June 20. Fourteen going on fifteen years old. Saishuu Riku.

A streak of red clouds ran across the horizon, bringing with them the stars of twilight. We’d passed through the forest a few days ago, and after spending so much time between trees, the open ground gave me goosebumps. Unruly grass brushed our knees. A distant splashing sound signalled that River Kin was ahead of us, though we couldn’t see it yet. Once we crossed that, we’d be in Mori Chuo’s territory. We wouldn’t have to worry about any swordsman dogging us, as we’d be out of Heikisato’s jurisdiction.

Though there was a bridge only a few hours away, swordsmen no doubt patrolled the area. We’d have to swim across the river. I sighed. My swimming skills had much to be desired for.

‘Mind your every step,’ Dr Chiasa whispered, looking around with narrowed eyes. ‘There’s always a lot of traps between borders. Especially outside designated crossing points.’

I glared at the gravel beneath me, my little torch illuminating a section of the meadow we were in. It looked clear, for another few centimetres at least.

Daisuke, who walked in front of the rest with Ahio, held out his arm, stopping the other boy. ‘The ground here is odd.’ He crouched down. ‘Smooth and shiny, Like it’s made of…granite.’

‘Duck!’ Dr Chiasa’s eyes widened as she pushed Tsubasa down beside her.

A rushing sound blew through the air just as I moved. Several somethings hit me from the left, throwing me onto the gravel. Rocks scraped against my skin. I reached out for my staves, but my hands caught in a net of rope. Inner spirit burning in my palms, I pushed with both hands, but the net didn’t budge. Ropes crisscrossed over my vision. I’m trapped.

More wooshes and thuds sounded around me, and my heart drummed against my ribs, muffling those out. It can’t end like this. Fingertips sparking with inner spirit, I struck the rope as hard as I could, pain shooting across my arm in protest. It can’t end like this!

Through the grass and ropes obscuring my vision, I glimpsed a woman strutting towards us. Her dark clothes blended in the twilight sky, and she held a small crossbow in her arms. ‘I was hoping you were out of shape,’ she said.

Dr Chiasa leapt at her, her blade slashing across the air. The woman swirled away, more as if she were dancing than fighting. A silver insignia decorated the back of her hooded cape.

‘Now, that’s a rude way to greet an old friend, Chiasa,’ she said, her voice lilting as though this were a game. ‘Do you treat your patients this way?’

‘And it wasn’t rude to take out my team?’ Dr Chiasa spoke through clenched teeth. She swung her blade at the woman, but she leapt away with ease.

‘You’re criminals, I’m only working on my orders.’ She shot an arrow at Dr Chiasa, but it whistled through empty air as she dodged. ‘Besides, what team?’ She danced away from Dr Chiasa’s dagger and notched her crossbow. ‘Last I checked, Toju was your teammate.’ A smirk on her face, she dodged another strike and positioned her bow. ‘Oh, I forgot, you killed him.’

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For a split second, Dr Chiasa froze. But that was enough. The little arrow pierced her shoulder before she could move away.

No! My eyes stung and the rope cut against my palms as I shoved as hard as I could. Yet still, they wouldn’t tear. Dr Chiasa dropped to the ground, jaw clenched as she glared at the woman before her. ‘How...how dare you?’ Her words came out slurred.

The woman shrugged and turned around to me, her crossbow notched yet again. ‘Don’t worry kid, it’s just a tranquiliser.’

A sharp pain pierced through my arm, and the world grew darker and darker.

***

June 20. Fourteen going on fifteen years old. Saishuu Riku.

Unintelligible words sounded around me, pounding a headache into my head. My legs, my fingers, even my eyelids felt stiff and immovable. Someone coughed far away. Or were they beside me? A bitter fluid filled my mouth, the pungent odour churning my stomach. Wake up. Wake up.

‘Wake up!’

With a hacking cough, I opened my eyes. The bitter taste remained in my mouth, making me gag. Urgh, what is that?

Dr Chiasa knelt in front of a sleeping Daisuke, pushing something into his mouth. The others were sprawled around us, Ahio and Tsubasa looking around and grimacing while Maya was still out of it. Long grass struck out between us.

‘Don’t spit it out. It helps wear off the sedative.’ Dr Chiasa said.

‘What?’ I choked out.

‘Yami leaf extract. It’s the antidote to the standard issue sedative given to special squads, which is also derived from Yami leaves.’ Daisuke woke up coughing and gagging. ‘Don’t spit it out. I’m not allowed to take any from the hospital supply, but I thought we might need it.’

‘Where...where is the swordsman?’ Ahio breathed out.

‘I came to just as she lowered us into this pit-- I had a Yami pill between my teeth. Her carriage is probably on the road a few kilometres away.’ Dr Chiasa strode towards Maya.

‘P-pit?’ Tsubasa adjusted his glasses.

I blinked and looked around. The floor was hard and smooth, though grass sprouted out of it, and there were walls around us, as dark as the sky above.

‘It’s a sort of trap, made to keep someone captive after you ambush them along the border. The whole thing is built of granite and makes a false floor that could be lowered down.’ She sighed. ‘I guess I am getting rusty.’

Daisuke staggered to his feet. ‘How do we get out?’

‘Maybe we could make footholds on the walls. Then we can climb out.’ said Ahio.

‘I doubt we can do it before she comes back, or at all. The walls are very strong.’ Maya came to with a cough, and Dr Chiasa repeated her instructions.

‘A grappling hook?’ I asked.

‘The granite spreads at least a metre around the periphery of the pit, and there aren’t any trees to get a hold of either.’

‘Then what are we going to do?’ Ahio shouted and stomped his feet. ‘She’s going to drug us and take us back!’

Dr Chiasa sighed. ‘I think our best option is to pretend we’re still sedated when she comes back. Then when she raises the pit to collect us, we’d have to attack her. Though I’m not sure if she’d be alone. Usually, special swordsmen work in teams of two or three. They must’ve been spread thin across the border for her to be here alone.’

I clenched my fists. Was this where it all ended? A showdown with special swordsmen where there was no way we’d win? What had we done so different from the manga that we were caught while the characters crossed the border with little trouble?

‘What about…’ Daisuke bit his lower lip, shifting his doe like eyes at each of us. ‘What about a spell?’