Chapter 13: The Despair after the Storm...A New Crisis on the Horizon

PREVIOUS: Chapter 12

NEXT: Chapter 14

Gaikyo's people fought hard against the dastardly forces of Haiirosen. Young or old, man or woman, hunter or witch -- all fought to protect their city from exploding arrows and sharpened spears. Though Gaikyo's people inflicted great losses upon the men of Haiirosen, they paid a heavy cost for their bravery. Young men had been hewn down or blown apart. Countless elder witches had been slaughtered, leaving many a family motherless. Too many lower witches were carried off to a fate that would leave them wishing for the release of death.

But despite all the pain and struggle, the people of Gaikyo did it. The Haiirosen forces were sent running back to their walled city, leaving as suddenly as they came. When the last cavalryman left, the people of Gaikyo threw up a mighty cheer.

However, while the battle was over, the cleanup remained. Mutilated corpses, both friend and foe, littered the streets. Several of the wood-and-paper buildings had been reduced to ash, erasing generations of hard work.

People wandered the streets tired and hungry, having expended so much effort fighting the enemy. As one battle ended, a new one began.

Toya Oshima sat on a small cot under a tent that was crowded with patients. Lower witches of all stripe colors moved this way and that, fetching bandages, taking out pans of waste, and tending to everyone. The whole place smelled like the inside of an outhouse.

It's a miracle that I've got all my limbs, Toya thought. Several men next to him were not so lucky. But Toya wasn't completely off the hook, since he had lost a lot of blood. If not for Angira's healing magic, he'd be among the corpses being laid out on the streets.

Motoko Arai, a lower witch with a blue stripe on her skirt, approached him. Over her shoulder was a stained burgundy piece of cloth. This confused Toya at first, but everything became clear when he glanced at the girl's hand. In it was a broken staff with a distinct golden-colored axe head and white jewel. In her other hand was a canteen of water.

"Um, I brought some water," Motoko said as she handed over the canteen.

"Thank you," Toya said as he took it. He drank a large gulp of the stuff at once.

"But also..." Motoko trailed off, and she laid down the cloth and the broken staff.

It can't be. Say it isn't so, Toya thought as he took a closer look at the items. This was Natsuru's staff -- and Natsuru's dress. The stain on the dress was a huge bloodstain.

Motoko looked Toya in the eye. "All the bodies were in pieces where these were found. No bodies could be identified precisely, and...we lost Machida-sensei..." The lower witch burst into tears.

Toya put a hand on her shoulder to comfort her. "Everyone lost people here, but the Haiirosen people will be back, so you've gotta stay strong."

"But you were supposed to marry her," Motoko said.

"I know, but that's not an option anymore. We're just going to have to move on without her," Toya said.

What am I telling this girl? Natsuru...you were everything to me. I wanted to share the fruits of victory with you, but fate had other plans, Toya thought. Even in his weakened and saddened state, he couldn't show any of his inner turmoil. He had to be strong for Azure Bastion and strong for Gaikyo. Everything was his responsibility.

Toya guzzled the rest of his water, and Motoko rushed off to tend to other patients.

#

Several homes had been destroyed in Haiirosen's raid, and Oshima's was among them, part of an indiscriminate campaign of destruction. Thus Oshima chose to rest his head in the Onodera Estate, still weak from all his blood loss. He used Natsuru's room, and it was still very much a woman's room, with its paintings of serene landscapes, the array of cosmetics near the mirror, and the three dresses in the closet.

However, it wasn't the reminders of the love of his life that tore him up, it was that he couldn't be out with everyone helping to clean the city up. So Toya just sat on the bed, thinking to himself.

It was at this point that a strange chatter arose from the outside. Toya opened the window to hear what it was, but he still couldn't make out what was being said -- the Estate was just too far away from the city center, so he could only catch words like 'opportunity' or 'victory.'

But out of nowhere, he heard heavy footfalls from downstairs coming his way. Toya mustered his strength and went to his sword, but when the door opened, it only revealed a fellow Azure Bastion man named Shigeru Fukuda.

"Hold on, I'm not here to attack you. I come with great news!" Shigeru said.

Toya put down his sword. "And what means is that?"

