Chapter 18 Part 2: Route and Capture

Mei ran up the tree. Her head twisted to look back at him before vanishing altogether. Seeing her in action, Jun’s jaw dropped. A few leaves rustled as she weaved across the canopy. Jun prayed that there was only one Kasai up there. He steadied a breath and then pushed his senses. His lip quivered, the memory of his last breakthrough, threatening to undermine his thoughts. Flashes of Elain’s ice chilled his heart and he gritted his teeth.

His heart hammered.

Then time seemed to slow. He jerked his gaze up, noticing the small shiver of leaves heading towards Mei. He took one deep breath as he hunched, ready to pounce. Mei shouted, her voice coming in slow. The leaves shook violently and Jun circulated his prayer. He pushed off and collided with the person, drawing his sword.

The shriek alerted others before Jun could knock them out. His eyes darted around, noticing the swaying branches. Mei nodded as their eyes met and they returned to the ground, running back towards Tarron—the body slung across Jun’s shoulder.

They made it to the safety of the base camp and sighed in relief.

“That’s the tenth one,” Solara greeted them. “Now hurry and heal the others. I can’t keep them stable forever.”

Jun huffed as he set the Kasai man down. He grabbed his limp hand and placed it on the nearest victim, allowing Mei to tie up their newest capture.

This was…. an unconventional method of dealing with things. It was all thanks to the Kasai’s family trademark. They never got captured. At least, on paper. In reality, if they ever were captured, they would poison themselves from a packet in their mouths.

He found the poisons already circulating within his patient and he quickly burned it away. He moved to the next as he grumbled about the nature of this.

Allowing them to think they won by poisoning themselves, only to be broken when they awoke was a type of torture. It made his stomach churn. It was also the simplest and kindest method, short of killing them.

He burned away the other poisons in time for their captive to wake.

“Where?” As soon as the captive saw the others, and the healers, Jun heard the teeth grind as the man went out cold. Mei poked him.

“Yup. He’s paralyzed as well now. Should be out in a few minutes.”

The nonchalant tone made his skin shiver. As much as he was grateful for her skills and training, he didn’t like this side of his daughter as much.

He waited a few minutes while Mei guided the man to the ground. Then after he was unconscious, he healed him, burning away the poison. Mei kept him bound and set him off to the side as more were brought in.

By the end of the first day, they had captured twenty six.

Jun waited with Mei as the first woke from their self induced coma.

Mei was the one who led the interrogation. From that exchange, they learned the names of those in charge and how to identify them. The first three who woke were grateful to be done, but the fourth put up a fight and Jun forced his prayer into him. He counter circulated his blood till he passed out.

Mei shrunk back from him and Jun felt his stomach chill. He shook his head when she started to speak and they continued through the rest. Out of the twenty six, five were more loyal to the Matriarch and therefore more troublesome. The rest either were relieved to meet him or asked to sleep, still stunned about what they experienced.

“That was…. Cold of you, old man.” Mei expressed as they stretched, heading to their tents.

“No less than you. I know I didn’t teach you that.”

“Okay, but knowing what the Kasai do… if I had somehow been in that situation, then I would have been so… well… something. That would be terrifying, the way you said ‘I can eliminate poisons, and had lots of practice’ or however you said that… I just don’t know if my soul would have stayed after that.”

“Well. You can dream about it all you want. I personally want to stop talking about that so I can hopefully get some sleep.”

Mei grew silent at his remark and they separated before turning in for bed.

Their expectations for the next day were an understatement. While the Jinshari and Kasai struggled to get near with Tarron around, that didn’t mean they could get out without receiving multiple attacks. Jun found himself healing more than sneaking.

On the third day, the leaders came out and demanded the return of the captives. Jun refused, saying that they were his people. Later that night, some of the Kasai asked to join them. Jun refused unless they poisoned themselves, which deterred three whom Mei pointed out were not Kasai. The others underwent the challenge and were healed, freeing them in some ritualistic way.

The fourth day, they attacked the mine.

****************

Jun counted ten, no, fifteen targets. Mei dashed out, drawing their attention. Jun followed, breaking into his heightened state. He kept his sword sheathed and pushed past Mei, their targets pursuing. They would be overwhelmed unless then got closer to the others, but Tarron’s presence meant they had to get far enough away that they would be followed.

Despite his extra speed, and pulling Mei along, five of the fifteen were gaining. Jun turned his attention forward. Ten second. They would be overtaken in the next ten seconds.

Nine. Jun spotted Arvad and Christopher up ahead. They wouldn’t make it.

Eight. He shook his head.

Seven. He stilled his feet, grounding as he yanked.

Six, five. Mei yowled as he hurled her. The surprising maneuver gave him another second.

Five. He pivoted and turned on the pursuers.

Four. He yanked out his sword.

Three. Two. One.

As his blade crossed with an opponent, two slipped past, going after Mei. Jun ground his teeth and took on two more, back-pacing as best he could. Daggers and sword weaved in and out. Jun felt his hand clatter with each impact. He tripped over a root and rolled, his heightened mind barely keeping up.

Someone growled as their weapon lodged. Jun stood as another attack came for him. He pivoted, going for the hindered attacker, then felt a strange heat rise from the ground.

Jun Jumped to the side as screeches signaled he had evaded the attack in time.

As Jun’s head popped out of the bushes, Mei was dashing towards him The other ten attackers hesitated as she appeared. No. Arvad and Christopher also joined. Jun smiled. She had made it in time.

As they fought off the leaders, mostly Jinshari, Jun heard a high pitch squeal. Eyes darted towards the source, skyward, as a flash of light illuminated above the location of the mine. The leaders hesitated again, some splitting off to check on things, while Jun’s team picked them off. Christopher pulled out a carving and channeled his prayer. Lightning struck at the nearest two enemies.

The ground lit as Arvad ran past. Mei’s command kept them in sync.

Christopher’s cheers as more strikes hit made Jun snap at him, keeping him focused on the fight.

Jun began counting enemies as they fell. One. Two. Five. Six. Ten. Eleven?

Had he miscounted? The number kept rising. Jun was on twenty when Mei’s words rose above the fight.

“There’s more inbound! Retreat!”

Jun disengaged. Christopher stuffed away his runes, stretching out his hand. From his feet, smoke erupted, smothering the fires and racing towards the newcomers. The group ran to where Tarron waited for them.

Jun whistled a shrill pitch, causing some of the pursuers to hesitate. Those who didn’t ran into a fire wall as it sprung up between them. Their cries as they burned made Jun envious of the others as they covered their ears. As they came to the hilltop, Jun greeted Tarron with labored breaths.

Their eyes looked back, seeing the Jinshari trying to find a way around. Tarron didn’t surround their group with fire in a defense, instead he guided the enemies till they were surrounded. He slowly worked the flame in until it consumed them. Jun while grateful for the added distance still shivered at the sound.

“We’re wrapped up over here!” Anise’s chipper voice chimed. Solara was with the other group and she was walking while healing some students who were being carried.

As Anise and Carl reported on the situation, Christopher wrangled one arm around Jun’s shoulders.

“Well, how’s that for a job well done.” He laughed. “But you do know I still need to pick that brain of yours. Right?”

The abrupt change in conversation made Jun laugh. Christopher was a merchant, through and through.

“Alright, alright.” Jun slid out, a sly grin forming. “You can pick my brain, but I get to ask a few questions in exchange.”

“Oh?” Christopher’s eyes flashed, grinning.

“Tell me about the Red Silver Saint.”