Saikō no Chitsujo

Chapter 5: Fire and ice.

"To think I would be requested to quell a rebellion, good grief." Arata said in exasperation as he shielded his eyes with his hand. The sunny clear skies revealed the imperial army along with its leaders. Esdeath urged her horse closer to the cliff as she studied the prospective battlefield, a small smile gracing her lips. "If you can't keep up then you should return." She said taunting Arata. With a sigh, he returned his gaze to the land before him. "If they were simply battling for their freedom and battling against oppression, then I would not have gotten involved. But those human scum are just bloodthirsty and leave nothing but pain and destruction in their wake for no just cause, that I would not tolerate." Arata said irritated, his grip tightening on his horse's reins.
"Then why did you sound displeased about the mission?" Esdeath asked, brow raised.
"I know how the empire, specifically your subordinates, suppress rebellions. It is inhumane." He replied, glancing from the soldiers behind him to Esdeath.
"Oh, is that so?" She asked with a taunting smile. Arata hopped off his horse, dusting off his full plate as he touched down. Gesturing down the hill, he faced Esdeath. "Shall we get this over with?" She nodded in response, ordering her soldiers as she guided her horse downhill.
"Please! Please, I beg you!"A prone woman said between tears as a brawny man leaned over her, ripping her gown apart. "I haven't had my fun yet, now have I?" He sneered licking his lips as he scanned her exposed form.
"What do you think you are doing, mongrel?" Arata glared at the man, his tone ice cold. The rebel yelled in confusion and drew his blade, a circular trail of blood following shortly as a soft thud behind the man broke the momentary silence. He slowly looked at his left hand, the woman's scream breaking him out of his stupor as he noticed his limb's absence. Clutching the stump left behind as it bled, the rebel collapsed to the ground with a loud groan.
Turning to face her, Arata shielded the woman from the view, covering her with the cloak from his back. "I apologize for showing you such a horrendous sight. Are you harmed in any way?" Shaking her head in reply, Arata gave her a small smile. "Can you show me where the rest of your people are?" Shuddering as she clutched Arata's cloak tightly, she pointed at the nearest tent to theirs. Arata gave her another smile and covered her face with the hood attached to his cloak. Turning to the groaning rebel, bright white arcs of lightning surrounded his right palm as he placed it on his head; ash and the sick smell of burnt flesh, the only residues.
"Can you walk?" Arata faced the woman, sincere concern reflected in his eyes.
"Y-yes." She muttered between occasional sobs.
Upon leaving the tent, Arata was met with the chaos that was the clash between the imperial soldiers, with Esdeath at the lead and the disordered rebels. Startled by the chaos, the woman stumbled back but was caught by Arata. "You need not worry, I will protect you." Arata said calmly, guiding her through the commotion, hand in hand.
"Oh, what's this?" A soldier leered at the women who huddled together in the tent, frightened.
"Quite the catch eh? They'll be enough to relieve ourselves, won't they?" His comrade asked, grinning so repulsively that the women all shrunk back from the two.
"Of course they will. Since it's first come first serve, I'll..."
"YOU, JUST WHAT DO YOU THNK YOU ARE DOING, MONGREL?" Arata's voice froze them in their tracks, shivers running through both their spines. He walked forward, still staring at them while he spoke, his tone ice cold. "THE BOTH OF YOU MUST LET THE REST OF THE SOLDIERS KNOW THAT SHOULD ANY OF THEM LAY A FINGER ON ANY OF THE HOSTAGES, I WILL BEHEAD THEM."
"Y-yes sir!" the soldiers scampered out of the tent. Sighing, Arata turned to the women hurdled together. "You need not worry, none of you shall be harmed."
"General, I have the report."
"Go ahead." Esdeath replied, her gaze on the camp before her.
"The rebels have surrendered and we have swept through the camp, no others remain." The soldier ended with a salute.
"Good, take me to them." Esdeath stated, steering her horse to follow the soldier who led the way.
"Oh and General. I ordered that the men from this village that were forced to fight alongside the rebels be separated."
"Are you a fool?" Esdeath asked, her calm gaze changing into a frown. "What is your mission soldier?"
"Subduing the rebellion in this region, General."
"Then who gave you the permission to separate them? They're all traitors to the empire and they will be judged accordingly, do you understand?"
"Yes, General Esdeath." The soldier replied, downcast. Returning her gaze to her front, she frowned at the soldiers who scurried to her. "What's the meaning of this?" Esdeath asked, her tone hinting at irritation.
"General, Arata-sama is interfering with your orders!" One of them said, his expressions a mixture of anger and fear.
"In what way exactly?" Esdeath asked, her lips tilting up in a mocking smirk. The soldiers looked at each other mumbling. "So you wish to stand against someone favored by the emperor himself? Creatures as pitifully weak as you should know their place." She sneered, directing her mount towards the captured rebels.
Arata glanced back, spotting the approaching Esdeath. "Did you have anything to do with the order to release the so-called innocents among the rebels?" She asked as she stood beside him.
"Hm, I wonder. It would seem that kind of accusation cannot be avoided considering the kind of person I am." Arata stated, facing her. "Although I did not give the order, I support it." He ended, crossing his arms with an impassive expression.
"You are making things difficult, Arata-sama." Esdeath stated with a sigh.
"I would appreciate it if you were to respect my decision, General." Arata said softly, his gaze returning to the camp.
"We will have our battle once we're done with the subjugation here." Esdeath frowned, crossing her arms.
"I will gladly accept the spar with you, General." Arata smiled. The calls of a bird attracted the two as it circled over them. "A messenger bird?" Arata asked as Esdeath held out her arm, the bird landing on it. She reached for a small bag attached to the bird's leg and pulled out a paper. Unfolding it, she read silently. "Two strongholds destroyed..." Esdeath muttered with a small smile.
"Is there a problem, General?" Arata asked, a brow raised.
"Yes it seems there is." Esdeath stated with a small smile.
Sighing at her antics, Arata asked. "Do you mind explaining further, General?"
"Apparently two strongholds, a few miles from us were destroyed and the third has been predicted, so I am to subdue the perpetrators." Esdeath replied, freezing the letter in her palm and shattering it.
"Could it be the army of the resistance?" Arata inquired.
"The letter stated a small group of people were the suspects." She stated, her eyes scanning the camp.
"Night raid?"
"Most likely, I'll head out now so I can at least cut off their escape."
"I could get you there quite fast, that is if you do not mind."
"I appreciate the offer Arata-sama, but I would like if you were to remain here and oversee the remainder of the subjugation, after all I will have a group of soldiers follow me." Esdeath turned to him, her eagerness to go reflected in her entire form.
Studying her for a moment, Arata sighed and frowned slightly. "If you run into the Order of Flames, please be wise enough to retreat, he is not someone that you can handle alone."
"I appreciate your concern, Arata-sama." Esdeath stated with a small smile. Turning away, she mounted her horse and soon left the camp. Arata sighed, returning to the soldiers.
Two citadels destroyed in an instant, could Hijiri have anything to do with that? The revolutionary army must be moving to the capital from that region. But if Hijiri did attack the citadels, there would be no way he would let anyone escape, so just how did the empire come to know about the fall of the strongholds?
SOMETHING IS NOT RIGHT.
I believe so.
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