Chapter 16

Akira tore open the package on his camp desk. “It’s here. It’s finally here!” He squealed. He was worried it wouldn’t arrive in time. Yanking the sword out of the wrappings Akira caressed the blade, running his fingers across the sharp edge and pulling them back when the blade bit. “I can hear the song again. It’s singing to me.” He closed his eyes as the melody washed over him. It was stronger than before, more exquisite. He could feel himself ascend.

“Um, you have a visitor, Lord Akira,” a voice pierced his heart and brought him back to earth.

Forcing his eyes open, Akira glared at the soldier standing in his tent. Why was he here? This was private. “Report! Who wants to see me?” The sooner the soldier was gone, the sooner Akira could be alone with his sword.

“The visitor wouldn’t give her name. She said it was vital,” the soldier gulped.

Akira didn’t care about this visitor. If the soldier was here now, then he may have seen too much.

“If she wouldn’t give her name, why would I let her in?” he asked, fingering the blade. After the assassination attempt, security had doubled. Three guards had been stationed outside his tent at all times and he’d set up rigorous checks on anybody coming into the camp. They still had no new information on the three who had attacked him. If only there had been some marks on their bodies.

“She was part of the group that brought your sword, sir,” the soldier responded. “In addition, she possessed a token given by King Eon.”

Akira snorted and saw the sweat drip down the man’s forehead. Maybe there would be another deserter today. Someone to help him test his new sword. A soldier who saw his private side. The battle wouldn’t start for a few hours, and there was always time for discipline.

“Send them in,” Akira said. The soldier nodded and held the tent open. A tall woman walked in. A hint of lavender floated in with her. Akira raised an eyebrow. He knew that smell, but from where? She was wearing a cloak to cover her hair; from what he could see, her face was plain, if a little wide. He couldn’t tell her age either. There were some wrinkles around her mouth, but her eyes told him she was older than him. There was a depth of experience behind them. However, they softened when they turned their attention to him. In total, it was an unremarkable image, one that you would forget soon, if he hadn’t seen her eyes change colour.

“Who are you?” he asked.

“Is that any way to treat a lady?” The woman said as she took off her hood. Akira drew his brow together in confusion. He stared at the long brown hair and face, but couldn’t place her.

It was the voice. He knew that accent, that way of speaking. It, along with the scent caused something to click.

“Thane! What are you doing here, this far from Relancia?” he hated that voice. It grated on him and reminded him that she had his token.

Thane sat down on a chair and Akira saw her lip twitch. She was hurting and trying to hide it. His years of dealing with Master Jin, and watching for his hair-trigger mood shifts made Akira sensitive to the smallest signals.

“It’s nice to meet you in person, but I won’t take up much of your time,” said Thane. “I came to get the money you owe me. I’ll be meeting with a few more of your soldiers before the fight as well.” She sighed in a gesture of regret. “It’s a shame when people die and their families have to take up their debt.”

This was the first time Akira had seen Thane’s face. Every time they had spoken to each other from behind a screen or through Ayasse. He stared at the woman. She was neither young nor old, plain-looking, but striking. The kind of woman who could disappear in a crowd. Perfect for a boss of thieves.

“Is that the only reason you’re here?” Akira asked. He slid his hands to the pouch on his desk, moving it to the side. He’d taken his money back from Ayasse, so paying her was no problem. However, he needed some proof she was legit before he’d hand it over to this woman. “How do I even know you’re Thane?”

The woman gave him a mischievous smile and pulled out a dagger. “Come on Akira. You know me. Besides, Ayasse told me all about you stealing his knife to use on Sam. You know how I feel about my people losing control and those who humiliate them. He’s got to fix his mistake first, then we’ll get down to his real punishment,” she said, her malicious grin promising a harsh fate. “However, because he couldn’t control his tools, this is your chance to pay your debt. I missed you in Relancia, so I came out here.” Thane leaned back in the chair and started picking her fingernails with the dagger. Her eyes never left Akira’s for a moment.

“Yes. I see it now. Thane, I was ready to pay you the money. I even gave it to Ayasse for safekeeping before the battle with the Demon King,” Akira heard the crack in his voice. She didn’t scare him, but she could still destroy him. He narrowed his eyes and felt something throb in his neck.

How dare this woman come here after all that’s happened to me.

“It’s not my fault he skipped out on us. I thought you promised he’d stay loyal to me?” Akira slapped his hand on the table. Thane’s face remained unmoved. The smile was unwavering.

“Why do you think I’m here? Yes, it was his job to hand over the money. But it wasn’t up to you to use his poison. He failed to protect his secrets, and I will deal with him when his assignment is finished. However, it wasn’t fair to you, so there will be no penalty for the late payment.” She waved her hands in a sort of apology. “Fair? Do you have the money or not?”

Akira reached over to his purse and counted out what he owed her, plus interest. “Here, you bloodsucker. Take your money and give me my token. I have a war to win.” He held out his hand.

