Chapter 21: Chapter 21: Top of the Plateau

“Everything all right?” Koya asked as she watched Yaihan slide down the cliff side. He kept one hand pressed against the wall to ease his descent before landing right behind Midnight. The cultivator walked up to the horse and stroked the hair on his mane.

“How’s Midnight?”

“Seems calmer now,” the kunoichi said. She gave the reins a gentle tug and the horse trotted forward. “What did you do?”

“Fei-Lu and I took out a small band of Onis at the top of the plateau.” Yaihan went to the cart and hoisted it up with a single heave.

“That was quick.”

“Would have gone by faster, but one demon was talkative.”

Koya sighed. “Oh no. I’m guessing Fei-Lu gave you a stern talking because you wanted to mess around with your enemies again?”

“No. This time he revealed some pertinent information.”

“Like what?” Koya turned her head enough to watch Yaihan catch up with a quick dash.

“Valiax hasn’t made much distance. There’s a good chance we can catch up to him and his caravan if we’re quick.”

“Caravan?” Koya said, pivoting her head back around to focus on the narrow footing of the trail. “You’re saying Valiax has an escort planned?”

“That’s what the demon said. Of course, he might have been coerced into telling us what we wanted to hear.”

“Ah. Fei-Lu must have given you a lesson in interrogation.”

“Yes. How did you know?”

“Because the results are always the same. We get a bit of info. And a big mess that needs to be cleaned up.”

“This lesson was no different. Hopefully, this demon was honest. He said that Valiax had difficulty recruiting other demons to his cause. Then he mentioned something about resorting to slaves.”

The kunoichi hung her head low. “Despicable.”

“The Oni-Zhen seem don’t seem like the type to take prisoners.”

Koya gave a Midnight a gentle kick in his sides, making him speed up. The distance between them and Cyrus narrowed. “They’re not. But I’ve heard stories of those unfortunate enough to be ‘spared’ by the Onis’ wrath. Forced to do tortuous labor until they die.”

Yaihan’s fists clenched the handle of the cart even tighter. “All the more reason to intercept Valiax even sooner. Maybe even time it right.”

Koya glanced over her shoulder at the cultivator, giving him a glare with one eye opened wide. “What did you have in mind?”

“We wait for him to gather his slaves. Even let the caravan advance. And once we know where the prisoners are, that’s when we strike.”

The kunoichi nodded. “I get what you’re saying. We take out Valiax and rescue the captives all in one strike. It’s a bold strategy, but it’s something that just might work.”

“Once we reach the top of the plateau, I’ll tell Fei-Lu.”

---

The group advanced through the winding trail in silence. The moon now lingered straight above, basking in the land in a soft white glow. Fei-Lu ordered Zephyr to stop, bringing the entire procession to a halt. She turned around and waved at Koya in the back. 

“We’re almost there,” Fei-Lu said just loud enough for the Yaihan to hear at the very rear of the group. She pointed to the natural ramp up ahead that led to the top of the plateau. “Once we reach the top, Cyrus will scout the canyon out. If there’s no vision on Oni-Zhen forces, we can take a moment to rest.”

Koya sighed in relief. “Finally,” she said under her breath. “Midnight here can barely stand up straight. And I think my eyelids are about to seal themselves shut.” She flashed a smirk to Yaihan. “But I guess you could keep going into the morning and well into the afternoon.”

Yaihan kept the cart steady. “If I were to be honest, then I’d come across as arrogant.”

“That means yes.”

Fei-Lu continued up the slope to the top of the plateau. The peak was just as flat and dry as the land below, with the only difference being solid footing instead loose sand. In the distance was the long winding canyon that appeared as a long shadow across the expanse.  

A few lumps lay motionless on the side, their true form masked by the dark of the night. Koya squinted with her hand over her eyes toward the chunky masses. “What do you think those are, Yaihan?” she whispered to the cultivator. “Oni Marauders?”

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Yaihan turned his head towards the objects. “Yes. But don’t worry. They won’t be any bother to us.”

“Oh. I get it now.”

