Grimgal of Ashes and Illusion - Volume 9 - Chapter 3

3. What is Bravery?

“Kuzaku-kun?!” Yume turned back without stopping and shouted. “Kuzaku-kun?! Kuzaku-kun?! Shihoruuu, Kuzaku-kun’s not followin’ us anymore!”

“No, Yume, you can’t stop!” Shihoru cried.

“Y-Yeah, but still!”

“First, we need to avoid capture by the enemy! That’s our first priority! I’m sure Kuzaku-kun will be fine!”

Was that really okay? Yume wasn’t sure. It didn’t seem like Shihoru was unworried. But for now, like Shihoru was saying, they had to avoid being caught by the enemy. Instead of fighting, they had to run. Then they could join back up with Haruhiro and Merry.

She should do that, and try not to think about Ranta. If she thought about him, she wouldn’t be able to move. That’d be no good.

Run. She had to run.

It felt like it had suddenly gotten darker. The fog was awfully thick. And that wasn’t all.

“It’s rainin’!” Yume shouted.

Heavy rain, at that. The drops were small, but the rate they were falling at picked up and got more intense in no time. It was like countless, hair-thin lances were falling to the earth.

Muffled by the rain, the noise of the battle sounded awfully far away. Their range of vision was extremely short, too. It was almost as if the rain had formed a wall, standing in their way.

This would make it hard for the enemy to find them. However, if the enemy did approach, it would be hard to detect them, too.

But rather than the enemy, what about Kuzaku?

Yume and Shihoru couldn’t spot Kuzaku, and Kuzaku didn’t know where Yume and Shihoru were, either. That being the case, they might stay separated.

Up ahead, the ground on the left hand side was higher and thick with trees. Yume thought they were trees, at least. They weren’t humans or orcs.

“Shihoru! Go that way for now!” Yume called.

“...Okay!”

When they got closer, there was just enough foliage for them to hide in. Yume went into the bushes with Shihoru, and they crouched down together.

Shihoru was breathing heavily. She was a mage, after all, and didn’t have a lot of stamina, but she also wasn’t the type to start complaining easily. She’d been that way for a while now, but Shihoru had also gotten stronger. Back when they had just started, she’d been crying all the time.

“What now?” Yume asked. “Shihoru, what do you think Yume and you should do?”

“Haruhiro rescued Merry.”

“That old guy from Fonkon? He was sayin’ that, yeah.”

“You mean Forgan...”

“Ohh,” Yume said. “Sorry ’bout that. Yume, she’s always gettin’ stuff like that wrong.”

“It’s fine. You’re fine the way you are, Yume. I’m the one who should apologize. Sorry for always correcting you.”

“Yume’s grateful to have you correctin’ her. That means she can fix it.”

“...I guess that’s right.” Shihoru smiled just a little. “Since that Takasagi guy came back, I think that must mean Haruhiro and Merry got away. If they did, they’ll have headed for the rendezvous point.”

“Yeah,” Yume agreed. “That sounds about right.”

“The best thing would be for you, me, and Kuzaku-kun, all three of us, to head to the rendezvous point together, but...”

“But Kuzakkun’s gone missin’, yeah...”

“It wouldn’t be good to search for him...” Shihoru added. “For now, let’s wait here...”

“Y’know, it’s really hard,” Yume said. “Just waitin’.”

“Yeah...” Shihoru put a hand on Yume’s lower back. “I’ll be here with you, though.”

“That’s right, huh.” Yume smiled. She felt like she should smile, even if she had to force herself to. “Thinkin’ about it, Shihoru and Yume are pretty much always together.”

“I think that’s because you’re always willing to put up with someone like me.”

“That’s not true at all,” Yume protested. “You’re cute, Shihoru, and... you’re cute. You’re cute, okay?”

Shihoru giggled. “...You’re just repeating yourself.”

“Nngh, if only Yume could come up with more to say. Even when a word comes to mind, it’s not quite right.”

“I understand. Your feelings are getting through to me just fine, so... I think I understand.”

“You do?” Yume asked.

Why was that? What had been the trigger for it?

For a moment, her mind went blank. Then something seemed to seep inside her empty head and fill it up. It grew by the moment, eventually overflowing, and pouring out through her eyes.

