Travel to the sky-castle was much the same as the return trip, but in reverse. The army massed in a great clearing a short distance from the outer walls of Yasha-ou's castle, traveling down a well-worn path carved through a thick stand of trees that reminded Kurogane of black pines. They had been given mounts, more of those flop-eared lizard-like beasts which seemed to be the horse of this world, and Fai rode in the place of honor at the king's left. Kurogane rode at the mage's side and stubbornly kept his animal nose-to-nose with the other man's instead of staying back a few paces as was probably expected of him, judging from the curious or perhaps disapproving glances the men around them kept shooting his way.
He was reluctantly wearing the cloak that matched Fai's little nothing of a scarf but now also sported a red headband marked with a waning moon in black ink. The crescent opened to the left as had the mark of his own Empress, and while others of Yasha's army also wore similar headbands theirs were black instead. It had seemed to mollify those of Yasha's personal guard somewhat, that he would at least wear the crescent moon though not the standard armor. Fai had presented this bit of cloth to him as well, but privately and with an apologetic sort of smile. Kurogane, pleased despite himself how perfectly it matched the headgear he'd left behind in the last world, had accepted it as a peace offering. It reminded him of home and his true allegiance well enough to make him better able to bear the perception in others that he belonged to Yasha and Fai.
They mustered at sunset, the sky above the treeline ablaze as if the heat of the day had set the forest afire. The foot soldiers made up the bulk of the army, all in neat rows facing away from the setting sun. Mounted officers were scattered throughout the ranks and the king and his guests placed themselves in the rear. Behind them came the wagons, which Kurogane was at first surprised to see trundling up. An army did not need extensive supply trains to keep the troops fed, watered and armed when a battle could only last hours, not days or weeks.
Fai was giving the wagons a curious look as well, twisting in his saddle to look this way and that, and it prompted an explanation from the king.
"Spirits and priests in some, water and physicians in the remainder," Yasha explained simply. "We hold the sky-castle every night, but there are always those who cannot wait for the moon to rise, either for care or a last comfort." Fai let his gaze drift slowly down the row of wagons once more as if considering this information, but his eyes cut over to Kurogane to check for a reaction. The ninja looked to the wagons again himself and nodded once, slow and thoughtful, and the mage turned back to the king as if his perusal was done and mimicked the gesture.
They stayed quiet and contemplative after that, all of them, from the king down on to the archers at the front of the lines. Those of Yama, probably out of respect for the coming battle and all its trials and losses. Kurogane stayed still partly also from a desire to avoid any further chance of exposing Fai's inability to understand anything being said, and the mage perhaps operating under much the same motivation. They ignored the magnificent sunset and instead kept their eyes fixed on the darkening horizon, at the shadow rising from the silhouette of the trees like a mist. Twilight deepened as did the silence among the men, and then suddenly the world blurred and exploded into noise.
Having only permission to observe in the hopes of spotting the children they were on the watch for, Kurogane at first set himself to familiarizing himself with the territory, overlaying what his eyes saw with the map that he'd memorized. He could see the rapidly blurring line where Yasha's army met Ashura's, but the opposing king was too far away for any real observations. Or for drawing any conclusions from Fai's reaction, for that matter.
He brought his gaze back in closer, marking the spot where he himself had landed after some searching, hoping that the bun could perhaps draw them together again after having scattered them in the first place. Getting a feel for the terrain did not take long after that, and then there was nothing to do but watch and wait.
He could lie in wait of prey for hours if need be but it bothered him to simply sit by and watch a battle rage on. It bothered him, then it began to irritate him, and then it started to really rankle. His right hand tapped against the saddle, itching to unsheath Souhi and get to work, and his eyes darted to and fro, watching first this cluster of men and then another. Not all of Yama's army fought here, the transport grounds not large enough to hold them all in fact, and Inoue had explained earlier that Yasha-ou did not even bring with him all that he could crowd into the clearing. He took only just enough of his seasoned and best to guarantee that they could defend the sky-castle successfully.
Inexperienced soldiers were not allowed, lest an unproven warrior break under strain and become a liability, nor were the wounded or weak, ill or recovering. Being allowed to accompany the king to night battle was an honor, and it only added to Kurogane's discontent that he wasn't doing anything to earn it. They'd traveled under specious pretense before and he'd been fine with the deceptions that allowed them to make their way in a new world peacefully, but once established they'd worked, even if they hadn't earned a wage. Investigating, searching, finding fights and fighting them. They - or at least Kurogane and the kid - hadn't ever taken an opportunity to just sit and watch the world go by.
