragon than a monster like him. He could destroy our entire town without trying."

Kane was about the answer when someone from the noble's portion stepped out. It was the Duke again.

"He's dangerous," said Duke Momose. "He destroyed our town."

Kanae's eyes went heavenward. Gods, these people.

"To protect you from anther Accursed that was working for the Dark Djinn," she said.

Another noble shouted from their plush seats. "He stormed into the clinic and caused mass hysteria."

"Oh, you're right," said Kanae seriously. "We must execute him on the spot for being scary. I didn't realize making someone piss their pants warrants a death sentence."

"Enough!" Shouted Kuresaki. He quieted the nobles and crowd instantly. Kanae allowed herself to be silenced as well, if only because there was no further point in arguing. It was time for the next part of the plan. She was positioned where she needed to be. Right in front of Kyoko. She didn't dare look behind her lest she draw attention to their proximity.

The General's chest was heaving. A lock of his slick back hair had come free. It hung against his forehead, glistening with sweat. Kanae herself was drenched, this heat making her temper worse. She hadn't been able to resist pushing their argument further than necessary. Thankfully her temper hadn't caused her plans to backfire.

"It is useless to argue," he said. "I have already found them guilty. They will be brought to justice."

"Don't you care about your people?" said Kanae. From inside her vest, she withdrew a small ledger. "Don't you want to save them from the rot? I have the inhibitor plans right here."

She waved the ledger at Kuresaki, his face and body turning to stone. He was indecisive, struck between desire for blood, suspicion, and probably a desire to be a hero. Men often had such complexes.

The duke didn't hesitate. He took the bait and strode over and snatched the ledger from her hands. He flipped through the pagers, squinting at them before turning back to the nobles and shouting for a mage to come verify the plans. Kanae didn't move as a few older men came forward, inspecting the ledger in the center of the stage.

"This certainly looks like it could be plans for something like the inhibitor," said one. He pointed to a page. "This is clearly an iteration of a barrier spell."

"And there is an arcane link converter." Another magician shoved aside the Duke's hands, flipping through the rest of it quickly. "This… it doesn't look complete. Here. These pages are blank."

"It's not," said Kanae. "That's only half of the plans."

Kuresaki snapped to attention at this, motioning to a guard. "Search her!"

Her glare sizzled as the guard reached forward to lay his hands on her. He hesitated, glancing back at the general for approval. At Kuresaki's insistence, the guard cautiously started patting Kanae down. She allowed this with great amusement. She couldn't help suddenly jerking her head at him, causing the man to jump back with a shout of fright. Kanae openly laughed.

"You won't find anything," said Kanae. "I'm not dumb enough to have the other half on me."

Or anywhere, she thought. The rest of the plans were in her head. Perks of a picture-perfect memory.

"Where are the rest of the plans?" said the Duke.

"Hidden," said Kanae. "Until you release Kyoko and Cain."

"I do not make deals with the enemy."

"Then too bad. You're not getting them."

Kuresaki's face darkened considerably. He stalked toward Kanae with such intensity that Kanae's muscles tensed as if a lion was approaching. Only a step away he stopped, leaning closer so only they could hear his next words.

"Listen to me very closely," he said. "I'm not playing. I will get those plans from you and I will use any means necessary to save my citizens."

Pain. That's what his eyes promised. Not normal pain either.

"You'd torture a woman just because you couldn't get your way?" goaded Kanae.

His brows lowered, narrowing his dark eyes. "I'd torture an enemy."

"You seem to liberally apply that word to any who defy you," said Kanae coldly. Every nerve in her body was telling her to either attack or get the hell away from here. She should run. Stay away from this madman. He wasn't completely sane.

Kuresaki opened his mouth as if to answer, but one of the mages called to him. It broke the man's attention on Kanae and allowed her to take a discrete step back.

"What is it?" said Kureskai.

"There's something here," said the mage excitedly. "A spell of sorts…"

Here Kanae moved noticeably. She unfolded her arms, shifting in the sands as she placed the appropriate amount of tremble in her voice. "That's nothing," said Kanae. "A spell to protect the ledger."

Kuresaki's eyes flickered back to her.

"Or a spell to hide the second part."

All four of them crowded around the ledger, one of the mages swiping upward in the air with a finger. The rune circles appeared, burned into the air in complex formations above the ledger.

"It is a cloaking spell," said the mage excitedly. "That means-"

"Destroy it," commanded the Duke.

"No," said Kanae, taking a step forward. "You don't want to do that." Considering what was coming next, it wasn't hard to keep herself tight and anxious.

Second bait thrown.

Kuresaki noticed the motion and took the final bite.

