Rokka: Braves of the Six Flowers, Vol. 3

by Ishio Yamagata

  The two of them began running northward. That was when Dozzu said, “Can you hear that, Goldof? Just a moment ago, a fight started north of here. I think it’s near the pit where Nashetania was captured.”

  “What? Who is it?” Goldof listened closely. The noise coming from the Helm of Allegiance interfered, making it difficult to hear, but he could still just barely pick out the crack of gunshots. “I told them…not to come…” The others had followed him. He silently cursed Adlet. They should have just ignored Goldof and focused on crossing the ravine.

  “The Six Braves must be fighting with Nashetania. We have to stop them. At this rate they’ll kill her,” said Dozzu.

  As they ran, Goldof agonized. Adlet and the rest of the Braves were certain to kill Nashetania. He’d have to fight them to free her. They would never forgive him for that, and Goldof knew it. Even if Tgurneu’s fiend was controlling Nashetania, she was still their enemy. Goldof had feared this inevitable situation ever since they had set foot in the Howling Vilelands. Finally, the time to make a decision had come. His feet came to a halt. He couldn’t keep going when he still hadn’t reached any answers.

  “What will you do, Goldof?” Dozzu stopped as well. The fiend seemed to understand Goldof’s dilemma. “I’m of the same opinion as Nashetania. If you say you can’t fight an ally, then there’s nothing for it.”

  “Shut up,” said Goldof. Clutching his chest, he recalled the sound of Nashetania’s voice as she had cried for help through the Helm of Allegiance.

  A fiery blaze seared his heart, screaming at him to kill all who would harm her. It was burning in him, urging him to go to Nashetania’s aid just like it had on that day six years ago. He’d always known he would have to destroy everything that would hurt her. “Let’s go, Dozzu. We’ll save her.”

  “Thank you, truly. And I’m very sorry,” said Dozzu, approaching his feet. “Goldof, how many times have you fought her now?”

  The sudden question confused Goldof. “The first time was during the tournament. That last fight…was the second.”

  “Has she ever escaped from you?”

  “…Why ask me that?”

  “…Pardon me. This isn’t the time for idle chat. Let’s go,” Dozzu said, scampering off. Unease colored the fiend’s expression—even desperation.

  “What’re you…talking about?”

  “Nothing, nothing at all.”

  They had been running for about five minutes when suddenly Goldof realized that the distant sounds of battle had stopped. The Helm of Allegiance was still ringing. Nashetania was not dead.

  Then Mora’s voice echoed toward them from far away. “GOLDOF! GOLDOF! CAN YOU HEAR ME? NASHETANIA HAS NEARLY KILLED CHAMO!” Reflexively, the young knight stopped. “NASHETANIA HAS PUT A HIEROFORM INTO HER STOMACH! WE MUST DEFEAT HER, OR CHAMO WILL DIE! NASHETANIA HAS FLED FROM US! CHASE HER DOWN AND KILL HER!”

  Goldof looked down at Dozzu. The fiend was bristling, its expression sour. “It seems the situation…has worsened even further.”

  Goldof stood two kilometers from Chamo’s pit. Mora had explained what had happened with her mountain echo. Chamo was dying because of a blade gem that Nashetania had put inside her. The only way to save her was to kill Nashetania, and the princess had to be within one kilometer of the pit. They had three hours until the girl was dead.

  Now that Goldof understood the situation, he clenched his spear, pointing it at Dozzu. “So…this is what’s going on, Dozzu?”

  “Wait, please, Goldof!” Dozzu backed away.

  “…You weren’t after me…you were after Chamo…weren’t you? You used me to lure the Braves here…Then you activated that blade gem thing…Is that it?”

  “No! We didn’t put that blade gem in her. You must already know that Nashetania can’t create hieroforms.”

  “…” Goldof thought back. Once, two years ago, Nashetania had suddenly stolen his spear, telling him she was going to modify it to make him stronger. Being without his weapon of choice had inconvenienced him for a time. One month later, she had announced she had failed and returned the spear to him. Nashetania couldn’t make hieroforms. But could he be truly certain that wasn’t an act?

  “This is another of Tgurneu’s tricks,” said Dozzu. “He’s trying to kill Chamo and making it seem as if it’s Nashetania’s doing.”

  “You think…I’ll believe that?” Slowly, Goldof edged forward.