Thane counted the money on the table. “I only need what I was owed. You can keep the rest.” She stood up and showed Akira her hands. Spinning them around, she produced a large coin with a bird, wings spread in flight on the face, Akira’s family’s crest. She placed it on the table and leaned back. Akira picked it up and tested it with his fingernail. The secret notch he had cut in it when he gave it to her was still there. It was the real one.

“Pleasure doing business with you.” She bowed. “If you ever need anything else, please don’t hesitate to call on me.” Thane put her dagger away and picked up the money.

Something felt off. She gave off the same aura, the same scent, but why would she come out here? There was no reason to risk her life here in the Demon Forest, not when she could get an agent to do it for her. This uncertain feeling, he had wouldn’t go away. “If that’s true, there is one more thing you can help me with.”

“Anything for a loyal customer.” Thane smiled.

“A group of assassins attacked me. They used poisonous smoke and tried to kill me and Mel. Did you have anything to do with them?” He came out from behind the desk and stood in front of her. His hand rested on the pommel of his sword. The song filled him and heightened his senses, telling him how odd she was. Thane was too relaxed There were openings in her posture he had never seen in anyone with experience. The last time they met, even behind a screen, she had controlled the room. It had been a few years since then, but she couldn’t have changed that much.

Thane frowned. “I see. No, that’s not my doing. If you were dead, I wouldn’t have been able to get my money, would I?” She gave a small smile. “I can look into it if you’d like. Have you found any clues?” Her smile deepened.

This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author's work.

Akira grabbed the sword on the table and sliced through Thane’s neck. There was no resistance or even an attempt to block him. The smile never left her face as the head fell off and the body crumpled. Akira picked up a cloth and wiped the blood from his sword. He reached down and felt her face. “Is there’s something here?”

Scrunching his fingers he pulled off a mask. The face under it was older, maybe twice his age and wrinkled. He didn’t know who this woman was, even if she could mimic Thane’s voice perfectly. The real Thane would have already known about the attempt, even if she wasn’t responsible. And when she sat down, she was in pain and hiding it.

He'd heard rumours of a pretender to Thane’s seat back in Relancia. Was this a pretender? But how’d they get his token?

Akira shrugged. It was unimportant. He had his token back, and that was all that mattered. Whatever happened to her, fake or real, Thane no longer had any power over him. There was nothing left to stop him. He was free.

“Thank you for helping me test my sword. You were perfect. Much better than a deserter.” Akira wiped the blade and put it back into its sheath. It was time to take care of the Demon King. First, someone needed to clean up the body.

***

Sam stood a little off to the side of the soldiers in the field outside the gates, holding a small ceramic cup of wine. The red sun was rising to the east of them, in their faces. There were a few hours until the battle would start. By then, the sun should be overhead, negating the human army’s advantage. She shivered in the cold morning air. The day promised to get warmer, but the seasons were changing. Standing around in leather armour wasn’t conducive to warmth.

Some pages, young orcs not old enough to grow their first tusks yet, were going around pouring glasses for everybody in the formation. Sam watched them move through the ranks of men and women soldiers. Sam was surprised that orc women came to battle with the men. They fought on the front lines and provided most of the support roles, supplying the potions the soldiers needed. They carried weapons as well, and from the practice battles she watched, they could teach her how to use them. In Relancia, other than her, most women stayed home.

The silence rang through the group allowing everyone to focus on the young boys and girls moving through the lines. She was used to more noise.

She had very little experience fighting in a war. She wanted to stand with Kale and protect him from Akira, but his strategy was about drawing the hero out. He was stronger than Akira and could beat him in a direct fight. The biggest danger was the spellcasters. Until they were dealt with, it made sense to split up his forces and allow his son to come up against them.

That’s where Sam came in. She had to find Mel. With her shield —even damaged as it was— she could probably block some of the spells the humans had. It had been able to stop Kale’s strongest fire spell, so it should offer some protection. If Mel used her ultimate spell, it wouldn’t hold up very long, but even a small chance would give them the opportunity for a counterattack.

In addition, her role was to defend his son against the humans.

With their backs to the stout walls, there was no way the Relancia army could get behind them and the demon army had a place to retreat to if the battle turned against them. Kale had sent his shadows to the south to watch for any attempts at an attack from there. They would have been the perfect warriors for this fight if they could leave the castle. While they were tied to his sword, they were limited to the castle grounds.

This was it. The final battle. A few short weeks ago Sam was here trying to kill the Demon King and become a hero in Relancia. Now she was defending him and had become a villain to the people she had sworn to defend. She smiled at the irony. Every step kept her moving further and further away from the goal of getting home.

Kale stood silently in front of the soldiers. When they saw him the silence finally broke and they started pounding on their shields with their swords. They were outnumbered, and the human army had better weapons. If they broke here then the humans would win.

He waited with his arms behind his back. The calm started at the front of the army, where he stood and spread backwards. Pushing the nervous energy down. Sam still heard grumbling, and she could feel eyes on her, blaming her. She Ignored the incriminations and focused on Kale. Soon everyone was watching him, ready to listen to his speech.

