Part 13

“Ow!” Amae bolted up in the bed, holding his forehead. Rubbing his head, he looked around,
confusion clear in his sleepy eyes.

“What the fuck are you doing in my bed?!” Wolfram demanded.

Amae’s wide blue eyes snapped to Wolfram. What the hell was the blond fucker doing in his
bed?! Oh, right. Faraya; Wolfram’s face was still colorful. And this was Wolfram’s bed.

“That had hurt, you asshole!” Amae snapped at the blond, still holding his forehead.

“Why are you in my bed?!”

Amae was able to hear several hysterical notes in Wolfram’s voice. It was clear that after
yesterday’s assault Wolfram was startled to find someone in his bed, his sensitivity to others’
closeness still raw.

“You were out cold, so I just thought you wouldn’t protest much if I used the opportunity to cuddle
someone for the night,” he couldn’t help biting even if knowing the blond was acting only
reflexively.

Wolfram thought about punching Amae but then realized that the man was simply angry with him
for that smack on his forehead. His head clearing from the sleep, he thought of one more
possibility. “I don’t need your protection!” he muttered, annoyed.

“Yeah, sure. You didn’t even notice that I was sleeping in the same bed and you sure as hell
would have woken up just before someone would have slit your throat, ne?”

Wolfram only mumbled something about Amae sleeping like a log. No one would dare kill him
and stir the king’s wrath, but he really might have gotten a few bruises more or had his hairdo
fixed…

Wolfram lay back down. His head was still throbbing and he couldn’t see a thing out of his left
eye. Although, he had presumed that it would be much worse. Amae’s healing majutsu was of a
high quality. But that also meant that Amae had worked a lot of it on him – Amae must be also
tired and spent.

“You’d better go; if Faraya or Kohar show up, you’ll be in trouble.”

Amae stifled a yawn with his palm. “Faraya is leaving to Yunimi early in the morning and Kohar
without Faraya presents as much danger as a cockroach,” he said. Amae reached his hand out to
Wolfram’s face. He chuckled when Wolfram flinched at his quickly moving hand. The blond
immediately relaxed when he started spreading the healing majutsu over his skin.

“Well, he doesn’t present danger, but he is a major pain in the ass and I bet he’ll come running
here after the rumors will spread.”

“Yup. And I’ll await him with my arms spread wide.”

Wolfram rolled on his left side. His breath choking at the pain in his bruised ribs, the prince looked
at Amae, which earned him a raised brow. Conversing with Amae… Yesterday night was the first
time he felt…better. Not in a physical sense, but it made him relax somewhat. Even if he didn’t
trust Amae a bit, Yasai’s warning sounding clearly in his head, the atmosphere felt healing and
the treatment was pleasant to his senses.

“I think instead you might end up with your legs spread wide,” Wolfram muttered before turning
back to his side. A soft chuckle was heard behind him.

“And you are quite a player, I see…” Amae purred, his hand sliding lower to his bruised ribs.

“Mind your hands.” Wolfram yawned loudly. “I meant…”

Amae laughed softly, nodding. “I know what you meant, but you are too fun to tease.”

Completely ignoring the insolent healer, just seconds later Wolfram fell into a light doze. Amae
was spreading the majutsu for several minutes further then laid down next to Wolfram and also
fell asleep.

Half an hour later Amae and Wolfram were woken up by heavy footsteps. Disoriented, the two
stared at Kohar groggily. Kohar’s eyes set on Amae as soon as he entered the room. As the long-
haired male was fully dressed, he decided that there was no need to inform anyone about the two
spending the night in one bed. The blond didn’t matter that much, but the king was strict about
Amae sleeping with others. There had already been deadly accidents; the king was possessive of
Amae.

“Amae, what a surprise…”

The dark-haired man brushed his hair out of his face then grinned at him, sitting up. “Hardly.” He
yawned and rubbed his cloudy eyes.

“Founding a coterie of used sluts?”

“Still not getting any?” Amae grinned up at him again.

Kohar chuckled. “Oh, don’t worry, sweetheart. You’ll be the one to jolly up my nights after you
lose the King’s favor.”

