The difference between them was too great for Kazuma’s blow to move Venix even a single inch, of course. The Antium took the punch without blinking straight on the chin, still staring down at the heavily breathing Kawamaran man who had assaulted him.
The rest of us weren’t so taciturn about it.
Bella, Azarus, and I stepped forward at the sudden violence. I don’t know what the others were intending, but I was going to restrain the man. Judging from the grip Bella and Azarus had on their weapons, they…might have been going for a more permanent solution.
Venix halted such notions. “Stop!” He barked our way, freezing the three of us. Still, he never looked away from the seething form of the man who had struck him once and never followed up. “His anger is understandable. Young blade, am I known to you?”
Kazuma glared at the Antium, chest heaving from the effort of the strike he had delivered. “Only the name,” He said heavily. “Our records, they did not mention your race. If I had known…I would have struck you down there on the beach.”
Venix inclined his head. “You would have tried,” He acknowledged. “And failed. But this does not matter. What does is that the blade of my master, the Shōmetsu no Kiba-”
Language Adaptation helpfully informed that translated roughly to ‘Fang of Annihilation’.
Fun.
“-still exists. And so I begin to understand the Madman’s plan,” He continued, frowning at Kazuma. “He will retrieve the sword, and force you to channel the might of his Core Collapse through it. He believes it will be enough to fully erase the existence of Tatsugan.”
Kazuma didn’t let up on his glower, but he nodded. “Yes, you would understand, wouldn’t you? Cur.”
A cough broke the standoff between the two men. The both of them, and me for that matter, followed it to the source, finding Renauld standing there with his fist in front of his muzzle. “That’s all…very dramatic, sure. But, uh…what is this big bad sword, and why is it important?”
“And would it actually work?” I asked pointedly after he was done.
Venix sighed and reached up to massage his brow, agitating his antennae in the process. “Possibly,” He reluctantly admitted, to our gathered surprise. His lips quirked up in a humorless smile. “The Shōmetsu no Kiba is a mighty blade indeed. With it, you can absorb any attack, any energy directed against it, and infuse it with the very concept of ‘Erasure’. Then, once that power has been attuned, it can be unleashed upon your target. Historically, the Artefact has no upper limit to what it can harness, and was used to great effect in the War in Heaven against the Godbound.”
His eyes flickered over to me for a moment before continuing.
“It was left in the care of the Imperial family in the aftermath of the Initialization wars, and then bound to the Higanashi Clan for services rendered.” Venix crossed all four of his arms. “It became their family blade, and then passed to my master upon his elevation to Lordship of that family. And then, when he fell, it was thought destroyed by the wyrm. And because of that…”
“My family was forced into hiding by the Imperial court,” Kazuma spat, still glaring at Venix. “We lost everything! Our wealth, our influence in the court, even our home! We became little better than commoners, without a shred of honor to our name! The shame of it all drove us to the outer reaches of the Empire, where we huddled like rats in a nest of trash! So yes, when the Order of Solstice’s Flame came to me with a proposal on how to win my family’s honor back, by truly slaying the great wyrm, I took it!”
Venix was silent for a moment, simply staring at the fuming man. “And you would die in the process,” He said, soft, pre-emptive grief in his voice.
It grew silent around us, then.
“You are not nearly strong enough to wield the sword at that level,” Venix continued. “The effort of channeling a Tier Four’s Core Collapse…it would erase you, along with the beast.”
Kazuma didn’t deny it.
“That is MY sacrifice to make!” He shouted defiantly, thumping his chest with one fist. “MY choice! Not yours! If it will save my family from the gutters, it is one I will gladly make! And you will not take that from me! I will kill you before I allow it!”
At that…Venix…
Looked away, and didn’t speak in protest.
I noticed that his shoulders fell slightly, though.
Nobody spoke for a moment, as the hot, humid wind of the jungle misted about us. I looked up in the midst of the standoff, to see that it was nearly lunchtime by now. We’d…been talking for quite a while now.
