Author’s note:

Damn that was another rough place to end, but it was necessary. I’ve got great ideas for book 3, and will be starting it shortly! I hope you enjoyed the new characters I sprinkled in, (my personal favorite is Seph) and we’ll be seeing you soon!

The Meaning of War.

The Orchid woke up to the sound of the horn, yet again. Next to her on the floor was Gen, and some of the men that had been placed in their contingent. Omoikane’s forces would soon be approaching, the horn signalled. At most she would have ten minutes to prepare before the fighting started. In the least, getting woken up so often in these kinds of conditions made her quite used to it, and she had been able to jump up whenever needed. Gen, approaching her, bowed quickly and relayed the information of the coming force.

“Six-hundred mixed ayakashi and human troops. They walk along the forest trail and will hit us as soon as they reach the plains. Tabu said that they would begin sprinting towards the camp at that point. Perhaps eight minutes left.”

“Tell the men to be ready at the front in three minutes. We…”

She suddenly remembered something, and looked around, startled.

“Is something the matter?”

“Where is Kuun?”

“Kuun? Well he’s… I have no idea mistress.”

“I… Fine, gather the man as I asked. We will find him later.”

“Yes general. Men! The Orchid calls!”

As Gen walked away she stepped back towards the overlook. Gods she hated war, but if Ukano asked, she would fight. She just wished that it would end sooner. None of that mattered now, Kuun was gone. If he’d gotten drunk last night and slept through the horn she would personally murder him after the battle, but he was the strategic one. She was the one who entered the battlefield and ended skirmishes quickly. What if sending the men to the front of camp was the wrong move? But if they didn’t, they would lose all the supplies in the camp... She wished she was better at strategy.

Kuun would know.

Damn him.

At this point the men were lined up ready to march out to the front, and Orchid joined them. Defeating one of Hachiman’s minions here would be a devastating blow, but Omoikane was no pushover. Taking him out would be extremely difficult. Gen joined her, and they came to the front of the camp. Some of the other contingents were there as well, and their commanders barked orders to them.

“Line up!”

Quickly, the men got into a formation which looked like the point of a triangle, and prepared for battle. The location of their camp was defendable at least, they were at the opening to a small mountain range, and could not be flanked. The only entrance was the place they held. Hopefully they would be enough.

Orchid’s heart raced, and though she feared the battle, she would not be the one to break rank and allow the enemy to consume them.

“Mistress!”

“Gen, did you find Kuun?”

“He has not been seen since last night, I’m afraid nobody knows where he might be. I’m sorry, this battle will have to be fought without him.”

“That damn…”

Suddenly she heard a faraway horn, and felt her heart drop down into her stomach. Through the trees came hundreds of warriors, well equipped and ready for battle. The quickly glanced back at her men. While they were well trained, they had been supplied with ample but old equipment. Not only that, the enemy numbered two hundred more than them. Could they win…

“Look!”

Suddenly one of the men shouted and Orchid’s attention was brought to the center of the enemy force. In the middle was the god himself, Omoikane. He was large, but that only meant that he was slow. With him was a smaller figure, someone she didn’t know. She could barely make out features until the army had gotten closer. When she finally realized who the strange figure was, she felt like throwing up.

It was Kuun.

He was tied to a stick and bloodied practically to a pulp. Omoikane looked extremely happy with himself, and practically danced as his men marched forward. As the army came just out of range of their arrows, it stopped, and a messenger was sent. One of the other commanders received the message, and looked back at Orchid with a grimace. He walked to her, and had the messenger relay his words one more time.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“From Lord Omoikane to the forces of Ukanomitama. I’ve taken one of your most powerful strategic thinkers captive, should you want to see him alive again, surrender. We will pass into the mountain, only taking your supplies, though you may withhold foodstuffs, and you shall return to your homeland in peace. I await your wise decision.”

Once the messenger finished, he smiled and looked at Orchid with a smug smile. Her heart dropped and she looked at the other commander. With a hard look, he motioned to one of his men, who ran to Ukano.

“You can’t!”

“If we don’t, what is the point of coming here in the first place. It is one person. We have to.”

“No!”

The runner returned back with a message from lady Ukano, and she agreed to the commander’s plan. Apparently, this came as a surprise to the messenger, and he rode back to his ranks with a scowl. As soon as he had left, the commander motioned towards the army, and they started running out into the open field. Archers shot at them, but they had a very effective shield system that would prevent early fatalities due to arrows. As Orchid stood there, all hope left her. Omoikane stood up on the rock he had been hoisted upon, Kuun’s body in his meaty grip. With his open hand, he raised a saber, rabid look in his eyes.

