Chapter 123

Day three, and we were just a tiny bit closer to the old capital.

It was obvious that the twelve of us would stand no chance of taking a walled city, but that wasn't quite the goal for my team.

"Empress, Lady Hero." One of our scouts skidded to a halt ahead of us, knelt, bowed their head forward, then stood, "We have found several more places. As well as a patrol from the enemy."

"Excellent." I said quietly.

Raphtalia nodded, as much to me as the scout. "Make ready. Stay hidden until the signal."

Tetsu, who had not been having much fun with this trip, grumbled quietly, "More sneaky stuff? But I wanna punch people in the butt... Or break through doors! That was fun..."

It was funny to watch her huge dragon form kick a little pebble as lightly as a child might.

"Oh, that's later." I said, looking to Raphtalia for a moment and being granted 'dragon duties'. So while scratching under her jaw and rubbing my cheek under Tetsu's eye, I explained, "See... Once we get close enough, we're going to set up a huge surprise for them. Once we do, and we get everyone together, we're going to surprise everyone and beat them up."

"Let's get off the road." Raphtalia urged.

The ambush was pretty textbook. A couple of our samurai went ahead of us, were spotted by the patrol, and ran away. The scouts who had spotted the enemy in the first place waited until the patrol had passed them, and once the signal was given, our soldiers (including myself Tetsu and Raphtalia) would stand up to protect our 'fleeing' samurai.

We then squished them flat between archers and a bored dragon.

Fun fact, all those monsters that weren't being hunted due to the decree? They were just as good at attacking dead bodies as live ones.

"So..." Raphtalia started as we got to the last spot that 'suited our needs'. "I'm still a little fuzzy on what's going on."

"Big sister is always fuzzy." Tetsu said, shrinking down since the cave we were in was too small for her dragon form. This of course meant she was in child form, and able to give Raphtalia's tail a hug.

This in turn treated a few of our followers to a most royal squeak of surprise. But, while Raphtalia's spine returned to its proper place, I explained.

"This place is saturated with dragon veins. It's how the barrier works. It's how the monsters we've been fighting are so strong. And its even part of the magic keeping the monsters sealed in those mounds."

Into the stone of the cave, I was quickly chiselling a magic circle. "Now, in this world, we have the portals to bring us to the hourglasses. But in Kizuna's world, we have 'return transcript', and the Vassal Boat, that both use dragon veins to get around."

"They both use the same thing, but by different names... right?" Raphtalia asked, giving Tetsu a Karate Chop of Justice, then clearing another patch of wall for me to carve another circle.

"The Portal is powered by the dragon veins at either end. Meaning if you block access to either end, you can't use the skill. The Transcript works more like a road, where you can cut off part of it, but can still move along the rest of it."

"But when we were... Oh! They were blocking the start of the road, and keeping us there." She tapped her palm with her fist, "I see. But this?"

"We're making roads. When things settle a little, I'll take you to the Hearth. There are doorways like this ALL over the place." I stood back from my work, double checked it, then looked to the support guy we'd been provided. "All done. Write," I waited for him to ready his quill, "Marker three tens and seven. Four by four."

Our thirty seventh little portal, that had space to deliver sixteen people at once. "So written." He reported once his quill stopped.

"And this one." I said, looking at the spot Raphtalia nad Tetsu had smoothed out on the wall, "Will be for getting us back." I tapped a bit of black glass that I had on a necklace, "S'yne? About to make the path home."

A moment of delay, then, "SITA says she's ready. Just waiting for what number you're on."

"Thirty eight. I'll be done in about five minutes. I'm not as fast as she is."

"Well you can't write in stone with your fingertip like she can. Ping when ready." S'yne laughed quietly.

(Kotetsu)

Part of her short upbringing had been hearing stories. While at the Hearth, Kotetsu would (literally) hang around her mother and listen to the stories she told. Why she worked metal like so or cooked the foods she did, or any number of things.

Now, clever as she was, Kotetsu didn't know why she was telling all these stories. But, she did know it made her mother happy. So, she listened to them.

And now, she had a skulk of spirit foxes eating from a plate of cookies. This was proof that Kotetsu listened to those stories, and that cookies did in fact make friends. Two life lessons any child should know. Listen to your mother, and share the cookies she makes.

