Chapter 7 - Across the Ocean 2
Hayami's eyes opened with a cold and calculating light in them. They radiated a cold aura, different from that of a distressed eleven-year-old girl, eyes befitting of a killer. She had one mission. One goal.
Kill the Royal Princess and Grand Tactician.
The royal palace was huge, but the rooms of her targets were close together. In fact, the tactician's room was only one floor below the room of the princess. Each room had a balcony or window. As it was currently the middle of summer, it was only natural that all the windows and balcony doors were open.
Hayami picked up her bow and strapped on a quiver. She then walked over to the balcony located in her room and looked around. The balcony was located on a flat wall without any tilt. The closest ledge was the roof located five meters upward and ten meters to the left of where she stood. At this distance, it was impossible for Hayami to reach without some sort of tool.
Hayami stepped back into her room and opened her closet, looking for something she could use. Inside the closet were several pieces of clothing made out of different materials, spare curtains, and weights used to keep the curtain down on windy days.
A plan quickly formulated in her mind.
Hayami carefully cut two woolen sweater and unwound them completely, careful not to break the string. Then, she braided the string into a somewhat sturdy rope around two meters in length. She then took the spare curtains, twisted them into ropes and tied them together tightly using techniques Arthur had taught her. From there, she bound one of the heavyweights to the curtain rope and a smaller weight to the string rope, placing it in her pocket. She then held the heavyweight in one hand and pulled out her knife with the other.
Hayami stepped out onto the balcony, climbed onto the rails, and took a deep breath. She jumped to the left and stabbed her knife into one of the slits between the bricks. Using her momentum, she swung her body with the knife as the pivot and threw the heavyweight towards the roof. She felt gravity pulling her down and grabbed onto the curtain rope as the weight latched onto the edge of the roof.
Hayami held onto the rope tightly while taking out the smaller weight and throwing it towards the knife. The weight swung around the knife and bound to it tightly. She snapped her wrist and the knife came flying towards her. She caught it and smiled before stabbing it into the wall above her head, using it to pull herself up. Hayami slowly climbed up the wall, dividing her weight between the knife and curtain rope to prevent either from breaking. A few minutes later, she flipped onto the open roofs of the Archanean palace.
She dashed silently and quickly across the rooftop, moving towards the room of the Grand Tactician. The plan was simple and effective. First, she would kill the Grand Tactician. Afterward, she would intentionally create a commotion to temporarily draw the attention of the princess's guards. Finally, finish off the Royal Princess and escape.
The edge of the roof drew close and Hayami jumped, soaring through the air and landing lightly on the Grand Tacticians balcony. She silently walked into the tactician's room, confirming the still lump on the bed.
Hayami's eyes shone an electric blue in the darkness. She pulled back the string of her bow and nocked an arrow, aiming right at the body of the sleeping tactician.
Please… forgive me.
Hayami closed her eyes and released the arrow…
…
At least, she should've. No matter how hard she tried, her fingers wouldn't let the string go. She stood frozen, her arms trembling with hesitation.
Morgan, the kind tactician that picked up a stranger and took her in. Leicia, the kind ruler loved by her people. Both have shown her unbelievable kindness. If she killed them here tonight, would she be able to reunite with her Shishou with a smile on her face? Would she be able to face Yoshiro and Tatsumi, who were dedicating their lives to bringing peace to the Empire, knowing that she had doomed thousands to suffer in war?
Would she be able to face herself without wallowing in self-loathe?
But… BUT! SHISHOU WILL DIE! EVEN IF I EXPLAINED MY SITUATION, THERE IS NO WAY THEY WILL TRUST ME! I CAN'T DO ANYTHING ON MY OWN! IF I LET SHISHOU DIE… THEN… THEN I…
I…
The dim moonlight flowing into the room illuminated the tears that dripped down Hayami's cheeks. Her breathes were shallow, quiet and labored. Her jaws were clenched tightly and veins were popping out of her neck, as if she was fighting against an invisible force. A battle that was lost. In an instant, all of her energy vanished and she lowered her weapon, both arms falling limp;y to her sides.
"What should I do?" Hayami choked under her breath.
"Isn't it obvious? If you need help, ask for it." The lights flicked on and Hayami realized there was someone standing behind her. She spun around and faced the person.
Morgan, standing in her cloaked glory, smirked down at her.
"Child, you've got a ways to go before you can successfully assassinate me."
Before Hayami could even begin processing what she'd heard, the door flew open and in rushed Aaron and several guards. In an instant, Hayami found herself surrounded with half a dozen spears ready to take her life at a moments notice. Aaron stepped between Morgan and Hayami with his sword drawn and pointed at Hayami's neck, his glare more heated than the sun itself.
"W-what? How?" That was all Hayami could force out of her mouth. Ignoring the spears and the sword held at her throat, she turned her head to look at the bed. With the lights on, the bulge on the bed that Hayami had mistaken for Morgan revealed themselves a bundle of pillows and clothes. It was after seeing the childish trick that Hayami realized what was going on.
"It's simple really. A small assassin like you can't hope to kill too many targets at once, so you would obviously aim for the most important. In Archana, the most important people you've come in contact with include Leicia – the Royal Princess, Me – the Grand Tactician, Aaron – The Head of Knights, and Mark – The Leader of the Elites. Among those, Leicia and I stand at the top, therefore it's obvious you would go after us." Morgan said with her arms crossed, a proud smirk on her face. The situation finally began to sink in and Hayami lowered my head.
