Chapter 6
Chivalry
1
"This was their trump card."
Pados was the first to pick up a seemingly ordinary wooden arrow that was thrown on the table.
He looked at it with suspicion,
"As can be seen, this just looks like your ordinary arrow lying around anywhere. Though it looks as though the arrow tip is a little twisted."
"It created an instantaneous storm which blinded me. The enemy escaped as it happened, but they had flying gear to begin with."
Said Greylancer, looking at the faces seated at the large table.
Starting with his aide, Yunus. Then Pados and his aide, Katuna. And finally, the "Swordsman" Shizam and "Marksman" Gallagher. Originally, this place wasn't one where Escorts could participate, but Greylancer did not care.
"However, regardless of how stormy it was, it's unbelievable that you'd miss the enemy who were but a stone's throw away."
"Indeed."
Pados and Katuna's eyebrows were twisted with suspicion.
Yunus wasn't concerned.
It wasn't quite true that some rulers of the Frontiers would be fully aware of Greylancer's personality. The people in question had thought they were honoring Greylancer's intentions, but were unaware of the mistakes and consequences of such good intentions.
At this point, Shizam hits home.
"My Lord, your complexion isn't looking so good."
"That's not important."
It was a disheartened response.
The complexion on Pados was getting worse. He finally realized it--
The reason Greylancer allowed his enemies to escape was due to his wounds.
"Even if they have magnetic flying gear, they'd be obliterated by the infinite barrier if they attempt to cross the wall. There are no exceptions, so they must still be within the Central Zone."
Yunus changed the topic.
"We'll find them. If we don't find the enemy's head and crush it, this battle will never end."
Saying that, Greylancer looked to Shizam and Gallagher.
"Are you speaking of something that isn't even in your heart?"
"No."
"Not one bit."
They replied, but their voices sounded straight to the point as they were right.
"Well, that's fine. Battles are long, and the more painful, the better. Means there's a greater pleasure of victory. Pados--how long will it take you to find the enemy from inside?"
"--Half a month if you allow it."
"Make it a week."
"Very well."
As they bowed, the sound of a siren began to emanate from the ceiling.
That was the sign dawn was nearing.
Time was provided by means of information satellites in geostationary orbit.
"Your quarters are ready."
Said Pados, who was standing upright and still--
"A group of humans are approaching the gate. They're estimated to be about 3,000 of them."
Said a sluttery female voice.
"New pests?"
Greylancer's stern eyes turned towards Pados.
"Is that voice a thing of yours?"
It was in regards to the announcement.
"Y-no..."
"Change it right away. Do it in five minutes, or I will drive a wedge through your heart with my own bare hands."
Greylancer bore his fangs out as proof of his decision.
It was an hour later when the group of "pests" arrived at the "gate".
From the observation of the administration office, the group a hundred meters below them were truly nothing more than a pack of colorful pests, a state of affairs that they had no choice other than to accept it.
It was Pados and Katuna who were gleefully enjoying the view from the observation room's window with their hands behind their backs.
Of course, there was no way they could be out in the daytime. These were electronic statues, and they were sleeping soundly somewhere in a coffin. So who could dictate the statues actions and thoughts? It was a computer. In order for the Nobility to act as rulers during the daytime, the computer stores all of their personalities, behavioral patterns, and even accidental actions in a databank and install them to the computer.
Just as a human ghost appears during nighttime, a Noble's illusion that appears in the daytime are generated by the computer yet are unmistakably the living dead themselves in coffins.
The only real one was Greylancer. This was due to the power of the "Time-Decieving Incense" created by his sister.
"You've arrived. Seems your request has been received?"
In response to Pados' query, Katuna spoke,
"To avoid the aforementioned infectious disease, we'd like to welcome you all to the Central Zone."
"Given you've received permission by the Honorable Sacred Ancestor, it cannot be helped. Give us half a day and we'll open the gate."
"Understood..."
Needless to say, the reason they gave them half a day was to indulge in the agony of such "pests" in the meantime. Such a thing wasn't limited to the Nobility.
Soon as the announcement was made, a protest of anger and hatred erupted amongst the "pests".
"Look at them. They're about to cry. We've given them permission, so they'll just have to wait there quietly."
