Chapter 9
It was chaos. The clashing of metal put ringing into my ears. I hid under a desk as a Drone and a guard struggled against each other in front of me. It was impossible to tell who was winning. The Drones seemed to outnumber and overpower the guards, but they were well organized and their armor and sparking weapons kept them back. The Drones could only hide and wrestle the guards that came closest to the ground.
"Kinuito!" A Drone came rushing over to me and ducked down. "It's me, Hisanaga. Your Hisanaga." He smiled his polite and practiced smile.
"I don't know what I did, but it seems to be working." A guard flew over the top of the desk. "But what are we supposed to do now?"
"I've pieced together all the information I could gather from the other Drones here. Things are not good." I frowned. That was obvious. "I know where we need to go though. We can't stay here, we won't be able to use these communication consoles, but there is one close by that's still active. We've got to get back to the surface. That door is the only way out." Hisanaga pointed to the door on other side of the room and more guards poured in through it. "We don't stand a chance of getting there at the moment though." I thought. We did have bigger numbers at the moment. I wasn't sure how much the Drones would listen to me if I tried to command them.
"I've got an idea." We got out from under the desk. "Let's try a distraction to lure them away from the door." Hisanaga surveyed the room.
"We could send some to the far side and hopefully get them to move." I got up and stood on top of the desk.
"Hisanaga!" All the Drone's faces turned to me and caught me off guard for a moment and I pointed to the side as we planned. "Charge!" They moved in unison without hesitation. Immediately the first ones were struck to the ground with long spears that sparked on the end of them. More Drones moved in to take their place. I winced as I watched them get beaten down again and again. All with the same boy's face I had grown so fond of. I wiped my tears from my cheeks and grabbed Hisanaga's hand. We ran from cover to cover. I waved for more Drones to charge and they ran forward into danger defiantly, bravely, and foolishly. I swore I'd fix every one of them when this was all over. I would make sure The Fellowship got what it deserved.
We got to the doorway at a steep price, but once we were out there were even more guards in waiting. We adopted the same strategy. The Drones let loose a battle cry as they grappled with the army of guards. I noticed some of the Drones started to slow down, like they were getting tired or sleepy.
"This isn't good." Hisanaga looked at me worriedly. "There's something wrong, something is attacking from the inside. They're disabling us." I looked around as one by one they fell to their knees.
"How do we stop it?" I yelled to him, but he shook his head.
"I still can't access the network; I don't know what's going on out there." The Drones continued to fight in spite of the weight that seemed to be shifted onto their shoulders. The guards started to gain ground and I wasn't sure if we were going to make it anymore.
"Wait, look." Hisanaga tapped my shoulder. "They're waking up. Someone must have stopped them." The guards had advanced so far that the Drones started waking up behind them. As fast as they had gained the upper hand, the guards panicked and turned to run from them as they began surrounding them from behind. Soon they were in a full retreat.
"Let's go!" I yelled with renewed strength. We chased the guards through a hallway and made it to the room with the main lift. The last of the guards were there. We fought our way up to the lift and saw their trap. There were side rooms just out of sight next to the lift and hordes of guards rushed from them.
"Come on, we've got to go Kinuito, this is our only chance to leave!" We were cornered into the wall with the lift's door. "There's not enough space for everyone." I growled to myself and took one last frustrated look around.
"I'll come back for you!" I yelled between sobs. "I promise! You hear me?" The Drones continued their hand to hand struggled with the guards and we entered the lift and shut the door.
We slowly rose off the ground and picked up speed. I banged on the glass and looked on the fight below us. Hisanaga put his hand on my shoulder and held me as I sobbed.
"Where are we going Hisanaga? We've got to stop all this." I wiped my face clean with my sleeve. I was ready to do whatever it took.
"There is a communications hub just outside of town that's still functional according to my information. We need to access it and we should be able to fix Amatertsu, the weather stabilization satellite, from there." I closed my eyes.
"And you'll go back to sleep?"
"Yes, my protocol will be fulfilled and all will be right. That is what we agreed to do. Right?"
"Of course." I shook the unpleasant thought from my head. "That will make everything right. The island will be safe again." I managed a slight smile at that.