"If we know who you'd go after, the obvious plan would be to assassinate me at night, cause a commotion and kill Leicia under the cover of chaos. It's a simple but effective plan, but that also makes it very predictable." She finished. Hayami sighed and looked at Morgan tiredly. She had completely underestimated this childish woman. She never had a chance to begin with.
"So you knew all along?" It wasn't so much a question as a confirmation, though Hayami had little doubts as to what the answer was. Abandoning the childish triumphant tone, Morgan spoke like an educator speaking to a student who had just failed a task.
"… Yeah, you should never take the lifeline your enemy conveniently threw. There are no villages in the west because the small patches of forestry are perfect bandit bases. The closest village to where we found you is at least a day's worth of walking. Not to mention the look of guilt back in the library." Morgan explained. Hayami chuckled lightly, her cover was blown before her third sentence.
"Here I thought I was just extremely lucky... So? What's going to happen? I won't go down without a fight." Hayami asked weakly. Despite her threat, she didn't move to raise her weapon. Aaron, on the other hand, thrust his blade forward oppressively, drawing a small amount of blood from Hayami's neck. Morgan placed a hand on Aarons' shoulder to stop him so he begrudgingly drew back his sword.
"Hmm, I'm not sure. I've been thinking for days about how to deal with you. You are an enemy, yet at the same time you aren't." She said with a conflicting look.
Hayami wasn't dense. Convenient happenings like bringing Hayami back to the palace, letting her keep her weapons, and leaving her alone with Morgan or Leicia on multiple occasions can now be explained. Those were all tests to see if she was an enemy. Though what drove Morgan to take so many stupid risks or why Leicia agreed to play along were all mysteries to her.
"Hayami, you are an anomaly. Your actions don't match with your goal so thinking logically is completely useless. So instead of thinking, I will just ask you. Are you an enemy?" Hayami stood still, motionless. Morgan waited a few moments before frowning.
"Until you want to answer, we'll treat you as an enemy. Aaron." The masked man walked up to Hayami and tied her hands behind her back. She didn't struggle nor fight back as Aaron pushed her out of the room. The bright and beautiful hallways of the palace now felt foreign. There was a message in the silence. You are not welcome here…
The hallways of the palace bled into the dark corridors of the prisons. Hayami was roughly shoved into a cell. She stayed motionless until the creaking of steel, the clattering of locks and the sound of footsteps dissipated and silence returned. She sighed and walked to the nearest wall and slid down its cold, hard surface. The blanket of hay that was laid on the cobblestone floor poked at Hayami's bottom through her attire, but she wasn't in the mood to care about a little discomfort.
Hayami stared at the opposite wall at the point where the wall met the ceiling. There wasn't anything notable in that spot. Nonetheless, she stared at that spot until the moonlight flowing through the window disappeared and pure darkness engulfed the room. She stared until her eyes adjusted to the darkness. Sleep could not find its way to her psyche. It wasn't until a ray of sunlight hit her eyes that she finally opened her mouth.
"I guess this means I failed." She whispered hoarsely. She moved her legs for the first time in hours causing her joints to pop and she hugged her knees to her chest. She laid her forehead against her legs and closed her eyes.
"What do I do?"She could try and escape. That wouldn't be too much of a challenge, but what would she do afterwards? Try and save Arthur on her own? That's essentially suicide. Attempt to kill Morgan and Leicia again? That won't work either. She couldn't do it. The last option would be… ask for help. But they would never believe her. Why would they? She was an enemy.
In this land. She had no allies.
The truth that struck her filled her with loneliness and despair. Her lips quivered and her face scrunched up. Her breathing became labored and tears gathered at the edge of her vision.
Yoshiro… Tatsumi… Help me...
From the heavens came her answer. A familiar screech came from the distant skies. Her eyes widened and she quickly mimicked the sound. Through the barred windows, a bird acrobatically slipped through and landed at the center of the room. It flapped its wings around as if stretching and it twisted its head around. Hayami tried to push herself up, but her legs were stiff causing her to fall forward. The bird hopped a few steps towards her and landed within arms reach.
T-Tatsumi?! Did Tatsumi respond to my letter?!
She prayed for comfort, a light to guide her path.
Hayami shakily took out the letter and unrolled it.
"Hayami! Its been a while huh? It's good to see you're having a good time in a new country. I wish I was there too... I'm having a hard time imagining that world even with your detailed descriptions.
I'm doing well! I've already reunited with Sayo and Ieyasu, and hear this, they want me to train them! I agreed, but I'm kinda nervous, I hope I don't get them killed. The elder told me to wait two years before I am allowed to climb Tempest Peak, I just hope I'll be able to resist for that long.
I miss you guys too, but I'm sure we will all see each other again someday. Until then, take care of Shishou for me, will you? But don't push yourself too hard. You like to carry all your burdens yourself, both you and Yoshiro. If you need help, ask for it, find others who are willing to share your burden.
Let's all work hard!
- Tatsumi"
Hayami clenched the letter to her chest and wiped her tears.
Yeah, I will work hard. We will definitely reunite one day.
She heard footsteps and quickly released the bird back outside. The cell door creaked open and a soldier walked in with a tray. Hayami clenched the note in her hand and took a deep breath before turning to the soldier.
"Sir, let me speak with the Royal Princess."
Within half an hour, Hayami had been brought before Leicia in the throne room. It was a wide room with two rows of tall pillars on both sides with the Archanean flag hanging from each pillar. A large reddish-grey carpet stretched from the large double doors to the throne at the end of the room. Leicia was sitting on the throne, though she looked like she wanted to stand. Morgan and Mark stood on opposite sides beside her. Aaron was leading Hayami, who had her hands bound by rope in front of her, across the room before stopping around thirty feet from the throne.