Sadly however, this meant she was almost out of cookies.

"Araaaaaa?" A sudden voice interrupted the moment of silence for the lack of crumbly confections, "Oh, shoo shoo."

Like the semi-solid mist they looked to be made from, the spirit foxes vanished (though one of them paused just long enough to sniff at Kotetsu's nose). As they vanished like fog in sunlight, a tall shadow fell over the dragon-noodle and the almost empty plate.

"Oh! It's a little dragon." The woman was tall with long black hair and pale nearly pearl white skin. Everything else about her, save for her bright blue eyes and pretty face, was concealed under a nice (if somewhat baggy) orange and blue robe. "My augury told me I'd find a friend today!"

Hearing that, and feeling the little tug of the water dragon's blessing, Kotetsu held up the last cookie. "Hi! I'm Kotetsu!"

"Aren't you so precious!" The woman crouched down, uncaring of the muck around the stump Kotetsu was perched on. "I graciously accept your offer, Kotetsu. My name is Shildina."

Kotetsu didn't really understand people yet. Oh, she could sense hostility, fear and other such things any predator could. However, if she could compare Shildina to anyone she knew, her big sister Tetsu would be closest...

If you toned the 'clever' part way down.

However, Shildina did prove her worth as a potential friend by snapping the little cookie in half, and handing the larger half back to Kotetsu. "Why don't you come inside out of this rain?" Shildina said, "But you have to be quiet!" adding in a little finger waggle.

Kotetsu held the cookie in her mouth and squiggled her way onto the admonishing hand. "Okay!"

Shildina stood, and the two of them (despite the offer of getting out of the rain) ate their cookie first, before the nice lady turned around. "Now... which way was it..."

(Kodori)

We stepped out of the side of a cliff near the port town's edge. It was from one of the many magic circles carved into the stone, but the only active portal. This gave us a good look over a good part of the city itself.

And the port town was absolutely rampant with activity. People were organizing, arming up, resting under any bit of shelter they could, moving or packing supplies...

And the first thing Raphtalia said as our little team stepped out of the temporary portal?

"All these people willing to fight for me..." She mumbled with a sigh.

"Just waiting for the word." I gave her shoulder a pat, "We've got them ready, and with every advantage we can give them to keep the losses low."

"There will still be losses. And I..." But as she'd always done, she took a deep breath and moved the steel in her heart forward, "I will do my best for them."

"Ah, Empress. You've returned. The other heroes were spotted less than an hour away." Raluva was waiting just around the corner for us to return, "We have prepared some food and drink for you, and some of the neighbouring town leaders have brought information."

"I will eat what everyone else does." Raphtalia said, "Though, I hope its warm."

"Of course, Empress."

Raphtalia glanced back at me, but I only nudged Tetsu ahead to join her. S'yne and SITA approached from the side, by the portal's exit, and Raphtalia walked on without me.

"What are you smiling about this time Boss?" S'yne asked, her clothes covered in bits of pink fluff and loose threads, while she herself kept dry with a nice umbrella. "Aside from whomever the other heroes bring with them, everyone is wearing the proper colours."

"Arriving just after the important person. It's one of those little tricks lesser nobility does to make it seem they aren't able to keep up with their superiors. He was hiding around the corner there." I chuckled, "SITA? I know you have a CNC laser on your fingertip, but now you're just showing off."

I turned to look at all of the portals, and would be willing to bet they were all perfect to within a micron or two. "Well, it IS what I do. So I do it well." She smiled, "All the squad leaders are sorting themselves out, and getting everyone into position. The power demand is going to be a bit rough though..."

It was rare to hear doubt in her voice, "What do you need?"

"Well, it's not so much 'need'. It's 'side effects'. We're basically hijacking the security system for all the sealed monsters on the island. It's already under stress with all the recent tinkering the current Emperor has been doing." She explained.

"Anything we can do?" I asked, "The others will be bringing back Sakura Stones, and we could try using the cursed cores..."

SITA winced, a very human expression, "That would put things into the three 'results' area of magic experimentation."

We three said it together, "Works, doesn't work, or doesn't work and explodes."