“...Yume?” Shihoru peered at Yume’s face. “What’s... the matter?”

“What... is the matter, huh?” Yume shut her eyes tight. “Yume’s not sure of that herself.”

“...Is it Ranta-kun?”

Now that Shihoru said it, Yume realized it was.

Ranta.

She’d been trying not to think about him, and thought she hadn’t been. Thinking about it wasn’t going to solve anything. She’d just get mad. Ranta was always that way. He always had been.

How can anyone be so unpleasant?

That had been her first impression of him. And the amazing thing about Ranta was that he never changed.

Of course, there were times when Ranta might say something that was good, for Ranta, or he might act cute or cool, for Ranta, or he might even be reliable, for Ranta. But that was only occasionally, and it never lasted more than a moment. He couldn’t keep it up.

Still, he was a comrade. Even if he was one she hated. Ranta had taught her over and over again that, Oh, this is what it’s like to hate someone.

She loathed him. But, for all her complaints, they had been in this party together since the beginning. He was a valued comrade.

There was no question that she hated him, but he was a friend.

No, that wasn’t it. Rather than a friend, there was a more suitable word.

Family.

Yes. To Yume, the party was like her family. Ranta was a member, too.

“Yume... Shihoru, Yume, she...”

“Mm-hm...” Shihoru murmured. “What?”

“We were a family. Yume, and everyone... The whole party was like a family to Yume.”

Yume opened her eyes. She wiped her eyes with one hand. But wipe them away as she might, her tears, just like the rain, refused to let up. Even so, she kept wiping them away. She couldn’t keep her eyes closed forever, after all.

“In the beginning, there was Haru-kun, and there was Shihoru, and there was Moguzo—and there was Manato, and there was Ranta, yeah. And there was Yume, too. Then we lost Manato, and Merry joined the family. Then Moguzo ended up like he did, and Kuzakkun joined... For Yume, everyone was a member of her family. Like, before comin’ to Grimgar, probably, Yume thinks she must’ve had a mom and a dad. If she didn’t, Yume’d never’ve been born, after all. But, Yume, she doesn’t remember them, y’know? It’s the same for you, too, right, Shihoru? It’s the same for all of us. That’s why we’re all family. Love, hate, we’ve got all sorts of feelings for each other, but family is family. Right?”

“...Yeah, I think so,” Shihoru agreed. “A family. That’s what we are.”

“But Yume’s thinkin’, even with a family, there are times when people go their separate ways. Like, Yume might never be able to see her mom and dad again. Though, not rememberin’ them, she doesn’t feel all that sad about it. Just a little bit lonely... But still. Still...”

“Yume...” Shihoru hugged Yume close, rubbing their heads together. “I don’t know what to say, but I...”

“With things like this...” Yume let out a slow, deliberate breath. “You can never predict they’ll happen... Not even Ranta could. When you think we might never meet again... Yeah, Yume doesn’t want that.”

“Yume...” Shihoru rubbed Yume’s back firmly. “We still don’t know what happened... or how things turned out. Not exactly. Right?”

“...Yeah.”

“Well then, when we only have a hazy grasp of the facts... it’s best not to let them influence how you think or feel too much.”

“First of all... Well, anyway, we’ve got to meet up with Haru-kun, huh?” Yume asked.

“That’s right. Let’s take it one thing at a time.”

“One thing at a time, huh.” Yume nodded, pressing her index finger to her lips.

There was someone coming. No, not someone—this was... a beast.

The big black wolf. There was a goblin riding on its back. Yume recalled his name was Onsa. The goblin beastmaster.

It wasn’t just the one big black wolf that he was riding—he had a number of other black wolves following him, too.

When she saw those black wolves, she couldn’t help but think of the Black God Rigel. For those hunters who called the White God Elhit their protector, black wolves were ominous beasts that they were supposed to hate. The White God Elhit and the Black God Rigel were actually siblings, but Rigel had eaten their mother Carmia soon after being born, and that had caused the siblings to part ways.

Elhit’s kin, the white wolves, were proud creatures, forming groups that consisted only of a mated pair and their children. They were always hunting beasts that were bigger than them. But Rigel’s kin, the black wolves, formed large packs to chase down and kill their prey. They would attack human and orc alike, eating the children first, and that was why they were so hated and feared.

Onsa had tamed those black wolves.

