Chapter 3

  The citizens swarmed over the merchant’s overturned cart from the narrow side streets. A short man, wearing a brightly coloured tunic, stomped his feet on the cobblestones, his face a red mask of fury. The wheel of his cart had broken, scattering fruits and vegetables across the cobblestones. He had three guards holding huge swords with him. However, several men held them at bay, while women and children wearing filthy clothes scooped up the loose food.

  “Help me!” the merchant shouted, running up to General Saku as Akira and the remaining Kolori soldiers passed the road leading from the gate. “They’re robbing me!”

  Saku put on his helmet and scowled at the merchant. “Have you paid your taxes, good citizen?”

  “Yes!” He held up a medallion, shaking it in anger.

  Akira had no idea what it meant. The entire scene was slightly unreal. This would never have happened in Relancia. He’d been to the Kolori capital once, many years ago, but that wasn’t enough to help him explain this. His mother had presented him and his older sister at court, ignoring the city. Yoruhi had been too young to travel then.

  “What’s the problem?” Akira asked. “Why don’t the guards just kill the looters?” He narrowed his eyes at Saku.

  Saku shook his head. “The merchants can’t do that, Lord Akira. It wouldn’t be proper. Only the soldiers have permission to kill if they are not being threatened.” He turned to the ten remaining soldiers, took a deep breath, and shouted. “Men! Present arms!”

  “The soldiers are coming! Get out of here!” a voice rang through the narrow street. Most women and children fled back into the holes and gutters they had come from at the sound. A few continued snatching up the vegetables.

  The soldiers advanced on the men surrounding the guards. Three had already fled, but two remained. They brandished their poles and attacked the Kolori soldiers, shouting incoherent sounds.

  “Why are they so stupid?” Mel asked, moving her horse up behind Akira’s. “They must know that they can’t win.”

  Akira thought the same but didn’t want to express his concerns. He was still supposed to be the hero, and it wouldn’t look good. The citizens were stealing, but they looked like they were starving. Yoruhi would have been upset with him for staying back.

  “What’s a hero, brother?” Yoruhi asked. They were sitting in front of the fire in the manor house.

  “A hero is someone who helps those in need without any thought to themselves,” Akira responded, stirring the fire. He winced. Jin’s training had been exceptionally harsh today. He held onto the mantel.

  “Are you a hero?” she asked, raising her eyebrows. “Is that why Master Jin is training you?”

  Akira nodded, blinking his eyes to stay awake. He didn’t want to say anything. Yoruhi was only five and still looked at him with trust. Father had given that up years ago.

  “Promise me you’ll always protect the weak,” she said, smiling at him with wide eyes.

  “I promise,” Akira said, drifting off to sleep.

  Akira shook his head to clear the memories. The two men who’d stood up to the soldiers were dead. They had arrested some women as well and were dragging them off the street in chains.

  “Is it over?” Akira asked. There was a small nugget of guilt in his chest.

  Mel scoffed. “Where were you?” She shook her head.

  He scowled at her and grunted. Turning to Saku, he asked, “What’s going to happen to the women?”

  Saku took off his helmet and hung it from his horse. “They will be questioned and tried. Most likely sold to the merchant to pay off the bill from what the others stole.”

  Akira nodded, lost in thought. Justice was harsh, but they must be punished. Stealing was wrong. He felt a small pit dig into his stomach. Why had images of Yoruhi come up now? He hadn’t thought of her, except in passing, for years. She would have hated the man he’d become. When had doing Eon’s dirty work become so easy?

  “Let go of me!” one dirty woman screamed, punching the soldier in the face.

  The young man returned the blow with a metal-gloved slap, shattering her nose and sending teeth flying out of her mouth. She collapsed to the ground, her tunic ripping in the soldier's hand.

  “Bitch. I’ll teach—”

  Akira took his head before he could finish his sentence.

  “They are guilty of theft. Still, they are your citizens,” he said, glaring at the other soldiers. “Treat them with respect.” He bent down and wiped his sword on the dead man’s tunic.

  “Lord Akira,” Saku said, gulping. His hands twitched and began to reach for his head before he forced them down. “May I ask why you killed my man?”

  “He was disrespecting the people. Even if they are criminals, they deserve that much.” Akira shrugged and looked at the woman sprawled on the ground. “Are you all right?” He asked in a soft voice.

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  She nodded, her eyes wide with shock. Her lips, trembling.

  Akira continued to grin, ignoring the sour stench of sweat emanating from her. A hero must be willing to suffer.

  Saku sighed, directing two more soldiers to take the woman away and clean up the body. “Please stop killing my men. It makes it very difficult to protect you.”

  Akira shrugged and moved his horse back to Mel. “They teach your soldiers more respect. They should be protecting the citizens, not harassing them.” He flicked the reins and moved his horse forward.

  “Where’d Rock go?” Mel asked when they were a few paces away from Saku.

  “He doesn’t need to meet the emperor, so left for the local taverns,” Akira said. “I’m not sure which one.”

  “How did Baldy feel about that?” Mel asked, turning around in her saddle and glaring at Saku.

  “He was most unpleased.” Akira smiled. He didn’t trust the general. Anything to make his day worse was a good thing. “I talked him out of tracking Rock down.”

  Mel chuckled. “He’d never find the bastard. That green-clad twit is the best at what he does.”

  It had been a long time since Mel smiled at him. Akira had missed this interaction. Before Sam, this had been the norm. After the battle in the Deadland forest, revenge had clouded his mind. He’d wanted everyone dead. Since joining Saku and experiencing regular life again, could he go back?

  “No. He won’t find Rock!” Akira said, stronger than he expected.

  Mel pursed her lips and turned away.