Thirty feet was a distance she couldn't cover in an instant. A sign that they didn't trust her. Of course they didn't. Hayami looked at each of their faces. Mark was expressionless and seemingly indifferent, but you could tell he was alert and ready to respond to any threats. Morgan, on the other hand, was completely relaxed, as if she didn't think Hayami would do anything. Leicia had a relaxed smile and Aaron had a dangerous frown.
With one scan, Hayami knew what their stances were in regards to her. She's been given the opportunity to speak. It was now on her to convince them.
"Since you've called for the Royal Princess, I'm assuming you've decided if you are an enemy or an ally?" Mark half asked, half stated. Hayami closed her eyes and took a deep breath.
"I… I am not an enemy." She said. Aaron scoffed and Mark raised an eyebrow.
"Start talking." Mark commanded. Hayami nodded.
"I am from a distant country to the West called the Empire. My teacher and I were sent here on the mission to assassinate the Royal Princess and Grand Tactician as preparation before declaring war on this country." Aaron stomped the ground enough for Hayami to feel a slight tremble. His sword rattled in its sheath under his grip and he glared at Hayami.
"Why?!" He bellowed, Hayami stared dead into his eyes and calmly responded.
"The upper echelons of the Empire know how prosperous this land is and they want it for themselves." Aaron was about to yell again when Leicia held out her hand. Even though Aaron couldn't see the gesture, he automatically stopped.
"Where is your teacher?" She asked. Hayami clenched her fists.
"He's been drugged and captured by the Empire's Recon Corps. They are holding him hostage."
"What kind of idiots do you take us for? You're telling us that your own people captured your teacher as a hostage against you?!" Aaron bellowed. Hayami was starting to feel so desperate she began stomping the ground in a fit.
"It's true! We didn't want to do this! The Empire is rotten to the core and we want to overthrow it!" She yelled. But her baseless claims only further angered Aaron.
"Then why did you sail all the way across the ocean?! Why are you here?!" Silence followed. She had nothing to prove her claims. Backed into a corner with no way out, she could only do that one thing that came to mind. She slowly got down onto her knees and lowered her head onto the ground. The four others in the room, including Aaron, all went silent. In that silent room, the only sounds they could hear were the little girls choked pleas.
"… Please... please help me save my teacher. At this rate... he's going to be executed." Hayami begged. Her bangs hid the sight, but it was clear to everyone that tears were leaking down her cheeks. But despite the pitiful sight, no one looked away.
"You're going to need some sort of proof. You are an assassin. We may have concluded that you aren't an enemy, but that doesn't automatically mean you are an ally. To us, this sounds like a trap." Mark reasoned. They had a responsibility. One that extends beyond their friends and families and to the countless others under their rule. Emotions support decisions made based on logic and not the other way around. If Hayami wants them to help, she needs to appeal to their logic and not their emotions. How?! How can I prove my cause? Something! Anything!
All that has happened over the past few days replayed in her mind, stopping on a single scene.
"But one thing is for sure. Whoever picks up that bow will no doubt play a large role in keeping the peace of this country."
Hayami picked herself off the ground and wiped her tears away.
"… If I can wield the Bow of Seven Elements, will you believe me?" Hayami's statement was nothing short of outrageous and she knew it. She was at the end of her ropes. If she wanted to climb back up in one go, she must be willing to risk falling to her death. And that was the risk she took. There were a few short moments of stunned silence before Aaron erupted.
"YOU INSOLENT-" He was interrupted by the sound of gut-busting laughter. He spun around and saw Morgan on her knees. She was hunched over with one hand on her abdomen and another on the armrest of the throne. Leicia watched her with a small smile while Mark sighed and facepalmed. It was a good minute before she finally started to calm down, freeing one hand to wipe away her tears.
"Hahaha…. You say the most amusing things kiddo. Alright then, if you can wield our Sacred Treasure, we'll believe your words." Hayami's eyes widened and she smiled hopefully.
A light at the end of the tunnel. A hand extended to her to help her up the ropes.
"T-that's absurd! Please reconsider!" Aaron protested firmly. Morgan didn't even give him a second glance, instead turning to Leicia. She only said one word.
"Leicia." Leicia closed her eyes for a second before nodding. Morgan grinned and beckoned for Hayami. Hayami glanced at Aaron who was obviously conflicted. Their eyes met and Aaron sighed. He drew his sword and in one swing, slice through the ropes that tied Hayami's hands together. She massaged her wrists before following behind Aaron, who had his blade drawn and ready.
Morgan and Leicia led the group to the stone wall behind the throne. The wall was made from cobblestone with a large Archanean flag, three meters tall and two meters wide, covering the wall from ground up. Leicia fiddled around with the wall, pushing in several small stone in a specific order. There was a deep rumble and the wall trembled, but nothing seemed to have changed. Hayami was surprised when Mark bent down and picked up the bottom left corner of the flag and lifted it to the side, revealing a doorway hidden behind the flag.
The room that was revealed was a simple cubic room. Inside the room, three pedestals stood at the other end. The one to the left was empty, the one in the center displayed a shield with an intricate design. The shield was almost perfectly circular, with the bottom left and right sections cut out. The shield was decorated with a large bulb at the center, a pattern etched on that resembled a ying-yang symbol, as well as several beautiful branch-like patterns that covered its edges. The shield was only large enough to cover just short of an adults elbow, a design that allowed for more maneuverability. Although the shield was beautiful in design and had a special presence, Hayami's gaze glossed over it.
Instead, her attention was locked on the object to the right.