"I overheard one of the enemy cavalrymen talking into one of those weird stones. He said a bunch of dinosaurs are heading straight for Haiirosen! Sensei, this is our one chance to take those bastards down for good!" Shigeru said.

At first, Toya was heartened by this news, for it meant the war could come to a swift end in Gaikyo's favor. However, something Natsuru told him a few weeks ago gave him pause.

"Fetch Akazora and Shimada and the rest as well as Yahara and Kakutani. We will convene a war council to decide on our next move," Toya answered.

"Right away," Shigeru said. He left the room in a hurry.

I hope they don't have any crazy ideas about attacking. Pan's trying to bait us into a trap, Toya thought. He would have to muster all his persuasive powers if he wanted to push the people of the city away from such a disastrous course.

#

In the lobby on the ground floor, Toya sat at the head of the table for the war council. Everyone was anxious to get started, so Toya went through opening remarks quickly. Yae Utoku, one of the lower witches formerly under Natsuru's tutelage, recorded a summary of what was being discussed.

After a recap of Gaikyo's current dire situation, Shimada got to the important part.

"The dinosaurs are tearing down Haiirosen's forces as we speak. They're distracted, and soon they will be shorthanded as well. Let us not repeat Machida's error; let us strike now when they are weak," Shimada said.

"I second Shimada. Justice demands vengeance for this horrific attack on our city," Akazora added. The other men also agreed, as did the elder witches.

"Hold!" Toya said, his voice booming. "Machida spoke of meeting with Pan when she went to search for my men that one time a few weeks ago. Pan lays Haiirosen's crimes against nature at our feet as well, so this may be the beginning of a larger attack."

Shimada wasn't having it.

"I know you miss her, but that doesn't mean you have to do things her way," Shimada said.

Angira spoke up. "No, I agree with Oshima; if Haiirosen had to call back their soldiers, this is no ordinary attack."

Satomi also backed Toya's position. "Kakutani's right. Pan made his displeasure with us clear, to hear Machida tell it. An attack on Gaikyo is only a matter of time, so we need everyone here just in case."

"It's not going to take long! We just go in, hit Haiirosen, then come back before dinos attack us," Akazora answered.

"Pan will time it for when we leave," Toya said.

"Then everyone with hands should fight their hardest. Haiirosen has to be removed from play right now, preferably before the dark months," Akazora answered.

"No, we wait for the dark months. That is when Pan is likeliest to attack us; we need every advantage we can muster in preparation for that time," Toya said.

Now an elder witch named Yamane cut in. "How do you know this? Did you hear what Pan said? We can deal with Pan after we deal with Isesaki."

"Come on, Oshima's making sense!" Satomi said.

"Listen, honey. Any solution that doesn't involve putting that slit-mouthed bitch in her place is unacceptable," Yamane answered.

"Seconding Yamane. Isesaki tore apart our city and our families. We have to get her now that she is weak," Akazora added.

"And if Pan attacks while all our men are away?" Toya asked.

"Then we elder witches will pick up the slack, as will the lowers," Yamane answered.

"It's what the people want, and it's what we want. We're going after Haiirosen whether you want it or not," Shimada added.

A defeated Toya gave in and stopped arguing.

"We will now take a vote on the question 'Should Gaikyo attack Haiirosen while it is preoccupied with defending against a dinosaur assault?' All in favor, raise your right hand," Toya said.

Most of the hands around the table went up. Yae counted the hands and noted them down.

"All against," Toya said. Abstentions were not permitted in the war council; everyone had to make a decision on the question at hand. Only a meager few hands said 'no,' including Angira, Satomi, and Toya himself. To Toya's surprise, Yae voted 'no.'

But as disappointed as Toya was with the outcome, he had to accept the results of the vote.

"The war council has spoken. Effective immediately, the City of Gaikyo shall launch a counterattack on the City of Haiirosen. Utoku, draw up the orders and post them throughout the city. This war council is hereby adjourned," Toya said.

#

It was the sleeping hour, but no one was sleeping. The signs proclaiming the war council's decision were posted everywhere, much to the delight of the people. The decision on how to distribute the forces was left to Toya, and his decision was a simple one: the young men will attack, and the witches will stay behind and defend. However, Toya would remain behind to lead the defenders, as would Shimada and Akazora.

