The words from Yuki rang out through the vilge as though given wings to fly to the ends of the nd. Shouting and yelling came to a stop, almost paralyzing everyone. Most didn’t even know how to reabsp; 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 reas and how things ged, when he khat they iably 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 babsp; However, he khat he had to deal with it ter. The mood in the vilge began to sway as they recovered. They gave him no further reprieve.

  Anger for the besmirg of their King’s name powered their voices. Had it not been for Yuki’s dispy that set them into fusion, 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 bdes of grass that tumbled through the air gave any signs of the presence of wind. Nowhere else did it i as though stolen. F 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 forbsp; A few more tried to reach for Yuki before the vilgers finally uood. Uanding Yuki’s untouchable state didn’t ge their mood. They still threw words at him, even more vicious than before as though being uo harm him mocked them.

  “You damn fner!”

  “You’ve got nht to talk about our King!”

  “Die for such words!”

  Yuki closed his eyes, disappointed. ‘I guess I should have seen this oute. They weren’t going to just ge because of what I said. Now the situation is even more plicated…’ He looked back at the old man to see his rea to everything. The pcid features of age ged into a struggle betweeion and reason. Even the head of the vilge took offense.

  Bringing the crowd under trol became his priority. Unfortunately, Yuki hadn’t built mu the Field and dropping it meant being mobbed in an instant. He did the only thing he had avaible. The wind pushed back against the vilgers giving him room. Yuki stepped back standiween the elder and Yori’s sister, still uneasily asleep. Only Yori remained awake, but stayed uandably quiet. The wind gave him room and a little momeween 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 vilge!”

  He had their ears for the moment. A few of them gave him a little allowand did as he said. In the chaos none of them had truly taken in the meaning. They reized 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 make your entire vilge disappear with little effort! Call me what you will, but you ’t deny what you see before you!”

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

  “I’m taking my friends and leaving,” Yuki said to the old mao 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 Aturo 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 reaso’s the right thing to do. You shouldn’t have to suffer because of our mistakes.”

  “Suaivety…”

  “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 ht. “Though it’s easy tet… Just let the military know which ent. I don’t have the power to stop them yet. So that’s the most I offer you now.”

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

  Eudokia gred 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 fabsp; The only other ohat 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 faot quite toug 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 as. I thought that’s what you wanted.”

  “How is deg to everyohat you’re the King’s son taking responsibility?”

  “I won’t let this happen again.”

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

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

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

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

  Seiji stepped up around Yuki, oddly quiet up to that point. He took up the right fnk of Eudokia. “This is a fight between us and them, dammit! If they’re going to involve is then we o 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 ’t let them involve others that have nothing to do with ht if we help it.”

  Out of the side appeared Chiharu like a shadow. Uhe rest, she remained in her binja attire choosing against blending in. “The more we fight them the more it’ll slow us down in reag our destination withiime frame. It’s best to avoid dete and deal with the problems the military causes to the civilian popution after we’ve dealt with the ruling party.”

  Annoyed by her empty emotions, Seiji leahrough 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 nht to involve them.”

  “I feel the same,” Fumiko decred. Sihe 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 voibsp; “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 uand!”

  The yelling and fighting that tinued betweearted 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 and others accusatory.

  It took a few moments loo 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 stand now…”

  “Oh, sorry!”

  Once she stood on the ground again, she patted out her clothes. Moments ter, she fixed on the group. She felt the tension that lined everyone and seemed to uand the problem. “I think our first decision should be leaving the vilge. Everyohink 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 ba the road we settle the problem. Do we have all of the supplies?”

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

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

  Night still lingered unwilling to let go of its umbrel uhe sun. The moon poked through leaving the pins of Atntis painted in green and pale blue. Amongst the endless rolling hills an array of soldiers id out on their backs. Some of them were unscious and others resting to recover from their failure.

  Left with a simple patch work on his cheek and jatain Simonides sat staring with a frustrated crease in his forehead. His operatioed 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 o him. It built into an awkward lulby of tortured moans. Slowly, it subsided as the soldier finally woke up feeling even worse. “C-captain?” questioned Eusebios, but not out of fusion for his presenext to him. He looked around at his body, not certain why he still lived. “Why am I not dead?”

  Simonides didn’t even g him. “We found you unscious 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 uand…”

  “…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 firmation and didn’t expect to receive one. The mood the Captain was in told him enough.

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