This was stupid.
He scanned the battlefield, picked out a cluster of men in Yasha's black and blue who looked to be hard-pressed and then spoke aloud, keeping his eye on the battle and mentioning it casually as if simply making conversation.
"Those'll be surrounded soon," he said, nodding over to the soldiers trapped in a sort of hollow with more and more soldiers in flame-decorated garb swarming near. He looked over then, and found Yasha gazing not at him, but at Fai. The mage's head was turned away from Kurogane so that he could not see his expression, but soon enough turned back toward him with an amused, indulgent sort of smile quirking his lips. A little jerk of that fair head of hair toward the soldiers Kurogane had mentioned was given as soon as they locked eyes.
Go on.
He was happy enough to be off-leash, so to speak, to return a quick, savage grin before kicking his mount forward, switching the reins to his left hand so that he could bring Souhi shimmering out of its scabbard. A quick ride down the low hill that they had been observing the fighting from and then it was all the rush of battle for a time. He forgot Fai, watching him from the hilltop. Forgot the kids and the bun, wherever they were. Forgot even home for a time, forgot vengeance and loss and rage. Tomoyo-hime was still in his thoughts, but only far in the back of his mind where he reminded himself to only cripple, not kill, lest he lose any of the strength that was so needful to him.
All else faded to nothing. It was only the enemy in front of him and any coming within range. His world was the ground he stood upon, his family the men in dark clothes like his own. It was everything coming into sharp, small focus; no problems too large for him to do aught about, no opponent too far away for him to grapple with. It was chaos within his control, and he reveled in it.
He was only reminded of other things when he flinched away from the sharp whine of arrows coming in toward him, only to frown in confusion when the four men that had been rushing in on him suddenly fell, one after another, screaming in pain as they clutched at the feathered shafts suddenly sprouting from their thighs. A quick scan of his surroundings showed him bereft of men to fight for at least forty seconds and he whirled around to where the arrows had come from, a snarl that he didn't need help ready on his lips because he knew already who was responsible even if he wasn't to be found holding a bow.
Except he was. A longbow made of some pale wood now split the air in front of the mage like a small sliver of the moon that lit the battlefield. Fai was still smiling and now shaking his head slowly as well.
What, Kurogane mouthed belligerently, letting his frown and a contemptuous flick of his hand speak more clearly what the mage wouldn't have been able to understand even if they'd been within comfortable speaking distance. That pale visage turned sharply away, hidden now behind a curtain of gold, and one hand shot out to snap impatient fingers at a nearby soldier. The reaction of the men nearby was almost comical. Two men practically stumbled over themselves and each other in their rush to hand the blond fresh arrows, awkwardly attempting to put the ammunition within easy grabbing range while also kneeling respectfully. A third spilled a quiver of arrows and looked around him as if fearing divine punishment for his clumsiness.
Fai snatched a single arrow up, nocked it, drew it back and let fly with such speed that Kurogane lost a full second in surprise and admiration, only turning to see what Fai had been shooting at in enough time to watch a mounted enemy soldier complete his fall from the saddle. The beast had been headed straight for the ninja but slowed its steps as it lost its rider and began turning aside. The four men that had been hobbled earlier were some distance away already, supporting and defending each other in a little knot as they limped their way back to their own lines.
"I'm fine!" Kurogane shouted irritably back at the mage, unable to stay silent at this unwanted assistance. He had more blood on his hands than the sky-castle had on its dirt; he needed a babysitter no more than he needed a swaddling cloth to sleep at night. "Keep out of it!"
Fai kept his gaze on the ninja, not reacting at all except to reach out to the side to grasp the handle of a quiver being held up by a guardsman. The cylinder was hauled onto one shoulder and one arrow brought out to rest at the ready in his hands. Kurogane growled something impolite and perhaps a little ungrateful under his breath and turned his back on the mage, focusing on the battle again and making sure to keep enough of advantage in terrain and support and numbers that further interference would be obviously unnecessary.
Author's Notes: I continue to fluff out this story with my analysis of Kurogane's wardrobe. *snort*