  Dozzu continued. “Tgurneu must have had one of the old Saints of Blades create a hieroform and then put it in Miss Chamo’s stomach. It’s only activated now.”

  “…”

  “Tgurneu is using Nashetania as a decoy, making the Braves believe she’s the one responsible in order to keep them from figuring out the truth.”

  “That couldn’t…”

  “He will make Adlet kill Nashetania, and while that’s going on, kill Chamo with the blade gem. That’s Tgurneu’s goal,” Dozzu rapidly explained. “Please, calm down and think about it, Goldof. If Nashetania had the power to create a blade gem, she would have used it earlier. If she’d triggered it while you were all running around inside the Phantasmal Barrier, she could have killed one of you, at the very least. She could have gotten Chamo out of the way ahead of time, before all of you were assembled.”

  “…But…”

  “But she didn’t. That proves it, more than anything, doesn’t it?”

  Still clenching his spear, Goldof faltered. Was Dozzu his enemy or his ally? He didn’t know who his adversaries were. He had no idea who he should fight to protect Nashetania.

  “The one most likely to have implanted the gem was Fremy. She fought Chamo once and lost. I couldn’t say how she did it, but she must have done it then.”

  That did make sense. But Goldof couldn’t trust Dozzu anymore. The Helm of Allegiance was still ringing, warning him of impending danger. But was Nashetania really at risk? He wasn’t sure anymore.

  “It’s far too late to be asking you to trust me,” said Dozzu. “That would be unreasonable. But this much is true: At this rate, they’ll kill Nashetania!”

  “Shit!” Goldof yelled, running off again. He just couldn’t discern what was real. But Nashetania was in trouble, and he had to help her.

  At this point in time, Goldof did not yet feel that he had betrayed the Braves of the Six Flowers. He had no intention of killing his allies. While he was trying to save Nashetania, he was also looking for a way to help Chamo. But he didn’t reply to Mora’s summons, instead choosing to work together with Dozzu, his enemy. Objectively speaking, he was already a traitor.

  As Goldof ran over the heated earth, he heard the sound of explosions far away. Those were Fremy’s bombs. The pair turned westward.

  “I’ll assume…for now…you’re telling…the truth,” said Goldof as they ran. “First…I’ll catch Her Highness. You…remove the fiend…that’s controlling her. Can you do that?”

  Dozzu nodded. “There are methods to deal with them. Though this can only be done if Nashetania is unconscious and there are no enemies around.”

  “Then…I’ll do that. Once you’ve dealt with it…you take her…and leave the gem’s area of effect.”

  “Understood.”

  “Then the others’ll…realize that she’s not the enemy. Then I’ll…find the one who’s really using the gem…and save Chamo.”

  “It seems…this will be a difficult battle,” Dozzu muttered. It surely would be.

  But Goldof wasn’t afraid. He’d win, no matter who his enemy was—or so he told himself.

  He might have to fight Nashetania herself to protect her. So there was something he had to make sure of first.

  “Dozzu…that stealth power…she has… If you focus on looking…and hurt yourself…you can see through it…right?” he asked.

  Dozzu’s expression changed. The fiend pensively regarded Goldof. “That’s exactly right. You do know. That’s good; it saves me the trouble of explaining.”

  Was it something to be glad about? Goldof couldn�
��t figure out what Dozzu was thinking. “If she…doesn’t leave…the area of effect…I’ll know you were lying. Then…I’ll kill you. I swear I will.”

  “Understood.”

  They crested another rock hill, and now the blade gem’s area of effect was just ahead. Nashetania was running with her group of fiends. Goldof picked out Adlet, Fremy, and then Rolonia following her. It didn’t appear any of the other Braves were after her.

  The fiends were attacking Adlet in an attempt to slow him down, but Rolonia’s whip and the redhead’s sword sent them scrambling. Goldof saw Fremy’s bullet skim past Nashetania’s head. Ice-cold chills ran down his spine.

  They were attacking her. She was about to be killed. The sight instantly ignited the flames in Goldof’s heart. All his mental faculties were extinguished, and all he wanted to do was slaughter Adlet and the rest. Clutching his chest, he desperately attempted to calm the impulse. “I’ll…stop the Braves. I can stop three…or at least two. You restrain Her Highness,” Goldof said, dashing ahead.

  Dozzu called after him, “Goldof, watch out for her power.”

