The Nobler Path

The words from Yuki rang out through the village as though given wings to fly to the ends of the land. Shouting and yelling came to a stop, almost paralyzing everyone. Most didn’t even know how to react. Deafeningly quiet minutes passed as though he had dragged the very voice from their lips.

Yuki kept his eyes fixed on the crowd to see their reactions and how things changed, when he knew that they inevitably would. ‘…I said it… Mom…dad… I’m sorry…’ He avoided saying it to himself for so long. Even after he said it a sour taste lingered for him. It couldn’t be taken back. However, he knew that he had to deal with it later. The mood in the village began to sway as they recovered. They gave him no further reprieve.

Anger for the besmirching of their King’s name powered their voices. Had it not been for Yuki’s display that set them into confusion, they would have erupted sooner. Speaking ill of the King’s name gave them more fire and motion than anything before. They started to swarm around Yuki shouting at him for his treacherous words.

Wind blew down around Yuki, ripping up the grass and spinning it around him. Only the blades of grass that tumbled through the air gave any signs of the presence of wind. Nowhere else did it interact as though stolen. Forming a barrier between the mob and Yuki, he stood still defiant in their rage.

Chapter 110 – The Nobler Path

The first couple that attempted to grab out for Yuki through the grass were repelled. They received no injuries, but found themselves gently pushed back as though being politely told ‘no’ by some outside force. A few more tried to reach for Yuki before the villagers finally understood. Understanding Yuki’s untouchable state didn’t change their mood. They still threw words at him, even more vicious than before as though being unable to harm him mocked them.

“You damn foreigner!”

“You’ve got no right to talk about our King!”

“Die for such words!”

Yuki closed his eyes, disappointed. ‘I guess I should have seen this outcome. They weren’t going to just change because of what I said. Now the situation is even more complicated…’ He looked back at the old man to see his reaction to everything. The placid features of age changed into a struggle between emotion and reason. Even the head of the village took offense.

Bringing the crowd under control became his priority. Unfortunately, Yuki hadn’t built much in the Field and dropping it meant being mobbed in an instant. He did the only thing he had available. The wind pushed back against the villagers giving him room. Yuki stepped back standing between the elder and Yori’s sister, still uneasily asleep. Only Yori remained awake, but stayed understandably quiet. The wind gave him room and a little moment between the shouting, but not the attention of everyone. “Listen to me!” he shouted trying to get his voice over everyone. It worked partially. “Hate me if you wish, but also know my power. Look at your village!”

He had their ears for the moment. A few of them gave him a little allowance and did as he said. In the chaos none of them had truly taken in the meaning. They recognized the power, but nothing more. Yuki saw he had them a bit longer. “You know the power that I use. You’re familiar with it. I can make your entire village disappear with little effort! Call me what you will, but you can’t deny what you see before you!”

Questions and uneasiness began to spread through the ranks of the villagers. Once given the time to really think about the situation that they found themselves in threatening someone with his powers, many of the Atlanteans started to back away. They didn’t know if he truly was the King’s son. Someone as powerful as he displayed gave them paused. They had to weigh out which they feared more.

“I’m taking my friends and leaving,” Yuki said to the old man next to him. “Do nothing to stop us and we won’t cause you any further troubles. I promise that I will see this stopped. That I swear to you!” He saw no denial from the old man as he moved to help Yori.

Once Yori stood up and Yuki started to help up his sister, the old Atlantean turned to them. “Why do you do all of this? You’ll be hunted by the military. All you’ve earned is fear with your words. Why would you want to help us?”

“Do you really need a reason to help someone?” When Yuki finished untying Yori’s sister and lifted her up into his arms he looked back at Paramonos. “I guess if you really need a reason then it’s the right thing to do. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of our mistakes.”

“Such naivety…”

“Probably, but I guess youth affords such things.” He caught sight of Seiji in the distance waiting on him. It made him recall the punch that Seiji gave him to set his head on right. “Though it’s easy to forget… Just let the military know which way we went. I don’t have the power to stop them yet. So that’s the most I can offer you now.”

The crowd started to disband by the time Yuki returned to Seiji. “Let’s go back to our friends.” He glanced over at Yori to know how he looked. All he saw was a mute void. Something had him distracted and entranced. Yuki wanted to stop, but they had no time to rest. They guided him back with them to the inn.

Eudokia glared at him from the side of the inn before they even reached the steps to the door. All of them stood outside with a waiting expression on their face. The only other one that appeared upset was Saki. Waiting until Yuki got into the shadow of the building, Eukodia nearly stomped over to him. “I knew you were stupid, but even I didn’t think you were that stupid! What do you think you’re doing?!” She jabbed a finger into his face, not quite touching him.

Assaulted by her finger didn’t even turn Yuki blue or shake him. He held onto Yori’s sister, returning her fierce stare. “I took responsibility for my actions. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

“How is declaring to everyone that you’re the King’s son taking responsibility?”