Amae beamed at him brightly. “I betcha you’re alive only with that thought alone…”

“You flatter yourself too much, whore,” Kohar hissed approaching the bed.

Amae shrugged modestly. “Well, someone has to, or I’m afraid I’ll soon reach the same level as
you...”

Wolfram could see that the superintendent was fighting the wish to grab Amae by his long hair
and shake him until Amae’s head fell off. It was obvious that the two were constantly at each
other’s throat. But instead, Kohar was content to only yell, “Go to your room, bitch!”

“Nah.”

Kohar cursed loudly. He swung his hand but never dealt the blow as the blue eyes locked into
his, daring him, the dangerous smile wide.

“The wolf is away so the damned sheep are doing what they want…” he hissed while lowering his
hand. “Be sure that I’ll report your behavior to the King!”

Lazily, Amae brushed over his long hair and smiled at the threat. He flopped back into the
bedding and stretched among the satin sheets like a cat to taunt the older male, knowing
perfectly that Kohar did ache to get his hands - and not only - on him. “Yes,” he purred, “be sure
to do that. And also add the fact that you have been starving Wolfram. He had fainted three
times.”

From his sitting position Wolfram blinked down at Amae, meeting the amused blue. “Sure as hell I
did!” he nodded finally.

“You think the King cares about that? Look at the slut’s face!” Kohar motioned, laughing.

“And do you think he’d care if I would barbeque you a bit?” Amae asked him while grinning
widely. His hand rose to Kohar.

Kohar was gone in seconds but not before “Damn bitch” echoed in the room.

“Moron,” Amae muttered under his breath.

Wolfram watched Amae from the corner of his eye. Amae really was able to use Faraya’s fire
element and everyone around him knew that. Probably that was the reason Amae was allowed to
act as he did. He watched the man slide off the bed and stretch his arms high into the air,
heaving a content sigh. But if Amae was able to absorb the power…

“Amae?” Wolfram asked while easing back into the bedding; except visiting the bathroom in an
hour or two he didn’t plan on moving around too much.

The long-haired male turned to look at Wolfram. “Mmm?” He yawned again then went to the
decanter that Lasami left yesterday on the table. He started pouring some water into a glass.

“How did you get here?”

“Me?” Amae wondered. He finished filling the glass then turned around to show it to Wolfram.
“Want some?” He approached the bed after the blond nodded. “Faraya bought me four years
ago.” He read surprise in Wolfram’s face and that amused him somewhat. “You are a weird one.”

“Me?” Wolfram repeated while moving a little to be in a half-sitting position to take the glass. Very
likely Amae deliberately didn’t answer his question in a way he had meant it.

“You seem not to know a thing about the life here…?”

“Mmmm…” Wolfram carefully avoided the question, filling his mouth with the pleasantly cool
water. The two of them were just beating around the bush and he was sure that they both knew
that.

Amae sat down next to the blond. “Well, because of my blue eyes and pale skin people find me
exotic and this has always caused trouble to me.

“I was eleven years old when my family and the entire village were destroyed. After Faraya’s
army had enough fun with me, I was sold to a passing merchant who immediately saw my
“potential”. He wasn’t a pedophile and treated me quite well, so I stayed with him for a year and a
half until, as he said, my “appeal went into a full bloom” and he sold me to some high-ranked
soldier. I wasn’t very fascinated with the amount of blood I lost on that first day, to say nothing of
my virginity, so I finally managed to run away after a week.

“Two weeks later, starved, smelling like a pile of shit and hardly standing on my feet I was found
by an owner of a local brothel. Three years of fun and venereal diseases followed. I still wonder
how some of my parts hadn’t fallen off.

“Then one rich and influential man bought me out. I spent about a year at his mansion amusing
him and anyone who came to visit him and then during one of the common parties at that house
Faraya saw me. A day later I was brought here.”

Wolfram stared at Amae for several long seconds. Suddenly he realized that Amae was very
young, even younger than Yuuri, something a bit over twenty or twenty-one year old. The man
just shrugged at Wolfram’s wondering gaze and took the empty glass from Wolfram and stood to
put it on the bedside-cabinet.

“That makes me sick,” Wolfram said finally.