It was amazing—but Yume knew now wasn’t the time to be impressed. It wasn’t just black wolves; wolves in general wouldn’t submit to members of another species. They never grew close to them.

That was why hunters had chosen to mate wolves and dogs to create a new breed of wolf dogs. Wolf dogs had the loyalty of a dog with the toughness and ferocity of a wolf.

Generally, wolves were stronger than dogs. Even among wolves, black wolves were abnormally stubborn and cunning, with incredibly sharp senses.

Onsa was going to find them. That was the safe assumption. Even if it was raining, the black wolves weren’t going to miss Yume and Shihoru. It wouldn’t be long before one of the black wolves sniffed out Yume and Shihoru in the bushes. Then it would howl and plunge in after them. The other black wolves would follow. If that happened, there would be no hope for them. They had to act first. That was the only option.

Yume readied her bow and nocked an arrow. Shihoru might have been surprised, but she stayed put, not saying a word. She was putting her faith in Yume.

Near here. But not too far, thought Yume.

Black wolves were clever, but not in the same way as humans. If they noticed an arrow, they’d look in the direction it went.

Yume loosed her arrow.

Like she’d expected, a number of the black wolves let out short howls, then headed in the direction the arrow had gone. Even without Yume having to tell her to, Shihoru was already getting ready to go. They jumped out of the bushes together, then went racing up the slope.

“Hyahhh!” Onsa let out a high-pitched shout.

That was fast. They’d been noticed already.

It wasn’t that steep of a slope, but it was thick with trees, and they couldn’t climb in a straight line. Shihoru, who was ahead of Yume, looked pretty exhausted.

Turning back, a number of the black wolves had closed into a distance of less than ten meters. They’d catch them in no time like this.

It wasn’t just wolves: many carnivores showed no mercy to their fleeing prey. But if the prey turned on them and showed they were prepared to fight, they suddenly became wary of them. Predators were fundamentally cautious.

If Yume had been alone, it might not have been impossible for her to get away. But Shihoru was here. Leaving Shihoru to the wolves was out of the question.

She had to do it.

It was hard to see her winning this one, but, well, if she accepted she had no other choice, it was a lot easier to take.

“Sorry, Shihoru! Runnin’ isn’t gonna work!” she called.

“...Got it!” As Shihoru turned, she cried out, “Dark!” and opened the door.

Yume wasn’t a mage, so she couldn’t see that door with her eyes. But it was definitely there. It had actually opened. Black threads came out from some other world, wrapping themselves into a spiral shape, and taking on a completely human form.

Dark the elemental.

He was so darn cute. But then, Shihoru’s Dark was more than just cute.

Yume came to a stop and fired an arrow. She fired and fired again. She fired off shots one after another.

Rapid Fire.

She didn’t have to hit the black wolves. It was okay if the arrows hit the trees. She fired scattered shots.

When they learned that Yume and Shihoru weren’t timid prey, the black wolves grew cautious. And when the arrows came at them one after another, they faltered a little.

“Disturb them!” Shihoru ordered. Dark flew towards the black wolves.

Vwoooooooooluuuuuuuuuuuu!

What was that noise? It was like the signature sound of Shadow Bat, only a little different. It was Dark. Dark was emitting a strange sound as he flew between the black wolves.

It was effective. The black wolves fell into a state of total panic, yelping pitifully as they fled in disarray.

“Dark-kun’s sure amazin’!” Yume cried.

“Yume, the big one’s coming!”

“Of course!” Yume took a deep breath, so as to let the air spread throughout her whole body, then let the focus of her eyes shift from near to far.

She heard her master’s voice. Yume, listen. You’re going to hit. Hit... You’re going to hit.

Stop Eye.

She could see it. The big black wolf that Onsa was riding, almost as if it was right in front of her.

The big black wolf’s right eye was crushed. It hadn’t been that long since Kuro’s arrow had hit it. It should have had other wounds, too, but it seemed to be doing just fine.

If she were to pick a target—Onsa.

Yume loosed her arrow.

It was good.

When a shot was going to land, Yume knew the moment she released her bowstring.

Yume’s arrow stabbed into Onsa’s chest. But it was a little to the right. Onsa was knocked back a little, but he lowered his upper torso and clung to the big black wolf.