"Truly."
They laughed as hard as they could. There were only two people in the observatory room, and those were actual android guards. It was their laughter that rang out.
"How is his Lordship doing? It didn't seem like he had a deep sleep."
"I just saw him gazing at the pests from the observation room in the first floor."
"Oh? Is he doing the same thing?"
As they were discussing, new information came through from outside.
Pados took it from the computer and peers his gaze away.
"What is it?"
"It's a tip-off from an outside source. It appears one of them is the leader of the rebels."
"You mean Sunhawk?"
"Who else? Inform his Lordship at once."
Alongside a group of android soldiers were four men who came rushing in. Shizam, Gallagher, Yunus, and a newcomer.
Pados and the others weren't surprised to see Shizam and Gallagher, who were humans, as did Yunus who was also there just like them.
"You did well to inform us."
Yunus gazed down from the window.
"Your Lordship came to inspect the wall. Is that all you wanted to communicate?"
"Correct."
Pados replied.
"There's three thousand humans there. How did you identify them?"
"It's a hard question to answer. The Honorable Sacred Ancestor granted them permission, so we cannot agonize them. But we also cannot let traitors who have caused devasting damage to the Fronter in for free, can we?"
The two leaders fell silent.
"I'd like you to leave this to me."
All eyes were focused on the source of the voice. It was Katuna.
"As it stands, one side standing up will cause the other to do the same. From your two's perspective, it'll be an endless cycle. Pardon me for this, but I do have an idea, although I can't say if it's a good one."
"What do you propose, Marquis Yunus?"
"What's the plan?"
Then, Pados put a hand to his ear.
He glanced at his expression,
"What happened?"
He asked in a disappointed expression.
"The crowd has started to begin chanting in the Honorable Sacred Ancestor's name."
It was the freeloader of the farming family who began the chant.
It only a few dozen of seconds for the mere chanting of saying Honorable Sacred Ancestor to have them be joined by the daughter and son of the farming family. Then, it spreads out to the surrounding people until a chorus of three thousand people was made.
"This is amazing, Bluestar. Everyone is chanting."
Said the boy named Ralph, who looked at the fierce youth with an amazed stare.
"Isn't this great, sister? He's brought everyone together."
In those shining eyes, the girl named Jennifer nodded in agreement.
Bluestar had no doubts that the chanting would have an effect as to shake heaven and earth.
The chanting of Honorable Sacred Ancestor, Honorable Sacred Ancestor soared beyond the hundred-meter wall and faded to the heavens.
This was no longer a chorus, but a voice of holy praying.
A golden light that pushed aside the clouds of dawn illuminated the people who chanted the name in ecstasy.
Honorable Sacred Ancestor
Honorable Sacred Ancestor
Honorable Sacred Ancestor
And--
--The chorus went on uninterrupted.
A sound similar to the creaking of huge gears engulfed it.
Everyone points to a direction where the sound was made and exclaims--
"The [Gate] is opening!"
Above them, laser cannon and missile-mounted autodynes flew around like black butterflies.
The immovable iron door was certainly rising as though something was repelled.
"Let us through!"
Someone shouted. A wave of people suddenly changed their positions but did not move right away.
They were waiting for something as the door stops.
Indeed, something did awaited them.
A voice filled with malice came over the people's heads.
"Hear me, Humans and Pests. My name is Colonel Katuna. As of now, I have been given authority in decisions regarding the [Gate]."
"Big brother..."
Bluestar's expression changed to an uncharacteristically grim one while he smiled back at Ralph's anxious voice.
2
"You may recall hearing about a leader of a group of rebels called Sunhawk who has been rampaging across various Frontiers for the past few years. Currently, it has become clear that he intends to invade the Northern Frontier to cause mayhem so it is best to cut this rebellion by its bud. So we now have a a plasma cannon aimed at him from geostationary orbit."
A roar passed through the people.
"Observe."
A crimson streak of light cuts through the sky.
The earth one kilometer away from the edge of the group of people boiled and gasified, turning to ions and then nothing.
A heat wave then swept across the plains, mowing down the people.
"I'm being honest here."
Katuna's voice was laced with laughter and arrogance.