A large bow, almost as tall as Hayami herself. At a single glance, Hayami could tell there was nothing else in the world like it. The surface looked glossy, but not metallic. The main body of the bow was a pure white, with sections and edges of black. There were golden yellow circular parts a fourths way from the top and bottom. The string was a slick black. But what really captured Hayami was the power that radiated from the object. She was enamored.
"That is the Third Sacred Treasure of Archana. Hunter of Seven Elements – Artemis." Leicia stated proudly. Hayami slowly walked towards the bow, completely ignoring Aarons 'try something, I dare you' aura, before stopping in front of the weapon. As she drew near, a rainbow outline formed around the bow. Hayami reached out to the bow, but stopped her hand halfway. She felt a sliver of fear. If she failed… that would be the end.
"Morgan, are you sure about this? She might die." Mark whispered to his twin. The only response he got was an all-too-familiar smirk. One without a shred of doubt.
Hayami closed her eyes.
If I fail here... thousand would die, Shishou will die, and I will die.
I will have failed Yoshiro, Tatsumi, Shishou, my parents, the world… and myself.
That's why I won't fail.
"You. You are mine." Her cold blue eyes glowed with seven colors the moment her fingertips touched the bow.
A shockwave erupted from the bow and its rainbow aura spread to Hayami's body. The sound of grinding gears filled the room. From the hand that held the bow, fabric spread up to her elbow and down from her other elbow to her other hand. A pair of gauntlets, thin as paper but tough as steel, covered both of her arms. A large white orb appeared on the hand that held the bow and a small hole appeared on the bottom of her wrist on the other.
The symbol of acceptance.
Hayami was in a weird trance. She knew she had succeeded, but it didn't feel real. A loud clap came from the doorway so she turned around. Her eyes met Morgan's and Morgan grinned.
"Alright! Come with me, we've got a teacher to save."
From the secret room, Hayami was led straight to a meeting room. On their way there, they parted ways with Leicia and Aaron, who was begrudgingly forced to trust her. Mark and Morgan showed Hayami to a room that could only fit a dozen men at most. At the back of the room, there were a few shelves filled with books and a cupboard filled with tools and small models. At the center of the room, there was a large table with no chairs. On the table, there laid a large map of Archana with a small section of the ocean to the west and a piece of land to the east labeled 'Wakoku'.
Hayami, herself, was still in a daze. Although she proposed the idea herself, the way her situation went from the pits of despair to the peaks of hope actually made her kind of uncomfortable. Everything happened so quickly it was hard to keep up. Which is why she accidentally let it slip.
"U-umm… Is this really okay?" Mark and Morgan both looked at her oddly.
"What is?" Morgan asked with a head tilt. Hayami opened her mouth to explain, but stopped and closed her mouth. "Nothing." Morgan and Mark smiled at each other.
"Good answer. Now, tell us everything." Mark remarked. Hayami nodded seriously and analyzed the map. The geography of Archana was quite simple. The ocean was west of Velisse. East of the ocean were vast and beautiful plans. As you move further west, small patches of forestry appear, covering larger areas the further west you go until you reach Velisse. To the north of Velisse were mountain ranges, to the south were lakes and forests, to the east were hills. Long rivers stretched across the country and several other notable landmarks were riddled throughout, but that's the gist of it.
"My teacher will be executed in three days. The camp is located west of the Capital about half a day away, right around here." Hayami said while pointing at the map. Although she could easily estimate the distance between the Imperial armies camp and Velisse by how far she walked, it was still difficult to locate the exact location since there were many small patches of forestry to the west of Velisse.
"How many people?" Morgan asked. Hayami tapped her chin and recounted how many men she noticed.
"I've only been to the mess tent, but the group we were with had at least three dozen men. If we counted patrol and the size of the camp… A safe estimate would be around one hundred men." Morgan nodded. Hayami noticed the extremely serious look on Morgan's face. The way she was acting was completely different compared to the childish and cheerful Morgan that dragged Hayami around. Hayami had always questioned how Morgan managed to become the Grand Tactician, but now that she's seeing her in action, she got the feeling this woman was much more than she initially thought.
"What about their combat abilities?" Hayami snapped back at the question and once again tapped her chin.
"They should be regular soldiers by the Empire standards, maybe weaker because their job is to scout out this country and collect intelligence. I also have no idea how strong your soldier are or what type of equipment you use. With all this in mind, if I had to throw something out there, a safe estimation would be three Archaeans would match two Imperials." Hayami analyzed. She was afraid she might have offended the twins by claiming Imperial soldier were stronger, but surprisingly, Morgan praised her.
"Good. You have a good memory and a clear head. What would you suggest for a strategy?" Hayami looked at her questioningly. Wasn't she the Grand Tactician? Morgan definitely understood the implied message behind Hayami's gaze but didn't do anything to answer it. Mark looked at Morgan's grinning face and shook his head.
"Um…" It didn't seem like Morgan planned on changing her question, so Hayami closed her eyes and thought.
I have several pieces to this puzzle. I just have to put it all together. How would I save Shishou? I would need a distraction, or catch them off guard. No, if I can save Shishou, he is strong enough to take on a dozen men himself with his Teigu.
Therefore the best path to victory would be…
"The day before the execution, we spread the news that an assassin was killed in an attempt to assassinate the Grand Tactician. That night, I will sneak into the enemy camp and steal a certain weapon. With that, my teacher would be able to fight off at least half the enemy camp alone." Mark's eyes widened at the claim. He leaned forward and rested his elbows on the table.
"Really? What kind of weapon is it?" Hayami held out her bow.
