Chapter 10: Failure

Just after the attack at Ryuuji…

Kenshin Ryuuji was swallowing his pride, having been beaten by the goddess once again. He was almost there, he had him in sight and cornered. But she had to ruin everything.

“It’s been a while, young man,” she said, her eyes piercing his. Even with all of his strength, he barely moved her. With a single motion of her hand, he was swatted away like a fly, unable to fight back even once. Just like that, the fight and his mission was over.

The sun started showing itself as he walked back into the forest near the capital. They already had left the place and it would be near impossible to track them down in the desert. Besides, he was already bored. He had hoped for a bloodbath and he ended up disappointed in his enemies.

Except Kanami. For once in his life, he felt like he had encountered his soulmate, someone who could understand him. She was still naïve about the world but he could—no, he will show her!

“Kekeke,” a shrill and piercing laugh woke him up from his thoughts. “You failed, Kenshin.”

“Shut up, you damn goblin,” Kenshin spat, annoyed to see him.

The creature stood silent, a creepy smile plastered on its grey face. It was holding a cane to support its arched back, its skin was wrinkled and scaly from the lack of sunlight and its height was ridiculously small. In short, it was a demon.

“Why are you here anyway?” Kenshin asked, furrowing his brow. Even though he was irritated by the demon’s presence, he was curious.

The small creature chuckled back with an annoying gritty sound. “Because. I was curious to see what this otherworlder had to propose. Though that Araël’s spawn too was interesting, I must say.”

Upon hearing about the otherworlder, Kenshin was fuming. “That kid won’t be living for long. They’re going to get ambushed at Kaathal anyway. I really hope they don’t mess this up.”

“Did you at least destroy the water?” the creature asked, cutting him short in his rant.

“Yeah, at least I think. I blew up the bottle in his hand.”

“Let’s hope they don’t have any more of these. It would be bad if the king survived.”

Kenshin rolled his eyes. “As if that would stop you guys. You’re just being overly cautious,” he brandished his spear while making a slicing motion with it mockingly. “You could just run Sora over with brute strength, you know?”

“You fool!” the creature shot back, taping its cane on the floor. “Let the people with a brain deal with strategy, you deal with violence.”

“I don’t get it. Why are you guys so scared of Sora anyway?”

It sighed, remembering dark times of a long distant past. “The last time we overlooked Sora, it meant our downfall. Our lord lost in Sora, remember? They are the most powerful country by far, even if they were isolated for hundreds of years from the rest of the world.”

“Ah! You’re taking them too seriously,” Kenshin laughed and sat on a tree trunk. “Their strongest warrior, Kanami, is a joke. Like I said, you’re overly cautious. I bet I could take them on all by myself.”

The small and old creature laughed, amused by the foolishness of Kenshin. “Pride comes before the fall, Kenshin. But I’m willing to witness it myself.”

Kenshin growled, but the creature had already disappeared, its job done. He knew he shouldn’t underestimate it, but he couldn’t help but feel angry whenever that thing was around.

The warrior stood up from the trunk and sighed. “Guess I should go back to make a report, huh?” he said to himself.

It was a long way back, but he knew he could pull it off in a few days. He had to be back for the ‘party’, after all.

----------------------------------------

It was a summer day.

The heat was suffocating.

The heat was suffocating. The heat was suffocating. The heat was suffocating.

A lucid dream that shall forever be tainted and forgotten.

A familiar smell of flowers mixed with something rotten.

One giant mocking him.

The world ignored him.

Now it’s cold.

And yet it shall be left untold.

Luka woke up in a sweat, on an unknown bed with unknown sheets and an unknown pillow. A very strong smell of plants and flowers invaded his nostrils, both putrid and calming. He couldn’t move, all his limbs felt weak, so weak he felt like not having them at all. A sharp pain harassed the nerves on his chest as a shock coursed through him each time he tried to move. He panted, his breath short and his head light as the visions of his dream faded away into oblivion.

“Wh… am I?” He managed to mutter a few words, as his throat was dry and hoarse. His lips were dry and crackled and his mouth was soggy. With his blurry vision, he tried to make sense of his surroundings. It was a small room, hidden from the sun in what looked like the last floor of an inn or a tavern.