"That person is among you. In fact, I know who it is. Step forth, Sunhawk. Do that, and I'll help these innocent people. If you stay silent, even if it's just the thieves, the plasma cannon will cook you all. We'll see just how much of a rebel you are. Of course, you'd would want to jump in."
Three thousand people fell silent.
The wind blew overhead as the clouds blocked out the daylight.
"Who tipped them off?"
Ralph and Jennifer hear Bluestar groan.
"A plasma cannon...just what do you think you're doing?"
Then he knelt down on one knee, holding his side. A red stain spread across his pressed shirt as if it were like paint thrown into water. The wound had yet to completely heal.
"Mister Bluestar."
Jennifer ran over to his side and lays him down on the grass.
"I'll get a blanket right away."
"No, it's fine. Take Ralph and leave."
"I can't do that."
She stared at the pale masculine face, then towards the carriage,
"Ralph, bring me the medicine cabinet."
"Our time is being wasted with all of you here."
Katuna voice continued mockingly.
"I'm going to use an old trick you all should be familiar with. I want you to step forth while I count to ten. Once the countdown is finished, the light of heaven will vaporize you."
Inside the observation deck, Katuna looks back to Pados and Yunus.
"Your thoughts? No matter which way it goes, Sunhawk will be nothing but dust by a Noble bathing in the morning sun."
Pados asked.
"What if he doesn't step forth?"
"I'll give you my head and heart in exchange for these three thousand pests."
"A head for three thousand lives?"
Yunus folded his arms and looked at Katuna. His eyes were cold.
"If the Honorable Sacred Ancestor was here, we'd be torn to pieces three thousand times over."
"Well, well, well. It appears Lord Greylancer's aide is fond of these pests. In that case, give me an order and I'll leave this be any time."
"No. You can keep going."
Staring at the still cold gaze, Katuna responded with a sneer and then looks to the sky where a mech appeared,
"Ten."
He said. The clouds, the light, and the people froze.
"Nine."
The humans were unable to move as though they were hit by water.
And then,
"Three."
"Two."
A shadow rises up. It was a small boy with round glasses.
"I'm Sunhawk."
Every sound in heaven and earth ceased. Yet, it was as if the three thousand people felt a deep, heavy echo. Perhaps it was the sound of his spirit.
"Ralph..."
Jennifer had Bluestar on her shoulder as he tried to get up. The pretty girl's eyes fixed the young man on the spot.
In a world where the wind danced with the clouds and light, the Nobility's laughter rang out.
"Well, well, well. Who would have thought the rebel that shook the Nobility would use a mere child. If you truly are a man like Sunhawk who knows how to fight, then shame on you. The history of the Nobility will forever remain. Sunhawk is a coward who uses children as a scapegoat. Oh, but thank the heavens for [One] last number. Come on out before the number is said, otherwise forget it."
Kanuta takes a deep breath.
"One--"
Another one stood up. Her long hair of gold trailed the winds.
Her name was Jennifer.
But now--
"I am Sunhawk."
Said the girl.
Silence spreads out again.
"So now it's the girl, eh? I don't know what you pests are thinking. You must know we'd end their lives with no hesitation, so why are you willingly throwing them away?"
Kanuta was searching for a reason even though he was asking for no answers.
There was no one to answer.
"I am Sunhawk."
He heard new voices. The voice was as numerous as the people who rose up.
"So there are now three thousand Sunhawks."
Yunus spoke with sarcasm.
"Now what should we do?"
"Like I said before--"
Said Kanuta, trying to suppress his irritation.
"You are one rare coward of cowards, Sunhawk. Do you not feel pity for those trying to save you? Do you not despise those who lie in your name? Good. I've counted down from ten, and a promise must be kept. Plasma cannon, ready to fire!"
36,000 kilometers above ground in geostationary orbit, one of the small satellites aimed a terrifying weapon of destruction at a point on the blue planet.
"Hold on a minute there."
There was word on the ground. The young man who fired a shot recently arrived from Vistoria along with Shizam and Gallagher.
He gave off a snake-like stare,
"Who are you?"
Katuna asked.
"Ken Kurama, a fighter. Listen, chief. It seems a tad bit unreasonable to vaporize all three thousand people at once."
