That Bastard

I wrapped my arms around Wuwei's mane, heart pounding.

"Let's see how fast you can run."

Those blue eyes flashed with understanding. Wuwei shot forward, leaving my stomach somewhere back in Ten's ruined hut.

"COWARD!" Jiko's screech pierced the night. His black appendages propelled him after us, each strike launching him forward in horrifying bursts of speed. "Running away like everyone else who abandoned us!"

Wind whipped my face as Wuwei thundered past rice paddies, our path lit by moonlight reflecting off the water. My grip tightened on Peng, who clung to my jacket like its life depended on it.

Let Rust-Jiko think I'm running. Let him chase us far from the people he claims to protect.

The village lights faded behind us as Wuwei charged into the forest. I tugged gently on its mane and it slowed to a stop, turning to face our pursuer.

Jiko landed before us, black liquid dripping from his twisted grin. "Done running?"

Those appendages shot toward me like spears. My nattocaught them, but the impact nearly knocked me off Wuwei's back.

"Is that all you got? Come on, show me that archery everyone's so scared of!"

Jiko snarled, summoning his bow. But when he shot the arrow, it flew wide, barely grazing my shoulder.

"What's wrong bow boy?"

"SHUT UP!" His appendages lashed out in a frenzy. But Wuwei danced between the attacks like smoke in the wind, making Jiko's look clumsy and desperate.

I knew it. Outside the village, away from what he truly wanted to protect, Jiko's power was nothing but an empty shadow.

"My turn." I grinned, feeling the sticky natto strings form between my fingers. As Wuwei weaved through the trees, I let the strings fly, anchoring them trunk after trunk.

Jiko's attacks became predictable - all rage, no strategy. His black appendages kept missing as Wuwei danced around him, letting me layer more strings in the forest. Soon enough, Jiko stumbled right into my trap. The natto threads snapped tight, pinning his arms and legs in place.

I hopped off Wuwei and walked toward him, cracking my knuckles.

Jiko's laugh started low, then crescendo into something unhinged. "The little weavel thinks she's won-"

My fist connected with his jaw, shutting him up mid-sentence.

But Jiko just laughed harder, black liquid dribbling from his split lip. "Hit me all you want. It won't bring your precious Inorin back!"

My blood ran cold. I grabbed his collar, "Where is she? What did you do to her?"

"Inorin, Inorin, always crying for Inorin-" His words dissolved into manic giggles before his body seized violently. Black veins spread across his skin from the wound at his ribs.

The Rust was killing him.

"Like hell you're dying before telling me where she is!" I pressed my palm against his wound, channeling my Lobak. The strings burrowed deep, wrapped around the mass of Rust consuming him and with a sharp pull, I ripped the black glob from his body.

The black mass writhed in my natto web. My fingers twisted, commanding the strings to constrict. The web grew impossibly thin until the Rust split apart like butter through wire, its pieces hitting the forest floor with wet splats before dissolving into nothing.

I turned back to Jiko. He hung limp in the web, head slumped forward. Blood - normal, human blood - was trickling.

"Hey." I shook his shoulder. "Hey! This isn't funny, bow boy."

No response. His skin felt cold.

"Come on, come on, come on." I pressed my fingers against his neck, searching for a pulse.

Nothing.

The yellow progress bar flashed in my vision, filling to the brim with a cheerful ding!

"Fuck you!" I smashed my fist through the progress bar. "FUCK YOU!" You were supposed to tell Kanon how you felt!"

A distant screech pierced the night, coming from the village. Shit. Using Lobak attracted Rust, and I'd just gone all out with mine.

"Wuwei!" The ghostly horse materialized beside me. I scooped up Peng and swung onto its back. "Back to the village, now!"

We tore through the forest, branches whipping past my face. The screeching grew louder, but something was off.

It wasn't the usual predatory sound of Rust. It was screams of pain.

The trees opened up to reveal massive roots erupting from the ground around the village, each one skewering multiple Rust monsters. Black liquid dripped down the wooden spears as the Rust thrashed and howled.

The scent of blood hit me before I saw her. Ten stood in the middle of the chaos, her robes stained crimson.

"About time you came back. How's our dear archer boy doing?"

My throat tightened. I could only shake my head.

"I see. That bastard." Her fingers curled into fists.

A Rust lunged at her exposed back. My strings shot out on instinct, but Ten's roots were faster, impaling the creature mid-leap.

The effort made her stumble. Blood still dripped from her wounds.

"Hey, stop pushing yourself! Let me help-"

"Thanks for the concern. But I'm not just a Heavenly General for show."

The ground trembled. Roots thicker than houses erupted from the earth like living spears, their tips gleaming in the moonlight.

Every Rust that dared approach the village met the same fate. Pierced, shredded, torn apart. It was like watching Ten conduct a symphony of death.

The last Rust's death cry faded into the night. Ten's roots withdrew into the earth, leaving only overturned soil and black stains where the monsters fell.

***

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in Ten's hut. Just like that scene from that first night, when I'd sat here as a stranger in this realm. The memory felt like a lifetime ago.

Ten's clouded eyes studied me from across the table, her expression unreadable. "Are you certain about this decision?"

"Yeah."

A gentle smile crossed Ten's face. "I hope you find her. And if you ever return to this village, know that we'll welcome you with open arms."

"Thanks."

The bamboo poles rattled as Ten rose to her feet. "Let's not end on such a sour note." She moved to the clay pot in the corner. "How about one last bowl of rice before you go?"

"Sure." I managed a smile, knowing this was going to be my last taste of Ten's rice.

***

I trudged toward the village outskirts. Peng waddled beside me, clutching one of Jiko's arrow.

A row of simple headstones came into view, silhouettes stark against the morning sky. My feet knew which one to stop at before my brain caught up.

I crouched down, running my fingers over the freshly carved name.

"Hey bow boy. Looks like I'm heading out. Still got someone to find."

Silence filled the air before a breeze rustled through the grass, carrying the sweet scent of Kanon's flowers that decorated the grave.

"You better be watching over her, you hear me?"

Peng rolled onto its side next to me, carefully placing the arrow in the dirt before the headstone. The metal tip caught the sunlight, sending a flash across my eyes that burned.

"Fuck." I scrubbed at my eyes with my sleeve. "I promised myself I wouldn't cry. This is all your fault, you know that?"

Peng bumped against my leg. I scooped up the penguin, giving it a squeeze.

"Come on, Peng. Let's go get Inorin back."