"It's a weapon on par with your sacred treasures. The weapon is called a 'teigu', one of fifty weapons with tremendous power created by the Empire a millennia ago. In fact, I believe Artemis is one of the fifty." Hayami explain. Morgan tapped her chin with a frown.
"How many of these weapons do the enemy possess?" Their attitude towards this issue can drastically change base on Hayami's answer. If a group of a dozen people wielding weapons with power on par with legendary sacred treasure were to invade, Morgan seriously doubted their ability to fend them off.
"One at the very most. It is likely they have none." Morgan nodded, relieved, before signaling for Hayami to continue her plan.
"After I obtain the Teigu, I will assassinate the leader. Once they discover their leader is dead, they will fall into panic and your troops will swoop in and finish them off." Morgan frowned.
"Is this your plan?" Hayami nodded without looking up, her gaze still fixed on the map. But as soon as she finished nodding, a hand struck her head. Her forehead smacked against the table and she caught onto the table edge in order to steady herself. She rubbed her head and glared at the culprit.
"Ow! What was that for?!" Morgan huffed and crossed her arms.
"Idiot! What kind of stupid plan is this? If there's even a sliver of a chance this plan would work, what would you need us for?" Hayami opened to mouth to retort before realizing Morgan was right.
If her plan works the way she wants it to, then there's no point in asking for help. It was because she knew that there's no way it would work out like this, that she asked for help. Did receiving support cause me to become careless? Hayami asked herself. Morgan probably decided that Hayami had reflected on her actions, because she extended a hand and patted her head.
"Hayami, tactics isn't about finding a way to defeat the enemy. It's about finding the way with the highest chance of success and the smallest amount of losses. Victory is not a chance. Victory with minimal losses is a true victory." Hayami nodded, silently etching Morgan's words into her mind.
"With that in mind, come up with some rough plans by tomorrow night. Here are your parameters, listen carefully, I will only say this once. The enemy has one hundred men, we also have one hundred men. Our troops could be either cavalry, infantry, aerial units, bowmen, or any combination of the four. While thinking, ask yourself these questions: How can I deceive my enemies? How do I position my soldiers to best utilize their strengths? How can I cause chaos in the enemy ranks? How do I save the hostage? If you can answer all these questions, then you've succeeded in making your plan." Morgan said. Hayami was confused. Why am I the one making plans?
"Did you hear what I said?" Hayami nodded hesitantly. "Alright then. The meeting is dismissed, I look forward to your answers."
Hayami looked at the bow that rested in her hands, then at the target around one hundred meters away, then back at the bow.
Teigu – Hunter of the Seven Elements – Artemis.
What are its abilities? Hayami mulled over the thought before shrugging. If I keep shooting, I'll find out eventually.
She drew an arrow from her quiver and nocked it. The way the bow worked was different from any other bow she's ever used. While most bows were made of wood, and the firing ability was dependent on the balance between stiffness and elasticity of the wood, Artemis was made of hard material that was similar to metal. Hayami noticed that the top and bottom ends of the bow rotated at the circular part quarter way from both ends when she drew the arrow.
As she drew the string, she could feel the strong resistance of the bow. Unable to hold the string for more than five seconds, she quickly took aim and fired the arrow. The arrow pierced through the air and struck the straw dummy dead center, piercing through the target altogether. The ring of the string was beautiful, a mesmerizing sound.
Morgan, Leicia, Aaron, and Mark, who were observing me, clapped their hands.
"Very impressive aim for a girl of your age." Mark complimented. Hayami smiled and bowed politely. In all honesty, she didn't expect the arrow to hit. A hundred meters was the max limit for all the bows she's used up until today. Usually, it wasn't until the third shot that she could finally hit the target. To her surprise, Artemis was much more powerful than she had expected. If she had to guess, it's upper limit might be one-fifty or even two hundred meters.
"Why don't you show us the abilities of your bow? I must admit I am quite curious." Leicia requested. Hayami tapped her chin with a small frown.
"To be honest, I'm not sure what its abilities are."
"Well, an ancient text describing the unnamed hero who first brought that bow to this country said this. 'Standing by the side of the Atheneus, the foreign hero blew through the enemy ranks. Wielding the power of the elements at the tip of his arrows, he rained his fury down upon those who opposed him. His endless onslaught took on seven colors and tore through the vanguards, earning him the title 'Rainbow Knight'. I'm not sure, but maybe that can help with your visualization." Morgan suggested. Hayami thanked her and went back to staring at the bow.
"Elements at the tip of his arrows?" She mumbled to herself. The elements usually referred to water, earth, fire, lightning, and air. Supposedly, all other elements are a combination of those five. Maybe if I try to visualize one of the five elements, something will happen?
Hayami decided to try out her theory. She nocked an arrow and closed her eyes, forming an image of a fire, blazing and burning. She opened her eyes and something caught her eye. The very tip of the arrow was glowing red.
Unable to hold on any longer, she shot the arrow. The moment it struck the straw dummy, a fire started at the point where it struck and began consuming the target. Hayami smiled and nodded, satisfied with the flaming dummy.
"THAT! WAS! AWESOME! What else can it do!?" Morgan screamed, hopping up and down. Hayami repeated the process, imagining a silent lake, a solid rock, a bolt of lightning and a billowing gust. With each imagery, the tip glowed blue, brown, yellow and green respectively.
The moment the blue arrow came into contact with the straw dummy, it split into a thousand splinters, riddling the target full of spikes. The brown arrow struck the dummy with a strong impact, snapping its wooden post and crushing it against the ground. The yellow arrow shot through the air at speeds nearly double the norm, but pierced the dummy with the same force. The green arrow pierced right through the straw man and dug itself deep into the stone wall behind the target.