"Stand down."
"No, I won't stand down. After all, I'm a Human. I'm not saying to stop this, but would it not hurt to maybe think this through a little more?"
"Stand down! Marquis Yunus, it seems you haven't disciplined them well enough."
"So noisy."
Suddenly, his small body became a blur.
At the same time, the heads of the android soldiers that came from both sides flew into the air. No one saw Kurama's skill with the sword.
"A [High-Speed Man]? However, he can't outrun light."
A flash of light.
Kurama staggered and leaned against the wall to his right. Purple smoke rose from his right thigh.
"Damn. Gonna be a problem later."
Katuna cleared his throat as the young man clicked his tongue.
He felt a deep nothingness in his chest,
"Fire!"
Before he could even finish, he was slammed into a wall on his right with his neck bent.
The dark-blue figure retracts the long spear that struck him halfway.
"My Lord!!"
"I saw everything downstairs."
The sound of footsteps approached the window,
"Two children have managed to turn into three thousand."
The Noble's face was smiling as he observed below.
"Your Lordship...! Why me?"
Katuna stood up with his head bent 90 degrees, not hiding his resentment.
"Listen to me--"
The Great Noble's voice descended upon the heroes. In his eyes were two small Sunhawks.
"I am Greylancer. Attention to all soldiers. After tomorrow, if the investigation reveals that Sunhawk is amongst them, you are to tear apart all three thousand of them. For now, let the humans go. Let them be to wherever they go. Open the [gate]."
There was great rejoice fore a Noble who could not tolerate any objections.
People were seen pouring in even just before the [gate] was fully opened.
"Not bad, eh chief?"
Kurama said with a crocked smile.
A huge hand dug its fingers into his throat, his feet risen off the ground.
His face instantly turned purple.
"Next time you call me chief, I will tear you apart. I'll take my time with you slowly. Understand?"
"Ug-understood."
Greylancer led Kurama to the doorway, and slams him five meters before him.
Just before he did, Kurama had vanished.
"Smart fellow. I'll be staying here for a while. Give myself plenty of work to do."
He spoke blankly.
"Where are you going?"
The darkness asked before it.
"I'll be honest. Apart from the [Marksman], we can't beat Greylancer."
The one who responded was the [Lancer], Elektra. A bloody bandage was wrapped around his right shoulder, with his long spear resting on his left. The scars on the [Gunner] Hansen, who was standing nearby, had disappeared leaving only faint purplish spots. They were in a dark place surrounded by stones, with the only source of life being the candle flames on the wall.
It was perhaps the ruins or remains of a similarly large facility.
There were large holes in the ceiling and walls that were 20 meters high, with steel frames and passageways peeking out of them.
"If my long spear, that which I had boasted of being unrivaled until now, had gone on for two more rounds just to do my best blocking his attacks, I would not be here. A Noble's wound would have left no trace behind, regardless if the attack came from a Human or Noble."
Elektra smacked his left hand onto the bandage. The stain spreads further.
"Look at this! The wound he gave me from stabbing it has yet to heal. If anything, the pain and bleeding has only gone up."
"You have failed me."
Said the dark voice. They were so dark that even light itself could not reach them.
"Everyone is aware that the Central Zone attracts a variety of murderers different from those outside the Frontiers. They said you were the best among them, so I chose you. Yet, here you are."
There was no contempt in the voice. It was a mere declaration that they had no use for them anymore. A flash of anger began to seep in their eyes.
Elektra roars out--
"We did everything you asked for! That's why we came back. We'll bring Takino back once his wounds are healed. We wanted to change..."
The dark voice was silenced by a visceral scream. Finally--
"You needed money, and spirit."
"Yes. Both Hansen and I know this. We didn't mind becoming different creatures. After all, defeat is a big deal to us."
He put his left hand, which was holding onto the bandage, into his coat pocket to take its contents out and threw it out.
What fell on the stone floor was a small leather bag, and the glitter which fell from its unraveled opening was a rainbow-colored stick that gave off its own light in the darkness.
"This is absolute gold that I bought with thirty years worth of my earnings. They're worth 10,000 times the same amount as dollar gold coins."