Amae looked at him, a mad flame catching up in his blue eyes. He leaned over to the bed. He
suddenly grabbed Wolfram by his blond hair, forcing the startled man to look at his face. “Listen,
you Wolfram, or what the hell your real name is, you have no idea how it makes ME sick! Do you
fucking think that all I wish is to be a plaything, so that anyone who wishes could stick his dick
inside me?!” he hissed, his voice low and dangerous. “I’m not playing games here! I’ll kill,
Wolfram, and I’ll kill plenty if you leave me behind when you go back to Shin Makoku! I can’t take
it anymore here!” he screamed out at Wolfram’s face.

Wolfram gaped at the burning eyes, the panting man still holding onto his scalp.

“What the fuck is this fascination with my hair?” Wolfram muttered finally, his right fist catching
Amae by surprise, tossing him back onto the floor where he hit it with a loud thud. Wolfram yelped
in pain and cursed as Amae took several strands of his hair together with him.

“You should restrain from threats you cannot fulfill,” Wolfram calmly notified the younger male
who was still lying on the floor, shaking his head to get rid of the dizziness. “Currently, my power
outreaches yours by at least five times. You are also much weaker than me physically. I won’t
tolerate your behavior.”

Amae panted loudly, his body shaking then finally managed to get a grip on himself. “So, he has
already given you the permission to use your power…” he muttered, misunderstanding Wolfram.
“You’d better do something and fast, because if Faraya becomes sure of the amount of power
you are able to absorb, he might kill or break you and you’ll serve him as I do,” Amae said, his
voice breaking at first but then regaining its smoothness. Rubbing his aching backside, he got up
from the floor slowly.

“He probably already knows,” Wolfram muttered. “And what the hell do you expect me to do?” he
snorted. “Simply march out of the palace? How strong is Faraya? –He’d probably percept us half-
way down to the first floor…”

Crossing the distance between them, Amae shook his head in denial then sat down onto the bed
beside Wolfram.

“He’s not here today,” Amae said. “But you won’t be able to do much in your current condition. I’ll
heal your wounds and we’ll wait for the next opportunity when he is away.” As Wolfram didn’t say
a word to that, he shrugged. “Although, after several days you might end up like this again.” He
cast a look over Wolfram’s swollen up eyes and bruised nose. Then he rubbed his jaw that still
hurt after Wolfram’s punch. “You know, if Faraya sees this, we’ll be both in trouble - I for not
telling on you and you for hitting me. The fucker is quite possessive.”

Amae looked at him with a serious look on his face. “The problem is that I don’t have enough
power and I never will, no matter how many times he fucks me – my body is simply not capable of
accepting that much power. But after YOU sleep with Faraya and get his trust, you might…”

Wolfram frowned in disgust waving his hands in front of himself. Amae was making it sound so
casually… Already it had taken all of his will not to summon his elements and try to kill Faraya a
day ago. But the thought that Faraya might appear way stronger than him and stop him
effortlessly made him suppress that wish. The power that Faraya didn’t know anything about was
his triumph card that he intended to use as soon as the opportunity presented itself. But Amae’s
suggestion… For God’s sake, he could not even start considering it – he was the king of
Mearan’s husband. To sleep with another man meant to betray the whole planet, to be taken by
another king by force was even worse - it would be a huge shame to Yuuri and the whole Mearan
and it would automatically mean a war declaration, which would drive Yuuri crazy.

Wolfram shook his head. “There’s no way I’m letting that happen! Not if I can help it!”

Amae fisted his hands into the covers at his sides. “Listen, this is how the things work here! If you
want to survive you’ll not only let him fuck you but…” Amae threw his hands in annoyance, not
finishing. “Your pride won’t do you any good if you are dead!”

“Better dead than fucked by that…that fucker!” Wolfram spat.

“Oh Gods,” Amae groaned. “Like a damn child!” he snapped. Irritated, Amae jumped from the bed
and for several seconds paced to and fro in the room then plopped into the armchair in the other
side of the room. “Stop this foolishness. There’s no other way. Besides, he’s quite good in bed
and…”

“As if I give a fuck how good he is in bed!” Wolfram yelled across the room, angered at him. “He
can be the Love Goddess Herself and I still wouldn’t give a fuck! For God’s sake, I’m married
to…!” Wolfram’s mouth just stayed open not finishing the sentence. Wide-eyed, he shut his mouth
with a soft sound. But it was too late and Amae’s eyes set on him with interest and surprise.