Some soup was lying there near him on a barrel, as well as the origin of the flowery smell: a bouquet of lavender and garlic, a strange combination that didn’t mix well with his nose.

“Oh, you’re finally awake?” a familiar voice spoke to him, which irritated him. What was she doing here?

“Sa…Ki?” Luka spoke, his throat muscles trying their hardest to make a sound. The succubus jolted in response, standing in front of him.

“You were in quite the predicament, you know? I swear, I haven’t seen someone bleeding like that in a while,” she said as she smiled, with no care in the world.

Upon hearing the word “bleeding”, Luka looked at his chest, where the pain was coming from. It took him a lot of mental effort to even dare look at it, as he felt something was terribly wrong. As he lifted up the sheets, what he saw was a bloody mess covered in bandages, as well as stitches protruding from them.

Something welled up inside his throat. “Oops, quick! A bucket!” Saki grabbed something in time and handed it to Luka before he threw up the bile of his stomach.

“Yikes, that must hurt, huh? You’re pale,” she said, looking at him with a worried look. “You should stay put, I guess. I’m not very good at healing people though, so I don’t really know.”

“It’s okay Saki, thank you for watching over him,” Uther suddenly entered the room, followed closely by Jason who had to bend his back to pass the small door.

Striking a pose like she was saluting someone from the army, Saki smiled. “No problem, Chief Uther!”

The mage awkwardly laughed, “At least someone has the spirit to be light-hearted. It’s refreshing, to be honest.”

“I agree,” Jason nodded with a smile.

“Can I stay? I mean, if I’m not a bother.”

“No,” Jason shook his head. “We’re going to talk about official matters. You already know that the situation is dire, but we don’t want civilians to hear about it. Sorry.”

“It’s fine,” she winked at Luka, who was looking a little better. “See ya! Make sure to get back up quickly!”

With a strut, she walked outside of the room, giving one final look at Luka before closing the door.

“You… are…” Luka talked, looking at Jason.

The tall man nodded with a smile, and with a bow, presented himself. “I believe we already met back in the council room but we haven’t properly introduced each other. My name is Jason Borone, ex-captain of the Knights of Sora. Uther already told me everything, no need to try and introduce you.”

“We just want you to hear about what we have to say, and explain the situation.”

Luka looked intently at Jason, surprised but curious to see someone with African heritage in this world. Something Jason caught but didn’t try to explain.

“You might be wondering where you are,” Uther continued. “You are at the tavern of the Blue Falcons. Darian Galterr agreed to welcome you until you recovered.”

“He is a friend of mine,” Jason added while crossing his arms. “You’re in good hands.”

“What… Happened?”

Uther and Jason looked at each other, a bit confused. They muttered to each other, so silently that Luka couldn’t hear what they were saying. Having finished, they turned back to face him.

“You don’t remember what happened? You were attacked by someone and were left bleeding on the main road in Kaathal. The wound was…”

“Lethal,” Jason finished the sentence with a grave look on his face. “No one should’ve survived that. At least Edgar Greyhood wasn’t as lucky.”

Luka’s eyes widened. His face, which was returning to its original color dropped and went pale again. Now he remembered. The eerie voice calling out for him, the darkness swallowing him, his senses disappearing one by one…

And then, a sharp pain. And then… Nothing. The cold sand and the warm blood flooding out of his body, he imagined.

“How…?” Luka asked, looking bewildered. The dark circles under his eyes were clearly outlining them as his face became that of a ghost having seen death from up close. He felt like throwing up again upon remembering what he felt back then.

But as an answer, the fox that he managed to ‘pet’ in Ryuuji stood up at his feet. It had stayed there all along, waiting for him to wake up.

“Apparently,” Jason said as he readjusted his glasses. “That familiar saved your life. When Kanami arrived, you were already bleeding heavily. But that creature was already busy using some kind of spell to close the wound and, at the same time, stop the bleeding. After that, she picked you up and with the help of some strangers, managed to strap you in bandages before coming at full speed here.”

“She knew a mage specialized in healing was at the Blue Falcons,” Uther added to give more precisions.

Luka took a moment to process all of this. The first question that he asked himself was: why? Why him? What did he do? Every time he was getting in trouble and yet he never knew why.

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“The next problem is…” Jason continued, this time exhaling slowly. He felt like crushing something before speaking. “The last bottle of sacred water you had. It was found smashed next to you, its contents spilled on the sand. Of course, it was unsalvageable.”

