Strike! ストライキ

Chapter 17: Second Battle With Mitsa! Proclamation To The Stars!

"Let's hear what they told good guard dog, Mitsa! Come on! Tell me why they killed Auntie Roan! Why they killed my mom!"

Mitsa lifts her head slightly to look into Karvella's eyes.

"They needed to lure the Caravala King out of hiding so they could kill him. In the end, it didn't work."

"No shit," Karvella roared, "He doesn't give a damn about a bunch of humans! He thinks humans are piles of shit that he uses for entertainment! Was that their brilliant plan? What a joke!"

Mitsa steps back slightly and sighs.

"You wouldn't understand. You choose to see things as wrong. But look at all of the things that they learned about the Caravala King! It will help in defeating him one day!"

"Your logic," Karvella says, tears coming to her eyes, "is what's wrong!"

"What?"

"You could kill a million innocent people and you bastards will only be helping him to dwindle the human population to the brink of extinction! Are you really that stupid? And then dare to call me ignorant?"

Karvella slides a box out of her makeshift sheath and opens it.

"Aunt Hana thought you might want this."

Karvella tosses a silver object towards the blond girl who catches it easily.

"What is-"

She glances down and the words seem to catch in her throat. Her eyes widen slightly and then narrow, her eyebrows scrunching together sadly.

"It was the only thing they brought back that belonged to Aunt Roan from Katta when they reported the incident to Key Kingdom citizens. It's the last part of her that was saved."

Mitsa picks the silver object up between her fingers and dangles it in front of her face.

"Mom's necklace..."

Hanging from end of the silver chain is a bright yellow stone embedded into a silver circle. She bites her lip and turns away from us for a moment, wiping her hand across her face. A few moments later she nods to herself and turns back towards Karvella. Mitsa lowers Euclesus to her side and stands at attention as if she is saluting.

"I am loyal to the King and no matter what. Even if we must kill to save the lives of innocent people, then we will. We are the King's servants and his protectors."

"Protectors," Karvella scoffs, "The only one you're protecting is a murderer."

I watch Mitsa stick her bottom lip into her mouth.

"I know," she whispers, "But I don't have a choice anymore."

Then, she grips her golden sword and runs towards Karvella.

๑۞๑

Leon trudges through the gate of the castle casually. His mind is on the leftover Brak he didn't have the chance to eat. His stomach growls uncontemptly and he groans.

"Lionhart, Sir!"

He looks up, raising and eyebrow slightly. Two royal guards are running towards him with panicked looks on their faces. He pats his breast pocket, hoping to find a smoke but he remembers they are gone. His eyebrow twitches in irritation as the two guards come to a halt in front of him.

"What is it?"

"T-The king, Sir! He's under attack!"

Leon glances over at the castle as the two guards stand there expectingly. He shrugs and continues down the cobblestone path in the opposite direction. They hesitate, uncertain what to do before they start following him, keeping some distance between them.