“Seriously? To whom?” his blue eyes set on Wolfram’s face not blinking. “Would have never
thought…” he said. He grinned then. “He must be really something…” he drawled, measuring
Wolfram from the head to his toes.

“Who said it’s a man?” Wolfram snorted, annoyed with himself for his the lapse.

Amae rolled his eyes at the obvious. “Oh, c’mon. While in the dining-room you haven’t even
looked at the women once, your eyes lingering more on men, you blushing each time our eyes
met. I bet you wouldn’t know what to do with a woman even if she stood naked in front of you.”

Wolfram blushed thickly. “After I knock some of your teeth out, you’ll realize that you shouldn’t
say such things,” he threatened.

From across the room Amae glared at him. “Listen, Wolfram, you…”

Wolfram returned the glare. “I don’t trust you and actually I think you are trying to get me into
trouble, so don’t think that I’ll be quick to believe your tear-wrenching stories. Besides, if you
really expect me to do something about your position, you’ll tell me everything you know about
Faraya, this kingdom, why you know about me and Shin Makoku and why you are able to absorb
power.”

Amae looked at him, amused. “Of course,” he nodded with a skittish smile appearing on his lips.
He leaned back into the armchair comfortably.

Wolfram eyed Amae. He knew that this all could be only an act – he was a pretty good actor
himself after all.

“Well,” Amae started, urged by the blond’s curt look thrown at him, “thirty years ago my father
came from Shin Makoku here,” he threw his hands about. “From what he related me, I presume
he had no idea how he appeared here. In addition he was badly wounded when he got here. He
came round in the village of Shak. It took him about two years to understand and start speaking
in the local language.

“Anyways,” Amae continued, “after some time he met a woman who wasn’t spooked out by his
blue hair and eyes. Well, you know how it goes,” he chuckled. “Several years later I appeared in
this world. The rest of the story you already know. I’m half-Mazoku, Wolfram, and I wield water. I
don’t know much about Shin Makoku except the things my father told me.”
Wolfram nodded. “I see. And Faraya is a full-blooded Mazoku and he easily recognized you as a
potential Mazoku by your different coloring… He is trying to gather Mazoku around him, isn’t he?
All these concubines with various colorings…” Wolfram looked at Amae questioningly.

Amae gave an affirmative nod. “Yes, he seeks for the ones who can back him up. His own
personal…” he trailed off, “…I wanted to say guards, but in reality we are just his whores with an
ability to beat off some of the attacks if it ever comes to it. I think he is nothing else than a
collector – we are like a rare species to him. Faraya can choose whether to forbid or allow us to
use our elements.” Amae rubbed his forehead tiredly then gave a fleeting smile to Wolfram. “The
bastard knows I’m in deep shit with controlling the entire harem. Half of them would go at me in
full force if they knew that I am not able to wield any of water or fire elements anymore. I would
end up real bad…”

Wolfram ignored that. It wasn’t his problem and he hardly cared for Amae’s health. “Who else is
able to wield any of the elements?”

Amae ruffled through his hair. “Well, some of us, but actually none except for me is able to do
some serious damage. Torani is originally a wielder of air element, but his blood is so watered
down that the amount of power he wields and can absorb is irrelevant. He can only do as much
as stir coffee in a cup or heat it up a bit. Yasai is able to wield earth element, but he’s only a
quarter-Mazoku. All he can do is to shake up a ground a little. If tried hard, he can set up things
on fire, but it’s not really a fighting power and isn’t that dangerous. There are a few others, but
they aren’t worth mentioning. Faraya just keeps them for their looks.”

Wolfram felt relieved after Amae’s words. He had no wish to fight with any of the concubines,
especially if they wielded any of the elements. On the other hand, Amae might be dangerous.

