Capítulo 7: A Leisurely Ride
The crunching of gravel and grass ceased as the figures stopped in place, all of whom now stood just before Sato, Takagi, and Tachibana.
The middle-most figure lowered his hood, revealing himself as the old man. His wrinkled lips curved to form an inviting smile as he said, "So, I suppose you all became a little restless, huh?"
He slid his eyes over all of Sato's countrymen, and then over the three just before him.
'What'll they do? Will this be a fight?' Sato braced himself and squeezed his fists. 'The second they make a move, I'll take down the old man first.'
"Well, no matter. It just means you saved us the trouble of having to fetch you all since our transport has just arrived! How fortuitous!"
He gestured toward several black wooden transports on crude wheels drawn by horses with a single hand.
Inscribed on the surfaces of each were various, occult-like symbols Though their geometric shapes didn't appear to be of any language Sato could identify, he could tell they were more than just juvenile scribbles.
The old man raised a closed fist to his weathered lips and gruffly cleared his throat, interrupting Sato's thoughts.
"Mmmehem… By the way, might I inquire how you all left that room? I was sure my associates had secured the door for your safety."
Agawa stepped forward. Her razor sharp gaze jabbed into the old man as she crossed her arms.
"Our safety, huh? Let's not kid ourselves. You didn't 'secure' the door. You locked us in there! You kept us prisoner! That's a VERY big difference!"
The old man clasped his hands together and smiled.
"I'm glad you should ask, Miss Agawa! You see," he gestured to the tower, "this is known as a 'Summoning Spire.' We use these as a gateway, a site to breach the gap between our worlds and pull in heroes such as yourselves.
However, it's an unfortunate truth that some would seek to harm you. So it is paramount that we safeguard the outer perimeter tightly. If one of you were to be seen unattended outside, the men and women charged with defending you would likely think you're intruders and attack you!"
The old man followed those last words with a burst of hoarse laughter.
"Ohhh… In that case, you locked us in there for the guards' safety?" Takagi flexed his leg. A look of smug satisfaction covered his face. "Because I broke your precious door, no problem. I bet I could take on your little guards, hah!"
"You destroyed the door? With a kick? Hmmm..."
The old man studiously appraised Takagi's. His eyes traveled from the foot to the knee, to the foot again.
Meanwhile, Sato brought a hand to his forehead and quietly grumbled to himself.
'Idiot… The last thing you want to do is give yourself away as a threat…'
But Takagi was lucky. The old man simply shrugged and gave a slight smile.
"Well, in any case… The carriages are prepared, so if you'd all help yourselves to whichever seating pleases you, we can be off!"
Yet, immediate compliance wasn't what ensued. Aside from a stray few, Sato's countrymen remained rooted to the ground. They nervously deliberated, unsure about following the old man's direction.
Likewise, Sato considered his options and glanced at the old man.
'His demeanor is friendly, sure. But,' he turned to see a line of approaching guards, all clad in metal-plated armor and armed with various steel weaponry, 'I don't think we have a choice.'
Unfortunately for Sato, he was right. Now surrounded by guards, he and his countrymen were being pressured forward with no room for protest.
They repeated the phrase: "Please, if you would. Right this way," and many others while ushering passengers into each carriage.
One didn't need pushing. Likely trying to recover his shattered image after his run-in with Takagi, Tachibana happily marched his way toward the front-most carriage.
"This'll be an amazing opportunity! You'll all see! It'll be fantastic!"
Tachibana exclaimed to his three followers. Each was chattering loudly in excitement as they disappeared from view into the carriage.
"I'm almost envious of your naivety," Sato mumbled. 'Life would be so much easier if I could share in it.'
Once, like Tachibana, Sato had gazed upon the world through a rose-colored lens. But that faded away, leaving behind a perspective hardened by loss.
The things he had witnessed…
The events he'd lived through…
Sato's experiences shattered all his hopeful illusions regarding the world, revealing only the grim truth beneath the surface.
