--"I am Megumi. Those cultists have kidnapped two of my comrades, and I aim to get them back. Who are you?"
You take a slow, deep breath, trying to make yourself seem as non-threatening as possible. You're not really fast enough to dodge this. Still, he's probably not a cultist, given he doesn't want to be heard by said cultists.
Which means honesty is the best policy.
'It is always the best policy, Sakura!'
'Yes, grandmother,' you think back, in as obedient a tone as possible..
"I am Megumi the ronin, Hohei of the Tenth Legion. Those cultists have kidnapped two of my comrades and I aim to get them back. Who are you?"
The blade moves from your throat.
"You are either very brave, very stupid, or very lucky - knowing what I do of your people, it's probably all three. I am Taj Bendi, Third Pramukh Sanik, Baaz division of 12th Army."
You turn around to see a relatively small man all things considered. He wears a turban, but his black eyes look far too much like a predator's to let you be at ease with him, even if he hadn't been holding that strange curved knife to your throat seconds before. While the eyes are the obvious sign of his martial disposition, the fact that his muscles are barely concealed by the normally loose clothing of the Invidi adds to the image of a man used to, and probably very good at, violence.
"Hi," you decide on saying finally.
"Hello," he answers after a moment.
"So um...why are you here?" You ask.
He shifts looking at you and at his knife.
"Orders."
"Are you going to tell me what kind of orders?" you ask.
"Not unless I have to."
"What would make you have to?"
"If I needed your help. Those your comrades in that train down there?"
"Hai."
He raises an eyebrow.
He might not need your help but you probably need his.
So it's with some reluctance that you answer his unspoken question.
"Iuchi Yukiko-sama and Bayush Sora-sama."
His eyes narrow in suspicion and anger.
"...is this Iuchi one of your magic users?"
You guess from the way he says 'magic' that he actually kind of hates the idea of them.
"She is a Priestess yes," you agree.
A low sound of restrained...exasperation is the best word, you think.
"Please, do not call her that...but damn...it's coincidence...but not one I can ignore."
"Eh?" Your confusion is evident in your tone.
"Why kidnap both a magic user and a guru...no...something is definitely up. How far away are you from a formal detachment of your Legion?" Taj asks.
You think, and you guess maybe 2 and half days from the city...which is really close if you think about it. Also, what the heck is a Guru?
"Two and half days maybe? I've left some comrades behind, but they're only half a day out."
"They fit to fight?" He presses on impatiently.
You think back to Izu and Toshiro.
"...probably not."
"When were you due back?" Taj continues to ask.
Whenever Akodo-sama decided you'd had enough, but you don't really want to say that.
"I don't know"
Smoothly twirling the hilt of his blade around in his hand, he abruptly sheaths it.
"Well, that's just a merry bunch of pickled beets now isn't it?"
A blink from you as you try to work out that phrase.
"...merry bunch of pickled beets?"
He gives you a look that apparently can't decide if it's sarcastic or sheepish.
"...it sounds better in Ivindi."
Taj seems really agitated but you aren't sure why. It's almost like how the Lion get around Scorpion.
"Okay...why are you so worked up?" You ask.
The Ivindi looks at you.
"Well, you know that the cult practices human sacrifice right?"
"I do…"
Taj looks back at the still travelling kidnappers.
"If they follow their usual pattern, they'll sacrifice both the guru and your magic user at the same time to consume their flesh."
"Yes, but we have time right?" You ask.
A part of you knows the answer is no, but that optimistic part of you always says to hope for the best anyways.
A deep sigh from Taj. .
"No, no we don't. I forgive you for being ignorant, it's not like the Cult has made much inroads into your city yet. But the process of this is always the same. Kidnap them in the night. Sedate them during the day, At night drain their blood into a goblet made of ivory...drink the blood. The second day, you slowly cook them, eating them the second night, and on the last day you work their bones into meal….it's disgusting a perversion of all that is right, for all that it gives you power…they have never deviated from this. It is why we are able to root them out more often than not."
"So you're saying…" You say not wanting to finish the thought.
"The Iuchi and Guru Sahal will likely be dead by the end of tonight."
You look at the temple.
"There's no way the two of us can take on that many is there," you ask softly.
Taj shakes his head.
"No...my plan was to sneak in, free Guru Sahal, and then sneak out with him, but I can't sneak out with three people...and you don't seem to be the type..."
"...I am not," you admit ruefully.
"...which means we need another plan…"
"Hai."
You sit down to think of a plan, even as Taj sits down besides you and offers something that you presume is Ivindi food.
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