“You know,” Amae said, capturing Wolfram’s attention again, “he’ll try you out. What element you
wield, how much power you have and how much of it you can absorb,” he said seriously. “I don’t
know your background but you are at least half-Mazoku. You must be quite good with your
element. And the amount you are able to absorb… Actually it stunned me, your ability to absorb
such an amount of healing majutsu. Once he ascertains your abilities you are a goner. He won’t
let go of you. And if you refuse to cooperate, he will either kill or lock you up forever. Well, locking
up will happen in any case…” he sighed.

Wolfram didn’t look very fazed.

Amae laughed at him softly. “You are naïve thinking you can trick him. You didn’t manage to
conceal it from me and I’d rather not remember when I tried to hide the fact I am able to wield
water element,” he frowned. “Do you know what he did? –He fucked me senseless and then
forbade using any of the elements. I almost died then. It wasn’t a large amount of power he had
transferred into my body, but it was enough as it was an unfamiliar element. It almost tore me
apart. Ten minutes later I told him everything he wanted to know, begging to stop it. Well, he did,
but I learned my lesson – he’s not someone to play around with.”

“What do you know about him? Where does he come from?” Wolfram asked. He knew that such
things like asking Faraya’s power level or anything similar would prove futile as Amae didn’t have
a comparison. To Amae Faraya seemed the strongest.

Amae shrugged. “I don’t really know. He doesn’t talk about these things with me. Even if his
coloring reminds that of local people, obviously he is a full-blooded Mazoku. I just don’t
understand how it can be.”

Wolfram shrugged. “It’s very easy to figure out. Originally, he isn’t a Mazoku at all. He just
became one after he was born with that soul. As the soul carries memories and power, he
automatically became Ekara’s representative.”
Amae stared at him not really understanding. “Ekara’s representative? What do you mean by
that? What the hell does he represent? And what soul are you talking about?”

Wolfram watched Amae in return. He was thinking what Amae really didn’t know and how much
of it he was just pretending not to know. He wanted to trust the man, but life practice - even if
short - that he had, told him not to trust anyone easily. Although, it was obvious that sharing this
kind of information with Amae could not harm him – Amae already knew how to use his element,
any other additional knowledge was in reality…irrelevant. And in case Amae really became his
ally, then it would be good to fill him in.

“He represents this planet. He’s the ruler of it,” Wolfram started. “Just as there’s a ruler of Mearan
– the world where Shin Makoku is. The rulers can decide whether or not they allow people to use
their contracted power in their realms. I am not that sure as what would happen if the
representatives clash with each other. Probably one of them would be killed, other taking over his
realm.” He chose not to give any information that might give disastrous effects and kept silent
about the other two worlds.

“There are souls. Well, two of them,” the prince lied, deciding just to stick to his story about only
two worlds existing. “I don’t know how they appeared in the worlds at all or who created them, but
when it resides in someone’s body, it gives the knowledge and power of hundred men. When its
owner dies, usually it randomly transfers itself into any newborn.” He also chose not to add that
one could catch that soul and give to a chosen newborn.

Amae was silent for some time while thinking Wolfram’s words over. “That explains a lot,” he said
finally, his face dark with apprehension. “Okay. So even if we somehow get back to Shin Makoku
where that another ruler is, avoiding the collision of interests and power he might just give us
back to Faraya?!” He groaned in defeat. “There’s no point in escaping then!”

Wolfram watched him with a wary expression on his face. It seemed that Amae was seriously
thinking about getting the hell out of Ekara. “Well, I can assure you that the leader of Mearan
wouldn’t let go of us easily. He’s protective of his people,” Wolfram said finally.

“So is Faraya,” Amae snarled, throwing his hands in despair. “Even if in a bit different way. He’d
rather have a war than let someone take his possession from him.” He shook his head, leaning
deeper into the chair and supporting his chin with his hand.

Wolfram shrugged that off dismissively. “The only problem is to find Mearan’s king in time, after
that your Faraya won’t exist anymore.”

Amae stared at Wolfram for some time then gave a content grin. “That I like. Now how do we go
to Shin Makoku?” He got worried when a lost expression appeared on the blond’s face. “You
have no idea, right?!” he panicked. “But somehow you came here! And my father somehow came
here – there has to be a way back!”

