Chapter 106 - Vol. 2 - 71

Keiko

During the night, Keiko had stirred and woken up once or twice. The first time was just normal, but the second was because she heard Kaori speaking next to her, to someone. 

"Just do it." 

"But, where are you going?" Kaori replied to the woman.  Wait, is that...?  Keiko yawned, opening her eyes.  Ash? 

"I'll be around, but... I can't really be near you like this." 

"... Are you sure?" 

"Yeah... Do it." Ash said. "You won't get another chance."

Keiko looked over and saw Kaori casting a spell. Then, almost as soon as Keiko's eyes fell on her, she was walking out of the room. 

"Uh..." Keiko said. "What was that about?" 

"Nothing," Kaori replied. "Just... go back to sleep." 

Keiko raised a brow, but she was too tired to argue. So, she closed her eyes and drifted away. 

When the sun rose on the next day, Keiko was the first to wake up. Last night, she and Kaori had gone to bed alone, without the half-demon who had stayed outside at the baths. The two girls had expected Ash to remain out there, let the form fade away, and then join them when it was done. 

However, as she rubbed her eyes and yawned, she looked to her left and realized that she and Kaori were still the only two on the bed. Huh?  She got off and took a few steps towards the door.  What time is it? 

Walking out into the hallway, Keiko found Satsuhiro and Metsumi preparing breakfast, with Opah swinging her legs, sitting at the table to the left. 

"Good morning," Keiko mumbled, rubbing her eyes again. 

"Morning," Satsuhiro said. "Feel alright?" 

"Yeah. Smells good," she said, gesturing at the pots. 

"Making some oatmeal, you're gonna love it. It's one of my best dishes," Metsumi said with a hint of pride. 

Keiko sat next to Opah, who looked up at her. 

"Hey, morning," Keiko said to the little girl, patting her on the head, who giggled a little. 

Soon, Keiko heard footsteps coming from her left and saw Kaori walking into the kitchen. The woman stretched cutely, muttering something Keiko couldn't quite hear. After some greetings were exchanged, Keiko said:

"So, uh... Where's Ash?" 

She had asked Kaori this question, but Metsumi answered.

"She's..." Metsumi started. "She's staying away for a bit." 

"What?" Keiko asked, confused. 

"That new form of her messes with her mind. She needs some distance." 

"You didn't tell her to discuss that with us?" Satsuhiro asked. "We need her for strategizing." 

"Wouldn't have helped," Metsumi replied quickly. "Trust me, she needs this. Besides, Ash can be reckless sometimes, but she's not outright dumb. She'll know how to help." 

Satsuhiro sighed. 

"If you say so, as for you two though, once we're done with breakfast we will need to go over your tactics. Ash is strong enough on her own, but you two are still human. You need to have a plan ready and stick to it." 

"Of course," Kaori said. "I hope she's not feeling lonely though." 

Keiko looked down at her own hands. 

She wanted Ash to be with them too, but for entirely different reasons. It was what had made standing next to the half-demon yesterday difficult. Even now, remembering how she felt made her heart race. 

The feeling she got from her and Ash's time together was still very vivid in her mind, and it was a feeling she wanted again, desperately. She could see it right now if she closed her eyes long enough. Ash, in that form, mounting her, her tail pumping into Keiko. Even now, as she sat next to Kaori, with everyone else in the room, she reached up and placed her hand over her chest, feeling her heart pounding against it. 

Yesterday, she couldn't think straight with Ash next to her. It made the traveling that they'd done so much harder.  What did she do to me?  Keiko wondered.  This doesn't feel normal. I've always been attracted to her, but this isn't the same. I feel like I need her. 

Someone knocked on the door. Keiko felt excited, eager to see the half-demon on the other side, but she was disappointed when Satsuhiro walked over and opened it to reveal an ordinary guard. 

"Good morning, sir," the man bowed. 

"What's up?" Satsuhiro asked, crossing his arms. 

"Just delivering this notice, all civilians are to hold themselves up in the plaza, unless they want to volunteer to fight." 

He handed Satsuhiro a paper and bowed again. Then, he left and Satsuhiro sat down near the girls. 

"Soldiers and volunteers are to report to the Iceheart Inn, located at the center of the city. Civilians are to report to the plaza at the north." 

As Satsuhiro read that, Metsumi put everyone's plates on the table and walked over to him. 

"Guess I'll take Opah there once we're done," Metsumi said. 

Satsuhiro nodded. 

"Last time the demons circled Pearl and attacked from the back. Stay alert." 

"Yeah, yeah," Metsumi smirked, placing a kiss on Satsuhiro's cheek. "We'll be alright." 

"As for the rest of us, we can go meet Ren at the palace and see if we can squeeze in any last-minute training and planning. And then... We hope for the best." 

"I mean," Kaori said, "if anything happens we can just run, so, we should be fine." 

"Not quite," Satsuhiro replied. "Sapphire is surrounded by snow and icy lakes. If we get pushed out of the city, we can't move anywhere near as fast as we did back at Pearl. Everyone will be slowed down enough to give the demons plenty of time to catch up and wipe us out." 