"Right... If need be, we will help her clean up. We've all been killing escaped monsters as we went, and the others have been doing so near population centres." If there was going to be collateral damage, it would at least be reduced.

"Speaking of cores?" S'yne said.

"Oh, here." I took out an inventory crystal, the once polished sapphire dome practically growling with the madness contained inside it.

SITA accepted the angry rock, and ate it. "Hmm, I'm starting develop a theory on dragons... But later. You need to eat!" She then handed me the same inventory gem, without the angry growling effects, "All clean. SITA-prime has them in containment."

"If all the teleport abilities are off, except for short portals like this... How are you doing that?" S'yne asked.

"While the Boss eats, I'll try and explain 'quantum entanglement' to you."

Once again, we were in the Mayor's big meeting room. This time however, we had new faces. Dressed much like Raluva, in 'official' robes, but in different colours. Almost like clan colours, or those 'Three Kingdom' games with all those little territories that had different banners. Aside from a variety of 'clan colours' on their robes, they also had a nice pink sash over their vests. This new colour over their old ones marked it as more important than their own, as it should be.

"Ah, making sure you ate, I see I see." Raluva was smiling under his beard, no doubt understanding the power of the Empress's big sister energy. "No matter. Everyone knows who the heroes are now."

Yes, I entered the meeting with a little tray of finger food in hand, and was nibbling at it like some kind of dainty barbarian. The other three heroes were giving me a smirk, but they also knew of Raphtalia's hidden super power. Or had been beaten up by her.

Raphtalia herself was standing behind Ravlua on the first step of his little audience platform. Standing above people, yes, but not sitting in the Host's chair of office, even if she was 'supposed to'.

"You've been doing good work out there." I said after a bite. "What news?"

"I will start with 'who'." Raluva said, "The false Emperor, is a puppet. A child no more than ten years old. Our true enemy is the concubine of Our Heavenly Empresses grandfather. Makina. She was originally a missionary from Siltvelt, and was taken a liking to. Since then, she's grown her influence."

That raised a few eyebrows, "Wouldn't that make her... I mean, I'm assuming the previous emperor lived a good life..." Ren mumbled.

"It is not uncommon for some races to live long lives, yet she is over a century old." One of the other town leaders spoke up, realized he'd spoken out of turn, but got a nod from Raphtalia, relaxed, and continued, "I happened to see under her veils when they performed a ritual near my town at a burial mound. She has not aged a day since I last saw her at our Empress's grandfather's side."

I took that in, and immediately started thinking of 'how'. And I didn't like the implication at all.

"Since our Empress's Father left to protect his family from Makina," Raluva wouldn't dare use words like 'ran away' or 'fled', "This woman has raised the current emperor from infancy to be her tool. But that isn't all." This time, Raluva looked to someone else.

That someone else was an old man with the same pale white skin and black patterning as Sadeena. "Yes, when our true Emperor left, with his most devout protector, this left the Water Dragon Miko position empty."

All eyes went to Sadeena, who, despite her lax attitude, was leaning against the wall within easy reach of Raphtalia. "Eh? Well... I couldn't abandon him. I remember that witch of a woman too! Never a nice thing to say to me." She shook her head, "Raising taxes on trade, people, importing things just for her... Real piece of flotsam that one."

"Your absence required a new Water Dragon Miko to be instated. And she even has the blessing of the False Emperor." The Orca Elder said.

"Oh? I never got blessed like that." Sadeena perked up, "The current Priestess must be the real deal then! Probably some kind of scary assassin or something." She said it with her usual playfulness, but her eyes had hardened.

"Ah well..." The orca leader coughed into his hand, "We know that the current Water Dragon Miko is your younger sister."

I'd never once seen Sadeena at a loss for words. "Eh?" She managed after a moment. Then her face twisted into a frown, "Those two had a sister for me?"

"Sounds like family trouble." Motoyasu mumbled into my ear.

I nodded, but kept quiet, noting that there wasn't a single glance in our direction.

"We have little information on her, save for little bits here and there." The Orca elder continued, "We've heard rumours of her having the opposite upbringing of the False Emperor, filled with harsh training to fulfill the role you left to protect the true Heavenly Emperor and his family."

