THE LAST KEEPER

The underground city was not that huge, and soon enough, just one scream had woken half the city. The way of dressing of the Tatani tribe is definitely different, and Sagiri soon stood out like a sore thumb.

Intruder!!

The screams finally tore through the place, and Sagiri knew it was right about time. He was not going to make it to the girls in time. Not that it mattered anyway. He was not getting out of Tatani with the girls. He was not going to stop and kept following Oka.

Sagiri could hear and feel them arrive. The hostility and bitterness were so heavy he could taste it on his lips. They were closing in on him from every corner, and soon they were going to have him surrounded. The question was, however, who would be cornered at the end of it all. They were ready to kill. Their killing intent was enough to bring the whole place down. mixed with their bitterness, it was indeed. Sagiri finally reached a dead end. From there, he could feel the faint presence of the four girls.

Oka continued to a small crevice on the wall, and Sagiri just had to sigh.

Stupid Oka!

”Do you think I can fit through a crevice?” Sagiri shook his head. Well, he could have just moved within the archive to the ladies, but as things stood now, it was not going to be that easy.

”Go tell you, master, I am coming,” Sagiri said before he completely stopped and turned around slowly. Anytime now, his pursuers could make an appearance. The city continued around him, but not the same way. Conversations had suddenly lowered. Movement had slowed, and the commotion was dying down. To add to the dramatic entrance, the lights that had been lighting the whole place were going out one by one, leaving only a few, so that the shadows were now prominent. What a waste since his right eye grew sharper with darkness.

When they were sure the shadows were hiding them, they stepped out from the edges of the terraces, from behind pillars, from shadows. One on the higher level. Two to his left. More behind. They were everywhere on all levels of the building surrounding him. The sound of bows groaning as the arrows they bore were pulled taut was the only sound covering the area. They held the positions in the shadows as if waiting for a command.

Sagiri didn’t reach for Nokai. His eyes moved instead to take in the positions of the fighters of Tatani. They must have been anticipating his arrival. Over a thousand were scattered in the tight place.

”You have me surrounded. Don’t you think it’s now time to come out?” Sagiri asked, his voice tearing through the now silent place. The coordination of the fighters and their ready positions could only mean they were waiting for instructions from someone. That someone must have been among them or nearby.

”You’re far from the surface,” a voice said. It came from above. Sagiri looked up slightly after a pause. He was not in a hurry to find her. The highest levels of illusion mastery were mastered by women, so it was only natural to assume the head weaver and the leader was a woman.

A figure stood on the upper terrace, still, composed, looking down at him like his fate had already been decided. From her voice, it sounded as if she were just in her middle ages. late thirties or early forties. Her voice held pride and command.

”Well, I could say you have something that belongs to me, and I came to collect it,” Sagiri said, purposefully opening his right eye wider.

”Red eye?” The woman’s voice faltered when it came next. ”So you are the southerner who has been causing havoc in Tagayia?” Her voice was still calm, but Sagiri could taste her fear.

Silence followed.

The fighters grew even more tense, and their bow string groaned with how tight they were fighting not to release their arrows.

”It seems you are well informed on things that happen on the surface,” Sagiri said. Perhaps some of Tatani lived on the surface in Tagayia and perhaps Safaya, collecting intel.

”You flatter me, you killed a warrior in front of thousands of tagayia, I would be dumb not to know,” the woman said, her voice still calm.

”Since you know a lot then. Can you tell if I am going to kill you and everyone here if you insist?” Sagiri said in a calm voice, but there was ice in it.

There was a pause this time, but sagiri did not move his eyes from the woman standing on the terrace above.

”We of Tatani are not afraid of death,” the woman said in a prideful voice, but there was a slight tremble in her voice this time.

”Well then. I should start with you then. Tatani should be crippled without you, and after, they will be like a headless chicken waiting for Safaya and Tagayia to kill the rest.” Sagiri said with slight mockery.

”How dare you threaten our kun?’ the man standing to her left growled.

”Let me kill him now! Give the order!” The one to her right said. His boy now raised even higher before he lowered it, and the sharp edge pointed at sagiri. Another moment of silence stretched as the place, now cackling with hostility, waited for their kun to give the order. Sagiri could feel her seething with rage, but when she spoke again, her voice still held calmness, but with an edge this time.

”You are the ones who trespassed onto our lands. How are we wrong to defend ourselves? Tagayia had killed our parents and orphaned us for decades. We are justified in taking any Tagayian or Safayan who steps into our land prisoner. Safaya and Tagayia have no right to step into our lands!!” Her voice was so passionate and filled with emotion that Sagiri was almost moved. Even so, they had made him remember his worst memory. The illusion even twisted it, and he was not feeling too compassionate at the moment.

”Well, if you are well-informed, you’d know I am from the south. The South did not contribute to Tatani’s situation. Those women you took, I happen to be responsible for them. I don’t care about your animosity with Tagayia or Safaya. ” If you have harmed them in any way, I will not forgive it,” sagiri said.

”But they are from Tagayia...” the man on the kun’s left said.

”And I am from the south. If I say they are my business, then not you, Tatani, Safaya, or Tagayia are allowed to lay a finger on them. Unless you want to make me your enemy. Do Tatani wish to make me your enemy kun of Tatani?” Sagiri said, his voice was sharp and full of ice.

”Let me kill him. He is one, and we are a thousand of us,” the man to the right of the Kun said, trembling with rage.

Silence stretched thick, and sagiri held the gaze of the Kun. The decision she made next could decide if he himself flattened Tatani or if he could break its doors and let Safaya and Tagayia do the rest.

”Hold your positions!” The Kuns’ voice rang after a moment.