“Which means…” Uther exhaled with a sigh that came from deep within him. Luka knew as well.

“We… failed…”

Jason and Uther stood silent. A deafening silence that made Luka’s ears ring. After everything, facing death multiple times, he felt like this was unfair.

“What about Morgann?” Luka said in a clearer voice as his throat gradually became better.

Uther looked down, defeated. “It’s better if you don’t meet her. Kanami has been put in isolation for a couple of days after she announced the news.”

“What? But why? She did nothing wrong.”

“We know,” Jason sighed, rubbing his forehead. “Kanami’s punishment is unfair, but she wasn’t in a state to be reasoned with. The king has grown very weak in the past couple of days. It’s only a matter of time until he passes on from his curse and it’s hard for her.”

“Also,” Uther added, “you are not in the castle because Morgann was going to jump on you the moment you woke up.”

Jason’s voice lowered. “And the castle isn’t safe, Edgar was assassinated within its walls the other day.”

Luka frowned. This situation was a mess. Something inside him was grateful for having people looking out for him but he was still getting overwhelmed. Was it his fault? If he hadn’t come, perhaps Kanami would’ve succeeded in bringing the water back.

Yeah, that’s probably why.

“I should’ve never come to Ryuuji…” Luka muttered to himself.

Jason and Uther exchanged glances but didn’t immediately respond. After all, they didn’t know how the mission went, but for all Jason knew, they at least made it to Kaathal unscathed.

“It’s not your fault, Luka.”

“Hm…” Luka exhaled sharply through his nose, clearly unconvinced. He felt like a fool for thinking he could do something here. Something was gnawing at him ever since he left for Ryuuji, knowing that something would go wrong at one point. He should’ve trusted his instincts and stayed here.

Uther gave him one final, tired sigh before turning back. “Rest well, Luka. Try not to use magic, it might worsen your state.”

Jason nodded in agreement. “Sorry we couldn’t stay longer, but there are pressing matters we need to deal with.”

“The empire attacking?” Luka asked rhetorically, not even looking at them. Jason stopped in his tracks and glanced at Luka.

“How do you know?”

Luka shrugged, his gaze distant. “I mean, the guy who tried to kill us back in Ryuuji was with them. So I figured that those ‘matters’ you had to attend to was their upcoming invasion.”

Jason let out a low sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. “I guess it’s useless to hide it from you…” he chuckled a bit before continuing. “You’re right. The empire is planning something big. We’re trying to prepare, but… it’s hard when we’re dealing with so many internal issues.”

“It’s as if…” Uther added, his voice heavy. “The king’s condition, the information of a traitor amongst the council, the assassination, your arrival perhaps even, it’s as if everything ties back to them. It seems they’re using every opportunity to weaken Sora.”

Luka nodded slowly and chuckled sarcastically. “And now I’m part of this mess, what a joy.”

Jason and Uther glanced at each other and nodded one last time before waving goodbye. “Okay, we’re going now. Rest,” Uther said as he closed the door softly behind him.

With a downcast look on his face, Luka buried himself deeper in the bed as he felt even more tired than before.

“Let me live in peace…” Luka muttered, his face buried under the sheets as he took a long deep breath to calm himself down. While he appeared calm in front of the two men, his heart kept racing for a reason he didn’t quite understand. Perhaps it was the burning fever he was feeling.

Closing his eyes, he decided to get some sleep, the small fox to his side, not giving any news about its master’s arrival…

The minutes blurred into hours as sleep slowly took hold—until the faint creak of the door broke through the silence. He had never been a heavy sleeper and his state made the sounds even louder than usual. With one eye open, he looked around, only to see Saki who was trying to sneak inside the room. While failing, she was trying her hardest to be quiet.

“I’m awake,” Luka grumbled.

Saki winced but chuckled softly as she approached the bed. “Oops, sorry. Didn’t mean to wake you up.”

Before Luka could respond, another voice crashed through the quiet like a storm. “Hey there, buddy!” Viktor, with his usual lack of subtlety, barged in, a wide grin plastered on his face. “I brought some fruit to help you recover!”

Luka went wide-eyed upon seeing that failure of a man greeting him so casually after so long.