  Akira grunted. He had hated the hero’s life as much as he loved it. Eon made him do so many dirty things and he’d done them without question, even enjoyed them. The Kolori emperor was probably the same. However, the admiration of the citizens, like the woman he’d just saved, made things worthwhile.

  He glanced at Mel. She’d been looking more nervous the closer they got to the city. Akira had heard the rumours about this place, just as she must have. Zial’s hatred of all things magic was legendary. While Akira could ignore their bigotry, Mel obviously couldn’t.

  “If you don’t want to come into the city, why didn’t you leave before we arrived?” Akira asked, raising an eyebrow. He still hated the woman, but he couldn’t remember why. The feeling had become a dull ache, besides the pain in his groin. Mel had saved his life several times and he owed her. Why did he stop trusting her? Was it the mind magic?

  “I wanted to, but Saku wouldn’t let me,” Mel said, scowling. “Said the emperor wished to meet me as well. The first chance I get, I’m out of here.”

  “Where will you go?” Akira asked, raising an eyebrow, surprised at his question. A few weeks ago, he’d wanted to kill her himself. A sense of loss filled him at that thought. If she was gone, he’d miss her.

  Mel was silent.

  “I will protect you,” Akira promised. “On my honour as the hero, I won’t let anything happen to you.”

  Scoffing, Mel urged her horse forward.

  Akira placed a hand on his sword at the insult and let the song wash over him. It called for her blood, but he was used to suppressing that urge. He couldn’t kill her here, even if she always disrespected him. Taking a deep breath, he looked around the outer city.

  The main street through the city was the only open area and the only safe place in this section. Saku hadn’t sent any soldiers down the narrow side streets after the thieves. Most of them had probably disappeared into the underworld with their spoils. Fresh fruit and vegetables would be a rarity here. While not as dangerous as the underworld in Relancia, most of the allies in Kolori housed the worst of humanity.

  A rotten smell that could only have come from a mix of dead animals and stagnant water permeated the whole space. He hated going through the slums in Relancia and the other cities. They always smelt the same.

  “How long until we’re at the castle?” he asked Saku. The afternoon shadows cast a pall over the bald general’s face.

  “We’ll leave once this mess has been cleaned up,” Saku said. “Please don’t wander too far away. I’d hate for someone else to get hurt.”

  “I’ll be fine,” Akira snorted.

  “I wasn’t talking about you,” Saku mumbled.

  Akira chose to ignore the slight. He’d already stressed the general out today. He glanced up the street at Mel. Two of Saku’s soldiers followed her as the mage went further ahead.

  “Are you preventing Mel from leaving?” Akira suddenly asked Saku. “I warned you never to harm her.”

  Saku coughed and wiped his mouth.

  “Stop stalling and answer my question.” Akira placed his hand on his sword.

  “I’m not stopping her, but Emperor Thanatos wishes to meet the companions who travelled with the hero. That includes Rock,” Saku said, tucking a cloth back up his sleeve. “He will be most displeased to have missed the tracker.”

  “I see,” Akira said. “Rock will show up when he’s ready, probably stinking of porku, as well.”

  “Follow me,” Saku said, flicking on the reins and sending his horse forward. “We’ll be at the palace soon.”

  Akira fell in behind the general. Soon the soft road turned into hard stone and he got lost in the rhythmic clip-clop of his horse’s hooves against the cobblestones. The houses still butted the street, but they were more solid and lacked the smell that had threatened to gouge out his eyes. There were stores as well, designed to impress people, with several displaying large windows showcasing the goods inside.

  “What does Zial say about the slums back there, Saku?” he asked the general.

  “The goddess is moved by their plight and offers salvation in her every breath,” Saku said, not turning around.

  “But not enough to give them enough food. Is that it?” Akira asked. He needed to work out the feelings that were plaguing him.

  “She is always there to provide a helping hand to the poor masses, but Zial is a warrior.” Saku turned around and locked eyes with Akira. “She accepts only those who take what they are due.”

  “Then why would you kill those men who were stealing?” Akira asked, pointing back to the slums.

  “We are imperfect creatures,” Saku said, nodding to several Kolori citizens as they pushed deeper into the city. They removed their hats and bowed. Several of the women curtsied and pointed at Saku, giggling behind their fans.

  “What’s that got to do with it?” Akira said, shuddering at the sight.

  “What right do we have to impinge on the Goddess’s plans for us,” he said. “If she wants us to succeed, she will show us the path. Any other result we take is a waste of energy.”

  Akira wrinkled his nose. He hated fate. It was what Eon used to give him the Holy Sword. It’s what Jin used to say when he was beating him. He’d followed it for a while, but it only ever brought him pain. Rubbing his jaw and working his tongue through the remains of his teeth, he wondered when he could laugh at fate again.

  The road moved from the rough cobblestones to wide-open boulevards. Houses were set far away from the street, surrounded by high walls and manicured gardens. The smells in this area were also better. Akira could taste a hint of baking bread and spices in the air. Much better from the blood and offal of the slums.

  “I have prepared a room for the two of you at the palace. Please rest up. Emperor Thanatos will see you at his earliest opportunity,” Saku said.

  “Tonight?” Akira said, his hopes rising. He’d heard good things about the library here and wanted to check it out. He hoped they would have some information on potions that could counteract the poison. In the last few weeks, the pain from the wound Ayasse had given him had lessened, but not disappeared.

  “I’m unsure about this afternoon. It is a holy day and the emperor often spends most of the day in prayer,” Saku said, rubbing his hand over his head, and jerking it back to the reigns. “I promise it will be in the next few days.”

  Akira nodded. “Will I have time to visit someone about my teeth?” he asked Saku, pushing his tongue through the holes in his smile. Once he had his smile back, he was sure he’d feel like a hero again.