  “Of course,” Goldof replied.

  “Please, come on! Can’t you run any faster?!” Nashetania yelled. It seemed like she might meet a bloody end any moment now. Goldof judged that it would be impossible to resolve this through discussion. He wasn’t good with words like Adlet was. Besides, the others were suspicious of him. They probably wouldn’t listen, anyway.

  Goldof removed the chain connecting the spear to his wrist and lobbed it as hard as he could. Meanwhile, Dozzu ran to intercept Nashetania.

  Adlet and Rolonia turned to Goldof, while Fremy pursued Nashetania. Goldof had to stop Fremy. He started after her. A bomb formed in Fremy’s palm, and she hurled it at him. He dodged to the side, weathering the subsequent blast. The wounds from his fight with Nashetania throbbed.

  “Oh no, you don’t!” Adlet cried, and Goldof just barely avoided his poison needle. But as he darted away, Fremy’s second bomb hit him in the chest. The thickest part of his armor blocked it, but it still sent him soaring backward.

  Goldof had to stop all three of them. If he didn’t give this fight everything he had, he was going to lose his life. He had to be prepared to hurt them.

  “Fremy! Rolonia!” Adlet yelled. “You follow Nashetania! Let me handle Goldof!”

  “…I can’t let you go,” said Goldof.

  Fremy and Rolonia were gaining on the fleeing Nashetania. Goldof desperately tried to catch up, but Adlet was approaching from behind to attack him. Goldof managed to block Adlet’s smoke bomb, but Rolonia’s whip and Fremy’s bullets formed a merciless fusillade. He somehow managed to take Adlet and Rolonia down unarmed, but while he was busy with them, Fremy raced off far beyond his reach.

  “Fremy! Don’t worry about us! You can’t lose sight of Nashetania!” yelled Adlet.

  Goldof was about to run behind them to stop her, but before he could, Adlet and Rolonia blocked his path. He was forced to give up the chase. “You…handle Fremy!” he shouted to Dozzu, who’d gone after Nashetania. Goldof had no choice but to leave Fremy to the fiend. He would stop Adlet and Rolonia. “…You’re in the way,” he declared and spread his arms before the two of them.

  Adlet yanked the spear Goldof had thrown out of the ground, pointed it at its owner, and said, “Why, Goldof? You get what’s going on, don’t you? Chamo is about to die. We have no choice but to kill Nashetania to save her. Didn’t you hear Mora’s mountain echo?” Of course Goldof had heard Mora. That’s why he was doing this.

  “Please stop, Goldof! We have to defeat Nashetania. We have no choice if we want to save Chamo.” Rolonia, too, urged Goldof to stop.

  Goldof believed they were both kind people. Even this late in the game, they hesitated to kill him. He felt a little guilty about fighting them.

  “Goldof, talk to us. Who tricked you? And how?”

  “It’s the same as what happened with Mora, right? You’ve been coerced to fight us somehow, right? Haven’t you?”

  Adlet, then Rolonia, attempted to start a conversation.

  Maybe they were right. Maybe Goldof was just being deceived. But still, he couldn’t stop this fight. If he let them go now, they were sure to kill Nashetania. Even if she was the enemy, even if she was a traitor to the human race, Goldof wanted her to live.

  Enough hesitation. You can’t beat them if you don’t make up your mind, he told himself. “I can’t let you…go beyond this point.”

  “Goldof…” Adlet trailed off.

  “If you want to get past me…you have to…kill me first.” Once those words left Goldof’s mouth, the look in Adlet’s eyes changed. The kindness and naïveté vanished. Goldof hardened his resolve. He intends to kill me.

  He had to stop both of them right there until Dozzu could excise the fiend controlling Nashetania. That was his only task now. He was at a steep disadvantage here, two-on-one, and Adlet had Goldof’s spear, too. But still, he was not afraid.

  The fight began.

  Rolonia’s screech rang out across the heated earth:

  “Diediedietraitoryougottadieorthesunwon’trisetomorrow!”

  Goldof blocked her whip strikes with his armor. If the lash hit his exposed flesh, he wouldn’t survive this. As he defended himself, he reached out toward Adlet for his weapon. Adlet stabbed and kicked at him, trying to keep Goldof from taking it back. A smoke bomb burned Goldof’s eyes, and the blows from Rolonia’s whip stung his wounds. But even then, he kept on struggling.