“Viktor... what a surprise,” Luka said, forcing a weak smile.

Saki leaned down and whispered in Luka’s ear. “Yeah, sorry. This guy hasn’t left me since last time.”

Viktor, unable to read the room, plopped a basket of fruit onto the table beside Luka’s bed. “Eat up! My brother said you’ll be back on your feet in no time.”

Luka sighed, knowing that his rest was truly over now. “Thanks… I guess.”

“No need to thank me, friend. Just focus on getting better.”

When did I become his friend?

Luka leaned back against his pillow, suddenly feeling more exhausted than before. He shot Saki a look of silent pleading, hoping she could rein Viktor in a bit. She smiled sympathetically but shrugged as if to say, You’re on your own with this one.

Luka closed his eyes for a moment, trying to summon the patience he’d need to survive Viktor’s well-intentioned but overwhelming presence. The guy had a heart of gold but the subtlety of a drunk friend. Which already happened before.

“It’s been what, two weeks?” Viktor continued. He pulled up a chair and sat down. “I was so shocked when I saw Kanami barge into the tavern with you completely covered in blood. Glad to see you’re fine!”

Luka let out a slow breath, opening his eyes again. “I wouldn’t say ‘fine’, but…” He reached for a piece of fruit from the basket. “I’m still alive, I guess.”

“Oh and by the way, Saki and I are getting along great!”

“Glad to hear it,” Luka bit into the apple, which he found quite tasty. The fruit was crisp and sweet, and for a moment, it distracted him from the constant dull ache of his body.

“By the way, what’s that fox?” Saki asked, pointing at the small sleeping creature. It didn’t seem to mind the loud noise around it.

“Oh, it’s just something I got in Ryuuji.”

Viktor leaned forward, eyeing the fox with intrigue. “Got? That’s vague. Does it have a name?”

“Foxy.”

“Foxy?” Viktor laughed with a mocking grin. “What a lame name!”

Luka ignored his comment and focused on finishing his apple.

“At least it seems attached to you,” Saki said, tilting her head while observing the fox.

“Hm,” Luka grunted, casting a glance at the fox. He couldn’t tell them it was gifted to him by the goddess of Ryuuji, otherwise he would have too much to explain.

And he was clearly too tired to do that.

Before anyone could say more, a booming voice filled the room. “Oh? I thought I told you not to bother him!” The tone was deep, authoritative, and unmistakably rowdy.

Luka's head snapped toward the door as a comically large figure entered the room.

“Come on, Captain Darian, we’re just chatting,” Viktor said, waving off the concern with a grin.

“First of all,” the man replied, his voice firm as he bent his back to approach, “stop calling me ‘Captain’. I’m retired.”

“Still you can’t resist leading people, huh?” Viktor teased.

Luka couldn’t help but smirk despite his fatigue. The big man who welcomed him warmly and saved him was standing there. “Good to see you, sir.”

Darian crossed his thick arms, eyeing Luka from head to toe. “Good to see you too, kid. Though from the looks of it, you’ve been through hell.”

Luka chuckled dryly. “Something like that.”

Without missing a beat, Darian turned his gaze toward Viktor, his tone shifting into something far more direct. “As for you—” With a grunt, Darian reached out and grabbed Viktor by the collar of his uniform. “I’ve got some work for you.”

Viktor’s eyes widened in mock horror, hands raised defensively. “Work? Come on, Captain, I was just—”

“Retired, remember?” Darian growled, though there was a hint of amusement in his voice as he hauled Viktor closer. “Now, enough goofing around. I’ve got some heavy lifting that needs doing, and you’re the lucky volunteer.”

Saki stifled a laugh, watching the exchange. Luka, feeling a flicker of amusement himself, leaned back on his bed, the tension in his body easing a bit.

Viktor shot a desperate look at Saki. “A little help here?”

She shook her head, grinning. “Sorry, Viktor. Looks like you’re on your own.”

With a huff, Viktor let himself be dragged out of the room, muttering complaints under his breath, leaving Luka and Saki in a quieter, more relaxed atmosphere.

“What a guy…” Luka said, resting his head back on the pillow.

Saki sighed, still amused. "Yeah. He’s always trying to make me laugh. At least he’s got a good heart."