By that point, Yume was already loosing her second arrow. This arrow just grazed the big black wolf’s head and didn’t hit.

“Yume!” Shihoru had her staff pointed up ahead. “I’m going to try it!”

Try what?

That became clear instantly.

“Dark, spread out!”

To Yume’s eyes it looked like Dark, who had been intimidating the black wolves with his strange sounds and movements, suddenly went boom. He exploded, scattering all over. Like Shihoru had said to, Dark had spread out.

The rain and white fog were eaten away at by a black fog. What was more, that black fog was far thicker than the white one. The black wolves, which had already been confused, howled as if they had gone mad. They were unquestionably terrified. As the black fog spread, so too did the terror, and it grew.

This was one of the weaknesses of a pack. The individual members of the pack couldn’t help but be influenced by the others.

The problem was that big black wolf. The expanded Dark was having a dramatic effect that well exceeded that of a mere smokescreen. However, he didn’t seem to have the effect that caused them injury or pain. That being the case, Yume didn’t think it would work on the big black wolf.

Shihoru could only send out one Dark at a time. That meant she couldn’t do anything while the diffused Dark was interfering with the black wolves.

Yume had to do something. She would.

Discarding her bow, Yume drew her curved sword, Wan-chan. She wasn’t scared.

Way back when, Manato had said, “I think Yume may well be the bravest of us all.” He’d also said, “I’m glad that Yume might be there to help if anything happens.”

She’d never thought of herself as brave before, so she’d been really proud of that. Proud that she might be able to help her comrades. At least, that was how Manato had felt.

She hadn’t been able to, though. She hadn’t been able to save Manato or Moguzo. She could still count the number of times she’d actually helped a comrade. But what Manato had said back then, that she was brave, was still carved deep into her heart.

It was strange, but even when things were so scary she didn’t know what to do, she was able to think, I’m not scared. Because she was brave. So, even if it was scary, she wasn’t scared.

The big black wolf carrying Onsa appeared from beyond the black fog.

It was charging in.

It was super scary, but she wasn’t scared one bit.

“You’re on!” Yume screamed.

She had no intention of backing down. She wouldn’t dodge to the left or right to avoid it, either. When the big black wolf charged at her—Yume jumped on it.

Raging Tiger.

Using a somersault to launch a powerful attack on the enemy. Of all the machete techniques she knew, this was Yume’s favorite skill.

The big black wolf wasn’t frightened, and kept charging—and that was when something funny happened. When she spun around, for some reason she’d ended up sitting on the big black wolf’s neck.

“Roh...?” Onsa said, startled.

Right there, literally in front of her nose, was Onsa. Yume herself had never imagined this would happen. It was a surprise. Onsa was shocked, too.

When a gobbie gets that surprised look on his face, it’s kinda cute, huh? she thought.

“Well, yeah, it is, but...!”

They were enemies. Yume wrapped her legs tight around the big black wolf’s neck, and tried to slam Wan-chan into Onsa. However, Onsa obviously wasn’t just going to let that happen.

Onsa grabbed Yume’s right arm with his right hand, pulling tight on the big black wolf’s fur with his left. The big black wolf turned its body, trying to throw Yume off. Yume tightened her legs, and feeling like that wasn’t enough on its own, she grabbed onto Onsa’s right arm with her left.

“Yume!” She heard Shihoru’s shout. She couldn’t quite afford to respond that she was okay.

Onsa was shouting something in goblin-speak. He went for a weapon of some sort with his left hand. She wasn’t letting that happen.

“Meowwww!”

Yume held onto Onsa as tight as she could. Unlike orcs, most goblins were smaller than humans, and that was the case with Onsa, too. In a competition of strength, she wouldn’t lose.

“If Yume falls, you’re coming with her!” she cried.

“&%+#*%?!”

She didn’t know what he was saying, but Onsa seemed really panicked. The big black wolf twisted its body around and jumped as it raced up the slope.

“%*#+@!”

“You can say that all you want, but Yume’s not lettin’ go!”

“*+$@%&&?!”

“Yume’s doesn’t understand what you’re sayin’!”

“%&#**!”

“Yeah, well same to you!”

“******!”

“Yume’s a ponyfide goblin slayer, you know!”

“$$#&&&&%?!”