After a short pause,
"Even by giving up this much, you still want to vent your grudge? Know that the depth of karma is the same both Humans and Nobility. Come. Walk anywhere, and you'll see the doctor."
Elektra nodded big and started walking, with Hansen following him.
"Curse you, Central Zone, for giving life to these newcomers. Pray that your life before ever going Outside, after all life is slaughtered in the Central Zone."
Boots were trampling on gold.
The darkness lovingly embraced the shadows of those who seek only the proof of life there.
3
As soon as the sun went down the next day, one of several scattered groups of [Refugees]--a group visiting the Central Zone, were visited soon after they set up camp for the night by a quartet of men who arrived in a single-seat carriage and cyborg horses.
A large figure came down from the carriage with a silver mask covering the left side of their face and with a flip of his dark-blue cape. The three other people were known to be their bodyguard from a glance, but the large figure steps forward and asks the people stuck in their pale atmosphere, more horrified than surprised, a question regarding the whereabouts of a certain family.
The old man returned from the nearby forest.
Three days--that was enough food for the group to reach their destination.
He had in his hands an improvised spear made by shaping a cleaning mop with an iron tip sharpened and fastened with wire. The result was a magical spear capable of dealing a hundred thrusts in.
After taking in the last whitetail deer to his storage room for now to add it to his trophies, he put his hands on his hips and stretched wide.
He took a quick breath and turned to face the owner of the dark blue cape and golden embroidered coat towering over him like a small mountain.
"Your Lordship!?"
The old man stood still.
"Forgive me for my foolishness. I'm just a countryman from the East."
Greylancer turned his gaze aside somewhere else.
"Hmm. Two whitetail deers and three-night birds, just in half an hour is quite an impossible feat for someone of your age."
"Oh, I just got lucky."
The old man wiped away the sweat with a towel.
"You're sweating all of a sudden. Was it from when you noticed me?"
"Not at all. It just happened now."
The two points of light from the dark blue mountain burned like flames. They had not once blinked since he appeared before the old man.
"I'm told that the brother and sister are here with you. Three of my men are with me."
"Are you sure you heard right? I started hunting three hours ago. Thinking about it, there must have been a younger one here in the woods."
He smiled while slapping his hip.
"I'm sure those kids will be grateful. The Central Zone will become a cesspool of monsters and demons come nighttime."
"They must be delusional as they can't ever hope to win a fight against me. What? Are you concerned that I would bring the brother and sister into this matter?"
Said Greylancer in a mocking tone.
"I have no clue what you're going on about--I've been on my own for a decade. I escaped the plague and fled all the way here, yet I know not will become of me now."
"Where are you going?"
"No. I have no plans to go anywhere. Are you in a hurry to be somewhere?"
"I'm in no rush. I merely came here to ask you a question."
"What is it?"
He looked at the nervous old man from the countryside. He was nervous and scared, his breathing becoming short because of it.
"There is a toxin that gets mixed in human blood veins that selectively affect only us. Even should the problem with the poison become resolved, the person who conspired this remains. Do you happen to know their name?"
"Why ask me?"
"Today under the daylight, one only did not stand in the 2,997 people who stood in the name of another. No, he did try to stand but was prevented by the people around him. I kept looking for him. Even if he were to change his facial or bone structure, he cannot fool me."
"I'm but a weak and feeble man."
The old man picked up his spear that was leaning on the pile of trophies.
"I'd refrain from making light of the elderly, your Lordship. It's about time I take these trophies to my friends."
He shrugs his shoulder at the pile of trophies.
"I have no family, but I do have a few friends. In this age, everyone is irreplaceable. We fought, competed for woman, and did bad things in our past. But that served to strengthen our bond. We are all the same, whether in life or death. Does your Lordship have such friends?"
"No."
It was a natural response. The old man was speechless. Clearing his throat, he spoke--
"Is that right? Then excuse me for asking you a mundane question. If you had such friends, would you betray them?"
"Saying if is rather pointless, but I have never been called a traitor by either friend nor foe."
"Have you ever been betrayed?"
Greylancer's lips curled up slightly. He might be the one who would laugh.
"More than I ever could be."