No longer did the soldier see the flowers lining the road's path. Only the skeletal remains and souls it was built upon.
It was because of this cynicism that Sato's thoughts turned to fleeing. He trusted the old man about as much as he would an unpinned hand grenade. Only problem: he couldn't throw this one away.
'I should get the hell out of here.' Sato thought, only to pause in place. Though he didn't turn, he could feel the heavy pressure of several weighty stares upon his back. 'But I can't exactly do that while I'm so popular.'
Sato tiredly exhaled; his breath carried the weight of resignation as his shoulders raised and dipped in a frustrated shrug.
"Well… It's better to not rush it," he mumbled, then looked at the back-most carriage. 'That's probably the best spot. I'll choose that one.'
His mind decided, Sato approached his carriage of choice. Unbeknownst to him, two followers trailed closely behind.
'He's a soldier; sticking with him wouldn't be a terrible idea. He'll know what to do in these situations, right?' Agawa nodded to herself.
Likewise, Takagi smiled at the soldier, his eyes filled with respect. 'I bet the guy's strong in a fight. Plus, he's not like the rest of these useless lemmings. I'll go with him.'
As the two drew closer, Sato took hold of the carriage's door handle and pressured it. It emitted a faint click as he twisted and pulled the door outward.
What came into view was a luxurious spread of red velvet seating lined with golden-threaded pillows. A single silver hook dangled from the roof, presumably for a lantern.
'Ugh… It seems so…gaudy. I'd almost prefer getting tossed into the back of a prisoner van than this,' he thought in disgust.
That's when two finger taps pressed into the soldier's body armor.
"Huh?" Sato questioned. He turned to see Agawa and Takagi staring back at him with impatience.
"Uh, do you think you could take your seat?" Agawa inquired with a tilted head. Just behind her was a glaring punk.
"Yeah! Move out of the way, Soldier Guy! I wanna sit down! What's taking you so long?"
"Oh. Sure thing," Sato bowed his head apologetically and stepped into the carriage. Though he was polite toward the two, it was more of a habit than a courtesy.
"Finally!" Takagi clicked his tongue with exasperation and followed Agawa inside. She sat across from the soldier while the punk claimed the space beside him.
"Well… At least we might have a good view!" Agawa cheerily gestured to the windows on the carriage's side.
It was an observation that had surprisingly eluded the soldier until now. However, a cold sweat quickly covered his skin when he saw it.
'We're completely unprotected…?'
Thoughts of being ambushed proliferated within Sato's mind. Shot, exploded, burned, stabbed, every possible combination of injury and death played out in gruesome simulations.
As each scene transpired, the soldier's hands began to shake, and his breath quickened. Only his logical mind managed to calm the trauma-induced panic that started to take root.
'Just calm down and think rationally. The people here seem to have primitive technology. So it stands to reason that other potential attackers will have the same. Hopefully… Just breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in… Brea-'
Sato's dread was interrupted by a warm sensation on the back of his hand. Slowly, it wrapped his skin in a soft embrace.
The soldier averted his eyes upward to see Agawa.
"Are you okay? You look a little pale," she asked. Her golden eyes stared deep into his, and her softened expression showed genuine concern.
"Yeah, I'm fine. Thanks." Sato pulled his hand away and wore his most rehearsed smile. "I'm just getting used to everything."
Agawa gave a subtle smile and stacked her hands atop her lap. "Okay. I'm just making sure. This really is a pretty bizarre situation we're in, huh? I mean, another world?! How could that be possible?"
She laughed as she attempted to resume the conversation. Only Sato hadn't found himself in the mood for small talk, nor was he ever much good at it.
"Yeah. It is."
The soldier attempted to smile back, but his twitchy expression, while under the influence of his racing anxiety, could be called anything but.
Agawa seemed ready to speak again but stopped when the group's final riding companion sauntered inside - a man who hadn't yet made a name for himself.
