Countdown

The autumn breeze welcomed us as I erupted from the well with Yukimura in my arms. However, when I looked back, I saw that it wasn’t the same well we entered from.

Instead, we emerged from a smaller well. It was surrounded by rocks of various sizes and a sign. I didn’t even need to read the sign; I already knew where we were. We came out of the Kiyomasa Well. We’re in Shibuya! Thankfully, it’s the middle of the night, or we would’ve… Wait, now isn’t the time to focus on that; I need to pay attention to her.

I looked down at Yukimura. I could feel her steadily breathing as her body warmed my hands. Good, she’s alive. Hinako did a good job patching her up. I—

Boom!

I couldn’t even grasp my thoughts as I heard an explosion from behind me. I turned around, expecting to see the trees that surrounded us on fire, but they weren’t. The only place smoke was coming from was a building on the horizon beyond the trees. Is the war happening in Shibuya? I know there are a lot of people there during Halloween… I need to go.

I gently laid Yukimura on the ground, but before I could take a step, I felt a tug. I looked down, and Yukimura was starting to get up. “Shin?” she asked as she used my pant leg to help her up.

“Yukimura, you don’t need to push yourself.” I immediately bent down and offered my hand to her, and she took it. I helped her rise to her feet before I asked, “Can you stand by yourself?”

Yukimura nodded as she slowly let go of me. As she stood, she looked up at me with her beautiful blue eyes that reflected the half-moon’s light. “Shin, where are the others?”

I turned to the well, and they still didn’t come out of it. Did they not make it out? I gulped as I gathered the courage to tell her. “R-R-Ren—”

“We’re back!” I didn’t even get to finish saying his name until he burst out of the well. He was holding his sister in his arms, and seeing that made me smile. Good, they’re safe, too.

“They’re right there, Yukimura.” After I said that, Rentarou bolted toward Yukimura. I could hear Hinako screaming as he ran with absurd speed and then suddenly stopped before reaching Yukimura. Hinako jumped out of Rentarou’s arms and clasped her hands.

“Yukimura… are you okay? You’re not that hurt anymore, right?”

“No. Did you heal me?”

“Yes… I’m so glad!” Hinako hugged Yukimura with her small hands and tears in her eyes. “I thought… You were… gonna die!”

“Don’t worry. I’m fine now.”

“Good! You looked like crap after what Satori hit you with!” Rentarou laughed, but when he did, Hinako let go of Yukimura to hit Rentarou on the head. However, before she brought her hand down on him, Yukimura asked a question: “Where’s Takeda?”

After she asked, silence filled the air. None of us let out a sound. Not Hinako, not me, not even Rentarou. The only one who spoke was Yukimura. Her voice was shakier than usual as she looked up at me.

I may not be a mind reader like Satori, but even I could see the pain in her eyes as she asked again: “Shin… where… is… Takeda?”

“He’s still fighting Satori.”

“Ah… I see.” After she said that, Yukimura walked over to the well and took a seat next to it. She turned her back to us, facing only the well as her chin rested on her knees.

“Yukimura, what are you doing? We still need to—”

Rentarou was interrupted by Yukimura’s sharp and wavering voice. “A minute.”

“A minute?” I asked.

“Mhm… One minute. If he isn’t back by then, let’s go, okay?”

“Okay.” I looked at Rentarou to see if he disagreed, but he didn’t. He only looked down, biting his lip as Hinako held him. Is he okay? I wanted to ask, but I heard her voice again.

“One… Two… Three…” Yukimura was counting as she sat by the well. She started normally, but after she passed twenty, her voice started to crack. After thirty, I could hear sniffling. And it was at forty when I hugged her from behind.

“Yukimura, it’s going to be okay.” When I did that, Yukimura’s counting paused for a few seconds. It was as if she didn’t know how to react as she stood completely still, aside from her trembling. “Yukimura, I’m here for you… We all are. You’re not alone.”

When I said that, her trembling stopped. I could hear a sigh before she continued to count. “Forty-one… Forty-two… Forty-five… Fifty… Fifty-five… Sixty.”

After she was done counting, I fell back as Yukimura suddenly stood up. When her hands landed on the ground, I saw a burst of blue mana. Her azure mana radiated off of her as she unveiled her sword. I couldn’t see the tip of her sword, but she was looking at the smoking buildings before she said, “I’m going now. There are people we need to save.”

As Yukimura marched off, I scuttled after her. Within a few seconds, I was close enough to place my hand on her shoulder. When her mana touched my arm, it began to glow crimson once more. “Yukimura, I’m right behind you.”

“We are, too!” Rentarou punched his fists together, walking as Hinako followed behind him. “We got yokai to kill!” Then, with those words in the air, we ran toward Shibuya.