“Come over,” Fei-Lu called out. She and Lysa dismounted Zephyr while Cyrus stayed on his horse and headed to the cliff. Yaihan and Koya both obeyed and met up with the rest of the party. “Yaihan. There should be some parts for a makeshift tent in the cart.”

“Understood,” he replied as he eased the wagon on the ground. He dug through the supplies and removed a few wooden posts along with a long tarp. “Where should we set up?”

“Anywhere is fine,” Fei-Lu said quietly. “I know I said we’ll wait for Cyrus’ report, but I don’t think he’ll be able to see into the canyon, even with his skills.” Everyone looked at the scout as he peered into the dark depths with his telescope. “We’ll just take a brief break here and continue on once we and our horse have gotten a bit of rest.”

“Did you tell everyone about the information the Oni gave us?”

“Yes. Lysa and Cyrus know about the caravan. As well as the slaves.”

“You know, while we were climbing up the trail, Yaihan here came up with a good idea,” Koya said as she nudged the cultivator in the rib with her elbow. He thrust one post into the dirt with one hand before facing Fei-Lu.

“I suggested we wait for Valiax to gather the slaves for the caravan. That way we can eliminate him and rescue the prisoners at the same time.”

“I see.” The tactician crossed her arms and stared at the ground. She tapped her foot a few times as she remained deep in concentration. “It certainly isn’t a bad idea. It’s something I’ll consider, but not as our first strategy.”

“What? Why not?” Koya asked, her face carrying authentic confusion. “You know how the Oni treat their prisoners!”

“We have to think about the long term, Koya,” Fei-Lu replied calmly. “There’s nothing more I want than to see as many people survive as possible. But you don’t lead an army with altruism.” She slammed her fist into the palm of her other hand. “Practicality and efficiency are more important.”

“We need more people, Fei-Lu,” the kunoichi replied. “Yaihan can only do so much. Even if we do stop Valiax from revealing our location, there’s no way we can win back the continent with the few people we have!”

“But have you forgotten that we’ve got other problems that plague us? If Valiax flees, then all hope is lost. And even if we manage to rescue these supposed slaves, how would we feed them? We have barely enough food for the survivors back at camp!”

“It should still be a priority,” Koya said with a softer tone.

“It is. Just not the priority. Besides, there are still many variables to take into consideration. For all we know, that demon could have been lying to throw us off the trail or make us think we have more time than we actually do.” The tactician turned to the scout as he walked closer with his horse trailing right behind. “Cyrus! Any news?”

The scout shook his head. “Sorry, Fei-Lu. Too dark to see anything. I can’t make out where one side of the canyon ends and the other starts.”

“Just as I expected,” Fei-Lu replied. “We’ll have to wait until the morning to come up with a proper plan. Until then, we’ll take turns resting.” The tactician scanned the group. “Who volunteers to go on lookout shift first?”

“I can,” Yaihan replied as he slammed the last post into the ground. “I should be enough to keep you all safe while you rest.”

Fei-Lu nodded. “As expected. But I’d suggest one more to stay up with you. The more eyes we have keeping watch, the better. Who here is willing to keep Yaihan company on his shift?” 

Lysa stepped forward. She raised one hand and kept the other pressed against her back. “I can stay up. You three have returned from battle. Healing is exhausting work, but I’ll manage.”

The tactician bowed her head. “Thank you, Lysa. With you two keeping watch, we should be safe in case other Oni are lurking around.”

Koya reached into the wagon and pulled out a folded sheet. She pressed it against her chest and took in a deep breath. “Thanks, Lysa. I appreciate your sacrifice. I’ve been thinking about this blanket the moment we headed to this plateau.”

“You all deserve rest,” the druid said softly. 

“You do too,” Koya replied before letting out a long yawn. Once Yaihan finished securing the tarp over the wooden posts, she crawled into the tent. “Don’t worry. I won’t sleep too long. You’ll get your turn.”

“I think it is time that I get some sleep as well.” Fei-Lu stopped in front of the cart and pointed towards a large formation that jutted out from the otherwise flat area. “That could be a good vantage point to keep watch from.”

Yaihan bowed before for the tactician before looking at Lysa. The druid’s eyes were on the verge of shutting. “We’ll make sure your rest is a safe one.”

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