“I won’t tell you this will be easy. I won’t lie to you and say, we will survive this. Nor will I reject the blame for this fight. I am responsible for leading us down this path. It is on me and I will be with you to the end,” Kale addressed the soldiers. They numbered in the thousands, and Sam knew each was giving him their full attention. She couldn’t turn away even if she tried.

“This will be a fight for our survival. Our allies have left us, and the enemy facing us is powerful, but so are we. For centuries we have held off the human scourge that has tried to take our land. For centuries we have soaked the fields in their blood. For centuries, we have protected our partners, our children, our parents, and ourselves. Today will be no different. Take pride in your sacrifice. I will.” Kale lowered his hand and took a cup from Hobbi. He raised it high, catching the sun and was silent. He mumbled something, lowered it and drank. The rest of the soldiers followed his example. After finishing, they tossed the cup to the ground and stomped on it.

When Hobbi told her about the ritual before a battle, to drink a cup of wine and give thanks to the god of war, she was surprised. Why would anybody go into battle drunk? Having gone through it, she realized how valuable the small things were. With everybody doing the same, they were united in their cause. Nothing could stop them.

“Don’t get in my way, human,” the soldier near Sam grunted. “I might mistake you for the enemy.” He grunted and moved off.

“Don’t get in mine. I might have to save your life, and I wouldn’t want to trip.” Sam said to the back of his head. She was usually much better at banter. Everything about today had thrown her off her game.

Sam had experienced this attitude and more since coming to this world. First, the human soldiers were afraid of her strength. When she joined the hero’s party, she gained some level of acceptance, but there was always an undercurrent of fear. Now she felt the same thing here, with Kale’s army. She would not be able to erase all prejudice in one day.

Ayasse worked his way over to Sam and smiled at her. He walked with a cane and was wrapped in bandages. She hurried over to him and supported him with a hand under his arm.

“What are you doing here? You should be sleeping.” Sam put her hand on the small man’s back and brought him outside the lines. They were moving out in moments, and orcs were running everywhere. She didn’t want to get trampled on and start any fights by accident.

“I just wanted to make sure this was what you wanted to do,” he asked her. “You don’t owe the Demon King your life, even if he saved yours.”

Sam shook her head. “Akira and the army being here is my fault. I promised to bring peace and failed. Besides, if I escaped in the chaos of battle and tried for the human kingdom, I would feel too guilty. I started this. I must see it through.” Sam helped Ayasse back to the gate. “Why are you here? Did Healer say you could move yet?”

The thief was quiet and twiddling his fingers.

“What’s wrong?” Sam asked, her brow furrowing. Something was wrong with Ayasse. This time he was different, less controlled.

“I have a slave crest,” he started, touching his shoulder. “It tied me to my Master and would only release me at her death. She never used it to control me. That was beneath her. It only let me know she was in charge, and so she could find me wherever I hid. A few moments ago, I was released. I don’t know what happened to her, but I feel strange. She feels dead, but it’s like something is missing. A part of me has been shovelled out. For the first time in my life, I have no idea what to do.” He looked up at Sam. “I needed someone to talk to. You were the only other person I knew here.”

“I’m sorry for your loss, but isn’t freedom from slavery a good thing?” Sam said as she smiled and placed a hand on his shoulder. “You can chart your path and see what you want to see.”

Ayasse shook his head. “Change is never easy, Sam. It is always filled with blood and requires suffering. Large change requires a massive sacrifice, without which nothing will happen. I’m not sure what to do now.” Ayasse turned his head to look out into the forest. The black leaves were starting to lose their colour. Sam could see a few browns and golds mixed in. It was nice to see that the trees still behaved like trees. It was also no longer watching her. When she asked Hobbi about her feelings of being watched in the forest, he raised an eyebrow and started talking to Healer about mental medicine. Sam dropped the subject and got ready for the war.

Sam and the army were facing the humans inside the forest soon. The plains in front of the castle would have been ideal, but with the human’s weapons advantage, anything that offered protection was welcome.

“Don’t speak like that. Things will work out. The future is a mysterious beast. You’ll see,” Sam pounded her shield.

“Yes, we’ll see.” Ayasse turned back to her. “Hold on to your innocence, Sam. You’ve killed before and you’ll have to kill in this fight. There is no holding back if you are to move forward.”

“What are you saying?” Sam was confused. Ayasse was always vague now more than ever. Why couldn’t people ever speak clearly to her?

No, that isn’t what I should be thinking. She stared at his blank face, pushing down her frustration. It was hard not to take control and lash out.

“You are my friend, Sam, one of the few I have. My master may be gone. I have nowhere else to go.” He stood up as straight as his injuries would allow him. “Don’t mind me. I’m just feeling strange.”

“Get some rest.” It was time. Sam headed back to the army.

“Good luck, Sam.”

“Thank you.” Sam walked to find Kuma. Their mission: find the mages and take them down. After that, Akira. If she had time, she’d teach the old members of her team the advantages of some constructive violence.