Chapter 34 : Shadows of protection

The walls of the abandoned warehouse trembled under the pounding steps of heavy boots, the floor vibrating as soldiers stormed inside, their rifles held tightly. The air, already chilled by the onset of winter, seemed colder with the tension in the room.

“Break time’s over, runaways!” a soldier barked, his voice grating, echoing through the dimly lit space.

Mikuya’s heart skipped a beat. “They found us,” she said under her breath, her eyes narrowing. She glanced at Sora, who was already scanning the room for the best position to strike.

Before Mikuya could make a move, Sora launched himself at the first soldier, his body moving with an uncanny fluidity. His eyes glowed faintly as he activated his cursed energy, his aura crackling around him like a surge of electricity. His fist collided with the soldier's jaw, sending him sprawling to the ground in an instant.

Mikuya wasted no time, spinning and narrowly dodging another soldier's baton strike. She swept his legs from under him with a low kick, her feet grazing the cold concrete floor before springing back up to deliver a devastating elbow strike to his chest. He stumbled back, crashing into a stack of metal crates.

The soldier who had attacked Mikuya didn’t get up quickly enough before she spun around, landing a kick that sent him sprawling into the next man, who was already making his move toward Sora. Sora wasn’t fazed. He swung his arm, releasing a burst of cursed energy that sent a shockwave through the air. The blast hit the soldier square in the chest, sending him crashing backward into a pile of rusted barrels.

“They’re not backing down!” Sora shouted over the sound of the skirmish, blood dripping from a cut on his lip as he blocked a blow with his forearm, the cursed energy around him flaring with every strike.

“I didn’t expect them to!” Mikuya retorted, throwing a spinning kick that sent another soldier reeling. She glanced over her shoulder as Sora took down yet another soldier with a punch charged with cursed energy, his knuckles glowing blue as the blast sent the man slamming into the far wall.

The soldiers around them were falling, one by one, but Mikuya could hear the distant echo of more boots, more voices approaching. Time was running out.

“Move!” Mikuya shouted, grabbing her cloak and yanking it over her head as she dashed toward the back exit. Sora followed quickly, his eyes scanning the area for any remaining threats.

The cold wind from the outside greeted them as they burst into the alley, the sun now sinking lower, casting the city streets in deepening shadows. The cold was starting to bite, a reminder that winter was creeping in. The scent of snow and frost filled the air, though the first flakes hadn’t yet fallen. They would be soon.

“We can’t stay there anymore,” Mikuya muttered as they made their way through the winding streets, her cloak trailing behind her, blending with the shadowed surroundings. “We need to keep moving.”

Sora nodded, wiping blood from his mouth. “They’ll be hunting us harder now. We’re compromised.”

As they walked, they kept their heads down, both of them cloaked in dark robes that hid their identities. The streets were busy with people heading home for the night, their breath visible in the chilly air. Soldiers were scattered across the district, their eyes sharp as they watched for any signs of resistance. Mikuya and Sora kept to the shadows, avoiding eye contact, staying inconspicuous.

The distant hum of conversations, the shuffle of feet, and the clink of crates being moved faded into the background as Mikuya’s attention was drawn to something ahead. Two children, a little girl and a boy, were walking hand-in-hand through the crowd. The girl, barely eight, bumped into one of the soldiers, causing a loud clang as she collided with his armor.

“Watch where you’re going, brat!” the soldier growled, his hand instinctively moving to the rifle slung across his shoulder.

Before the girl could apologize, her older brother — around nine years old — stepped forward, his face flushed with panic but his posture protective. “I’m sorry! It was an accident!” he stammered, standing firm between his sister and the soldier.

The soldier’s eyes narrowed. “Talking back to a soldier, huh?” He sneered and raised his hand, slapping the boy across the face with enough force to send him stumbling. The crowd around them flinched but didn’t dare intervene.

The little girl cried out, her eyes wide with fear as she reached for her brother, but the soldier pushed her away.

“Stop!” their father shouted, rushing forward. “Please, don’t hurt them!”

But the soldier didn’t care. He shoved the parents back with a swift motion, growling as he grabbed the boy by the collar and hoisted him off the ground.

Mikuya felt a surge of anger rise within her. She could feel her pulse quicken, her fingers itching to act. She looked at Sora, who had already noticed the situation and was prepared to jump in.

But Mikuya’s thoughts flashed back to something she hadn’t thought about in years.

Six years old.

She remembered the sound of glass shattering, the vase falling from her hands and breaking into a thousand pieces. Her parents had screamed, their faces twisted in anger as they advanced on her. She had been so small, so terrified.

And then, she remembered Saito — her protector, even back then.

“You’re worthless, Mikuya!” her mother had shouted. “Do you know how much that vase cost?!”

Mikuya shrank back, tears welling in her eyes, but before her parents could strike, Saito, who was only nine at the time, had stepped between them.

“Stop yelling at her!” he had said with surprising authority, his voice firm. “She didn’t mean it!”

Saito had stood between her and their parents, his arms outstretched, his small body firm despite the overwhelming odds.

Mikuya’s heart clenched as she looked at the boy now — standing between the soldier and his sister with that same protective stance. She couldn’t let this happen again.

Without thinking, Mikuya pushed forward, breaking through the crowd. Her hood fell back slightly as she stepped between the soldier and the boy. The soldier turned, confused, but before he could react, Mikuya’s knee shot up into his chest with devastating force. The soldier staggered back, winded, before Sora moved in, grabbing the rifle from the soldier’s hands and smashing the stock against his helmet. The soldier crumpled, unconscious.

Mikuya turned to the boy, kneeling in front of him. “Are you alright?” she asked gently, her voice soft, yet firm.

The boy nodded, tears streaming down his face as he hugged his sister tightly.

Mikuya stood and turned toward the parents. They were crying, thanking her repeatedly, their voices trembling.

The boy, still clutching his sister’s hand, looked up at Mikuya with wide eyes. “Thank you… for saving us.”

Mikuya gave them a rare smile, her gaze softening. She leaned down, looking the boy in the eye.

“Always protect her,” she said, her voice steady. “No matter what happens.”

The boy nodded, his expression serious. He had understood.

With that, Mikuya turned to Sora. “We need to go,” she muttered, her eyes scanning the crowd for more soldiers. “Before more of them show up.”

They walked away, disappearing into the shadows, their cloaks blending with the evening darkness as they headed off to find a new place to hide — but Mikuya’s heart still lingered on the young boy and his sister. She hoped that, in the future, they would always stand up for each other — just like she had once done for herself, and Saito had done for her.