Sadeena frowned, but didn't comment, so the elder went on, "In terms of experience, you of course have the greater power. But, she has been lauded as a true Oracle, even before the blessings of the Water Dragon and the False Emperor were given to her."

Another of the town elders spoke, "Makina however has her hooks in her. I have heard, on reasonable authority, that it was through her that the entirety of the old priests of the Emperor were planning to oust him. While their cause was just, they were caught and executed."

"That's going to be a problem." I said, handing my now empty tray to the nice lady serving tea, "Thank you." I added for her, "Though, we now have the water dragon's favour."

"Favour is better than 'blessing' sure." Sadeena said, "But it just means she can't ask for help directly. The blessing is a permanent thing." She sighed, "But an oracle... That's something even I couldn't do. They can drink a special alcohol, and go into a trance to speak to your ancestors and the like. There were other abilities too! But..."

Explained why she was so into booze... She was trying to be something she wasn't, and got hooked on it anyhow.

But I just nodded, "What about the other land holders?" I asked.

"Ah..." Raluva picked up again while the other mayors looked a bit troubled. "Due to Makina's influence, we are still seen as just a petty threat. Those here," He motioned to the other old men and women, "Are some of the furthest from the new capital. Sir Ren?"

"Ah... We did our best, but our efforts near the larger cities were..." He shook his head, "We were able to evacuate the old leader, his family and his guard. But little else."

I looked past Raluva to Raphtalia, "Reminds me of Kizuna's world. Okay... So the current lords we haven't convinced are being kept ignorant... This is keeping the military in line..." I sighed, "How long until everyone is ready to move to the old capital?"

"Ah, we were about to ask you that. Your mission?" Raluva replied.

"It's not without risk. And honestly, it may release even more of the monsters sealed away here." I started, "Think of it like a bamboo pipe." Thanks to my new inventory sort button, I found 'arrow shaft' quickly, and took it out of the Shield. "All over Q'ten Lo, we have pipes of energy. The great sakura tree isn't the source but the focus, and the roots and Lumina trees are how the power under it gets around."

When no one questioned that, I continued, "What we are doing, is going against the flow of power in the roots. It will get us to the doorstep of the Old Capital without needing days of marching, but it will be like putting too much water through a pipe. It will work, but it may break things for a time."

I was about to do something dramatic and snap the arrow shaft, but why waste it? I put it away. "While I am your Empress, I still have my duty to protect the world from Waves." Raphtalia said, "But, I, and the other Heroes, will remove these monsters from Q'ten Lo, if they break free."

We four heroes nodded, "This Makina lady is already letting them out, so we'll clean up her mess too." Motoyasu said.

"So, we are ready to move just about any time." I said.

"We have more troops coming, and our equipment is still being seen to. But our initial thrust to the Old Capital can be done almost any time." Raluva said, getting a nod from the other leaders, "Please give them a little rest, as many that are here have only just arrived."

I nudged my way towards the big map in the middle, committing it to memory and thinking. "Very well. Let SITA know when, get everyone rested, fed, organized into the units my supporter wrote down with no exceptions to how many people go through each portal. I know you are dedicated to the cause. But if people get too eager, you may have them appearing in the middle of nowhere, or someplace in the ocean, or... not at all." Or in small pieces all over the place. But I wasn't going to mention that.

That got a few uncomfortable looks, but Raphtalia made my 'warning' a decree, "Make the danger known, and ask for volunteers for the initial attack. Though..." She looked down at the map, "I believe I have an idea. Ren? Itsuki? Motoyasu?"

They stepped forward, people made room for them, and they joined me around the map.

"While the initial force takes the Old Capital..."

The plan was a really good one. While people went through the portals up to the old capital and took it over, the new arrivals from the other towns were take a brief rest, then move around the edge of the island towards the new capital. This would put two halves of our army on either side of the new capital. A classic flanking move.

Or a fist closing around a throat.

But, that would take too long, and one of those places the second force would have to go through was the city Ren only just managed to rescue the former lord from...

If this Makina lady was telling her minions we were just a 'petty threat'... Well...

So that night, I slipped out of the little room I'd been given, had an instant coffee pill, and got started.

I got up onto the roof of the little inn I'd been in. "Clive." I said quietly, "Usa."

