Chapter 28: Winds Of Tragedy

I walk down the hill filled with questions. That encounter earlier today was not something that I expected at all, and it brought more problems to me than it tried to explain things. Ever since Asmodai gave me back control over my body, I’ve been trying to call out to him to make him explain, but all I received was an odd silence as if he’s forced to not answer, rather than he doesn’t want to. Tch, things just keep piling up on one another… But I can’t be worrying about all of them at once. I’ll never be able to solve anything if that’s the case. So, for now, let’s just focus on the biggest matter on my hand.

“This damn cross,” I mumble as I raise the thing forward. This small cross is my reason for staying here in the first place. If it’s according to the previous plan we made, this thing will get destroyed immediately, and I’ll be happy to continue on wherever I want. However, that’s only “if” it goes according to plan. That stupid dragon now refuses to answer even when I mention the whole ordeal about the cross. And it seems like he’s refusing to let me use my power as well, considering that I tried for half a day trying to arm myself to no avail. Now what, though? Can I just get a hammer and break it? Or maybe bury it into the ground? But is it going to be that simple?

“Petra-nee, what’s that you’re holding in your hand?” Petoro’s voice sounds, interrupting my thoughts. Almost jumping up because of his sudden appearance, the cross nearly falls off my hands as I desperately try to catch it before it drops to the ground:

“N-nothing!” Immediately hiding it behind my back, I try to change the subject. “You must be tired from school, right? I’ll go and prepare dinner!”

I run away as fast as I can, leaving a confused Petoro behind. Finally finding solace in my room, I let out a sigh of relief:

“That was too close… Now, what to do with this thing…” I ask myself as I take another careful look around my room once more. Since it was originally an empty room that was passed to Otsuya, and then me, I never expected the room to have many things, but now that I really notice it, this place is painfully empty. That chest from when I first saw the room is the only thing that’s present, and hiding something in there is like begging for it to be found. Why didn’t I ask for a wardrobe or something, damn it…

Ugh, I’m seriously running out of ideas. Fine, this is the only spot left that I have in the room anyway.

I take out all of my current clothes in the chest, throw in the cross, and then cover it up with clothes once again. It’s the most obvious hiding spot in the world, but it will have to do for now. Closing the chest and putting it back where it was, I make my way downstairs.

By the time I get to the kitchen, Katsu is already there, and he looks pissed off somehow.

“Musa-chan said you’d be in here, so why are you only appearing now?” The young butler raises a pair of chopsticks on his hand towards me.

“Shut up. I got things to do.” I make an annoyed look while swiping away the chopsticks with my hand. “Let’s just get cooking.”

However, it’s only a front I’m trying to make to check for the surroundings. After making sure that the kid isn’t close enough to listen in, I lean closer to Katsu and whisper:

“We need to talk. Find a way to ditch Petoro later tonight and meet me in my room.”

As his face flusters and reddens all the way up to his ears, I can’t help but let out a small giggle and pat him on the back. “Not like that.”

“Gh-It’s not what you think it is!” Katsu shouts out in embarrassment, almost throwing away his chopsticks in the process. However, at that moment, what worries me more is the fact that his voice might attract some unwanted attention.

Glancing over to the kitchen door to see no one close, I let out a small sigh of relief and lightly hit the boy on the head:

“Keep it down, you! We don’t want Petoro to hear this!”

It seems that he finally realizes what I meant, and in an immediate response, Katsu lowers his voice as well, while his face almost instantly returns to normal in the process. “Got it. We’ll talk later tonight.”

 

Later, in opposite sides of the flickering candlelight in the middle of my room sit Katsu and I. Pouring a cup of tea for himself, the young man asks:

“Alright, what do you want to tell me?” 

“I need you to be calm about this, alright?” I answer with a question of my own. Before he could react to my odd request, placed directly in front of him is now the same emerald cross that he had seen many times as a child.

“T-This is…!”

“Quiet, you!” I place my finger on my mouth to signal and whisper. “I just got it this morning.”

“What do you mean you just got it? Where did you find it?” Katsu asks, starting to lower his voice as well.

“I didn’t. Remember that boy I asked earlier in the morning?”

“Yeah, why? ...” It doesn’t take long for Katsu to put two and two together and realize the connection. “Don’t tell me…”

“Yeah, he gave that to me.” With a nod of confirmation, I answer.

“But how? Isn’t the cross supposed to be with the angels? How would a normal person have it? Is he an angel in disguise? But then why would an angel wear a disguise? ...” Questions come out of Katsu’s mouth like a flooding river, so much that I have to cover his mouth mid-way to quiet him.

“Look, I don’t know either,” I answer after retracting my hand. “But the fact still remains: the cross is here, and he had it for some reason.”

“Wait a minute… have you noticed that there seem to be more angels on patrol than usual?” As if struck with an idea, Katsu asks.