Onsa was trying to do something. What was he planning? Onsa’s body lifted up. In that moment, Yume figured it out.

“Yume’s not lettin’ go of you!”

Yume had been grappling with Onsa, and Onsa was clinging onto the big black wolf’s back. Onsa had tried desperately to throw Yume off, but now he’d finally given up on that. That was why he’d let go of the running wolf, taking Yume with him.

They were going to fall.

Or more like be sent flying.

Yume wouldn’t let go of Onsa. If she let go, Onsa would probably brace himself for the landing, get up, and then immediately mount the big black wolf again.

If Yume didn’t separate from him, what would Onsa do? He’d try to land on top of Yume. Yume wanted to do the opposite, and to slam Onsa into the ground.

Who would end up on top?

But, before it came to that, there was a tree.

Yes, a tree.

Yume and Onsa collided in midair with a tree.

It was the left side of her head, her left shoulder, her left hip, her left thigh, or something like that. Yume hit the tree hard.

For a moment, she nearly let go of Onsa, but for a brief moment Ranta’s contemptible face flashed through her mind, and she thought, No way is Yume lettin’ that happen. Stupid Ranta.

She and Onsa rolled together. They were tumbling down the slope.

They stopped.

In that moment, Onsa opened his mouth right in front of Yume’s eyes. He was trying to bite her. Trying to bite Yume’s face. That shocked her, and she got scared despite herself, kicking Onsa away from her.

It frustrated her. Wasn’t she supposed to be brave?

Onsa got up, fleeing in what was close to a crawl. Yume jumped up. She got dizzy, and stumbled. Was it because she’d collided with the tree just now? Had she hit somewhere bad?

“Hold up! No runnin’ away!” she screamed.

Yume was stumbling as she gave chase, but the fleeing Onsa was just as unsteady on his feet. They were both tottering along, so they were even.

Her body hurt all over.

Where’d Wan-chan go? Yume wondered. Had she dropped it?

Yume pulled out a knife. Star Piercer. She tried to throw it, but for some reason it had fallen at her feet instead.

“No...”

It was no good.

She had to chase after him.

She had to catch him.

Onsa tried to turn and look back. He tripped. Rather than get up, he crawled onward.

Yume finally smiled. Onsa was hurt worse than she was. She could catch up to him.

Where is this? she suddenly wondered. It didn’t matter. She had bigger concerns.

Onsa crawled up the slope. Though she occasionally had to put a hand on the ground, Yume was managing to walk fine.

Then, she suddenly lost sight of Onsa. Was it because of the fog? The fog certainly was thick. The rain was still coming down, too.

Yume was flustered and hurried to catch up. Oh, I see, she thought. The upward slope had come to an end. From here, it leveled out. That was why she’d lost sight of him. Where was Onsa...?

There.

To the left.

Onsa was crawling.

Yume tried to close in on Onsa, then came to a sudden realization.

How was she going to kill Onsa? And what good would killing Onsa even do? Would it change anything?

Awooooo... one of the black wolves howled. No, it was probably the big black wolf. From down below. It was coming. The big black wolf was racing up the slope.

Onsa faced the big black wolf and whistled. He was calling it. He intended to ride the big black wolf and run away. Like she was going to let him.

Yume kept her feet moving forward. Her vision was swaying strangely.

Was she tired? She shouldn’t have been. That probably wasn’t the problem.

Onsa didn’t move from where he was. He was probably waiting for the big black wolf. Thanks to that, Yume was able to make it to where Onsa was. She grabbed at him—or rather, Yume fell down on top of Onsa.

The big black wolf rushed in. Trying to bite Yume. Yume clung on to Onsa and rolled, somehow managing to avoid the big black wolf’s fangs.

Onsa shouted something and reached out. Was he saying, Come, save me! or something like that?

The big black wolf tried to attack Yume again. Yume shouted, “Wauh!” howling at the big black wolf. That startled it.

Onsa tried to get away. She wouldn’t let him.

“...Yume already told you!”

“$#+&%%...!”

She’d never let him get away.

The two of them rolled together.

She hadn’t noticed it at all.

It seemed that the opposite side, the one Yume and Onsa hadn’t climbed, was steeper, like a cliff.

They were on the cliff’s edge now. No, worse than that, Yume and Onsa were hanging over it.