"O-Oh..." Kaori said. 

"Yeah. This fight is 'do or die' on our end." 

---

Kaori

Several minutes later, Kaori and the others were at the street where the Iceheart Inn was located. At first, Kaori had wondered why this place was chosen, but after coming here, she slightly understood. The street was intersectional, with two branching paths that led to other parts of the city, however, what this meant was that the area was far more open than others, providing a good battlefield.

The rest of the city, however, was to be sacrificed as this was where the demons' buff was determined to start running low. The demons would still be enhanced, but not to the overwhelming extent that they would be if they fought closer to the southern part of Sapphire. 

Cannons, mages, and infantry were all being placed in rows, where they'd wait until the fight starts. 

"So, we're just gonna let them get to us here?" Kaori asked Satsuhiro, who was standing next to her. 

"Apparently not," Satsuhiro replied, "the Lord has a plan for the bridge, but he hasn't told me what it is. Just said that it would be instrumental to the plan." 

"Kaori!" Suddenly, Ren called out. Kaori turned towards him and the man extended a hand. "How are you feeling!?" 

"Uh, g-good, I guess?" 

"Good!" He shook her hand firmly. "Today, we do our duty. Ah, I haven't been part of a battle of this scale in years. The nostalgia is hitting hard at the moment." 

"Any tips?" Kaori asked, smiling shyly. 

"Haha, not too many. We're this army's shields, Kaori. Our job is simple. Keep everyone who matters alive." 

Kaori noticed an odd part in that sentence and looked back at him. 

"Everyone... who matters?" 

At that, Ren's smile faded a little. 

"Yes. Do not misunderstand, every single soldier here serves a purpose. They all have families, loved ones, people who are hoping and praying that they'll make it back. You might not know their names or their stories, but that does not mean they don't have them. However," Ren put a hand on Kaori's right shoulder. "As much as I wish they were, not all warriors are equal. Keiko, over here," he gestured at the Zayama who was sitting on a wooden crate nearby. She was talking to a guard about something that Kaori couldn't hear. "That woman counts for ten of the normal soldiers," Ren muttered lowly. "If the decision pops up to choose between saving her, or saving five soldiers being attacked by a Wrath demon, you choose her and it's not even close." 

It made sense to Kaori, but that fact in and of itself saddened her more. 

It's just a fact of the world we live in,  she thought.  Levels, traits, it all makes it so that he's right. Some people are just worth more. 

"Still, it's good to keep their spirits up." 

With that, Ren walked over to some of the soldiers and started talking to them. 

She shook her head. After hearing that, she walked over to Keiko. 

"Uh, what was that about?" She asked. 

"I was just checking on what they were going to do with the horses," Keiko said. "I bought one that I took here. Her name's Ilyrum," Keiko smiled a little. "Just wanted to make sure she'd be alright. They're going to keep most of the horses at the back."

"Hey, Zayama," Ren approached as well, with a few young men and women behind him. "How about you show us a little of that flashiness you're all known for?" 

"Huh?" Keiko asked. 

"Just a technique or two, what do you say?" Ren asked. 

"Um... Sure. I, uh, I think I have something I can show..." Keiko said, standing up.  Oh, I actually want to see this too.  Kaori thought. 

Keiko walked to the middle of the street with her those strange dagger-like weapons in her hands, tied to ropes. Then, she took a deep breath and started spinning them. She looked over at a cart nearby. 

Narrowing her eyes, Keiko stared at it and then, in the blink of an eye, propelled both daggers to it. 

"Seizen!" She called out and upon impact, the cart was obliterated. 

Then, she pulled on the ropes and the daggers went right back to her hands. 

Everyone applauded. 

Wow... That was pretty hot.  Kaori thought. 

"Holy shit!" One soldier said. 

"Good stuff, Keiko!" Ren cheered. "See?" He looked back at the others. "With soldiers like her, Sapphire is in good hands." 

They all excitedly grinned at each other, their spirits propped up now. Kaori however, felt a little displeased as she realized that what they just saw was basically just the reasoning for why they would most likely be allowed to die in a few hours. 

Maybe I can do something to help them though... With my Constitution up so much. 

Last night, when Ash visited her in her room, Kaori marked her with the  Mark of Love. However, it only worked when Ash was near. Because of that, her stats hadn't gone up. When the fight started though, it would go up with each hour the battle went on for. 

I wonder...  She thought.  Does the increase happen based solely on time? Because, if it does, it means that as soon as Ash comes close to me, I'll get all of the stats I'm missing out on. 

Currently, this was where she was at: 

Level 28

MP: 60/60

STR: 18

DEX: 18

CON: 33

INT: 6

WIS: 6

L: 100

EXP: 0/280

She looked up at the rooftops. 

Ash... Hope you're doing okay. 

Ahead, a commotion started. Kaori feared the worst immediately, standing up and putting her hand on her Savior's Weapon. However, it didn't seem to be the demons. Instead, the soldiers were getting excited. 

What? 

