Waystation Part I

The carriage stopped once they approached the woman in distress.

“Please help us! My husband is in there with some sort of monsters!” she cried. “I ran away so I could get help!”

Big fat tears rolled down her rosy cheeks, and her breathing was ragged.

Zashi hopped out of the carriage and walked over to the woman. She held out her arms to her, and the woman reluctantly accepted the embrace.

“It’s going to be alright. I just have some questions for you.” 

She patted the woman’s head as she broke down further. “Did you see the monsters before you were attacked?”

Oh wow!

I didn’t know that jerk was even capable of being nice!

Kairo watched the touching moment unfolding before him from the carriage.

“N-no. I was scratched after my children all started spraying blood everywhere… But… M-my husband…” the woman stammered, obviously too scared to continue. “It was a n-nightmare! Please! Please save my family!” 

The woman begged, tugging at Zashi’s clothes.

“Tell me… What is your family’s name?” Zashi asked. 

Her voice no longer sounded soft and caring. 

What the hell? 

Why does that matter?

“Zashi!” Kairo shouted. “Forget about that! She needs our help! You can worry about that later!”

I can’t believe she would be worried about something so trivial!

“Just when I thought she wasn’t such a bad person!”

The princess looked confused herself, and Takada got out of the carriage. He uttered, “Clairvoyance,” as he walked towards his sister.

“Eeep!” 

The woman jumped at the sight of him.

She buried her face in Zashi’s clothes. 

“P-please! Please don’t hurt me! I really need your help!”

Takada pulled his scarf up and drew his sword.

Whoah!

Okay, what’s going on here?!

“Takada! What are you doing?! She’s asking for help!” Kairo yelled.

He got out of the carriage, rushing to catch up to him.

What is wrong with these two?

Do they go around attacking everybody they see?!

Dirt crunched under his sneakers as he quickened his pace.

“W-wait! I can explain! M-my family name is Drifore—”

“Well that’s it then. I guess this really will be my big score… What fortune,” Zashi said.

She began to pull out a kunai.

“Please!” The woman pleaded, clinging tighter to Zashi. “I know what my family has done, but please save them!”

Kairo stopped walking and began running.

I have to stop her!

I need to save that woman!

I need to be a hero!

“Stop!” Kairo yelled. “Leave her alone! Do you really have the time to attack a civilian?!”

Takada kept walking, stopping right next to his sister.

No.

Please.

“Don’t do this!!”

Shiiink!!

The woman fell to the ground, silent. Zashi pulled her blade out, flinging the blood off.

“WHY?!!!” Kairo dropped to his knees. “Why?” 

Tears began to stream from his eyes.

I didn’t even know I was capable of caring for others…

“All this time, I’ve been worthless.”

I finally had a chance to be useful for once!

To save someone’s life!

“…But I… I let them die.”

He looked up to the sky, trying to keep the tears in. But he couldn’t stop them.

“Kairo, you wouldn’t understand,” Takada said. “I promise to explain it all to you once we return.”

“What the hell do you mean by return?!” Kairo stood up and hurried over to him. He grabbed him by the shoulder.

“What do you mean I wouldn’t understand?! Huh?! Explain it to me!”

Still holding up his scarf, he turned to face Kairo.

Oh my gosh.

What’s going on?

“I’m not going to repeat myself. Zashi and I will clear out the waystation. You stay here with the princess.” Takada said flatly. “I’m trusting you to let no harm befall her.”

“How did this even happen?!” Kairo began to panic.

He had been pacing around the wagon endlessly. It was dark out, the moon beginning to climb in the sky. 

Almost none of its light penetrated the dense forest trees, but there was just enough for them to see.

Aww man… 

I’m all alone with this beautiful princess, but she won’t even talk to me!

And those two have been in there for quite a while!

“What’s taking them so long?” he whispered.

“I wish things could be different…” the princess said softly.

Kairo stopped pacing around.

“Why is that?” He tried to smile gently.

No need for us both to become paranoid.

A princess should always smile!

“See, I have brothers, so they are in line for the throne,” she explained. “Whereas I, being the daughter, won’t carry on the family name, so I am not in line for the throne.”

Man… 

That must actually suck.

All because you won’t carry the name on?

“But at least you won’t carry the burden of leadership, right?”

Laria shook her head.

“No. See, normally, a princess in my position would be married off to some noble, but my case is different.”

She held her hands tightly together.

Should I pry further?

“Your case is different? How so?” he asked.

“Well… The Sakurachi Shogunate is currently in a state of civil war. Their law enforcement is modernizing to keep up with our empire, but their assassins and lower class citizens have taken up arms and maintain the majority of the control.”

He nodded slowly, unsure of how it related to her problem.

“That means, in order to appease those who wish to stay in their backward ways, full of tradition, and culture, I must be wed to the next clan head.”

His heart skipped a beat.

So she really is getting hitched!

What am I supposed to do now?!

“Do you ACTUALLY have to follow through with it?” he asked nervously.

She nodded.

“The resulting marriage should hopefully be enough to stabilize their conflict, giving their proper authorities time for negotiations before they rise up and reclaim power.”

I see what’s going on here.

“So it’s all for the ‘Good Dream Empire’ isn’t it?”

“H-hey! It’s Dhar’Naleem!” she pouted. “And yes. I must do this as a service to my country. It is my duty as the first princess of our glorious empire.”

Oops.

I probably look stupid for saying the name wrong!

Crap!

“There goes my good first impression…”

Criish…

“What was that?” he snapped his head around.

I swear I heard a noise…

His heart began to race.

“Sounds like it came from over there.”

He focussed his gaze on the waystation.

“I’m probably just being paranoid…” he muttered to himself.

Takada and Zashi are inside after all.

Maybe there are a lot more of ‘em in there than they thought.

It could’ve been an animal!

“!!”

Out from behind the building, was a person of similar stature. He was bald, had darker skin, and glasses.

“Who are you?” Kairo asked.

Something tells me this guy means trouble…

“Relax!” the man responded. “There’s no reason to be alarmed! In fact, your psycho hunter friends are indeed quite busy, so we have a moment to ourselves.”

He began walking towards their wagon, one step at a time.

Oh my gosh… 

What is he wearing?!

The man wore a black suit of armor, and his cape was torn at the edges. A blue glow emanated from the crevices in the suit, with a blue crystal in the chest.

He screams final boss!

This is bad.

This is SO bad!

“In fact,” the man started. “I came here on this auspicious eve to merely converse with you, Kairo Akira.” 

I hope you enjoyed this chapter!

If you have any thoughts, theories, or feedback, I'd love to hear them in the comments!