Chapter 42: Fort Griff

There was a moment of silent contemplation in the princess's tent. The lords and other officers plan over the final steps to seize the final rebel stronghold in the west. Deep within the center of Arrow Head island, Fort Griff stands as the last fortress, housing the last of the rebel's forces.

"Our forces suffered 4,700 dead to the rebels 3,200. We must strike the fortress with their army less than half, at once!" said lord Ahlberg.

Ivar and Bronir voiced their fury towards Vinbror's betrayal. Soon, almost all the other attending lords shared Bronir's words.

"Vinbror is a traitor to the crown! As such, he must face punishment for this offense,"

The negativity and rage protruding in the tent were unbearable to Jushiro. He could do nothing but stand and listen in disbelief. His eyes gazed at the ground below in sorrowful angst. His hands visibly shake as he trembled. His chest ached, and his heart raced to the point he started to hyperventilate. He left the tent in distress, swiftly making his way to his tent.

His head pressed against the pole in the tent, still feeling his body trembling with dread. His gaze turned toward the mirror on his right to see the miserable eyesore of a desperate man.

He heard a soft name call out, "Shiro," He turned his head to see Lashida and Bronir inside his tent. He turned away, asking them, "What do you want?" in a pessimistic tone.

"Shiro, you missed the final meeting to assault the fort. We attack tomorrow in full force. You and I will lead the vanguard. We..., at least wanted to hear your thoughts," Bronir said.

"My thoughts? What does it matter what I think? This is a war. People die either way. Soldiers die either way,"

"Shiro... It was your insight and thinking that spared so many. We listened to you because we believe in your judgment and tactics. Please, help us with one more push,"

He heard the sincerity in Bronir's tone but noticed Lashida never uttered a word. Nor a sound since she entered the tent. She dared not look him in the eye, feeling anguish. Then she looked up at him with a distressed expression.

"Listen, Shiro, Vin is a traitor now. There's no retracting in this world. You nearly died because of him. Of all people whom you loved as a friend and older brother. That's why no matter what, he must pay for his crimes,"

"I know, it's just... When we fought I..." Stumbling and stuttering, in his words, he tried to explain his desire to bring Vinbror back. Remembering the fight they had, Jushiro couldn't help but remember a tear that rolled down Vinbror's eye when he slashed him.

"It was abrupt at that moment, but clear than a crystal. When I noticed the tear, I figured something was occurring from behind the scenes. All I need were answers that Vin will provide,"

Jushiro instead told them that he's going to rest for the night. Telling them, "good night," he insisted that they'll talk more tomorrow. A suspicious Bronir acknowledged and left the tent with Lashida whispering in her ear, "He's up to something,"

She nodded her head in agreement.

"You bring sir Ivar and sir Damon while I watch over him," Lashida said.

Bronir headed her orders and left a worrisome Lashida to watch over Jushiro. Her instincts tell her that Jushiro plans to leave camp. "After all the time we spent together, I feel... no, I know that you'll try something like that, Jushiro," She muttered to herself.

After one hour of waiting, Jushiro geared up and donned his armor. Quietly, he sneaked through the camp with his horse, trying to avoid making a sound and detection. Slowly making his way near the river where a small bridge lies, Jushiro edges closer to the crossing. He soon reached the other side of the bridge, where he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Who's there? Show yourselves, now," He demanded to the trio of silhouettes in front of him.

Stepping forth, he could not believe who he sees before him. He saw Lashida with Ivar and Bronir on their horses slowly approaching a bewildered Jushiro.

"Why are you three here? I don't understand,"

"We could ask the same of you, fool," Bronir replied.

"I... I have to find Vin. I don't believe his heart is in the right. I have to go to confirm this for myself," Jushiro said.

Lashida explained they're aware of Jushiro's feelings and desire to save Vinbror. She stated to him they chose to accompany him to the fort.

"I can't let you guys accompany me. This trip is something I have to do alone," Jushiro said.