Donned with an immaculate suit, the man exuded an aura of "shrewdness" from his very being. Considering his unstained and unblemished attire, handsome features, and razor-thin sunglasses, one might think he walked straight out of a men's clothing catalog.
He planted himself next to Agawa and settled in, not a single word uttered. At least, that was the case until the carts began to pull forward. Almost as if surgically timed, the man started his introduction after any escape became impossible.
"How do you do, you three? I'm afraid I know of all your names from earlier, yet you're still unaware of mine."
He paused and gave a sharp smile. With one fluid movement, the man swiped the sunglasses from his face and folded it over the collar of his dress shirt.
"You see, my name is Kamida Gin, and I'm a salesman of sorts. I lend funds to those who need them...unofficially. Just in case that becomes relevant for our foreseeable future together."
Agawa turned to Kamida and matter-of-factly said, "So, you're a loan shark?"
"I find that term to be so polarized, Miss Agawa." Kamida sighed and ran a hand through his gel-stained hair. "If you don't mind, I'd prefer to be called an 'unofficial financier.' It avoids much of the immoral implications that the former has, don't you agree?"
Agawa tilted her head and smirked. "Do you admit to being a loan shark, then?"
"I'll admit to being an unofficial financier," he replied with a sly wink.
Agawa rolled her eyes and grumbled an audible "Ugh" before turning away. She'd all but given up, opting to watch the passing forest instead. She cradled her head atop her crossed arms and stared out of the carriage's windowless sill.
Sato, too, averted his gaze outward just as the thick of the tree line broke. Beyond was a sight too impossible to be true: land not yet spoiled by human hands.
'Could a place like this really exist?'
Rather than anxiety, a mesmerizing awe overtook the soldier while he gaped at the beauty of nature. What stretched before him wasn't a jungle of concrete. There weren't skylines dominated by smokey debris or great burial sites.
Instead, what greeted Sato's vision could only be described as a pure, virgin land. A panorama of verdant green that expanded as far as they could see.
Rolling fields of weeds and flowers covered the earth, all billowing in the wind's mellow-warm embrace.
Atop those plains were numerous snaking, crystal-blue rivers. Their surfaces reflected pillars of light back into the sea of open skies.
To complete this scene of paradise, a cohort of snow-capped mountain ranges towered in the far distance. They kept a lonesome vigil over the lands, each an imposing stone guardian that dutifully protected their kingdoms of grass.
Seeing such a beautiful display of nature, Sato's eyes, though faint, regained a small sparkle of wonderment. A brief inspiration that cleared the fog of war within his mind.
It was then that the soldier remembered there was more to life than just his struggles. Though life was difficult, he was but a small part of an endlessly turning cosmic machine. And somehow, someway, that level of insignificance left a peace in his heart, a comfort.
'It's…beautiful.'
Sadly, Kamida spoke, unknowingly shattering Sato's moment of tranquility.
"This 'other world' business, it's pretty strange, isn't it? I must confess that I don't believe it myself. Though, after that bizarre display, it's hard to argue. I mean," he seized his forehead and let out an incredulous chuckle, "who knew that MAGIC could exist?!"
"Are you idiotic? Those were obviously special effects," Takagi rolled his eyes and scoffed.
"Not that I'm convinced," Agawa interrupted with crossed arms, "but it's amazing you, of all people, can disagree with him. Considering what you did to that door, I thought you'd be the first to believe it."
Takagi's expression went blank as he returned Agawa's stare.
"That? That was just my natural strength, you know?" He snickered, then immaturely flexed his arms. "Don't worry; I get it if you're jealous."
Agawa's brow twitched as the punk's lips curved into an arrogant sneer. Even his narrowed eyes exuded an aura of mocking superiority.
"It's amazing to me that you can think that," Agawa replied with an accusatory tone. "Even ignoring the kick, how would you explain the…whatever it was…that surrounded your leg? That light wasn't 'natural,' you know?"
'She makes a fair point,' Sato inwardly chimed.