Luka smiled while looking at the roof above his head. He was indeed a bit annoying and rowdy, too rowdy to his tastes, but he didn’t dislike the guy. He knew when to recognize a good person and Viktor was one.

“So, you faced death huh?” Saki changed the subject abruptly, still with her usual smile.

Luka’s smile faded as he suddenly thought back to the fight with Kenshin and his current wound, his pain flaring up.

That’s right, he almost died. Just the thought of it was making his stomach churn and his head light. All this time he tried not to ignore it otherwise he would go crazy. If it hadn’t been for the fox sleeping next to him, he would’ve already crossed the river Styx.

The image of his parents flashed through his mind.

Was he scared for them? perhaps. Did he miss them? Certainly. People have different relations with their parents but Luka was especially close to them. And death meant many things. On top of that, there wasn’t a single day without him thinking whether or not his parents were worried about him.

But what made him sick the most was the fact that he almost died. The end of his existence. The fact that he would not think anymore.

That, that sensation that he might not disappear—was what he was scared of the most.

All of his memories—gone. All of his senses—gone.

The fact that he, in this world, has existed at one point… Gone.

He didn’t believe in heaven nor in hell since hell was still a pleasant place to him—it at least meant there was something after his existence here.

Besides, he could already call living life hell.

“Luka? You look pale.”

Of course, I am pale, you idiot. What kind of question was that? Who the hell does that? Are you sick in the head?

“Luka!” Saki’s voice was sharper this time, bringing him back to the present.

He blinked. A cold sweat was running on his forehead and he felt the blood drained from his veins. Realizing that his breathing stopped, he started taking deep shaky breaths to calm himself down.

“I’m fine,” he mumbled, his voice quieter.

“Are you sure? You don’t look fine,” Saki pressed, her smile fading for the first time. “You were somewhere else just now.”

Luka didn’t answer right away. How could he explain what was really going on in his head if he wasn’t sure he understood it himself? He shifted uncomfortably, the dull ache in his side from his wound pulsing in time with his thoughts.

“It’s nothing,” Luka said, forcing a weak smile. “Just… tired.”

Saki didn’t look convinced but didn’t press the matter. Instead, she smiled at him and stood up.

“Okay, I will let you rest then.”

But before she could turn to leave, Luka’s voice stopped her.

“Why did you save me back then?”

Saki paused, the question hanging in the air. She looked at Luka, her eyes searching his face as if she hadn’t expected him to ask. For a moment, she stayed silent, then let out a soft sigh.

“I don’t really know. I was worried about you two, that’s all,” she shrugged.

Luka tilted his head, unconvinced. "For an itinerant performer, isn’t that a little strange? And last time, you were acting... I don’t know, a bit childish."

Saki raised an eyebrow, her lips curving into a playful smirk. "What? Surprised I’m acting more mature now?" she teased, crossing her arms with a mock look of offense. "I’m way older than you, you know."

“Oh, yeah that’s right. Being a demon and all…” Luka thought to himself as if he remembered it a few seconds ago. “Does Viktor know?”

“Nope!” she smiled. “He doesn’t have a clue! Thanks for not telling anyone by the way,” she paused tapping her chin thoughtfully. “I’m pretty good at blending in, don’t you think? Just your average charming performer.”

Luka stared at her, completely deadpan. “Yeah, charming, sure. Keep your magic to yourself, okay? But seriously, why hide? Are people really that scared of succubi?”

“Did you just forget what I told you last time?”

“Sorry, it kinda flew over my head when you… oh, I don’t know, TRIED TO MIND CONTROL ME!”

He jolted forward, dramatically shouting the last part, his voice echoing through the room as he pointed an accusing finger at her. Saki blinked, taken aback for a split second before sheepishly retreating.

“Y-Yeah… I forgot I did that. But that was nothing, right?”

Luka threw his hands up in mock frustration. “You tried to mess with my head! Who wouldn’t be freaked out?”

Saki coughed awkwardly, trying to hide her embarrassment. She quickly straightened up and adopted a more serious, almost lecturing stance. “Look, I told you before—succubi are the top priority for demon hunters. If it got out that I was living here, I’d be tracked down in no time.”

Luka paused, his annoyance fading as he considered her words. "Tracked down?" he echoed, his tone more serious now.

