“Nae!”

Someone yelled, waking Nae in the process.

“What is it?” Nae asked as Tsuchi entered her tent. He then grabbed several things before shoving them into a bag.

“We’re under attack! The emperor his sent his silver blades. It would seem as though he too wants to decapitate the snake.” Tsuchi said as he handed Nae the stuffed bag.

“What are you talking about?” Nae asked, her heart beating at a threateningly fast pace.

Tsuchi knelt before Nae and gently placed his hand on her cheeks.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t give you that which you desired. Even after you did so much for me. But it’s over, the northerners are tearing through our lines and I cannot risk having you here when they arrive.”

“Won’t it take a few days or so? We can prepare a counter manoeuvre until then.” Nae said as her small frame quivered from panic.

“You don’t understand. They are already here-“

Tsuchi stopped as a scream pierced the air just beyond the tents thins walls.

Countless more screams and battle cries filled the air before the tents flaps slowly parted, revealing a tall, slender figure clad in pure white, silky clothing with bits of grey armour here and there.

Their face was hidden behind a white silky vail.

“Go!” Tsuchi said before withdrawing his katana.

“A Flowermaiden…” Nae muttered as the grey clad figure slowly walked towards her and Tsuchi.

“Go, now!”

Nae hurriedly grabbed the bag before rushing out of the tent via a small flap behind her bed.

She then ran towards the encampment's southernmost exit.

She ran past countless soldiers as grey clad figures mercilessly slaughtered them.

Limbs were severed and heads heads were removed which were preferable fates compared to the many others who were burnt alive in their tents.

Not a single blade touched the garbs of the faceless assassins as they swiftly killed their way through the encampment.

Nae made sure to avoid being directly seen by any of them as she snuck out of the camp.

She then ran southward into a thick and dark forest, her feet shoeless.

She ran for several minutes before reaching a small pond where she painfully fell to her knees.

She then began weeping as flashes of the brutal scenes from before bombarded her mind.

She vomited what little contents her stomach held as she lay face flat on the cold damp ground.

Tears then began falling from her eyes as she gasped for air.

“Why?” Nae wheezed.

“I was so close.”

“What am I to do now?”

“Forgive me, great one.” Nae said as she retrieved an item from between her breasts.

A single crystalline tear.

She tightly held it as the pain from her fall subsided.

She then heard something move to the north and so she hurriedly stood up before running southward again.

Her chest and feet stung painfully, but she ran regardless.

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She eventually found a large tree which she quickly hid beneath as the darkness of the night hung.

She then raised the crystal tear in her hand as high as she could.

“Oh, great one. Hear my cries. What should I do? Everything is crumbling before mine eyes. My plans, my armies…” Nae whispered as she wept.

A faint Crack then formed on the tear. Several more developed before the tear turned into a fine, blue dust that had a faint glow to it.

[Seek the golden child of man.

Take him to that world’s peak.

Shatter all new bonds,

So the first may be mended]

An extremely deep voice said, causing the entire world to tremble.

“No! I already know that! Tell me how to proceed!” Nae yelled, straining her fragile chords.

She then tightly held her arms as cold, harsh winds blew by.

She was dressed in nothing other than her night gown and so her skin was exposed to the elements.

Nae checked the bag Tsuchi had given her. Within it, was several dried fruits, a gourd half filled with Sake, Tsuchi’s Tantō and a thin blanket.

She grabbed the blanket before quickly wrapping it around herself.

“Why must the Queen’s servants stand in my way?” Nae asked as she quivered uncontrollably.

Minutes turned into hours as Nae sat beneath the tree and the sun eventually began to rise.

Nae looked to the north as she cautiously stood.

She then made her way back towards the encampment.

She eventually arrived at the forest's northern edge and her heart immediately sank as she saw that almost all of the tents had been burnt or taken down. Replacing them, were piles of bodies and spotted here and there were flags which were embellished with a perfect circle.

Countless soldiers clad in red armour patrolled the encampment and not a trace of the grey clad warriors could be found.