Wolfram kept silent. He had no intensions of telling Amae about possible ways to travel through
the worlds. This was essential information that might be used against him or Yuuri. “I just woke up
here,” he lied. “I have been sleeping soundly and then – wham! And I’m here.”

Amae rubbed his forehead with his fingers, sighing. “Hell, Wolfram. Don’t bullshit me. You talk our
language without any accent which you have been able to do even before you had been brought
to Faraya. I could presume that you have been on Ekara long enough to learn it, but I won’t
because even if you know the language, you are not familiar with any of our customs yet. I also
heard that you have been keeping near a blue-haired man, the leader of the opposing army. He’s
also a Mazoku, isn’t he? And you came here together, right? I might be green in those things with
worlds but I am not that stupid to believe the shit you are spewing. If you don’t trust me, just say
that you can’t tell me that, but I don’t want to hear fairytales about you waking up here.”
Wolfram was looking at him silently then nodded. Amae wasn’t someone he could deceive so
easily; that was a little disturbing. “Okay, I can’t tell you that because I don’t trust you and believe
that everything you are doing right now is gathering information for Faraya,” Wolfram said.

Amae chuckled, smiling at the blond’s stubbornness. “Better. But actually you are wrong. The one
doing exactly that which you have just described is another person. Just watch everyone carefully
and you’ll see.” He gave Wolfram an amused smile. “But don’t give yourself or me out – Faraya
still believes that I don’t know that.”

Wolfram ruffled his through his blond hair. He had a good presumption as to who it was. But it
didn’t mean that it took the suspicion off Amae. The entire lot of concubines owed nothing to him
and any of them could be reporting to Faraya just to get into his graces.

“So now we wait until Faraya is away again and then run,” Amae said, staring at the ceiling. He
lowered his eyes to look at the blond. “But first you have to contact someone from the outside or
we’ll be hunted down in mere seconds – one can’t really do much in a desert without water, food
and horses…”

Wolfram gaped at Amae. Was the man for real? Did Amae simply expect him to contact Kyota or
anyone in that matter from outside? Did the man think he was so stupid as to lead him and
Faraya to Kyota?

Amae watched Wolfram in return. He knew perfectly what the blond was thinking. The problem
was that he could do nothing to prove his words and himself. The blond didn’t trust him a bit. He’d
rather stay in this palace and rot instead of risking getting Faraya’s men to his allies. He could
understand that, but it frustrated him nonetheless.

“Well,” Amae shrugged finally as Wolfram hadn’t said a word, “then we’ll just have to do without
the outside help. I’d rather die in a desert than slowly rot here.”

Again Wolfram didn’t say anything to that. The thought of himself dragging Amae together with
him wasn’t the one he liked and the death in the desert was the last thing on his mind. His brain
worked differently than that of a spoiled concubine. He knew that he’d simply filch someone’s
supplies and horse from the city. He had no plans of escaping and then stupidly dying in a desert.
He just needed to get out of the palace. If at first he hesitated because he was waiting for
possible information about Yuuri, now it seemed that nobody here had heard about him and to
stay here further equaled to suicide. Or rape. Or both.

“Yes,” Wolfram nodded finally, even if he didn’t really think about taking Amae together. “We’ll
have to do without outside help.” Although, when saying these words he didn’t know that the
aforementioned “outside help” had its own opinion on those things.

XXXXX

It was dark in the tavern, only several oil lamps on the counter and at the walls lightened the
surfaces of the scratched tables and men hunched over them. Most men gathered were wearing
uniforms and had blue bands on their arms. Almost all of them were armed and had swords at
their side. Other men kept farther from them. People were talking, bursts of laughter were heard
here and there. Everybody’s mood was heightened by warm food and beer filled goblets.

At the very end of the tavern, separately from the rest of their comrades-in-arms, there were
sitting two men. The two of them, oblivious that they were being watched, were looking at and
discussing something that was lying in front of them on the dirty table.

“Holy shit! Where the fuck did you get it?!” The large, tall man leaned in to look at the nicely
sparkling bracelet closer. Fascinated, he took another swig from his goblet then slammed it down
onto the table. The contents sloshed over the table. “Fuck, man, do you know how many whores
and horses you can get for this?” He reached his hand over to the table to take the bracelet and
observe it closer but his companion moved it out of his reach. The owner held out it against his
face to admire it again.