“I won’t let this happen again.”

“So long as we’re roaming Atlantis this will keep happening. You can’t prevent it.”

“Then we’ll make it so that they know where we are. So they don’t have to search. Just follow us!”

She got up in his face at that point having had enough of his childish dreams. “Are you trying to make it impossible for us to get into the Capital?”

“I’m not having them ruin anyone else’s life because of my presence! I didn’t come here to bring trouble to the people!”

Seiji stepped up around Yuki, oddly quiet up to that point. He took up the right flank of Eudokia. “This is a fight between us and them, dammit! If they’re going to involve innocents then we need to make sure we don’t give them a reason.”

“You’re both idiots, but I shouldn’t be surprised at this point.”

“They’re right,” added Saki, “I can’t let them involve others that have nothing to do with our fight if we can help it.”

Out of the side appeared Chiharu like a shadow. Unlike the rest, she remained in her black ninja attire choosing against blending in. “The more we fight them the more it’ll slow us down in reaching our destination within the time frame. It’s best to avoid detection and deal with the problems the military causes to the civilian population after we’ve dealt with the ruling party.”

Annoyed by her empty emotions, Seiji leaned through the group over to the girl. “You heartless little—“

“It’s the most practical solution.”

Yuki stepped between them. “Chiharu, the practical solution isn’t always the right solution. Sometimes you have to make the choice that you know is going to be difficult, but it is the right thing to do.”

Taking a step back, the ninja gave Yuki an aspirated sigh. She crossed her arms and turned part of the way away from his sight. “This isn’t some book where you’re the hero and everything works out in the end. The right thing to do gets people injured or killed.”

“It’s not right to involve them.”

“I feel the same,” Fumiko declared. Since the debate started, she had been out of sight. Leaning more than standing with the inn as support, she brought the group to look at her. Fatigue only began to describe how she appeared to them. A heavy weight seemed to be dragging her features down and even her voice. “We should minimize the damage to people.”

“That’s just wishful thinking!” snapped Eudokia.

Seiji pressed himself into the group. “You sure as hell don’t understand!”

The yelling and fighting that continued between them started to cause Yori’s sister to stir. Her features twisted down in pain until she jerked suddenly awake. She nearly fell out of Yuki’s arms before settling back down. As she came alive a pained scream came from her bringing everyone back to Yuki and quiet. She looked about from her vantage point, getting an uneasy sense in the air. They stared at her, some with concern and others accusatory.

It took a few moments longer to realize that Yuki held her. ‘Yuki?! Why am I…’ She shifted around in Yuki’s arms wanting to be free. The pounding in her chest became almost unbearable for her to take. “…I-I can stand now…”

“Oh, sorry!”

Once she stood on the ground again, she patted out her clothes. Moments later, she fixed on the group. She felt the tension that lined everyone and seemed to understand the problem. “I think our first decision should be leaving the village. Everyone I think can agree to that.” They gave her a long pensive look not sure why she spoke with such certainty in her voice for having been asleep. Yet none of them could disagree with what she said. “Once we’re back on the road we can settle the next problem. Do we have all of the supplies?”

“…yes…” replied Eudokia slowly lengthening out her answer. Hesitation still filled her, but she wanted to move on as well.

“Good. Since everyone seems to be here, let’s go!”

Night still lingered unwilling to let go of its umbrella under the sun. The moon poked through leaving the plains of Atlantis painted in green and pale blue. Amongst the endless rolling hills an array of soldiers laid out on their backs. Some of them were unconscious and others resting to recover from their failure.

Left with a simple patch work on his cheek and jaw, Captain Simonides sat staring with a frustrated crease in his forehead. His operation resulted in failure. Utter failure, a word that tasted poor in his mouth. He remained quiet ever since he woke up, not even giving his subordinates orders. Their own troubles kept them from asking anything of him.

A pained groan came from the soldier next to him. It built into an awkward lullaby of tortured moans. Slowly, it subsided as the soldier finally woke up feeling even worse. “C-captain?” questioned Eusebios, but not out of confusion for his presence next to him. He looked around at his body, not certain why he still lived. “Why am I not dead?”

Simonides didn’t even glance at him. “We found you unconscious like the rest of the team. Only Kalliope and Philon sustained serious injury.”

Eusebios touched his hand to his chest where he knew Yuki had hit him. He felt sore and a little pain, but nothing like he remembered. It should have killed him, he knew. “…I don’t understand…”

“…nor I…nor I…”

“I’ll go tend to Kalliope and Philon.” Eusebios stood up staggering a little, feeling the exhaustion linger. He didn’t wait for confirmation and didn’t expect to receive one. The mood the Captain was in told him enough.

‘I’ll need to bring in all of the Whites in for this, Eusebios won’t be enough…’