"So have I, and I have betrayed you. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to cross this world. Strangely enough, I had asked this same question to the young man I mentioned earlier in the woods."
"..."
"I don't know why I asked him that question or why he even answered it. But he did tell me this: 'even if I was betrayed, I won't betray myself'."
He pointed his bow and arrow at Greylancer. The Great Noble did not move, likely as their action had no killing intent or prepared move. Even when an arrow flew the air, it passed by the nape of his neck.
Less than three meters away was the rousing of a low groan which was followed by the sound of something crashing to the floor.
"Was that a dark-moon jellyfish?"
It was a carnivorous creature that floats in the air during dark moonless nights and feasts on the ground. Its name came from its translucent shape which resembled a jellyfish.
The old man lowered his bow and bowed his head.
"So you knew? I was trying to imitate being tactless."
"Whatever your beliefs or sentiments are, I will kill the rebels. That is who I am. But I do owe you a debt."
Then, Greylancer turned away from him,
"I was a hindrance to you."
The old man's voice followed after the shadow as it walked away.
"Long ago, I was a coward. I talked with my friends as though I was a courageous man for attacking a Noble in their barn, but in the end, I had to crawl away. It was my mother who saved me from that Noble's spear. She told me to run, so I did. I was so scarred and horrified, I was sobbing like a hungry ghost. I even let it slip before I came to my senses. From that moment on, I would spend my days without any problems, surviving up to this very day. It would be my fate to rot away without seeing anyone, but I have the sense that the young man in the forest had chosen a different path in life. A way of life incompatible with your Lordship. In that case, you will hunt him down to the ends of the earth and destroy him, once and for all. I'm sure that's what he also wants, too."
He wondered if his voice reached the giant.
The darkness of the moonless night engulfs the giant, and not a sound was heard.
There was no one around Jennifer and Ralph when Bluestar returned.
"A terrifying Noble just asked me where my brother was. I didn't say anything, then he told me he knew him, so I did. Do you know him?"
"Yes."
They weren't afraid, however.
One of the three was the young man whom killed the androids the day before.
"I told them it'd be alright, but they all ran away. But then when I told them how great it was that he killed the androids, they seemed a little troubled."
For the time being, they were working for the Nobility. Bluestar even smiled bitterly at it, thinking it would be troublesome.
The other two watched in silence as he would teach them how to throw punches and kicks, then he'd come and go like the wind.
"I'm glad you're doing alright."
When he entered the living space made of plastic and posts, Jennifer laid her head gently on his shoulder.
"An old man helped me."
"Huh?"
"I don't know what's going to happen now, but I need to go."
"You can't..."
"It's better this way. Soon, the others from the camp will arrive soon."
"But why?"
"I don't know. But it seems they don't consider those visited by a Noble to be one of their own. Nothing that will explain anything will overcome their fear and self-preservation. They'll be suspecting of you as well."
"But to leave so soon..."
"Fortunately, I was saved. I don't have much for carrying around."
He had his belongings in a leather bag,
"I'm sorry, but I'll only be taking what I got from your place. Those from the camp aren't demons either. They'll understand if I come clean with them."
"Are you sure you want to go?"
"I got no other choice."
"Then take us with you. We feel safer with you than anyone else."
"You know I'm a rebel, right?"
The girl nodded quietly. The dignified look on her face meant she took everything to heart.
"Then go with them. I have something I must do. I don't know if I'll be able to finish in my lifetime, but I can't stop so short of it. It's a dangerous task, and one I can't afford to be distracted by other things. I don't know if we'll even see each other again, but I'd like to if we can."
Bluestar's hand gently touched and lifted her rosy-red cheek.
A glint fell from the girl's eye, creating a stain on the floor.
"When my mother died, I didn't even cry."
Said Jennifer.
"What a terrible parent they have to be to die and leave their child behind. I never thought I'd cry again, but--"
There were several stains.
"I don't know why I would cry for someone who I only knew for a few days. I just don't understand it."
A thin white hand gently pushes the man's hand away while the other hand wipes away the tears.
"I won't cry anymore. Never again."
The girl pushed him out.
"Hurry and go--we'll be alright."
Then, when Bluestar left, he leaned against a post and began to cry. Not a sound was made from him.
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