Hayami had to admit, she felt excited. Each element had its own unique use and excelled in certain situations. The power of this bow depends solely on how the wielder uses it and she fully intended to bring out its full potential.
She spent the last two days of preparation either practicing with Artemis or working with Morgan to come up with a plan of attack. During this time, she discovered that the hole in her left wrist dispenses arrows at high speeds, but she still couldn't figure out the last two elements of Artemis.
Sadly, the day of execution wouldn't wait for her.
"Hey, general. You wanna hear something good?" Freed asked while looking at Arthur. Arthur was sitting against the stone wall with a tray in his hands. A single bowl of soup, cold and moldy, was set on that tray. Instead of responding to Freed, he took a sip out of his soup.
"Your little student has been killed! Isn't that the saddest thing ever?!" Freed laughed. Arthur took another bite out of his soup, spitting out a moldy piece near Freed's feet. Freed clicked his tongue in annoyance before leaving.
Arthur silently mulled over the news. He felt anxious, but he trusted his student. He had a gut feeling she had a plan and he would just have to silently wait. He stood up and stretched his limbs. The soldiers kept slipping muscle impairing drugs into his food, but his body has already built up a resistance against it. Poison resistance and quick adaptation were basic skills for the assassins of the Empire.
My executions tomorrow… something is going to happen tonight. Arthur predicted. Damn… my student is already old enough to try and save me… Well, it's not like I'm about to just wait like a damsel in distress. He thought with a small smirk. He took one last sip of his soup and swished it around his mouth before swallowing.
A small metal object settled on his tongue and he spit it out onto his hands. The sunlight seeping through the gap between the metal bars bounced off the object, revealing it as a thin, four-inch long metal pin with irregular points and edges. Arthur picked up the spoon that came with his lunch and turned around, kneeling down near the bottom corner of the wall where Arthur previously sat. On the wall were heavy scratch marks and on the ground were metallic particles.
Without saying another word, Arthur began rubbing the spoon on the wall, slowly molding it into a key to freedom.
The sound of cicadas filled the dark forest. The moonlight was bright but only a fraction of its light was able to pass through the thickets, causing the forest floor to be near pitch black. A constant current blew across the forest, keeping the area uncomfortably humid. But even under these conditions, the patrol had no other choice but to walk their fixed paths throughout the darkness. The soldiers were sluggish, having been woken up barely fifteen minutes ago, but nevertheless, they kept their legs moving. It was a few hours past midnight and they had just begun their patrol when disaster struck.
A yellow streak pierced through the darkness and sniped the soldier leading the group. His head snapped to the side, the arrow piercing his temple with incredible accuracy, and the light faded from his eyes without a single noise. The rest of the group didn't move at all for a few seconds, unable to react to what they had just seen. By the time their muddy heads cleared up, a rain of arrows struck their position, turning them into human pin cushions.
Hayami brought her hands to her mouth and whistled. A unique bird-like whistle echoed through the forest. It was a signal that Hayami's group had accomplished their objective of taking down one of the three patrol groups. Hayami, with her trained eyes, was to locate and take out the leader of the group. Her arrow which left a streak in the air marked the position of the enemies for the other twenty bowmen hiding nearby.
Hayami's group laid in wait with their ears cleared and attentive, waiting for the signals coming from the two other groups led by Morgan and Mark respectively. The other groups, who couldn't see their targets, used other strategies like traps or ambushes. Both strategies were incredibly easy to pull off since, after two days of studying, the scouts realized the Imperial armies patrolled in repetitive patterns.
After a few minutes, two consecutive whistles were heard. Immediately after, three consecutive whistles were heard. The three whistles indicated all three patrol group were taken care of and signaled the commencement of the mission.
"That the was the signal. Follow me towards the light of the enemy camps." Hayami commanded in a lowered voice. The command was easily heard by the other soldiers in the silent forest. Their rushed footsteps came to a stop when Hayami raised her hand. The light from the encampment was dim, but everyone could easily see their young leader as well as their next target.
"Who's the best sniper?" Hayami asked without taking her eyes off the targets, a pair of tired soldiers standing on top of two separate watchtowers. Behind her, a man in his early thirties walked up to her and whispered. "That would be me uhhh… ma'am." Hayami felt awkward. Why she was put in charge of the bowmen was beyond her ability to comprehend, but no matter how hard she protested, the blue-haired tactician didn't give a damn.
"Uhh… call me Hayami. Take the one on the left." Hayami said in a small voice. The soldier nodded and nocked an arrow. Behind the two, a different soldier quietly crept up.
"And the one on the right?" He asked. In response to his question, an arrow shot out of Hayami's left wrist and lodged itself into the ground. She pulled up the arrow and spun it in her hand before drawing the string and firing it. The entire performance lasted less than three seconds, which was two seconds longer than the poor imperial guard had to react before blood spewed from his forehead.
At the same time, the other guard fell with an arrow sticking through his throat, but no one was really looking. Twenty gazes were fixed on the eleven-year-old girl who just made sniping look like a circus act. Hayami blushed and sighed, thinking back to Morgan's advice.
"If you want your troops to respect you, you must show them your abilities. If you want your troops to respect you NOW, you must make a show of your abilities." Morgan said mischievously.
Did I overdo it? Hayami thought nervously. She patted her cheeks and shook her head. Whether she succeeded doesn't affect the plan. She pointed to her right and spoke in a louder voice.
"Rotate clockwise. Our next target is the mess tent. We have ten minutes before they change shifts and realize something has happened." She ordered.
"Yes ma'am!" The men said in unison while saluting. Hayami almost tripped but managed to catch herself.
