Calamity Mandate Book 5 Start
Chapter 335 - Right on Time
The late summer afternoon sky was clear and bright over Hasan Walled City. The city was built into a round valley, layered with many walls and districts that encircled the central prestigious green terrace. Amongst the gardens and parks in the central area three main hills rose up, and on the most northwest of those hills was an old estate.
Sitting on the edge of a white stone fountain within the garden of that estate, surrounded by manicured hedges, a young Kumin girl stared up at the sky blankly.
Her long, silken hair was tied up into a ponytail. She wore a black guard’s uniform with red embroidery and a sheathed sword at her waist. The uniform’s fabric was encrusted with large amounts of dried blood, though she had washed off her face, neck and hands at the fountain. The blood was not her own but the blood of a cultist servant who she had killed out of desperate self defence.
Birds chirped from the bamboo thickets on the other side of one of the hedges. A gentle breeze caressed her cheeks.
It’s hard to believe that it’s so peaceful now. Char Char thought to herself. Weren’t we just running for our lives not too long ago?
The hedges formed a wall around the garden section, with an arched opening that led out to the main path. Char Char’s eyes fell on her singular companion at this time, a tall woman with tanned skin and an exotic beauty and grace. Firuzeh wore a similar uniform as Char Char, but her uniform was completely tattered from battle.
She leaned against the entrance archway, exhausted but cautious as she kept a constant lookout for activity in the area. But even Firuzeh had allowed herself to relax slightly.
The evil presence of the Clockwork God had dissipated suddenly. The unnatural fog that hung around the estate lifted, signifying that they were no longer disconnected from the real world.
There were others involved in the battle, but by chance or design Char Char and Firuzeh found now themselves alone.
Alone, and waiting for a sign.
As she sat at the fountain, her thoughts blank, Char Char felt something stir in the air. She stood up, glancing over to Firuzeh who was suddenly alert. Both of their spiritual intuitions had just been triggered. They locked eyes for a moment, then both looked up at a spot just above the fountain.
Golden light shone out from a crack in the air, causing the pair to squint and shield their eyes with their hand. Heavenly rays of sunlight beamed down onto the fountain as the crack expanded into a portal that revealed an endless ocean of fluffy, golden clouds.
A gale of wind rushed out as the silhouette of a figure in flowing robes appeared in the center of the light, descending down from the clouds. Soft, white flower petals swirled in eddies around her.
Her feet gently touched the water. Ripples spread outward from the soles of the traditional wooden sandals as the figure walked across the surface of the water toward Char Char, who had backed away from the fountain.
The blinding light slowly faded away, the wind calmed, and the sight of the majestic clouds dissipated as the portal closed behind her.
Dressed immaculately in the white satin robes of a shrine maiden, her hair tied up with an ornamental ribbon, the figure stepped down from the fountain.
Yuzu clasped her hands in front of her with the sleeves of her gown gracefully hanging down in a traditional greeting and smiled softly at her friend.
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“Char Char, I’m bac—“
She didn’t even have time to finish her dramatic greeting as her friend ran into her and threw her arms around Yuzu in a hug.
The force of the impact threw Yuzu off balance as the two of them fell backward into the fountain with a great splash.
The next moment Yuzu found herself pulled out of the water coughing and sputtering with Char Char’s voice ringing in her ears.
“Oh my lord! Yuzu! I’m so sorry!”
Yuzu she wiped water out of her eyes while choking. The elegant, expensive fabric clung to her skin heavily. Her body shook to and fro as Char Char tried smoothing out the drenched fabric.
Char Char’s voice continued to panic, “Ah, I got blood all over your robes. I didn’t mean to—“
“Okay, okay! Stop it already!” Yuzu gritted her teeth as she finally was able to grab onto Char Char’s hands and stop the pawing. She then pulled off the robes, which had been loosely worn over a more casual attire of a white skirt and charcoal grey blouse. The dirtied fabric dropped into a heap beside as Char Char backed off with a distraught look on her face.
Yuzu sighed as she took a moment to gather herself.
