Chapter 45

Shinji found himself inside a warm room as soon as he came out of his sleep. The bed on which he was in couldn’t be more comforting.

Near the fireplace was Fujimoto, who turned his head back at Shinji after hearing the bed creek. Fujimoto didn’t glance back at him and instead watched the fire. Shinji came down from the bed then headed towards the door.
It was locked. Fujimoto waited till Shinji gave up hope of unlocking the door and sat nearby him.
“You had forgotten the lie in the forest.” Fujimoto said in low voice.
“Is the same lie keeping us alive?” asked Shinji.
“Wernh’An hasn’t arrived in the palace. Looks like Chosokabe really found a way to tackle Wernh’An.”
“Who knew the lie we had been taught to tell would become real?”
“In gap of centuries, everything thought impossible can turn true. Our ancestors must be proud of their guess.”
“What do these people want from us?” Shinji couldn’t hold the question.
“Some service, I think.”
“What if our lives depend of the length of service?”
Fujimoto stretched his hand towards fire.
Meanwhile Shinji marched for his bed on the carpet and watched the stormy night from the window.
Glass panel was between him and the storm. After moving his concentration from the storm, he saw his own reflection on the glass as well as the fireplace. Dancing flames fancied him while it warmed Fujimoto. Both were using the fire in different way despite of being in the same room till something lit the mutual sensation among them.
Reflection of blip of light Shinji had seen on the glass turned itself into a human when Shinji whirled his body back. Fujimoto couldn’t comprehend what he was seeing.
Nobukazu Chosokabe was in their room from out of nowhere.
“Chosokabe!” words slid out of Fujimoto’s lips. Then a sword showed its length from the sheath.
Chosokabe lifted his sword high in air. Somehow Fujimoto understood when he had to stop being amused and stepped sideways.
The heavy sword hit the floor and its edge jammed where it had landed. By the time Chosokabe unshackled his sword, Fujimoto knocked him over a table.
“What are you doing?” Shinji yelled at Chosokabe while searching for anything around to use as a weapon.
To his misfortune, he neither found answer to it nor anything to use for defense. Chosokabe and Fujimoto were face to face against each other. Fujimoto’s eyes fell in his sword. So did Chosokabe’s.
Nobukazu ran towards Shinji with his blood thirsty sword.
Shinji tripped the old man down and while he was standing up, Fujimoto hit him with a burning log which he had plucked out of the fireplace.
Fragments of burning wood flew inside the room with the impact. But Fujimoto wasn’t done with one shot so Fujimoto hit the old Chosokabe the once more with more strength than he had used a while ago.
“Are you about to kill him?” Shinji bellowed at him.
Chosokabe poked his sword in air, almost penetrating Shinji’s gut.
Fujimoto made an attempt to guard himself with the wood but it was no competition for a sword. Nor was Shinji’s attempt to tackle him from behind.
Chosokabe moved aside and Shinji went head first on Fujimoto’s abdomen.
Both of them were inches away from getting inside the fireplace. Fujimoto’s hair caught fire. He killed the fire by patting on his melting hair. Shinji also assisted him to do so.
Chosokabe was still not done with them.
Looking at Chosokabe coming towards them, Shinji pulled the rug where he was standing. Nobukazu failed to keep himself balanced and fell on the floor. When his hand hit the floor, his hand bounced on surface and the sword flew away from his grip.
It clattered and hopped on the floor.
Shinji leaped for the sword then grasped it before Chosokabe’s fingers could even touch its hilt. Chosokabe’s attempt to stand went in vain as Fujimoto hit him on his head with another piece of wood.
“Why are you here?” Shinji interrogated Nobukazu, “You know we are on your-“
Shinji paused after seeing shadows of legs from the gap under the door.
“Why did you come here?” Fujimoto was loud.
Some people are outside. Words echoed inside Shinji’s head.