Nae’s knees trembled as she watched a few of Tsuchi’s men being dragged towards a hole.

They were then hacked to pieces by their enraged captors before being tossed into the hole.

Nae’s stomach ached painfully as she watched the most gruesome scene.

She then stumbled back into the forest where she walked head first into several trees as her feet dragged her body along mindlessly.

Her eyes were half closed and her mouth hung agape, but regardless, southward she walked.

.

..

“Oh? What’s this?” Someone asked.

Nae heard the sound of footsteps approaching, but she was far too tired to even open her eyes.

“Dammit! Do those bastards treat all women like this?”

Another voice asked.

“Come. Help me move her to the shade.”

Nae then felt her body being gently carried.

She was then placed on some cool, dry grass. Allowing her body to cool.

“Mmm… we’ve been ordered to retreat, but we can’t just leave her like this.”

“Meh, she’ll be fine. Once those worms find one of their own, they’ll most likely take her back to one of their filthy villages-“

“What’s this? A bag?”

A third voice asked.

“Give it to me.”

The first voice said.

“What- an imperial Tantō! Where could she have gotten this?”

The first exclaimed as Nae slowly opened her eyes to find a trio of soldiers.

They all wielded various rusty weapons and wore armour made from scraps of leather.

“Could she be a thief?”

“That doesn’t make sense. How could she have gone all the way to the capital and returned here without getting caught or killed?”

“Hey, she’s awake.” The third man said.

“Hello. What’s your name?” The first asked rather gently.

“N-“

Nae tried speaking, but her throat ached far too painfully and was extremely dry.

“Mmm. This gourd of hers has a bit of Sake, but I think it would be best if we gave her some water.” The second man said before offering Nae a waterskin.

Nae accepted the container before drinking its contents.

The three men all blankly stared at her as she sat up.

“My name is Nae. I am- I was General Kotai Tsuchi’s retainer.” Nae said prompting two of the three soldiers to gasp simultaneously.

“Oh yes! I heard that he kept a mysterious woman by his side. Could you be her?” The first soldier asked.

“She’s probably lying.” The third said.

“Come on. Look at her. Does she look like a northerner to you?”

“You’re the one who just said she looked like one!” The third cried.

“That’s in the past! Anyway, allow us to introduce ourselves. Keii Umihara, at your service. That’s Yūnō and Erai.” Keii said with a sloppy bow.

“Pardon me for asking, but how did you end up in such a state? We heard that the main camp was attacked in the dead of night, but I didn’t think it would be so bad that even the great general’s retainer would be forced to flee.“

Nae nodded before recounting the events of the previous days.

From General Netsu’s supposed revival, General Hokubu’s arrival, the sudden push by the northerners and the nightmarish appearance of the silver clad assassins.

“My goodness.” Keii exclaimed.

“So that’s why they want us to retreat.”

“Tell us, retainer, is our defeat truly a foregone conclusion?” Erai asked.

“I don’t know.” Nae said with a lowered head.

“Mmm… what will you do now?” Keii asked.

“I… I don’t know.”

“Mmm.” Keii droned.

“You could come with us. Our captain said we should be retreating towards the Kawaita river soon. We’ll hold that line while our superiors decide our next course of action.”

Nae looked down in thought.

She looked at her scarred knees and blistered feet.

Tears then began welling in her eyes.

“Oh, no. Did I offend you in some way?” Keii asked as Nae silently wept.

“Ugh, let’s just leave her. What good is a retainer who couldn't even protect their master?” Arai asked as he walked away.

Keii ignored him before kneeling to face Nae, but his eyes instantly widened upon seeing that the expression on Nae’s face was not one of sadness or pain, but pure rage.

She glared at her small hands before squeezing them into fists as she bit her teeth.

“Keii, I’d like to make a request- no. I’d like you to serve under me.” Nae said, much to Keii’s confusion.

“W- what service could I possibly offer?” He asked nervously.

“You shall help me find Kuroppoi’s next general and help me take Chōten.”