As much as I didn’t want to denigrate Kazuma’s decision, it ultimately…wasn’t our business. We still had a decision to make, and we didn’t have the full story.
I coughed into my fist, in a mirror of Renauld from earlier. As the gathered’s eyes fell on me, I spoke. “You still never answered why the Order left you behind, then, if Shacklock’s whole plan relies on you,” I pointed out. “You said something about betrayal?”
Kazuma finally tore his gaze away from Venix to frown at me. “Yes, because not everyone in the Order of Solstice’s Flame agrees with his decision,” He said reluctantly. “Factions have arisen in their ranks. Some believe the Grandmaster’s plan to be their best course of action, after their exile following the Construct War. By ridding my country of such a persistent threat, they hope to negotiate with the River Throne for the right to establish themselves as a recognized Sect. Others think it’s foolish to try and permanently slay Tatsugan. They contend that they can build a new home on this island, and slay him occasionally,” He stressed. “Keeping in mind the need for the wyrm to still live for periods of time. They intend to hold the threat of the nascent Calamity over Hinaga’s head for the right to settle the island.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
I blinked slowly at that…ridiculous plan.
Azarus spoke what I’m sure we were all thinking. “That’s dumb,” He bluntly. “They’re just goin’ to antagonize the Kawamarans. Even if it works, they’re always goin’ to be lookin’ to root ‘em out.”
Kazuma nodded. “It is foolish, which is why the Grandmaster isn’t in favor of it. For all his reputation as a madman, he’s still shrewd. He might be able to hold off on the apex of his Core Collapse for another decade, at the very least, but he doesn’t want to do that. He would rather spend it on this course of action and ensure a more stable future for the Order he founded.”
“But if you’re out of the way,” Liora said slowly.
“Then Shacklock has no choice, and has to go with the other faction’s plan,” I finished for her, frowning.
“Just so,” Kazuma nodded. “Initially, I put no thought into how the company was split into multiple platoons on our journey towards the heart of Goryuen. There was the forward and rear patrols, as well as the central command. With the sheer danger involved when you consider the Oni hordes that inhabit this island, you need ample warning to counteract them. I was…encouraged to be in the rear guard by Captain Wernstrom. I should have been more suspicious.”
He sighed, massaging his brow.
“I was too trusting. The man is the leading forcing among those who wish to see this land settled by the Order of Solstice’s flame,” Kazuma continued, frustration thick in his voice. “But he’s been so courteous towards me that treachery never once crossed my mind. And now I must question just how much of the battle that occurred was real. Did the violence of Oni that we encountered chance upon us by happenstance? Did the Captain’s scouts draw them to our position? Whatever the case, it doesn’t matter. In the midst of battle, I was suddenly immobilized by a force not born of the Oni. It was a binding Spell of some sort, that I could discern from the Mana involved. The timing was very deliberate, because I was then struck by the full force of a tree the monster was using a club, and knocked into the jungle. There I lay, broken and alone, until you came upon me. And now I owe you a debt that I cannot truly repay.”
Then, the samurai stood from his log, and turned to face Renauld and I in particular.
And bowed sharply at the waist, at a full ninety degrees.
“I thank you, Healers, for the gift of life that you have extended to me,” Kazuma said solemnly. “I will not forget this.”
Renauld nodded easily at the thanks. I think, as a Healer, he was very used to statements like that. I wasn’t too put off by it either. Kazuma’s thanks, while overtly formal, were very in line with my experiences among the Kawamaran’s. I’d grown used to the ritualism inherent to their culture while operating my little business.
Renauld wasn’t likely to do it, so I stood up from my own log and returned the bow to the appropriate degree. Not too deep, not too shallow. You had to balance these things if you didn’t want to cause offense. “It was only our duty, Kazuma Higanashi,” I said politely. “It…occurs to me that we haven’t fully introduced ourselves. I am Nathan Hart, and this…” I trailed off expectantly, looking at my ‘fellow’ Healer.