I wasn't wearing my armour, even with the enchantments on it, it would be far too loud. But, for the best eyes and ears in the three 'worlds' I'd been on while doing all this Wave crap, I only needed to speak once.

Ten slow breaths later, the two of them arrived on the rooftop with me, ready for action though a little sleepy eyed.

"I'm going to smooth the way for the second force." I said quietly. "Are you with me?"

Unlike Raphtalia and Tetsu, these two were adults. I never did get their ages, but they had lived long enough that the situation was not lost on them.

"What do we tell her?" Usa asked. "I mean... after." Since he knew this was very much an 'ask forgiveness' kind of action. "And... Why?"

"I'm getting impatient." I said, "My goal is still the tree. But playing in the mud with the soldiers is taking too long."

Clive made a few short gestures that translated to 'dead serpent'.

"Exactly." I nodded, "Usa?"

"She's going to be really mad later."

"We'll apologize with the lives we save."

And like shadows, we slipped out of town, past the guards, and once we were a safe distance away, I carried the two on my back, my paws making hardly any sound.

(Kotetsu)

Kotetsu was somewhat new to many feelings. Having a mother who led by example, rewarded good behaviour and corrected poor behaviour with guidance on what should be done instead, the little dragon was practically innocent in all things.

Except snack theft. But only if they were unattended in the open! Not in a cupboard or something.

But now, she was starting to develop a mild sense of... guilt? A feeling between 'getting caught looking in a snack cupboard,' and 'feeling pity for someone who didn't get a cookie after dinner'.

The nice lady, who was surprisingly very good at giving headpats, had been walking for most of a day now. Oblivious to where she was going, and simply walking in the direction(s) Kotetsu had suggested... If looked at from above, the nice lady's path would have looked like the stitching of something colour-lady made. But...

But it was more or less in one direction. And that was what was important.

Even if Shildina had no sense of direction, was distracted by everything that moved, and didn't seem to be able to remember where she had been going in the first place. It made Kotetsu feel this new feeling between doing wrong and pity.

"Ara? Where are we now, little friend?" In the past day, this was the only time she had asked that question.

"It place where all my friends are!" Kotetsu said, crawling out of the sleeve of her puffy robe and curling around her wrist and hand as she brought the dragon-noodle up to her face. "Not sure how we get here... But mother always said I should bring friends home to visit!"

"Your mother sounds very kind." Shildina smiled, maybe a little sadly? But still brushed the top of Kotetsu's head with just enough care to make the dragon-noodle purr. "This seems like a very busy place. Do you think they have something to eat? I feel kind of bad for eating so many of your snacks."

"Always have snacks!" Kotetsu leaned into her hand, "Mother taught me to share. Food and drink for guests."

"Oh? But if I'm here... wouldn't I be your guest?"

"Nice lady carry me. I your guest. So I give snacks!" Kotetsu paused, "Maybe wrong...? never brought friend home before..."

"Well, let's go visit then? I feel honoured to be the first friend you bring home." Shildina smiled, putting her hand to her shoulder, so Kotetsu could climb into the hood of her robe and rest her head on her shoulder.

Of course, maybe five steps towards the lights of the busy port town, Shildina spotted yet another 'shiny thing' and took a couple of steps towards it, only to lose track of it, turn more-or-less towards the town again, and continue walking.

It made Kotetsu think of mother's silver fox guardian. It was a lot of fun to play with, wrestling it to the ground, nibbling on it, and trying to make it submit. She knew now, being just a tiny bit older and wiser, that mother was teaching her to fight monsters. That the innocent play fighting was just a safe way to train her. But the silver guardian was... empty. It only ever did as it was told, and stood like a scratching post when not told to play with her.

Yes. Shildina was fun to be around. But empty between the ears. But that was okay! Kotetsu had been given lessons about being patient with people. Until they did something bad. Then they were supposed to be used as a scratching post until they stopped being bad!

"Food this way!" Kotetsu (once again) got Shildina pointed in the right direction, managing a record ten steps before the air headed lady spotted an impressive stag beetle on a tree. "No no, crunchy bug not for eating today! This way!"

"Oh... That's right. My this is a busy place..."

NOTES!

Worse than Ryoga. If you know, you know.

Getting ready to make a huge jump off the rails...

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