We arrived at the top of the lift after some time and surprisingly no guards were to be seen. My ears were perked and we checked around every corner anticipating a trap. Hisanaga led all the way back to the Library. We passed some students and fled silently out the front gate which was also unmanned.
We got to the street and were immediately met with a gust of wind. I looked above us and saw the angry clouds looming.
"Better get inside kids." A passing stranger waved to us. "Quite a storm on the way from the looks of it." Hisanga grabbed my hand and broke into a run I could barely keep pace with.
o o o
"Sounds like the guards are making their way to this side of the compound." Tsurumatsu checked the hallway outside their room.
"I can help us avoid patrols with my eyes." Kawaharu offered. Shio gave a look at her with pain on her face. "Don't worry Sensei Shioseki it doesn't hurt." She smiled weakly. It clearly took a toll on her. "And I'm sorry, but I don't even know how Taka and I got here, so I couldn't do that again if I tried."
"Don't forget about me." Takaharu managed to get to his feet. "I just needed a nap, I can still help." He stretched his arms over his head as if just waking from a dream.
"Fighting the army of guards they have at their disposal is a futile thought." Akafude commented. She leaned on the wall away from the group. She was calculating how they should proceed in light of the twin's unexpected appearance. "You two just got a whole lot more valuable to them too."
"Yeah I think speed might be our best asset right now. We can't afford to stand here and think. We've got to move now if we want a chance." Tsurumatsu looked to Shioseki. "Akafude, you would know the best way out of here. So you, Shio, Taka and Kawa should head out and I'll create a diversion. I'm sure I can keep them busy long enough for you to get outside."
"No way am I leaving you behind Tsuru." Taka unexpectedly spoke up before anyone else. "I'll stay with Tsuru. Besides, one person isn't much of a diversion. You'll need someone else, right?" Tsuru looked troubled at Taka and then to Shio. She shook her head. "Sensei Shio, please get my sister out of here." He put his hands together and begged her.
"Okay Takaharu." She nodded. "We're going to make sure you two get out too though. Got it? No heroics. You too Tsuru." She gave them both motherly looks. They both smiled. "Aka, Kawa. Let's go. If what Kawa said is true and Kinu has already escaped we've got to catch up to them." They all agreed and they ran from the room. Taka and Tsuru went the opposite direction toward the sounds of the guard's footsteps. They got the attention of a group of them and gave chase.
The girls followed Akafude through the twisting hallways, only stopping to avoid patrols. It seemed like they might make it back to the university area when a guard spotted them. They weren't very fast together, since Kawa had to be led by Shioseki.
"You two have got to go." Akafude stopped. "You know the rest of the way." She gave Shio a small nod and she returned the gesture.
"Be careful. I still need to talk to you." Shio made her promise.
"I know." She said and turned toward the guards. She managed to grab one and flip him over her shoulder and she smirked.
"Come on Kawa, this way, we're almost there!" Shio led the way and prayed with all her heart that somehow everyone would get out okay.
o o o
The rain pelted us as we ran and just as I was going to thank our luck that it wasn't cold I felt an icy gale come from ahead. We ran together for what felt like forever. I couldn't believe how far the city streets went. They were empty this time though; no one in their right mind would be running through this storm. My legs ached and my feet were starting to go numb. Hisanaga kept pace in front of me, turning to check in every now and then. The cold cut through our dripping wet clothes, but he didn't slow at all. I wondered if he felt any of this. He never seemed to get tired. The rain slowed and I sighed with relief, but then I felt something else start sticking to my face, snowflakes. Another gust of icy wind hit us and my jaw started chattering uncontrollably.
"Hisanaga, how much farther is it? Do you really need me?" I slowed my pace and panted heavily.
"I do need you Kinuito. I am simply a Drone meant to assist you. I have basic access permissions, but you will have to perform the repair sequence." I could hear him, but I couldn't reply. I couldn't even peice the words together anymore. "Kinu?" I smiled and felt myself falling. Hisanaga caught me and fixed me onto his back. He piggy backed me through the snowfall, which was getting thicker. The wind licked at my skin and it burned now. I started to feel sleepy and closed my eyes. My thoughts were swimming. What were we doing again? I felt as if I was on the boat making my way across the sea. Hisanaga kept a steady, bumpy pace. I lost track of time and I dozed off once or twice.