So much for a dramatic entrance. Leave it to Char Char to completely throw me off. She could have been any domain, but she had to be the one domain that I can’t read the future of.
“Yuzu—“
“You can stop it with those puppy eyes.” Yuzu looked at her friend with an annoyed glare, “You didn’t mean it. Let’s move on.”
To the side, Firuzeh approached with cautious footsteps, looking at Yuzu with unfamiliarity. Yuzu was already intimately familiar with the Saboteur, but she had done so as the White Maiden. This was their first time meeting in person.
“You are… Yuzu?” Firuzeh asked, then bowed formally, “Char Char has told me many things about you. It is a pleasure to meet you.”
Yuzu looked over to Firuzeh, purposefully not returning the bow. “And you are Firuzeh. I know much about you as well.”
Like Char Char, Firuzeh was also part of the Chaos domain. Her black thread was just as smoky and difficult to read. However unlike her friend, Firuzeh was far more reserved in her actions and easier to predict.
Yuzu had already anticipated this ‘first’ meeting, and had prepared a sufficiently enigmatic introductory statement. Seeing the mild shock and hesitation in Firuzeh’s eyes, Yuzu knew that she had succeeded.
To Firuzeh, Yuzu was Char Char’s friend who had appeared as a representative of the White Maiden at the White Maiden’s shrine outside of Noga City. At that time, just before the God of Life’s failed resurrection, Yuzu had made a flashy exit with one of Noga City’s officers.
Yuzu knew the Saboteur had some burning questions around the White Maiden, but now was not the time to tackle them. She turned her attention to Char Char who was still anxiously standing in front of Yuzu.
Drenched and mildly humiliated as she was, Yuzu kept her back straight and maintained her composure as best she could.
“It’s good to see that you haven’t changed.” Yuzu finally said.
Yuzu stood up, doing her best to ignore the incredibly uncomfortable weight of her soaked clothes, and the sound of water as it dribbled onto the grass.
“Like I was saying— I’m back, and I have news from the White Maiden. She has sent me here to guide you and Firuzeh safely away from Hasan.”
Char Char’s eyes widened slightly as she took in Yuzu’s words. Yuzu glared intensely at Char Char to punctuate her words. You understand what I’m saying, right? No one else can know that I’m the White Maiden. I’m here as Yuzu, nothing more.
“I’m just happy you’re back.” The Kumin girl nodded, then bowed slightly, “I’m grateful for all the help that you and the White Maiden offer us.”
Out of the corner of her eye Yuzu saw Firuzeh bow as well.
“The Clockwork God’s ritual has been stopped, the cultists have all been killed. The immediate danger has passed.” Yuzu said, sweeping her gaze over Char Char and Firuzeh, “Lord Noga’s forces are here, but the White Maiden is keeping them out of this area. After all, Char Char is not supposed to be here.”
Firuzeh nodded, “Then you have a way of getting us out of the city without Lord Noga knowing?”
Yuzu’s lips curved upward in a sly grin, “Not exactly.”
She purposefully directed her gaze to the archway that served as the entrance to their section of the garden. Char Char and Firuzeh were confused as they followed Yuzu’s gaze.
A moment later the sound of hurried footsteps rushing over floated down the breeze.
Before long a pair of grey uniformed officers walked through the arch. On the left was a tall young man with ash grey hair and intelligent eyes. On the right, a female officer with hair tied into a tight bun.
They stopped just past the archway with looks of surprise on their faces as they spotted Char Char, Firuzeh and finally Yuzu waiting for them.
Unlike Firuzeh, those two officers had met Yuzu before. The male had tried to stop Yuzu, and as a result Yuzu had given him the runaround, toying with him to get her way. That way was getting the female officer to open a portal for her to visit a remote village in the depths of the mountains. The last Yuzu had seen of her was when Yuzu had left her in the ruins of a village, watched over by a skeletal guard.
“Finn, Minnie. It’s good to see you again.” Yuzu smiled enigmatically, “You’ve arrived right on time.”