Kuresaki yanked the ledger away from the mages who were assessing the spell. It disappeared like smoke as he flipped the ledger open and pressed his fingers to the page.

The effect was instantaneous. There had been a cloaking spell on the pages. It just hadn't been hiding more plans. It had been hiding another spell. One which activated upon the deletion of the cloaking spell.

Light exploded from the ledger, engulfing those nearby in a cloud of magic. Kanae threw out her hands, her arcane magic activating in time to block the magic as it grew outward in a rush. At the same time, four other such explosions happened around the square; behind the crowd, next to the tree gates and in the center of the nobles.

Kanae wasted no time. She snatched the spear from her back, swinging it behind her. The shaft slammed into the dazed nearby guard, knocking him out instantly. She knelt beside Kyoko, the woman also dazed from the magic, but still conscious.

A flash of magic snapped the chains holding Kyoko. Kanae tucked her spear back behind her back and threw Kyoko over her shoulder like a sack of potatoes. She didn't even look back to see if Horiuchi and Yukie were getting Cain. They had their job. She had hers.

The tumult of limbs and bodies was impossible to maneuver through quickly, and yet she knew it wouldn't last forever. Kuresaki had probably prepared for interruptions.

Kanae headed straight for the gates. The guards standing watch were still struggling to their feet, leaning on each other and spears to sit up. Those ahead spotted her coming, lazily leveling their spears to stop her.

With pulse magic humming under her feet, Kanae pushed off the ground, using one of the guard's heads as a springboard to launch herself over the gate. She landed on the other side, struggling to keep hold of the dead weight on her shoulder. Shouts followed.

Kanae ran. It was awkward trying not to break her neck on the impossibly huge roots or drop Kyoko. She managed with perseverance and luck. Twice her footing crumbed from pursuing spells just as her feet left it. But the further she got, the fewer spells followed her. Soon shouts were distant as she raced around the edge of the gate.

"…nae?"

Kyoko was coming to. She twisted, making Kanae, slow to keep from dropping her.

"Stop moving," said Kanae. "We're almost out."

They had reached another gate. Kanae vaulted over these as well, startling the unlucky guards that were required to guard the entrance. They had been playing stones, only now managing to grab their weapons due to their inattention.

Kanae bashed one over the head with her spear, managing to awkwardly dodge a lunge from the other. It was too hard with Kyoko in one hand and a long spear in the other. Instead, she flung her spear with a spell.

Shocked at the sudden projectile, the spear rammed into the stomach of the guard, his armor stopping the blade from piercing. It did knock him back onto the pavement where he groaned but didn't rise.

Kyoko was awake now. Kanae shrugged the woman to the ground where Kyoko slid to her knees, still dazed.

"Where… are we going? Kanae, what happened?"

"I'm getting you out of here," said Kanae. She grabbed her spear with one hand, yanking on Kyoko's arm with the other.

The woman resisted.

"Wait."

Kanae tugged harder, forcing Kyoko to her feet. They stumble along, slower than Kanae would have liked. They were only a few streets from their meeting point.

"We don't have time," said Kanae. "I can't fight the entire city militia."

"But Cain!"

"The boys are handling him," said Kanae. "They'll meet us at the rendezvous."

Kyoko let out a grunt, which would have to work. Kanae kept tugging her along where she hoped the Duchess had pulled through on her end of the escape.

Thanks for reading!

And I'm so sorry for the extra week break. I forgot I was going out of town. (I went to visit Imouto for several days and then I was celebrating my birthday) sooooo… yeah. That's my excuse.

The chapter may seem short, but that's because the original chapter was over 9,000 words long… so I decided to break it up into two because no. Just… no. What it does mean is that the next chapter is 90% done and you'll get it next week instead of in two. But just a fair warning, after next week's chapter that's when I'm going on break!

Kay, thanks again for all your love and support and OMG I still get giddy with each review! Welcome to all the new readers. You guys just suddenly popped up, LIKE DAISIES! Also, never apologize for spamming reviews. Are you guys kidding? I get to geek out about each chapter with you! Sigh, those are super fun times.

Guest, you have a great question about the Sheuman's rot. No, I have not addressed if animals are affected by it. I will do so now: They are not. Mostly because plot and what the Sheuman's rot is, and also because different disease/things/viruses don't always jump to other species. They can, and it can be devastating when they do. This one hasn't.

Kay, author note too long. Thank you all again! Next chapter in one week!

-Blushweaver

Blushweaver your note is TLDR, so I've taken the liberty to Sum it up: sorry I was late! I saw the most noble Imouto and got older. Leave me MOAR reviews (cus that makes me feel loves,) and next chapter is next week and then no more! (until I come back).

-Im0ut0