Setting the Board

When the early afternoon came, the shrine grounds played host to the meeting of the Fallen. Sammy was there, and with her Azalea, Penny, and Yomi. Gadot had come, and Eita and Yua both found themselves included.

“I see Chazz is late even now,” Gadot said, adopting his compatriot's human name.

“I don't think he's coming,” Azalea said. And that was allowed to rest. And soon enough, the girsly details were shared, that Sara was alive as bait in Munkar's trap.

“I expect,” Sammy said, “that Chazz has no confidence in my leadership, and in that much I can't blame him. If any of you also doubt me, I won't try to compel you to follow where I'll go. Because I'm going in there to rescue Sara, no matter what.”

“Not alone, you aren't,” Azalea said.

Eita took a step forward, but Yua stepped in front of him and declared that they were in as well. And sure enough, everyone gathered was of one mind – the only way through this was to break Munkar and save their friend.

The question became how, exactly, they would hope do do it. Even if they expected Lailah to be out of the fight, the situation was still not exactly in their favor. Penny offered that if Pravuil showed herself, she could again challenge her mentor, but she didn't sound entirely hopeful in that regard, and Eita suspected that she was more expecting that Pravuil would also be absent.

Even so, it was fairly certain that, going into enemy territory, the Fallen would be at a grave disadvantage.

Gadot's eye fell on Eita.

“Ikami-kun,” he said, “I understand you stood against Ramiel, and I'm grateful for that. But the shoe, so to speak, is on the other foot.”

“That's why we need to take advantage of our time,” Penny said. “Three days, was it? I understand the desire to pull Sara out of Munkar's grasp sooner rather than later, but I doubt he'd to anything irrevocable until the threatened time is up.”

“And?” Gadot asked.

Penny didn't answer him directly, instead turning towards the mortal humans.

“Ikami-kun,” she said, “Your capacity to imbue items has been useful, but your utilization is crude.”

“Excuse me?” Eita asked.

“You expend far more power than necessary, and don't bother to sculpt the traits you imbue. A bat strikes with a cracking impact, a wand sweeps away its mark. These are the path of least resistance, but you could hone a more precise result that would also last for at least a little use and perhaps hours without.”

Eita's eyes grew wide. If he could do that...

“We could have weapons a little better than improvised trash against Munkar and his band,” Penny said. “They wouldn't be regalia, but they would be a fair step up. And of course, you're not our only ally any longer.”

Penny looked towards Yua.

“If you're serious about helping our fight, then I look forward to learning what exactly you're capable of.”

Gadot seemed to consider that positively.

“Normally,” he said, “I wouldn't say I approved of dragging more people into this mess. But for Sara's sake, we need all the help we can get.

“We should all practice,” Sammy said, “It's not much time, but it's something. These miracles are the one advantage we have over our older selves, we're going to have to press them. I know I'm one to talk, but I'm also probably not the only one of us who's capable of more.”

And that was how three days of furtive trials in mysticism began.

By the end, Eita had grasped at least a fraction of the promises Penny had made regarding what he could be. On the afternoon of the third day, Eita had already done more work than he would have thought he'd be capable of. Azalea had procured weapons, or blades at least, and Eita had honed them. It was flawed, imperfect work, but according to Sammy, who was watching over and to Eita's embarrassment ensuring he had as much energy as he needed from her seemingly limitless reserve, it would all hold until midnight unused, and long enough in battle to get the job done if the one making the cuts and parries was quick and clever.

There was only one task left, and that one would be handled inside the house. Quietly, Eita made his way to Yua's room on the second floor, and knocked.

“Come in,” she said.

It wasn't the first time Eita had visited, but all the same he couldn't remember exactly when the last time was. She'd redecorated, and if old habits died hard, she'd also likely cleaned up in a hurry. She knelt near the left wall. Laid out before her was her formal shine maiden outfit, which she stared at with a pensive look.

“Are you alright?” Eita asked.

“I'm fine,” Yua said. “This... is the piece.”

“I'm a little surprised,” Eita said. He'd asked if there was any chance he could give Yua an extra layer of defense. Unlike an angel, she'd die if she was killed, and unlike Eita she had no chance to really protect herself on the fly.

“Penny said to pick something protective, and if I didn't have anything like that, something that made me feel safe.”

“Alright,” Eita said. He knelt beside Yua and reached out for the hakui first. It was a different operation than managing the weapons of the Fallen, but he told himself that the principle was the same. Don't force lightning and fire where it doesn't belong, warm the target softly. Don't act without purpose, think of the reason for what you're doing and give it shape.

A barrier of warm care. Something to keep Yua alive.

“I guess it's finally setting in,” Yua said, “that this is all real. What's happened... and what we're going to be doing.”

The sense of imbuement followed. It was not sight nor touch, but to Eita it seemed as though a warm light inhabited the hakui. The hakama was next. The tabi and geta could wait in case the major pieces took too much.

“How did you feel, the first time?”

“What do you mean?” Eita asked. His eyes were locked on his work, his sense on trying to preserve Yua's future. The present wasn't quite registering.

“Going into battle,” Yua said.

“If you're scared,” Eita replied, “that only means you're still sane.”

“I was asking about you,” Yua said.

“I should have been more afraid than I was,” Eita replied, “If not for my life, then for the truth.”

“The truth?” Yua asked.

“I'm less worried about it this time,” Eita said, “I don't think we have to worry whether or not the gods will forgive us for dealing with Munkar.”

“That time you came over and prayed,” Yua whispered. The hakama was finished, but Eita could at least reach for more.

“That was just after we fought Ramiel,” Eita said, “or rather, just after we killed him.”

Eita hung his head. He didn't have a lot left before the miracles, as the angels called them, ran dry. This would have to be enough, the one thing he could do without the least shade of guilt.

Then, Eita felt warm, and he realized that Yua had slipped behind him and was hugging him softly.

“Consider this your purification ceremony,” she whispered, “If you're ever feeling burdened, if your spirit is heavy... I'll do whatever I can.”

Eita smiled. He reached up with one hand and placed it on Yua's.

“I'd like to say you've done more than enough,” he said, “But I wouldn't be here if there wasn't more on the horizon,”

With that, Eita could make his excuses and let Yua change. Once she was finished, it was time for the Fallen and their allies to head to battle.