Renauld took the hint, and the rest of my companions followed.
While they were introducing themselves to the samurai, I was sidling over to Venix. After the…midly dramatic confrontation between him and Kazuma, the Antium samurai had stepped back.
I didn’t mince words when I spoke to him, even if I did them quietly.
“Should we leave?” I whispered bluntly. At Venix’s raised eyebrow, I elaborated. “Goryuen, I mean. This situation just got way more complicated, and I didn’t sign up to be the in middle of an internal power struggle of an Order that wanted me dead a few months ago.”
Venix considered me for a moment. “And what of your bunker?”
I shook my head minutely, as Azarus presented Kazuma with his katana in the background. I think my Smith friend had found it not far from the samurai, and had taken it upon himself to clean and mend it while we did the same to the samurai’s body. “This might be important to me, but it’s not that important. I can always come back later when this situation has been resolved.”
“I’m not so sure…” Venix whispered, staring out into the jungle.
“What?”
“Consider the bigger picture, Nathan,” An unexpected voice said near my elbow. I didn’t jump, if only because the owner had a habit of doing this these days. Liora had some way to dodge my blood sense and had a tendency to jump out of shadows and startle me. Honestly, I think it was a kind of training she’d picked up for the both of us. The Gnoll woman had joined us while Renauld and Azarus kept our guest busy. “I’m not sure we can afford to retreat now.”
I furrowed my brow at her. “How so?”
“We appear to have blundered our way into a potential diplomatic incident,” Liora answered, with a wry, humorless cast to her vulpine lips. “Consider the optics. A Herztalian Martial Order is currently in the process of attempting to occupy a highly volatile land, owned by another sovereign nation. They might be exiles, but the Order of Solstice’s Flame has been around for a very long time, to the extent they were practically a Herztalian institution. I guarantee members of the River Court will be skeptical of how unattached they are, if not the Emperor himself. This campaign will be viewed as an attempt by a newly crowned High King to solidify his reign after a tumultuous civil war, and the exile merely a farcial cover. It’s not in King-Elect Oskar’s temperament to do so, but the possibility of conquering this land in the name of Herztal will be lingering in the back of those rebellious officer’s minds. Kazuma Higanashi has, perhaps, not thought of this. This Captain Wernstrom could be considering using the island as a bargaining piece to return to the Kingdom.”
“…since when were you an expert on international and inter-court politics?” I asked her with a raised eyebrow.
Liora just shrugged mysteriously at me. “The point is, if the Order of Solstice’s Flame succeeds in laying claim to this island, it could be…bad, for the Kingdom.”
And she was a bit of patriot, yeah, I got it.
Our attention was drawn, however, when Venix shook his head. “That is not the reason I am hesitant to retreat,” He said quietly, before looking down at us gravely. “The boy’s story, where he was ambushed by a full violence here in the outer jungle? Such a thing should be impossible. Normally, the density of Oni here in the outer jungle is too low for groups to form. As I’ve said, only outcasts and failures lurk out here.”
“Normally?” I asked, a frown growing on my lips.
Venix nodded. “Normally. However…in times when Tatsugan is nearing his apex…that changes. The Oni horde swells and grows, and violences are seen elsewhere across the island.”
“You think the dragon has nearly completed his ascension into Calamity,” Liora said, studying Venix with a frown.
“I don’t know,” Venix said with a matching twist to his lips. For once, he didn’t correct someone about Tatsugan about not being a dragon. “But this cannot be left uninvestigated. I inquired as to Tatsugan’s current stage before we left for the island. The last report was from a year ago, and he was said to be in his adolescent state. However, if the growth of the Immortal Wyrm has accelerated in some way, the Empire must be informed. I’m sorry Hart, but we must press on.”
Ah.
Swell.