“You noticed it too, right?” I nod in agreement. “Let’s see now… if I remember correctly, it started to get strange… about a week or two ago?”

“And that coincides with the time that boy appeared.” Katsu continues. “It all matches up now. He stole the cross from the angels!”

“And that’s why he told me that he was on our side,” I add. “I see now. Then it all makes sense. But that still leaves us with some unanswered question.”

“Yeah, like who is that boy?” Katsu nods in agreement. However, this is where our opinions differ.

“I was actually referring to the matter of this cross first. What are we going to do with it?”

“I thought you said you were going to destroy it?” Contrary to my worry, Katsu asks with a confused look, as if the solution was something obvious.

“Well… I did say that, but now we have some issues.” I let out a sigh. “Namely… I can’t.”

“How so? Are you having second thoughts?”

“No, not like that.” I shake my head in response. “After the whole thing this morning, now I can’t use my powers. Asmodai doesn’t let me. It seems like breaking it through conventional means is the only way left, but I fear that it might not work.”

“Can’t you just try it now?” Katsu asks. “I can grab a hammer from the storage.”

As soon as the words leave my mouth, the young butler has already left the premise, and, just as fast as he was gone, before I could even begin to count for the time, he has already returned with a small hammer in hand. Just as I feared, however, hitting the cross is like hitting a brick wall. After just one strike, both of our arms are already too sore to do anything else, and the idea dies as fast as it comes up.

“Well, that was a bust.” I let out a sigh in disappointment.

“Then I guess there’s only one option left.” Katsu continues. “Hide it away in somewhere safe.”

“Do you have any suggestions?”

“Can’t you keep it with you? The safest place is always right beside you, right?”

“And then what? I have no powers currently, and who knows when the stupid dragon will let me use it again. Besides, the main reason I’m asking you is because of you-know-who. What would he say if he saw me wearing this thing?”

“I mean… he would understand… right?” With a scratch of the head, Katsu asks.

“Are you two really brothers? You’ve seen how the kid idolizes my power, and how he’s quick to act on his emotions. Do you honestly think that with the chance of having more power, Petoro would just let it slide?”

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“… I don’t think so. I believe so.” Taking a deep breath, Katsu answers. “Even if it might be wrong… I trust him.”

“… Tch, what a pain.” I don’t know if I want to call it brotherly love or just sheer stupidity, but the look in his eyes makes me want to believe in the kid as well. But this is the one thing that I can’t risk. Not just because of me, but for the rest of us as well.

“It’s still not safe enough.” I shake my head in refusal. “Think of something else.”

“I got nothing...” Answering my question is another disappointing shake of the head from Katsu. However, before I can show any reaction, a sudden stroke of genius flashes in the boy’s mind:

“I got it!” Hitting his palm with his fist, Katsu lets out a small cheer. To my surprise, he then stands up right away and makes his way to the corner of the room, where the giant chest is located. I raise my eyebrows in doubt as I see in dragging the chest out towards us:

“Are you telling me to hide it in this thing? I already tried that. Just one look and anyone would know that the only place to hide something in this room is this giant chest.”

“Who says anything about hiding it in the chest?” With a smug grin, Katsu cheekily asks while making his way back to the now-empty corner of the room. To my surprise, he then turns over the straw mat, or rather, just a small part of the corner, and points down the floor.

“Put the cross here.”

I follow his instructions, and after the cross has been placed on the wooden floor, Katsu then puts it over the mat once again. From afar, I can see how this would be hidden from view, but wouldn’t it be just plain visible as soon as one takes a closer look? They could clearly see a small bulge sticking out on the floor.

Before I could ask the question, however, Katsu then returns to the chest and drag it back in the corner, giving it one last push as it now returns to its original position. Dusting off his hands with a satisfied look on his face, the boy says:

“Looks good, right? Normally, one would only notice the chest in a room empty like this, so even if they get closer to examine, no one would think of removing the chest itself to see anything hidden beneath.”

I have to admit, it looks more solid than I originally expected. Of course, there is a risk of hiding it somewhere close to us like in the house, but it’s still better than carrying it with me or burying it away, the latter would be simple but too noticeable if we’re caught in the act. This could make a good temporary hiding place for at least long enough until I figure out how to use my powers again.

“Alright, I think it can work.” I nod to confirm. “And, I’m just repeating it to make sure, but don’t you dare…”

“I know, I know. I won’t tell Musa-chan about any of this.” Katsu immediately nods in return. “I promise.”

“Good. Now run along to your room; we’re done here today.” Waving my hand to shoo him away, I say. However, it seems like the boy has one last message for me:

“Oh, I forgot to tell you earlier. Master is coming home tomorrow.”

“Ushiwaka? The old man is finally back?” I ask with a surprised look. How is he coming back on such short notice?

“He sent me a letter about… uh… two weeks ago,” as if knowing my question already, Katsu scratches his head in embarrassment while letting out an awkward laugh as a response. “But he did say that his next trip would be to England, so you can come with him if you want to.”

