Kichi slouched back and let out a burp. She’d eaten more than she’d ever had in her life, and she regretted none of it. The plate before her still held a quartet of grapes, but one more would be her downfall.
On the other side of Whitebeard, Masahide scooted his chair back and gave her a look. It was time to search for Ema once again. They should split up, but dangers about the castle had ruled that possibility out.
As she got up to follow, Yoshiie appeared and bowed. His eyes lost all their mock nature, and his smug face transformed into something earnest. On his cheek, a bandage covered the cut she had given him. “Knight Kichi, I wish you luck in the tournament.”
Kichi forced her lips into a smile, but she needed to be off before Masahide left her. “Thank you.”
“I never expected to win. Not with the powerful magic users at the top, but I expected to be the finest blade master among the knights. You’ve demonstrated that I must train twice as hard as before, that eight hours a day is not enough.”
“I only got lucky. You’re an amazing swordsman.”
“No, I need to learn your techniques. I’ve never seen anything like it. It was like fighting a magician.”
She nodded awkwardly and stepped past him at the same time. “I’m sorry, I have to go.”
“I will watch you closely until I learn this new style.”
Kichi didn’t know why she kept the mystical item secret. Many had enhancing rings, potions, necklaces, and who knew what else. But the amulet that Whitebeard had given her felt special. Perhaps it would draw unwanted attention from those who want to take it from her.
She hurried away through the double doors and caught sight of Masahide ascending a spiral stairway. She took two steps at a time and spotted his blond hair and bootheel disappear into a doorway. She wished he’d slow down so she could catch up.
Masahide stopped at a T in the hallway. “We must find her tonight.”
“We should check the towers.”
“That’s what I was thinking. We'll go from top to bottom. Start with the highest tower.”
“But the castle beneath it has collapsed. It looks impossible to reach.”
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Masahide rubbed at a stubbled chin. “If we can’t, we'll have Whitebeard take us by eagle.”
The corridors turned murky as night descended. Sconces along the walls lit only a few ways. The sounds of drunk knights and their singing escaped through the cracks around doors, but the wind replaced the sound as Kichi and Masahide returned to the dark chambers on higher levels. The wind howled around the broken rubble of walls.
Kichi looked up to see stars rather than the ceiling. She saw a half-collapsed stairway. “I think it's this way.”
Masahide looked up at the tower far above.
The pair climbed higher along what clung to the mountainside using ledges created by remnants of floors and supports.
Kichi’s stomach told her to slow her climb. She was too full. “Masahide, my premonitions almost always come true. I've had a few about Whitebeard. One is that his story would be an accusation. Who do you think he's accusing, the captain that led his ship? Or maybe someone who's not in the story yet? It's confusing.”
He slowed to her pace. “If you think his story is an accusation, it could mean almost anything. Perhaps we must wait until he gets further in to fully understand.”
“Perhaps.”
“There's the Duke, the necromancer, and other evil forces here. He's given up his sword, and I have no idea if he means to go through with the draining or to fight. No matter what his plan is, it doesn't matter in the end. We have to be ready for whatever comes.”
They reached a point where walking wasn’t possible but had to grab stones and pull themselves to the next platform. A vast gap lay between where they were standing and the tower. It looked no more than ten fathoms above, but it was at a diagonal angle, and below was a thousand feet to the gardens and building around the arena.
Masahide studied the climb. “It’s too dangerous without aid. Can you use the amulet?”
“I suppose I can. It just makes you hungry until you can’t use it anymore. Well, I’ve had plenty to eat.”
She put it on and reached for a handhold. A shriek knocked her back, and her heel caught and sent her toppling. A streak of movement frightened her, and she grasped for her sword.
A creature resembling a full head of auburn hair that reached the ground stood there. However, the strands were thick like worms and twitched. The hair parted to reveal a midnight face with two eyes like thin lamps.
Above, they saw Ema on the balcony of the tower.
Kichi
Level: 6
Focus: Prescience
Secondary focus: Lava+1
Weapons: pure sword - 3% pure
Items: Near Field Amulet (Prescience+2, focus)