Then, as they started to clear out, Kaori saw them. Soldiers. Not many, just thirty, maybe forty. What made her eyes widen however was their armor. She'd seen it a few times when she was walking the streets of Jade, growing up.

Zayama warriors. 

She recognized one of them, their leader. 

"Ioko!" Keiko said next to her and the Zayama walked up a little. 

The Sapphire soldiers whispered to each other as the Zayamas moved up through the streets. Ioko walked up to the Saviors first but then noticed Keiko. 

"Greetings, we meet again." 

---

Keiko

"W-What are you doing here?" Keiko asked. 

"You sound happy to see us," Ioko laughed. "We received word about the portal about a week ago. We were patrolling Jade's perimeter, but once we were done about three days ago, we started making our way up here. Glad to know we arrived before things got scary, but..." Ioko said. "Keiko, may I speak with you in a bit?" 

Oh.  Keiko remembered what she'd done.  I... I punched the Elder in the face. He's going to arrest me, isn't he? 

"Your levels!" Ioko suddenly said, "you've been working hard. I'm glad to see it." 

"Uh, yeah..." 

"I had hoped that would be the case. You have a very high ceiling, but that's not surprising considering your lineage." 

Keiko nodded. 

Then, Ioko turned to the others and explained to them how they were going to help. They'd be placed at the back, to help with the final battle once the demons inevitably got to the north. 

The whole time Ioko was speaking with Satsuhiro and the others, she worried about where she'd be taken, as she'd assumed she would be locked up after this. 

Eventually, Ioko walked back up to her. 

"Come, please," Ioko said, not in a threatening way, but firmly. 

Keiko nodded and followed him as he led her to an alley. Once here, he smiled. 

"The badge, eh?" He said, looking at her neck where she held it pinned. "So, it's true, you faced the trials of the Ancient Zayama Castle and won?" 

Hearing that, Keiko was surprised. 

"Where did you hear about that?" 

"Your grandmother told me about it in a letter," he smiled. "That's impressive. Most Zayamas unlock their Spirit Eyes, but most will never even think of challenging that place." 

"S-Seriously?" 

"Yes," Ioko told her. "It's not something many do, yet, you did. That is why I needed to speak to you." 

"U-Uh, okay?" 

"See, your accomplishment gives you a specific status. Not just amongst Zayamas, but among all cities. Remember, our family is revered all across the land. Not just in Jade. You are now what is known as a  Zayama Xhunin. I believe this word translates to, 'captain'." 

"Huh?" 

"It means that firstly, you have access to any and all resources that the Zayama clan can provide, as long as your requests are approved by the Elder first, of course. Second, you are now my siya," Ioko laughed, "congratulations. You now outrank most people in our clan. Including me. That means, if you wish to give me or anyone else who is not another Xhunin or the Elder, an order, we are honor-bound to follow it." 

"W-What!?" Keiko yelped. 

Ioko took a step closer, bowing. 

"Keiko, I simply wish for you to understand the gravity of this honor you've been given. Firstly, the armory. I'm sure you know right now, but the Zayama compound is home to many excellent weapons that you can take at will. Second, we command a small army of our own, and you can give that army orders now, provided they do not clash with others of equal or higher standing." 

"But..." 

"What I'm trying to say is that even if you do not want to be one," Ioko elaborated, "you are now capable of being a leader. And you need to understand how to do that well, in case someday you need to be one. So, come," he waved for her to follow. "Let's go boss some people around." 

---

Ash

Staying away from the group was the hardest thing Ash had done in a long time. Not just because it was boring, but because she felt a physical pull towards them every couple of minutes. 

Still, hour after hour passed and Ash remained atop the palace. She was determined to remain here until it was time to fight. One matter though was that it was difficult to pass the time, as she had literally nothing to do but think. 

And so, think she did. 

She remembered her times with Kairo, the monk back at Jade who would occasionally give her some money and take her out to eat. She wondered what he'd say if he saw her now, so long after she started her journey. She had hated him back then, just as she had everyone else, but now... A part of her wished to know how he was doing. 

Varcon appeared in her mind as well. Specifically, what the church was doing without him. It was hard to believe that they'd all just calmly resumed business since everything went down, especially since it had seemed at the time like everyone supported his actions, but, at least so far, that was what she was led to believe they did. Was he the only crazy one there?  She wondered.  I doubt it. 

Finally, she wondered what exactly happened between Niven and the other gods. Everything she'd heard led her to think that there had to be more to this divine falling out that occurred. 

From this distance, the buff was affecting her, though only marginally so. She guessed that once she got down to the streets, it would get stronger. 

Level 31

MP: 190/190

STR: 35

DEX: 18

CON: 13

INT: 22

WIS: 19

L: 100

EXP: 0/310

"Fuck, can we just start killing each other already?" Ash asked herself. 

Above, the sky was turning darker and darker with every second. Eventually, she heard something below. 

"Hm?" 

She stood up and walked over to the edge of the roof. Once here, she looked down and saw them. 

A massive army of demons filing out of the portal. 

Oh.  She thought. Breathing in, she nodded to herself.  It's time.