Saki nodded, her green eyes darkening slightly. “We’re super dangerous, you know. People hear ‘succubus’, and they freak out. The hunters, especially—they don’t care if I’m harmless or not. To them, I’m a threat, period.”

Luka stared at her, unconvinced. “You don’t look dangerous at all. I think I could beat you up, even while bedridden.”

“This! This right here! This is what you told me last time!”

Luka’s expression softened, and he leaned back on his pillow, his voice quieter. “Anyway, thanks for saving me last time. I don’t exactly know why but… Thanks, really.”

Her demeanor shifted as she looked at him, the teasing dropping away. For a moment, her usual playfulness was replaced by something more genuine, more vulnerable. “You’re welcome,” she said softly, her voice losing its edge.

Luka blinked, caught off guard by the shift in demeanor. She didn’t explain why she did it, as there was no reason to take such risks, but he felt it was something she didn’t want to explain.

Saki stretched a bit, before giving a final glance at Luka, “Alright, get some rest. Don’t make me use my powers to knock you out.”

“Trust me, I don’t want you to,” Luka chuckled.

“Have wonderful dreams,” she said with a wink, before slipping out the door, leaving him alone to rest.

Dreams… Huh?

Something nagged at him in this sentence. But unable to tell what it was, he finally decided to get some more rest. After all, his body needed it.

----------------------------------------

Sweat trickled down her forehead as Kanami performed a series of push-ups. Her muscles strained with each movement, but she showed no signs of slowing down. Her breath was sharp and steady, and despite the burning in her arms, she kept pushing herself with grit and determination.

They had failed. That much was certain. That relentless memory of seeing Luka bloodied and unconscious on the ground kept flashing through her mind. In her life, she had seen gory sceneries. And while most of the time she was unfazed by them, this one in particular was making her feel something. An indescribable anger and self-loathing.

How did I let this happen? The thought pounded in her head, relentless, as if the question itself was punishing her with every push-up.

If it had been a random soldier or anyone else, she wouldn’t have felt a single pang of guilt. But he was different. After recovering him in her arms, Kanami made Pako strain itself to its limits to bring Luka back to safety.

Not him, not now. She prayed, hoping that someone would hear her plea while attending to his wounds on the mount.

Not after I found someone who could understand me.

With one final push, Kanami collapsed onto the floor, her bandaged arms trembling beneath her. She lay there, chest heaving, staring up at the ceiling, trying to quiet the chaos inside her head. But the image of Luka—broken, dying—wouldn’t leave her.

“I am still too weak,” she whispered through gritted teeth.

She should’ve known better. Her master warned her. She isn’t Wrimbo, she isn’t the hero who saved Sora two years ago, she could never surpass him or even come close to being as amazing as him. She had to double down her efforts so that she could protect what little family she had.

But that cell was too restrictive for her to train properly. She gritted her teeth even further in frustration. How could she know if Luka was even alive and well? The only interaction she had for the past few days was a guard who gave her food while spitting on it, his face laced with disgust every time he came by her cell.

A rage began to build inside her.

Who cares about that damn king? I have worked hard for them and that’s how they reward me? I know we failed but…

She saw something deep within her mind. A pair of two red eyes, shining and menacing, looked at her in anticipation. It waited for her to break, to give in the her anger. It spoke to her, even though she couldn’t understand.

Before she could think, her fist flew forward, crashing into the bars of the cell. The sharp sound of metal clanging echoed through the halls as one of the bars snapped in two.

Kanami exhaled slowly, her breath coming in short bursts as she heard footsteps rushing toward her cell.

“What happened?” A guard appeared, his eyes widening as he took in the broken metal bar on the ground.

Kanami didn’t bother answering. She stared at the wall in front of her, her hands still clenched into fists, the anger still simmering beneath her calm exterior.

“Y-You monster!” the guard shrieked, stumbling backward in fear. “I’m reporting this! You’ll—”

Before he could finish, Kanami shot him a cold look, her eyes piercing through him. It was enough to send him scrambling away, practically tripping over himself in his rush to escape her presence.

Alone again, Kanami let out a slow breath, the rage still pulsing beneath the surface. But it was tempered, for now. Her thoughts drifted back to Luka, her fists unclenching as exhaustion washed over her once more.

I really hope he is okay…

Otherwise, she might give in to what it offers…