The Third Crossing

5. Cherry Blossom

After this long walk through the abandoned southern territory of Hokydo, the bag slung across her shoulder started to bother her. But not as much as the linen mask that made her want to scratch her nose. "Is this necessary?" Natsu asked Pantu, who seemed comfortable with the mask covering his face except for his eyes.

"Listen. If we are going to follow your wild ideas, then at least, listen to my precautions." Pantu led the way as they ascended the forested hill facing the Dragon Sea.

"My wild ideas?" Natsu warily repeated. "Are you implying something?"

Her deputy glanced over his shoulder, his forehead wrinkled. "No ill-intentions meant. Doing business with the mages directly is a bold move that might prove beneficial to us. But you can't deny that we are risking everything with such a move."

Natsu didn't stop ascending the hill as she said, "It's a risk we need for the time being." Three days had passed, and yet Natsu hadn't heard from Qianfan since their last meeting. Only a fool wouldn't see the impending conflict between her and him. "Unless you want to wait for Qianfan to strike first."

Pantu smiled nervously. "I was the one who advised you to seek allies. But I was talking about other players in our field, not the folks we all fear the most."

"Having those other players on our side will not guarantee a crucial victory over Qianfan." Besides, they may turn on us after we are done with our common enemy, Natsu thought, her eyes on the uneven ground she was stepping on lest she slip downhill and crush her bones. "The folks we fear the most will."

Nobody was at the hilltop when they reached it. Pantu walked across the cherry blossom trees to the opposite edge to see if their mysterious contact was coming from the other side of the hill. He had better show up soon, Natsu thought, gazing at the reddish horizon in the west, where the sun would fall in less than an hour. She would have to spend the night here if darkness fell. Descending this hill under moonlight would be a sure way to die.

The cool breeze at the hilltop kissed her cheeks as she ambled by the western edge, squinting in frustration at the abandoned foot of the hill. "Are you sure we are on the right hill?" she asked Pantu, looking at the other hills in this deserted area.

Pantu produced a map from his pocket. Spreading it with both hands, he kept looking from the hills around them to the map and back. "We are in the right place." He folded the map and returned it to his pocket. "Let's get some rest."

Natsu unstrapped the bag, put it on the ground, and grabbed a waterskin from it. "What is so particular about this hill?" she wondered after she wetted her parched throat. "Why on a hill in the first place? By hells and demons, this is Hokydo! We are not short of locations for secret meetings!"

Pantu sat on his haunches and drank from his waterskin. "My eyes in Oyoto tell me that they are extremely alert these days because of the Third Crossing announcement."

Natsu needed to digest the last part she heard. The Third Crossing? How did Pantu mention it so casually? Didn't he understand what he was talking about?

"The Goranians are back?" she muttered, still in shock. "Why would they invade our small islands? Don't they have enough lands in the continent they have stolen from us ages ago?"

Pantu chuckled. "It's us who will 'cross' the sea this time."

"You sure about that?" Natsu had never thought she would live that long to witness this moment. "The Third Crossing." Natsu tittered. "Who came up with this brilliant name? It's not a good omen." The Second Crossing was the darkest moment in Koyan history. The moment that had started a new age of suffering for generations of Koyans on these wretched islands. "Our defeat will be even more devastating this time." The Goranians now were far more advanced than the barbarians who had vanquished the Koyans' finest mages centuries ago.