"U-uh… yeah." Hayami responded dumbly.
Freed woke up violently. If someone saw him, they might have mistaken his movements as a seizure. His entire body shook and he shot up, sweat covering his entire body. He had a terrible feeling, something had gone wrong. Freed noticed that it was unnaturally bright outside his tent and that there were panicked shouts and screams coming from outside. What's happening?! He thought angrily. As if on cue, a soldier threw his tent flaps open with a panicked look and without his permission, he spoke.
"Sir! It's terrible! A fire has started in the mess tent and it's spreading to the supply and weapon storages!" He reported. Freed could feel the fire spreading to his head and he shouted angrily.
"YOU USELESS FUCKERS! WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING?! PUT OUT THAT FIRE NOW!" The outburst was so sudden with so much force that it knocked the soldier onto the ground. The soldier fearfully crawled up and dashed out of the camp.
Freed quickly jumped off the bed and changed into his combat gear which consisted of a steel chest piece, steel shin and shoulder pads, steel gauntlets, and a long grey coat over the armor. In the pockets of his coats were poison powders, darts, blades and every type of dangerous projectile you could think of, all coated with dangerous poisons.
His eyes widened when he remembered the most important piece of equipment in his room and quickly rushed to the spot where it was hidden. He pulled out a blade, ripped open his pillow and spilled all its contents onto the bed. Thousands of feathers rained down onto the bed along with a single pair of footwear - an extraordinary pair of winged boots.
Freed smiled evilly at the Teigu. He knew the pair of boots were anything but normal. They held power. The power he wanted. But he's been too scared to try them on, as he's heard people going insane from trying certain Teigus. But if worse comes to worse, he was prepared to do them. Stuffing it roughly into his coat, he ran outside of his tent. The moment he saw the situation outside, he knew the fire was the least of his problems.
A state of pandemonium had taken over his camp with his soldiers running around not knowing what to do. To the north, the fire coming from the burning tents lightened up the area like it was daytime. To the south, an unknown amount of enemy troops were storming through the gates. The wooden fences surrounding the camp were being knocked down in the east. At the center of all the chaos stood Freed in all his fury.
He reached out and grasped a panicking soldier by the throat.
"YOU! GO KILL THE PRISONER NOW!" The soldier nodded fearfully and Freed dropped him. He choked and gasped for air before rushing towards the prison.
The soldier threw open the prison entrance and rushed down the corridor, the light coming from outside casted the shadows of his panicking comrades onto the empty prison walls. He finally reached the cell that imprisoned the traitorous general Arthur. He fumbled around with the keys that he had snatched hastily off the walls near the entrance before unlocking the lock and throwing the barred door open. He drew his sword and pointed it at the prisoner… that wasn't there?
"Behind you bud." Before the poor soldier could even turn around, he felt a pair of hands grasping his cheeks from behind and in a swift motion, snapped his neck. Arthur bent down and picked up the sword that had fallen to the floor. He gave it a few test swings and nodded. As he waited in the other cell for someone to come for him, he noticed the flickering lights coming from outside and knew instantly what had happened.
Setting fire as a diversion huh? From the noises of panic, that's not all either. Did Hayami manage to convince the Archanean government to help her? Arthur pondered. Well, let's find out. I need to find Mercury too. Without missing a beat, he rushed towards the entrance.
Morgan nodded as shouts of panic began resonating from inside the camp. The fire had grown large enough to peak out from above the wooden walls of the camp. Everything is going perfectly as planned. Hayami is doing a good job. She thought with a proud smile before turning towards her troops. A group of forty infantry.
"You boys know the plan! Remember! Safety first! Show mercy to those who surrender! Oh, and don't forget to shout as loud of possible! Now… let's show these guys what's going to happen when you try to invade OUR HOME!" Morgan shouted charismatically. The cheers of a mere forty men shook the heavens and the earth.
Those cheers along with the thundering sound of the front gates being torn open echoed to the waiting ears of Mark who, along with his forty infantry, was waiting near the camp walls to the east. Mark nodded to himself and pointed his sword at the walls.
"The mission is commencing! Phase one! Bring it down!" The waiting soldiers immediately responded by bending down in unison and picking up the four huge logs that were bound with rope, ten men to a trunk. They lifted their logs with a shout and ran at the wall, covering a thirty-yard distance in less than five seconds. The wooden walls stood no chance against the battering rams, snapping under the assault and exposing the flank of the enemy camp.
Hayami looked on in wonder, shocked that the sturdy walls of the camp were so easily torn down. Her troops were spread around the perimeters of the camp, hiding in the forest in ambush, waiting for fleeing enemies. Without batting an eyelash, Mark raised his sword and his voice.
"CHARGE!" Mark shouted. The men dropped their siege weaponry and picked up their main hand weapons, be it sword, ax or spear. Releasing one last war cry, they jumped into the chaos.
To say the battle was one-sided would be an astronomical understatement. With the imperial troops in full panic, the organized assault from the front and flank completely decimated their ranks. Many were trampled by their own comrades, others were killed before they could even find their weapon, and others attacked blindly, not knowing if the person he was attacking was friend or foe. The outcome of the battle was clear to all except one.
One that refused to accept the outcome.
Freed seethed at the scene. How could he have fallen so far?! Him, the leader of the Empire's reconnaissance corps. The future ruler of this country! He was going to lead the Empire's armies to conquer this country, and as his reward, he was supposed to receive this land he took.
Hayami spotted the still form of Freed from the midst of their invasion and cautiously approached him.