“Whah— We’ll fall—”

With an odd bark, the big black wolf leaned out over the edge of the cliff. Onsa grabbed the fluffy scruff if its neck. Reflexively, Yume did, too.

The big black wolf tried to dig its heels in.

No good, huh, thought Yume.

The big black wolf’s feet slipped over the edge.

It’d fall. At this rate, it was going to fall off.

If that happened, Onsa would, too. And Yume, of course.

“Shihoruuuu...!” she screamed.

Haru-kun.

Kuzakkun.

Merry-chan.

Everyone, be okay, she thought. Please.

If you aren’t—

Hold on, what about you? She felt like she heard someone say that to her.

...What?

Shut up, you dummy.

Ranta.

You’re just stupid Ranta.

This, after you betrayed Yume and everyone. We may never see each other again!

Ranta was the one person she didn’t want to hear that from. She got angry, and that motivated her. Yume gritted her teeth. For now, Onsa didn’t matter; she just held on to the big black wolf. The big black wolf spun around once, then twice, then slid down the cliff while scratching at it with its fore and hind paws. They didn’t fall, they slid. It looked like a sheer cliff, but maybe it wasn’t actually that steep. Maybe they could make it to the bottom safely like this—or so Yume started to think, but then the big black wolf hit a snag in the cliff and they were launched into the air.

They were falling.

Spinning and falling.

Is Yume gonna die...?

She’d almost died once in Darunggar. That’d been a close call. They’d gotten her throat and blood had been everywhere. So much blood, she hadn’t even been able to breathe. Huh, this could be bad, Yume might be a goner, she’d thought. This’s just how it goes, huh. It happened so easily...

Her consciousness had faded—but then Merry’s magic had worked, and she’d been able to come back.

That time, Haru-kun, he was cryin’. He hugged Yume real tight.

That’d made her happy, but... Yume doesn’t know why, but she was a little embarrassed, too.

...Oh, she realized.

It was because everyone had been there. That was why she hadn’t been scared.

She didn’t like being alone. She didn’t want to die alone like this.

This big black wolf didn’t want to die, either. It was desperate. Onsa, who was clinging on to the big black wolf just like Yume, was, too.

The big black wolf caught the slope with its front legs again.

Keep tryin’, big black wolf—Wolf-tan, you can do it. If you can’t, everyone’s gonna die.

From there she had a vague recollection that they rolled vertically, horizontally, and diagonally, hitting things, and she felt like she might lose her grip, but then grabbed on even tighter, but it was all a haze.

The rain continued to fall quietly.

The hanging fog seemed gentle, somehow.

It was a little cold, so she buried her face in the big black wolf’s fur. It was warm, and she felt its pulse. The big black wolf was breathing. At some point she didn’t remember, Yume had snuggled up to the big black wolf’s belly. It was questionable whether it had realized or not. Yume didn’t know.

But if he realized it, he wouldn’t like it, she thought. We’re enemies and all.

Still, Yume didn’t mind. She didn’t even think of the big black wolf was an enemy anymore.

He’s alive, too. Maybe we can call it all off. That was how she felt.

How would Garo, who was plastered to the big black wolf’s back, feel?

Onsa pushed up with difficulty and said something. Probably “Garo.”

The big black wolf let out a weak bark. Maybe Garo was the big black wolf’s name. It wasn’t Wolf-tan, apparently. Well, of course not.

Garo.

“...Garon.” Yume petted Garo. She didn’t have the strength to stand yet, but she could move her hand to pet him, at least. “...You okay, Garon?”

Garo’s whole body shuddered. Maybe he was trying to shake off Yume’s hand because he didn’t like it. Or maybe it was Garo’s way of responding.

Onsa placed a hand on Garo’s neck while looking at Yume. Onsa was greatly weakened, too. Though he’d gotten up, his back was hunched, and his shoulders were heaving.

“Onsan, hey, what are you gonna do...?” Yume smiled. It wasn’t that she had tried to smile, she just did. “Yume, she doesn’t want to fight with you, or Garo no more... If you’re gonna insist on fightin’, Yume’ll fight, too, but only ’cause she has to... But, to be honest, Yume doesn’t want to fight.”

Onsa averted his eyes. Yume took that to mean he had no intention of fighting.

For now, at least.