Masahide eased his sore body into the chair in Whitebeard’s quarters. He felt the thrashing he’d taken in every inch of his body.
Kichi didn’t look much better. Her hand was bandaged, and she shivered until Hisa handed her a blanket.
The four sat away from the window that let in fresh night air. Their faces were barely visible in the starlight outside and the one candle at the end of the room. But then, Whitebeard opened his hand, and a lightning bug escaped and threw a green light.
“The potion,” Whitebeard said, producing a bottle, “Mustn’t be taken lightly. If you feel tired, ill, or off in any way, don’t take it. Your body will be working many times over, and your heart will flutter like a hummingbird’s.”
Masahide took the bottle and examined the liquid inside. It didn’t look appetizing. “I’ve been tired since I’ve been here. It’s one thing after another.”
“Then drink half and be quick about defeating the balatma. Now to the new issue; Hisa, tell us about the boy.”
Hisa sat upright and folded her hands in her lap. “I relaxed the guard on Gon when Ujisue died in the match with Masahide. I suspected the Duke might kidnap the boy to control Ujisue, but I didn’t know he’d try to use the boy against you, Masahide.”
That didn’t make any sense. “How would that control me?”
There was a slight curl to Hisa’s lips. “Surely, even in your part of the realm, one who slays a parent must care for the orphans.”
Kichi spoke in his defense. “But Ujisue wasn’t his parent.”
Hisa waved the rebuttal away. “Not in blood, but that doesn’t matter. Ujisue took care of the child.”
Masahide pocketed the potion. “I’m a knight.” But was he? He felt the words hang there, and whether it convinced anyone else, it didn’t himself. He was one of the Champions now. Even so, he’d taken the oath and felt he should uphold the knightly tradition.
“I’d argue that makes you double responsible for Gon.”
“I agree,” Whitebeard said. “But tonight, free Ema. After your matches tomorrow, follow Akisane and his henchmen, and I believe they’ll lead you in the right direction.”
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Masahide went to the shrine at the end of the hallway when they finished talking. He pulled the wolf figurine from his pocket and placed it where it belonged.
Kichi startled him. “I didn’t know you took that.”
“We may need help before this is through.”
Masahide and Kichi traversed the dilapidated structure above the apartments and meant to get Ema back immediately.
Kichi pulled herself up onto a remnant of the floor. “If anyone touches a hair on Bin, I’m going to do something terrible to them,” she said.
If Ema were hurt in any way, he would teach the son of a Duke that justice can reach the nobility. The Kight’s Oath had an order of importance. Justice sat well above obeying authority, which people, and even knights, often didn’t know.
There must have been a reason why they put authority in the oath to begin with. It likely started with the Emperor. It seemed on the surface that no harm could be done to the highest seat, for an emperor can’t commit treason, and therefore, a knight can’t disobey a command from the top. But whoever created the spell meant something different by the word treason. It referred to breaking the ancient laws of the realm before empires and kingdoms. Only now, with the Champion's knowledge filling in the blanks, did he know the primordial contracts.
In the distant past, when Cronn was but a sapling, the Corruption first appeared, and with it, the first evils. Do not speak a lie was of the highest importance in the agreement. But there are others that never made it to the ten. It was closer to nine since obeying authority didn’t appear in those days.
No wonder the white wolf wanted nothing to do with mankind. All the agreements that were trampled on…
“Are you coming?” Kichi said.
Masahide looked up at the tower in the night. “We should split the potion. We’re both tired and beat up, so let’s take Whitebeard’s advice.”
Together, they downed the vile concoction.
His veins turned to fire.
The balatma appeared. The vines of deadly hair wiggled around it weightlessly.
They had defeated an abominable hinagon, and with the potion's aid, they could surely take on this monstrosity. But the attacks came so fast that even Masahide’s heart rattle couldn’t keep up with them. Each strand of hair was as dangerous as a sword, and hundreds whirled.
Masahide
Level: 31
Focus: Conjuring (conduit) +1
Secondary focus: Quake, Firequake tandem attack
Weapons: pure sword - 35% pure
Items: Heart of the Earth