  As the battle raged, Goldof thought to himself—somewhere in their hearts, Adlet and Rolonia were probably still hesitant. They still weren’t sure whether or not they should kill him. As he grappled with them, his eyes darted in the direction Nashetania had gone. Had Dozzu pulled it off? Had it managed to stop Fremy and extract the fiend controlling Nashetania? Dozzu had a difficult task to tackle, too. All Goldof could do now was pray for Dozzu’s success.

  “Adlet…don’t kill…Her Highness,” Goldof said during their fight. He knew full well that Adlet was not going to listen.

  “Whywhywhywon’tyoudieyouwon’tdiedon’ttouchAddydon’ttouchFremydon’ttouchChamoDIEEE!” Rolonia shrieked as she cracked her whip at him. He dodged, and when he found an opening in her whip’s trajectory, he darted through to steal back his spear.

  Adlet took one hand off the spear to pull a tool from his waist. Goldof immediately grabbed Adlet’s hand to snatch the needle away. He threw it at Rolonia’s face as he recovered his own weapon, and as he drove Adlet back, he remembered what Dozzu had said—that Fremy was the seventh and that she was the one who put the blade gem in Chamo.

  Finally, Goldof figured he’d share the information with Adlet and Rolonia, too.

  “Listen…the enemy…isn’t Her Highness… It’s Fremy,” Goldof said, and then he thrust the butt of his spear into Adlet’s stomach. He wouldn’t be able to move for a while, not after that body blow.

  That’ll be enough to slow them down, Goldof thought, and he stopped his assault. They shouldn’t have tried to prevent him from saving Nashetania, but that was no reason to kill them.

  More importantly, he had to go to help Dozzu. He couldn’t even guess as to how things were going on that front. He ran after Nashetania, crossing over a rock hill to find Fremy fighting a crowd of fiends. These were the same ones that had accompanied Nashetania only moments ago. His liege herself was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Dozzu.

  “Better than…I’d hoped,” Goldof muttered. This was doubly advantageous for him. Fremy would be pinned on the spot for a while, and now the fiends around Nashetania would not be bothering Goldof and Dozzu. Goldof ran past Fremy, continuing in a clockwise arc.

  Now he just had to catch up to Nashetania. He’d knock her out and remove the human-controlling fiend that Dozzu had claimed was inside her, and then he’d carry her out of the gem’s area of effect. After that, Adlet’s party would stop trying to kill her for the time being. If Dozzu was lying, and Nashetania wa
s the one who’d put the blade gem into Chamo, then Goldof would kill Dozzu, seize Nashetania, and forcibly move her away from the gem. That would save both Nashetania and Chamo.

  “I won’t…let them die. Not Her Highness…and not Chamo,” Goldof muttered. The Helm of Allegiance had never stopped ringing all this time. Nashetania was still in danger.

  Goldof went on about a half-circle counterclockwise, and there he found Dozzu. Ahead of the fiend, he could see Nashetania racing away. “Dozzu!” yelled Goldof.

  “I’m over here!” Dozzu called back.

  Ten more minutes of running and Goldof caught up to Dozzu. They’d reach Nashetania soon. “I’ve…slowed them down. Not for long…though,” Goldof said as they chased Nashetania together.

  “I knew you’d be able to manage it.” Dozzu smiled.

  Nashetania was ascending the steep slope of one of the slightly higher hills, and Goldof and Dozzu were right behind. Goldof used his hands to scale the hill. I’ll catch up to her at the peak, he thought.

  “Goldof, I’ll stop her with a lightning strike,” said Dozzu. “Please push her down and constrict her throat to knock her out.”

  “Got it.”

  They hit the top of the hill, and at the summit was a big pit. Nashetania stood in the middle of it, her sword raised and ready to fight back. Focusing everything he had, Goldof leaped off the rock, about to charge at her when—

  It happened in an instant. Sensing a threat, Goldof launched himself sideways instead. A bolt of electricity hit the spot where he had just been standing. The strike was so powerful, if it had hit its mark, he wouldn’t have stood a chance. Dozzu had been waiting to stab him in the back after all.

  “It missed?”

  Nashetania swiped at him with her sword. Goldof rolled farther to the side to avoid a blade piercing from the ground, then dodged again to evade Dozzu’s second attack. The blitz was relentless—lightning from behind, knife edges from below.