I can’t help but form a light smile on my face. England, huh… I can’t believe that old crow would still remember the ridiculous request I made back then. I guess my time here isn’t for long, then.

“Well, that’s great. If anything, I can just take that thing with me and leave this place. Then you guys wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore.”

“Yeah… I guess that’s true.” Katsu answers with a smile of his own, but I can feel a tad of bittersweetness coming from him.  

“Don’t make that face now.” I let out a big grin as I pat him on the back with all my strength. “After we’re done with everything, I’ll visit. It’s not like we’re never going to see each other again. Try to hang on while I’m gone though, you hear me?”

Just one look on his face is enough to tell that the guy is trying his best not to cry out in pain, but Katsu still manages to form a smile, albeit stiff, and answers:

“Sure, I’ll manage.”

“I’m sure you will. Run along now.”

“Okay. Goodnight.” It seems like he could only keep a straight face for a second, as the dread of pain soon returns on his expression as Katsu leaves the premises.

As the next day arrives, I head to the hilltop that I normally train on. However, as I expected, there are still no signs of my powers activating again. What gives, stupid dragon? I thought we’re supposed to be partners, and now you’re saying that you won’t let me use this power anymore? And whenever I try to talk, you just wouldn’t answer me. Was that encounter that much for you to handle?

As if hidden within the wind itself, a sudden, but familiar, voice rustles behind my neck, sending me chills down my spine:

“The gears of fate start to move now…”

“Who’s there?” I let out a shout as I turn around as fast as humanly possible. However, behind me is in fact nothing, as if the voice I heard earlier was that of a phantom. Instinctively, I hold onto my cross and attempts to arm, but immediately after, I realize that it shouldn’t be possible for me right now.

That is if it’s the case normally.

For some reason, my instinctive action works, and I find myself once again clad in a suit of armor. Not the white one used in my training, however, but the jet-black armor with the flaming wings that I first experienced. And along with it comes another voice which I did not expect to be hearing at all:

“Where is he?”

“Took you long enough to appear.” I try to let out a smile, but the atmosphere around me is too suffocating to even fake one. “Is the enemy nearby?”

“I… Wait, this can’t be.” It only takes a second for the dragon in the cross to realize our current situation. “He’s… gone. There’s no one here.”

“… Now what?” Realizing that the danger is gone, I dispel my armor again and ask.

“… Let’s just go back.” With a sigh, the dragon answers.

“And don’t you dare ignore me again, you hear?” Finally able to make a grin on my face again, I say as I go down the hill and return to the house.

As I open the door, however, a sense of dread fills my entire body. That’s odd. I turn my attention towards the sky, trying to figure out the position of the sun. I was right after all. It’s well past noon now, at least. Normally, Katsu would be cooking in the kitchen right now. But the house is quiet… too quiet. Are the two of them going to the harbor to pick up Ushiwaka? No, not a chance. When I went with him here, we had to rent our own ride. If that’s the case, however, then what gives?

Even the creaking sound of the door closing creeps me out. The back door leads to the kitchen first and foremost, but, as I expected, no one is here at the moment. Seeing the vegetables and meat lying about on the cutting table, however, means that Katsu is, or rather, was home. But he’s not the type to just leave ingredients in the middle of cooking to go somewhere else.

A large sound comes from the living room, as if someone has just broken something, a vase maybe. This is getting weird. From what I’ve seen, neither Katsu nor Petoro is considered clumsy. And besides, the two know this place like the back of their hands, there’s no way that it’s them that broke something. But if we cross those two out of the picture, then…

Someone else is here in the house.

As I approach the living room, a familiar metallic scent invades my nose. I can recognize this smell anywhere. Blood. And fresh, as well. The sense of dread returns faster and stronger than ever, and in an instant of fight-or-flight reaction, my armor covers my body once more. Approaching the living room with a flaming spear ready to launch at any time, never in my life would I expect to see a scene as shocking as this.

On the floor is a headless corpse of a rather large man, blood splattering everywhere on the floor and the furniture. Meanwhile, curling up in fear is Katsu, who’s covering his ears and closing his eyes, repeatedly shaking his head as if trying to wake up from a horrible nightmare. Judging on the corpse’s figure and clothes, as well as Katsu’s reaction, I have a pretty good guess on who it is. However, what surprises me the most is the only other person standing in the room.

One of his hands is filled with blood, while the other is holding onto a disembodied head – that of the corpse on the floor, Ushiwaka. The young boy wears a face of pure bliss and ecstasy as he licks the remaining blood on his hand. Then, the boy lets out a demonic grin, revealing his usual white teeth now stained red, but most importantly, an emerald cross hanging on his neck, and utters in a voice of a total stranger, even if his face suggests otherwise:

“Ah, it feels good to be back.”

 

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