Toya was still a bit weak from the blood loss, but he wasn't going to use it as an excuse to shirk his duties. He directed the lower witches to use debris from destroyed buildings to make barricades, while Shimada came up with the ingenious idea of digging sinkholes for the dinos to fall into. The lower and elder witches approached the tasks with great fervor, moved by both the loss of beloved family and friends and a desire to defend the city that was their home.

A weary Toya sat on a bench after directing the construction of a spiked barricade on the southern edge of the city.

Yae approached him, her white blouse stained with dirt and sweat. She sat next to Toya.

"You miss Machida-sensei, don't you?" she said.

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't. I know people think of her as spineless, and maybe I was a little too harsh with her at times, but she did care, and when it counted she stepped up. I'd do anything to have her back," Toya answered.

Yae pouted. "I miss her too. I always admired how mature and in control she was, and I was really looking forward to seeing you two get married."

"Guess it's my fault for putting it off for so long," Toya said.

"And Hina-chan...with everything that's happened, there's no way she's alive," Yae added.

"Everything's crumbling around us, and now Pan wants to kick us while we're down. We've suffered enough," Toya said.

"That we have, but we will win," Yae answered.

"That gives me an idea -- one I will need you for," Toya said.

"What idea is that?" Yae asked.

"We will speak to Pan and plead our case," Toya answered.

"Speak to him? But why would he even talk to us?" Yae asked.

"I don't know if he will, but what I do know is that Gaikyo cannot withstand another major attack. If anything has even the smallest chance of easing our burden, we should try it," Toya answered.

Yae looked away and blushed. "After Machida-sensei told me about Pan, I looked him up in th elibrary. The books say that he enjoyed young women."

"You coming with me will give me an advantage for sure, but I think you have another concern," Toya answered.

"I do. It's just that...if saving Gaikyo means giving myself up to him, I will do it," Yae said.

Toya put his foot down.

"I do not want to hear that nonsense out of your mouth again. This Republic rejects human sacrifice in all its forms, not just the slaughter of infants," Toya said.

"But hasn't everyone been sacrificing themselves to stop the enemy? How is my plan any different?" Yae asked.

"There is a huge difference. We're not trying to die; everyone would live if we could manage it. But you plan to surrender your body outright. There's no fighting chance, no way to avoid being sullied," Toya answered.

Yae twiddled her fingers. "I wasn't trying to push human sacrifice as some sort of good thing. I just want to protect everyone, and if that means letting Pan carry me off, I'm fine with that."

"Yae, you have to think beyond this immediate crisis. I will state the truth of what happened, and stories of Yae Utoku, the lower witch who sacrificed herself to Pan, will circulate. Slowly but surely, human sacrifice will become more acceptable because of its association with you. Do you want that?"

Toya's words gave Yae pause.

"That sounds terrible, but I don't see any other option. You'll probably need me to get a conversation with him," Yae said.

"An unfortunate truth, but there has to be a way around this," Toya answered.

"I'm not sure what that way would be. Given how dire our situation is, it'll be just like dying in battle," Yae said.

"Let's think on it some more. There's gotta be a solution to this," Toya answered.

"But it's pretty clear that we don't have time. If we're gonna do this, we have to hurry it up," Yae said.

"Another unfortunate truth. I guess I have to allow the risk if Gaikyo is to be saved," Toya answered.

"So it's decided?"

"Yeah. Now go get cleaned up; we're about to meet a god."

#

To avoid the inevitable rumors, Toya convened the war council again to explain his plan involving Yae. He figured that if anyone could dispel rumors of impropriety, it was the council.

Though Angira raised objections, everyone else including Satomi was okay with the plan, saying that any idea was better than no idea, even if it created possible moral hazards in the future ("We're waist-deep in trouble right now. We can't worry about what people who aren't born yet will think of us fifty years after we're dead," was Satomi's specific rebuttal to Angira's objection.) This changed Angira's mind, and thus the council voted unanimously to not only allow the expedition to speak to Pan, but allow Yae to sacrifice herself to him should it be necessary to secure Gaikyo's safety.

As Toya and Yae set out, they could only think about what a momentous decision this was.

PREVIOUS: Chapter 12

NEXT: Chapter 14