Chapter 22

Confrontation

Butei High – Infirmary

October 9th – 07:52

My head hurt as I opened my eyes and saw the blinding fluorescent lights above me. Blinking back the tears out of my eyes, I tried to sit up only to notice how stiff I was. Giving up on sitting up I turned my head to examine my surroundings.

I was surprised to see that I was in the infirmary back at school. I saw someone sleeping in a bed on the other side of the room and a bottle of sleeping pills upturned on the side table. On my left I saw Tatsu sleeping on a chair next to me. His scythe was leaning up against the wall but something seemed odd about it, though I wasn't sure what.

I shook my head as I tried to figure out what had happened. But the last thing I remembered, aside from all the time that I had spent with Victoria, was standing in that room with Gainen's corpse.

I tried to sit up again only to fall back into my pillow with a gasp. The nurse came in then and rushed over to me. "Stop that! You haven't moved in two weeks. It will be a while before you're able to move around normally again."

"Two weeks?"

"Yes now quit squirming already. Now that you're awake I'll have to set up a schedule where you can begin physical therapy. Hmmm…" She paced for a moment and then she exclaimed, "Oh yes, I almost forgot!" She walked over to where Tatsu was sleeping and whacked him on top of his head. In surprise he tumbled out of his chair and onto the floor. "What did I say about bringing weapons into the infirmary! Also your girlfriend's awake now, I'll leave you two alone for a little while, shall I?"

As the nurse walked out of the room Tatsu got off the floor and looked at me. I turned away from him and said, "So… what happened, 'your majesty?'"

Judging from the long silence he must've been surprised that I had found out about him. "So how'd you find out?"

"I asked you a question first." I turned back to face him and seeing the sad look on his face, I said, "Gainen's Shade told me. Funny because it never occurred to me all those years ago. My father had only said that you were important guests and friends."

He nodded as if that made perfect sense to him. "To answer your question then, you've been unconscious for a full two weeks now and there is only one reason I can think of that could cause that."

I blushed and he nodded again. "I thought so. Resonances may have been outlawed millennia ago but that doesn't mean that people forgot about it. Even now there a lot of people that still know how the ceremonies are performed, myself included." He started pacing back and forth across the room, then he stopped and said, "So how are you feeling?" He seemed to be blushing but I couldn't be sure.

"Pretty damn sore. I feel like I can't move at all." Upon finishing I tried to get up again only to, once again, fall back onto the sheets.

He helped me sit up and then he started to talk. "As I've said before, there are two factions within the Shadows. The Dusk and the Runic. Until about four years ago the Dusk have been in control, but my older brother, Serator, murdered our father, the king. He has accused me of the murder by faking an assassination attempt on his own life. Regardless he's got all the Runic on a massive manhunt to kill all the Dusks, and I just so happen to be the most sought after."

"There have to be some people who believe you. What about the other Dusks?" I started to move around some more, trying to stretch my sore muscles.

"The common people believe my brother but I'm sure most of the nobles know or at least suspect something. Though I doubt many of them would jeopardize their positions by accusing him."

"Well what are you going to do then? Are you just going to spend the rest of your life running?"

He stared at me with fire in his eyes and said, "I'm going to take back my throne."

"And just how do you plan on doing that?" I swung my legs over the edge of the bed, still trying to regain my strength.

"I'm going to make an army and rip my brother from that fake throne of his. But–" He stopped and turned away from me.

Gingerly I stood and said, "Well, if you don't mind, then I'd like to help you."

He turned o me smiling. "You don't have to worry about that. All I've got right now is that orb and a couple of trinkets but I've got a plan. It'll just take a little while."

I felt that I was being bold but I had to try. "I'll go with you anyway. Anywhere you want to go, I'll be right there with you."

"…Thank you, Reki."