"Kinuito!" I heard my name from far off. I blinked my eyes open and lifted my head. I was lying on the ground with snow around me. "Get up, we're here." He grabbed my hand. I looked up and saw Hisanaga's friendly face and he helped me to my feet.
"Where are we again?" I rubbed my head and my eyes. The snow continued to fall.
"Here come this way." It looked like we were in the out skirts of the city. Farmland and mountains surrounded us. Hisanaga carried me toward a smooth door in the wall. It lit up and let us inside. It was immediately warmer out of the wind. I got my balance and looked around. It was just like the cave in The Circle. He made a faint light emit from his hand and we cautiously proceeded through the hallways. We made a few turns and up ahead I could see light at the end of the tunnel.
It opened up into a large room, easily the largest room, and in the center was the tallest, largest object I'd ever seen. It was a polished silver and stood on 3 legs. The top resembled a birds beak and it had long smooth curves all the way down its surface. Hisanaga ran to a small side room with an open door and waved me inside.
"We've made it Kinu, although, this wasn't what I was expecting. Let me see what kind of access this terminal has." He approached a desk and starting tapping away at it.
"What is that Hisa? A castle?" He chuckled and turned to me.
"You're not that far off. It's sort of a castle. It's a flying castle. A sky castle!" I blinked.
"A castle in the sky?" It dawned on me then. "Oh no, I am not getting in that thing." I crossed my arms and turned my head determinedly. I peaked at Hisanaga for his reaction but he stared at the window light up in front of him intently. "What is it?" My curiosity asked.
"There are some unexpected variables." He stood back and put his hand to his chin. "It's missing some components. Maybe it was never finished being built."
"Oh well, guess we'll have to find a better way that doesn't involved flying maybe?" I chimed hopefully.
"It can fly but," he paused weighing his words. "I'll have to fuse with the castle. Become one with it. I will be the castle." My eye brows creased.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, the ship doesn't have a brain. I will need to become its brain." He frowned and turned his face from me. "And I don't know if I'll be able to separate from it." I saw his fists clench. "I must fulfill my protocol. I must assist Kinuito." He said to himself more than me. "No matter the repercussions. Come on, we don't have any time to lose." He started to leave the room with his face turned from me.
"Hisa wait, part of my mission, my protocol, is to save everyone. I can't do that without you. I have to protect you too." He approached a stand with an array of buttons outside the flying castle.
"You can't protect me. I'm a Drone." He turned to me with his same practiced smile. "I only wish to be a helpful tool to you until I am no longer necessary." I thought I saw something glint in his eyes. I grabbed his shoulder and turned him to face me.
"Listen Hisanaga, this is a command." I pulled his chin up to look him in the eyes. "You will always be necessary." He smiled again at that.
"Yes, Kinuito." I sighed and let go of his shoulders, realizing how close we were. "Let's go." A door opened in the side of the castle and a ramp came down. "Head inside and I'll walk you through." My hair stood on end. I had forgotten about the flying part. "Don't worry Kinu." He grabbed my shoulder then. "I will keep you safe. You are necessary." I needed to hear that. I steeled my nerves and walked up the ramp into the castle.
"Follow the lights." I heard Hisanaga's voice come from the walls and a trail of blue lights on the ceiling lead me to a small lift. I entered it and was released into what looked like the top of the castle. There were windows I could see above. A door opened next me and displayed 3 hanging pairs of clothes. "Put one of them on. They will adjust to fit your size." I flung the suit over my head and got it on. It shrunk down to my small size and gave me only a small heart attack. I couldn't help but wonder at the things the ancients made. Afterward, I climbed to the top and fit myself into one of the seats that was actually fastened to the wall from where I had come in. "Put your arms through the loops in the seat behind you and press the flashing green button in front of you." I did so, but stopped with my hand over the button. I took three slow breaths.
"Don't worry everyone, I'll be back and I'll see you all soon." I pressed the button.