Sureiyazu

Episode 63: On the Other Side

Around the back of the castle, on a narrow stone stairway cut into the mountain, Kasai and Aya, accompanied by two soldiers, Hachirou, and Taichi, were escaping.

Taichi and one soldier were carrying Aya's stretcher, while Hachirou supported Kasai, and the last soldier kept his sword drawn, on the lookout for any trouble.

"Not much longer," said the one helping to carry the stretcher. "The room is just a little farther down the mountain."

Kasai laughed painfully. "Yeah. Like you need to guard us from danger." But when Hachirou looked at her, she fell silent.

This moments of quiet wouldn't have been so uninviting any other time - the view was perfectly picturesque. Below them, in gently fading light, they could see the rocks cascading down the mountain into rolling hills that gave way to miniature towns. Trees grew up around them, with bare, slender branches that held up little piles of snow in their fingers. Yes, any other time the view would be wonderfully unreal, like something out of a story.

But Kasai was wounded. Aya hadn't woken.

And the Army's headquarters were under attack.

"Are you certain you know where this secret room is?" Taichi sighed impatiently. "We'll be halfway down the mountain before you realize we've passed it."

"We've had enough drills," the other soldier said, stopping suddenly to place his hand on a particular rock. "I think I know where it is."

Taichi grumbled.

In a moment, with a grinding and a creaking, a large stone moved out of the way to reveal the room they had been looking for.

Inside the secret room, the walls were bare brick and the floor was unfinished. Rations and bandages and potions and maps lined the walls. There were a few beds and benches, and multiple weapon racks, fully stocked.

"Seems prepared," Hachirou said. "But how hidden is this thing really?"

"It's warded against any lesser or average demon," the soldier with his sword out said. "We'll test it today, that's for sure."

"Hm." Hachirou looked around, dissatisfied.

Taichi and the other guard were settling Aya into a bed, gathering ingredients and materials to measure how long, at most, they would be able to sustain her there. But they turned up little that would be of much use.

"Been out for a few weeks now, huh?" the soldier said.

"Yes," said Taichi.

"Sad to see," the first said. "How much longer are you gonna give it?"

Taichi stopped in his tracks, looking sharply at him. "What did you say?"

The guard was flustered. "I mean, not many wake up after being asleep this long. Could be the Demon's Kiss, for all we know . . ."

"I am going to give it as long as it takes," Taichi said coldly.

Across the room, Hachirou mouthed, Yikes.

Kasai cracked a half-smile before her face was overcome with sadness again.

"So how long could we hold out here?" Hachirou asked after helping Kasai to sit down and get comfortable.

"We have enough rations to sustain ourselves for weeks if needed, and that's including water," said Taichi. "But considering Aya needs supplies we simply don't have . . . I would put it at a day or two at most."

Hachirou rubbed his temples. "The other guys are strong. They can keep the demons off us, can't they?"

"I certainly hope so," Taichi grumbled.