He knew better than anyone that the door was too bulky to be broken by a single kick. Even a breaching tool would've taken more than a few swings, yet Takagi had trounced it with a single strike?
'There's strong, then there's impossible. What that kid did is definitely the latter.'
Only Takagi didn't think so.
"I'm just superhuman," he taunted Agawa, "don't worry about the details and just worship my greatness."
Unamused, Agawa pointed at Takagi in confrontation and insulted, "You aren't superhuman; you're super-egotistic! Get over yourself! It's almost pitiable how far you're going to stroke your ego!"
The punk briefly went silent, interrupted only by the occasional quiet chuckle. "Heh… You're really grating on my nerves…"
Takagi leaned forward, his left hand's knuckles cracking beneath the pressure of his right palm. A bladed grin of hostility stretched wide on his face. "If you wanted a fight, you just should've said so from the start. I'm happy to help you out."
"You'll regret it," Agawa replied with a honey-sweet tone and nonchalant smile.
From there, the two began a verbal arms race. Threatening the other with various acts of violence and insults.
'Such pointless fighting…' Sato scowled.
It was tedious, but he knew he'd have to break up the petty squabbles between them. A fight would surely draw the wrong attention, so there was no way he could allow it.
"Knoc-" the soldier began to speak in protest, but Kamida struck first.
"Why the hostility between you two? We should just enjoy this leisurely ride while we can! Let's exchange pleasantries, not violence, okay? After all, that's what friends do!"
The suited man's interjection was not well received, at least by Takagi. Akin to a malfunctioning missile, the punk instantly changed course.
"Ohhh…and when exactly did I say I'd be your friend, Con-mida?"
Kamida elegantly chuckled and leaned back, his smile growing ever larger.
"Aww, please don't say that, Mr. Takagi. You know it never hurts to have more friends. Even for the strong few that can handle themselves, it's always wise to have a few people to rely on." he finished with a sly wink.
"Ha! Sure! Sure. Friends might not hurt, but a sketchy dude in a suit definitely could!"
"I suppose you may be right, Mr. Takagi. Perhaps, as a man of caution myself, you can't trust me quite yet."
Kamida briefly sighed in defeat, only to reveal a mischievous look of determination.
"But… I'm sure I'll gain your trust in the future."
"Tsk… Whatever," Takagi replied.
Amazingly, the salesman's confidence was as impeccable as his suit. It acted as a smothering flood against Takagi's flames of hostility.
'I better run if he tries to sell me something,' Sato humorously mused.
Defeated, Takagi scowled and ran from the conversation. Like Agawa, the punk turned away and fixated on the untamed wilderness.
'I guess an amenable man like Kamida is your weakness. He won't buckle to your intimidation tactics.' Sato quietly laughed to himself.
Then Kamida turned to Sato, ending the latter's chuckling.
"And? How about you, Mr. Sato?"
'Oh… I guess it's my turn.'
Sato paused for a moment to brace his mind and wit for the ensuing conversation. He figured he'd need both to tread lightly and not get swept up by the man's honeyed words.
"Is there something I can do for you?" the soldier asked with his most cordial tone.
Kamida reciprocated Sato's question with his best salesman grin.
"Would you be pleased if you and I were to share a friendship? Strong bonds and connections make the world go 'round, don't you know!"
Sato brought a hand to his chin and pondered.
'Well… I can't detect any malicious intent behind his words. Then again, his type tends to be troublesome. Should I really let myself be involved? On the other hand, he'll probably be more of an issue if I refuse him...'
Sato took another look at Kamida to see the salesman had maintained an annoyingly innocent smile.
"That's fine," he finally replied. "So long as we survive. Just don't get in the way if an emergency occurs."
Kamida became luminous with joy at Sato's acceptance.
"Splendid!" he cheered. "I solemnly promise on my bond as an unofficial financier that you won't regret your decision!"
'I already am,' Sato sighed to himself.
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