THE LAST KEEPER

”Why don’t you come with me to the south?”

The question hung in the air as everyone turned to look at Sagiri as if he had grown another head. Well, that was Sagiri’s plan, and he did not have time to beat around the bush. It was either that they moved south, or they died. Perhaps not now, but it was inevitable. Before Sagiri could answer, a fighter of Tatani broke through the door and came to Seya’s ear.

Of course, Sagiri could hear what was being said properly, and he could almost feel the hostility in the room grow to a deadly level.

Damn. He almost had that in the bag.

’Tagayians have broken through the city and are engaging our fighters in the square.’

Seya’s eyes took on a dangerous glint as he turned to Sagiri, and blades were unsheathed, going for his throat.

”I should have known not to trust a southerner. You are, after all, a Tagayian through and through. You come here to stall me so your men can slaughter my fighters?!” Seya snarled with venom. ”Give me one reason why I shouldn’t kill you right now?!” Her lower lip quivered.

She was really mad.

”Well, one is that you can’t kill me even if you tried. Your illusions won’t work on me again. If you try to alter my reality, I will bury us all alive. Second, it is only natural for people to look for their kidnapped teammates. What did you expect them to do? bear their throats.” Sagiri said with a sigh. He was now once again back to square one.

”Keep him here. Ninoka, Tinka, follow me to the square!” Seya said, and a dozen blades were pointed at Sagiri’s neck.

What a waste.

Seya departed from the room with her men, and Sagiri just waited until she was far enough before he turned to look at the fighters trying to hold him hostage. Seya must have known this was futile, but she still left her men to watch him.

”Does your kun wish you dead?” Sagiri said, and the men, even filled with fear, did not back down. Sagiri did not have time to waste, even so. He shut his eyes and pushed the archive out. The fighters watching him did not have time to blink before he disappeared out of sight. Sagiri timed his move so that he was beside Seya in the next instant.

”How... did you just kill our men?” Tinka gasped. Seya only looked startled for a moment, but she looked to have expected something of such.

”I told you you can’t keep me contained,” Sagiri said, already pulling ahead of the group.

An irritated voice made its way from deep inside Seya’s throat. Before she pulled beside Sagiri as the four headed for the square.

”Try to keep up, great kun, or your men will surely die by mine’s hand,” Sagiri taunted, going even faster.

”It is your men who will die by mine hands. No one comes into Tatani and leaves.” Seya said with pride, catching up with Sagiri as they jumped from roof to roof and over the narrow streets. She was quite agile, fast, and remarkable. She was not trying to lose, even in a running competition with Sagiri. Sagiri smirked as he moved even faster. Seya cursed and caught up quickly. She was feral.

The sound of weapons crushing was the first thing to reach Sagiri’s ears. The battle was indeed fierce. Sagiri and Seya broke into the square, and it was a battlefield. Sagiri’s squad and the shadow corp were outnumbered, but the shadow corp was moving like shadows among the Tatani fighters while squad 25 was having their back to offer support. Both Seya and Sagiri perched on a high terrace overlooking the square.

”It seems to me that your men are outnumbered, and they will be wiped out in no time.” Seya gloated.

”Don’t be too happy too soon. Your men may have numbers, but they have not cornered mine even after all this time.” Sagiri shot back.

It was quite a sight to see the shadow corp in action. They were agile in their formations, and the fighters of Tatani could not see them coming before they were sent flying. Sagiri could tell that they were not trying to kill them for some reason. Perhaps they wanted to bargain to get the girls and him back. Sagiri was convinced that if they were intent on killing, then the Tatani fighters could have been reduced by a third.

They left no openings, and they moved like the wind. Their hits were so graceful and slight, yet whoever they touched was sent flying. Kiuga was in the back, offering air support to the shadow squad and blocking all the arrows that were raining on them. Kiuga, Bukata, and Zazarie, the trio, were going at it, not leaving any openings as usual. Kaka was his own squad, but Ulekai and Zolinka were still offering him support. N’varu, Banga, and Maita were acting as a stepping stone for each other in turns, not breaking formation. Before the other landed, the other was already in the air.

The fight went on and on for a while. It seemed Seya was not going to call it off anytime, and Sagiri did not wish to. The two were measuring their manhoods at the moment, and Sagiri could not hide the fact that this fight was interesting to watch.

Kiuga was engaged actively in the fight and still managed to give orders. Even when he faltered, Bukata and Zazarie offered him perfect support. Their trio might just be one of the best in the land.

”Keep going!” He yelled. He himself blocked three arrows at the same time before he landed, sliding a few steps back, but quickly got back into position to offer Bukata and Zazarie support.

The shadow corp, on the other hand, split on instinct as Tatani fighters dropped from the terraces. One landed directly in Captain Yoka’s path, blade already mid-swing. Yoka caught it, steel grinding, and drove forward with his shoulder, forcing the man back two steps.

Another came in from the side.

”Right!” Tavora yelled. He was the eyes of the shadow corp at the moment, like Kiuga was for Squad 25.

Yoka turned late but just enough to deflect. The strike missed his shoulder, and he kicked out, creating space before the third attacker closed in. The shadow corp was clearly outnumbered, but they were holding their own

To his left, Leko and Rana of the shadow corps engaged three at once. Leko blocked high, Rana stepped under and shoved one back, but a fourth Tatani fighter slid in behind them, cutting off their retreat. Rana twisted, barely slipping the strike, boots scraping as he lost ground.

”Rotate!” Tavora yelled. He had not recovered well, but Sagiri had to give him credit. The boy was good. His attitude needed to grow, but as a fighter, he was perhaps one of the most talented and agile fighters Sagiri had ever seen.

They switched positions mid-motion, but Tatani didn’t give space. The moment one shifted, another stepped in to hold the line.

Above them, a Shadow dropped. Sagiri had not seen one of the shadow corps break from the group, but then what use was their name if one did not miss their movements once in a while. He landed behind a Tatani fighter and struck once, fast and direct. Before the body hit the ground unconscious, he was already moving. He rolled past another strike and disappeared into the gap.

Yoka drove forward again, forcing one opponent back, but another replaced him instantly. A third angled in from behind. He dropped low, the strike passing over him, and slammed into the nearest fighter to break the pressure.

”Don’t stop moving!” He barked. Tavora was mostly the target because he panicked every time he thought Yoka was outnumbered.

Across the square, three of squad 25 were pinned down by the number of arrows raining down. Two of the Shadow Corps dropped between them to aid. Leko cursed under his breath as more Tatani stepped down from the terraces.

”They’re not breaking!” He drove forward one more time, forcing a Tatani fighter back, but the man gave ground just enough. Another stepped in behind him, blade ready.

”They’re not trying to overwhelm us,” Tavora said. Leko blocked another strike, glancing at him.

”Then what?” Yoka shifted his stance, watching another line of fighters take position.

”They’re containing us perhaps for something worse,” Kiuga said.

”I am going to fall asleep if this is all Tatani fighters have to offer. How have you all been surviving all these years? ” Sagiri snickered. He could hear what Kiuga had just said, even from a distance, and perhaps he wanted to see what the kun of Tatani had under her sleeve. The statement must have ruffled the feathers of the queen of Tatani because a wicked smile took over her features, and Sagiri could feel the air around them change.

The kun of Tatani indeed had something up her sleeve.

”Open the latch!” Suddenly, Seya barked, and as if whatever had been happening till this moment was just a play. The Tatani fighters pulled back just as a million arrows were let loose.