“So where the hell did you get it? Maybe there are several others left?” the man laughed and took
his goblet again to have a sip. “It’s not something one usually sees. It’s pure gold but the emblem
looks unfamiliar… It’s not from around here...” he mused, his eyes following the bracelet in the
other’s hand greedily.

His companion nodded. “Mhm. I took it from some blonde as a reward. You know, the one who is
being said to be the blue-haired’s lover. That…” He trailed off as the bracelet was suddenly
snatched from his hand. Startled, he turned around to see a hooded man.

“Excuse me ladies. I’d like to take a look at it,” the man said to the momentary stunned men. He
turned the bracelet between his fingers to scrutinize the emblem. He nodded. “Yes, it’s Yuuri’s
sign. Arachi,” he addressed the man who stood behind him, “we’ll take these two with us.”

“Yes, Sir,” the man nodded.

The hooded man’s fingers played with the bracelet for some time then it disappeared in the
pocket of his brown jacket. “Hell, Yuuri, I would have never thought that I’d be happy for your
emblem on Wolfram,” he muttered to himself softly.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” The man whose bracelet was taken swathed Arachi’s hand away
as the guard wanted to push him towards the door. “Give the bracelet back!” he yelled at the
hooded man. He looked around in the tavern where half of his squad sat. His head snapped back
to Kyota. “Do you know whom you are messing with?! I…”

“You are a piece of shit,” the hooded man informed him and his men with a wide grin on his face.
“Do you know what I do with the thieving bastards?” he asked, turning his head so that the other
now was able to see his face. He grinned as the other’s face blanched after noticing his blue
eyes. The man had recognized him.

The man yelled, “You! It’s him, the…!”

He smashed into the ground as Arachi’s fist caught him directly in the face. “Shut up, garbage.”
The guard leaned down to the unconscious man. He lifted the massive guy off the dirty floor
easily then turned around. “You,” he motioned with his head at the man’s companion who was
now standing. “You can go with your free will or I’ll just kill you – you don’t seem to know anything
about that bracelet anyway.” After giving a look at Kyota, he saw that his superior nodded,
approving – they didn’t need this man.

The soldiers in the tavern stirred, half of them standing up and walking toward Arachi while some
turned to Kyota. Swords started jingling. The unconscious man’s companion launched himself
onto Kyota and then past him as Kyota slid out of his way swiftly. At the received kick to his
backside, the soldier flew a couple of meters then banged his head into the wall. He slammed
with such a force that his skull rattled. Kyota jumped to him quickly. Arachi needed no prompts –
he was already running through the door with the man on his shoulder.

All the soldiers went after them. Kyota was just in time to unclasp the man’s sword and slam the
door shut behind him. He wedged the sword between the handle and the door frame. Already on
his way to the stables, Arachi swung his hand back. The oil lamp he had snatched from the
counter while running away crossed the dark sky. It fell onto the roof. The dry straw caught up fire
immediately.

The two of them ran further to where their horses were tied up. They always left the beasts ready
in case they needed to run. This last week they did nothing except for searching for information
about Wolfram and frequenting taverns and other places where Faraya’s men gathered.

Just as Kyota and Arachi jumped into saddles, they heard glasses jingling; the soldiers started
bursting through the windows. Not waiting for anything, the two urged their horses through the
village and toward the forest.

After an hour of riding in pitch black darkness and risking bumping into trees they decided that
they got lost their pursuers and slowed down. Near the border they had to round Bianlu forces
that were guarding the border. Only in the early morning, just as the sun started rising, they
crossed Dakhra’s border. Half an hour later they met with one of Dakhra’s divisions that was
guarding the border.

The interrogation of the kidnapped soldier took five minutes after which Kyota knew where and by
whom Wolfram was taken. The news didn’t rejoice him. After consulting with several high-ranking
soldiers he started searching for men who had ever been to Beshan and knew their way around.
A day later Kyota and Arachi dyed their hair black and with several other men turned back to
Bianlu.