"Freed! Surrender!" Hayami yelled. She never planned on forgiving him, but taking his life without giving him a chance to surrender was against this country's war policy. But Freed didn't respond but Hayami could tell from his face of fury and trembling body that he wasn't about to give up.
"Damn it… DAMN YOU ALL!" He screamed. He shook his coat and Mercury fell out. Hayami's eyes widened and she quickly drew her bow, but a hand landed on her shoulders. She spun around and came face to face with her Shishou. At the sight of her father safe and sound, her eyes began to water and her lips began to quiver. At the same time, the strength in her arms faded and the nocked bow along with the arrow fell out of her hands. Her eyes widened when she remember the situation.
"Shishou! Why did you stop me?! He was about to-" He shook his head and pointed at Freed. Hayami turned to look at her and covered her mouth in shock. Freed was on the ground, writhing in agony. His legs were gone. His femur bones were ripped right out of their sockets, his skin and flesh were brutally torn. Blood spilled out like streams, the revolting sight made Hayami want to hurl.
"Trying to forcefully use Mercury without its protection would cause your legs to move faster than the rest of your body. The force is more than enough to rip your legs right off." Arthur stated in a de facto tone before walking towards a nearby tent. Hayami turned to look at his destination but snapped her eyes shut. The amount of blood on the outside of the tent told her more than she needed to know.
"It's okay now, I've cleaned up the body." Arthur said moments later. Hayami opened her eyes timidly and sighed in relief. Freed's body had disappeared without a trace, the only indication that he had died was the pool of blood that stained the grass red.
Hayami turned to her Shishou and wrapped him in a hug. Arthur returned the comfort in full. They relished their reunion until a voice broke them up.
"I'm assuming this is your teacher?" Hayami slowly separated from Arthur and wiped away her tears before nodding to Morgan who had watched and thoroughly enjoyed the touching reunion. Arthur turned and bowed politely to Morgan.
"This is my teacher and father figure, Arthur. He's raised me ever since I lost my parents and has taught me everything I know. Shishou, this is Morgan, the Grand Tactician of Archana and the person to whom I owe a lot. Without her, I would be grieving your death." Hayami introduced quickly. Arthur shook Morgan's hand.
"We've got a lot to talk about, but what do you say we go back first?" Morgan proposed. Hayami nodded without hesitation before looked at Arthur, who also nodded. Hayami smiled.
She had done it. She had saved her teacher.
Hayami found herself sitting in the royal library once more.
After destroying the enemy camp, Hayami and Arthur were both brought back to Velisse as honored members of the Archanean Army. Over the next few days, they joined the Shepherds - the Archanean Special forces under the leadership of Mark. They were allowed to live in the palace and were treated as important members of the Archanean government.
"Sigh… a lot of things happened didn't it?" Hayami whispered to herself as she reflected on everything that had happened over a single week. If her life was a story, she would have to complain to the author. He or she made way too many things occur in way too short of a period.
"Hayami." She heard her Shishou's voice and looked up from her book, titled 'Art of War for Dummies by Sun Tzu'. His golden hair and deep green eyes instantly identified him as he walked in through the library door.
"Shishou! Do you need me for something?" Hayami asked while closing her book. He walked up to her with Morgan behind him. The two of them had immediately kicked off even though their personalities were opposites. Morgan's curiosity regarding Hayami was an icebreaker capable of shattering Antarctica. Arthur held no bars about the information either when he heard what Morgan had done for his daughter.
"Good morning kid." Morgan greeted with her usual endless energy.
"Hayami, we needed to talk to you about something." Arthur began. Hayami tilted her head. Thousands of possibilities popped into her head, but rather than guessing, she just listened for the answer.
"The war is not over. The Empire will not give up so easily. After all, the Recon Corps is nothing but the scouting unit for the Empire. This might delay their invasion a few years, but the invasion will definitely still come." Hayami slowly nodded, slightly anxious about the thought.
"That's why we need to prepare you for this war. I've already told the three of you, you will all play large roles in the war to come." Hayami clearly remembered what Arthur had said that night in the Capital as well as the promise she made with her dear friends that night.
"What do I have to do?" Hayami asked, ready for anything they throw at her. At this point, Morgan stepped up.
"Hayami-chan, you seem interested in tactics." Morgan pointed out. Hayami looked down at the book and back at the short-haired woman. Her eyes widened. Hayami jumped out of her seat and grabbed Morgan's hand.
"You'll teach me!?" Hayami yelled excitedly, shaking her hand up and down. Morgan nodded with a grin.
"You catch on quickly. You have talent from what I've seen. Give me a decade and I'll make you the best tactician the world has ever seen." Morgan said while patting Hayami's head. Hayami giggled under Morgan's ruffling onslaught. Morgan then put on an arrogant face which, in the young girl's opinion, couldn't look more out of place on her face.
"But I have to tell you, despite my reputation, I am a strict teacher." Hayami laughed at the thought of a strict Morgan. It was like putting a hippo's face on a hamster. Morgan pouted childishly.
"I-I'm serious!" Morgan stuttered with resolve.
"Yes! Sensei!" Hayami yelled with a salute. Morgan crossed her arms and glared at Hayami.
"Why am I sensei, but Arthur is shishou?" She interrogated.
"Because Shishou is Shishou."
As Hayami continued to argue with Morgan-sensei, she renewed her determination.
I will work hard so that when I reunite with Yoshiro and Tatsumi someday, they will look at me with shock. I won't fall behind, definitely not!
Hello everyone, BzS here.
Hope you all enjoyed today's chapter and thank you all for the continuous support.
Today's quick n easy Japanese Lesson:
Sensei - This is more of a teacher-student relationship
Shishou - This is more of a master-apprentice relationship