She felt it.

Something inside of her, it was like a reflex.

The Orchid transformed into an enormous fox, and was soon bounding towards Omoikane, paws pounding on the hard ground. Omoikane’s elite guard saw this, and began shooting arrows in her direction, but she was too fast. She dodged in between the arrows, and reached the god in a matter of seconds. As soon as she arrived, the Orchid swatted Kuun out of his hand, hopefully keeping him out of danger for the time being. The only problem was that she was facing a very powerful god on her own.

The god of knowledge smiled.

“How brave of you to come here alone! The Orchid, one of lady Ukanomitama’s most beloved warriors!”

“Will we fight or will you continue your drivel?”

The god scowled, and soon was fully pointed towards her, magical mirror in hand. From inside of it, he pulled out a long sword, and brandished it in her direction. Angered, she began her assault. He was quite large, yet still quick on his feet. They dodged each other for a long time, but soon both were beginning to tire. She shot hot balls of fire, yet he could deflect them with each new stroke of the blade. Finally, he found an opening, and landed a long cut on her left shoulder. She crumpled to the ground and the god cackled with newfound zeal.

“To think! I’m not even a warrior god, bahaha!”

She had transformed back into her human form, but still retained her power. Omoikane once again raised Kuun, and flicked his sword.

“To all ends!”

As the sword rushed towards him, the Orchid shot a ball of fire at the god’s head. It burned his flesh, and half of his face was severely damaged.

“GAAAH!”

Though that only served to anger him.

Both were weakened, but they still managed to fight, beams of light and fire slewn from both sides. Though the knowledge god was not in use of one eye, the Orchid was bleeding quite badly, and was running out of steam. She glanced back every now and then, but her army was advancing very slowly. She’d hoped they may rendezvous with her and overpower the god, but it was all looking bleak.

Hell, she may even die here.

She felt a cut on her cheek, as the god had landed another blow. He faked her out, and she was soon laying on the hard ground. He had waved his sword, which she had dodged, but quickly brought his large fist up into her stomach, doing considerable damage. She lay there on the ground, barely able to stay awake, and looked at the god one last time, who was smiling from ear to ear, best he could. He stumbled over to Kuun one last time and picked him up. Though this time, he knew of his victory. Kuun in hand, he stumbled back over to the Orchid’s twitching form, and lowered the bloodied face down to her. He was still breathing. He was alive.

“I’d go out on a limb and say you very much care for him.”

No response.

This angered him.

“Well then, I’m sure you wouldn’t like this!”

With a grunt, his sword dove deeply into Kuun’s back, and he screamed. His eyes shot open, still pointed towards the Orchid, and he stared at her, mouth agape. After a second a trickle of blood came from it. The god released him, sword still sticking from his back, and Kuun crawled slowly towards the Orchid. His fingers touched her face, and he smiled, tears mixing with the blood from his mouth, and he uttered something softly.

“You… You must be strong. L-like an Oak.”

He took his fingers off her face, and touched his bloodstained fingers to his lips. Seconds later she felt strange, and watched as Kuun took the sword from his back. He then pushed it up to his chest and chanted something quietly. In seconds, the sword exploded into dust, causing the mirror in Omoikane’s hand to burst.

“NO!!!!”

The large man ran towards Kuun, but it was already too late. Kuun crumpled to the ground, smiling.

The god also fell, and began to turn transparent. The mirror was apparently his tether, meaning he would be sent to limbo with it’s destruction. But before that would happen, he had to kill Orchid. He picked a sword from a fallen ally, and ran towards her, crazed look on his face. She looked up one final time to see that Kuun, with his remaining energy, was stopping Omoikane’s movement. Kuun, smiling even still, winked at her, and whispered something, but in seconds she was back on the mountain.

He hadn’t.

He was so damn weak with transportation.

Why didn’t he save himself.

“Orchid?”

Lady Ukano stood a few feet away, and ran up to her in alarm.

“Gods! Are you alright?!”

She motioned to her guards, and she began the process of healing her once they had placed Orchid on a table. Yet she could not forget the last thing that Kuun had said before she was sent back to lady Ukano.

“Lose not your love. Oku.”

With that she succumbed to the pain and fell unconscious, allowing lady Ukano to heal her wounds.