Bronir intervened and told Jushiro to deal with it as there was no talking them out of leaving. He affirmed his decision to go with Jushiro as he too had questions for Vinbror should they find him. Ivar also made up his mind and vowed to fight beside Jushiro, declaring him an eternal friend of his house. They stood there, unwilling to leave Jushiro to his fate alone.

Hearing their words and the firmness behind them convinced Jushiro to allow them to tag along. They set out under the moonless night with the cold breeze brushing their faces. Bronir seemed annoyed to see Jushiro unaffected by the weather. He wondered in his mind if Jushiro is hiding something from him. He decided to worry about it later and proceeded toward the fort.

Sunrise started the morning as the armies of Aredain mobilized for the final siege of Fort Griff. Sigreth looked around but saw no sign of the princess, Jushiro, or Bronir. Suddenly it came to him, and an expression of shock overcame him. He perceived they went to the fort during the night. Feeling time is against him, he ordered the men to quicken their pace. He hopes to reach the fort in time before the worst could happen to his friends.

He gathered the lords and knight commanders for a final assemblage to enlighten them of the current developments.

The lord professed their surprise, with some perceiving the possibility of Jushiro turning traitor while deceiving his companions into a trap.

"I will not rule out that possibility until I have further evidence. Until then, you will speak no more of it and prepare your forces to move out," Sigreth said.

The lords troubled Sigreth no more and obeyed his command. The preparations lasted for over an hour as the remaining units reported small raids in the night.

Sigreth chose to ignore it and commanded his armies to move out. He led them on a three-mile march toward the fortress. The trip lasted for hours until he came upon a group of horses tied to trees near the end of the forest road. Sigreth deduced three of them to belong to the group. Looking ahead past the forest road lies Fort Griff. He commanded his forces to entrench for a siege. He looked around to see where at the fort the group would attempt to ender. Sigreth then remembered the sewer tunnels connected the fortress to the sea and rivers. Knowing Jushiro, he perceived that would be something he would do.

Far below the fortress, beneath the cold damped ground, the group venture through the sewer tunnels. The foul stench of waste mixed with water flowing beside them was an unpleasant experience. The princess, who coved her mouth and nose with a cloth, also started to waver from the strong odors.

Jushiro led the way as navigator, choosing to take the longer route around checkpoints in the sewers to avoid the guards in the tunnels. They find an old rusty door leading to the cellar room.

He quietly opened the door slightly to peer the inside. He noticed the room empty while hearing movent above him. He moved his head back only to peek again. After thoroughly surveying the room, he signaled the others, "all clear,"

They made their way to an armory where Jushiro and Bronir nodded to each other in agreement. Donning the rebel uniform, the group could roam the fort without raising suspicion from the guards.

Outside, Sigreth had catapults and trebuchets erected around the fort but told them not to use them yet, fearing he could hurt or kill his friends inside the fort. He instead led his soldiers to storm the walls while guiding the ram to the gate. Arrows and scorpion bolts rain on the assailing soldiers below. Dropping corpses and falling projectiles litter the muddy grounds, and Sigreth stood backed against a battlement. In recklessness, he took out his horn to signal the catapult crew. They unleash destruction on the beleaguered fortress walls to take out the scorpion towers.

Inside the fortress, Jushiro and the others could feel the fort shaking. The heavy rubble from the catapults crash into the walls. One bolder flew into the inner part of the for where the team was. Crumbling debris fell from above and separated Jushiro from his team.

"Is everyone okay?" Jushiro called out in worry.

"Yeah, we're fine, Shiro," Lashida responded.

"Ivar's leg is injured. We have to call off the mission. Head to sewer before the fortress comes crashing down," Bronir said.

Feeling he's come so far and very close, Jushiro decided not to.

"I can't leave yet. I'm going on ahead from now on. You guys take Ivar back to the sewers," Jushiro said, leaving behind the others.

Lashida tried to call Jushiro back. The noise of crumbling rubble and the soldiers' shouting made it impossible for Jushiro to hear as he was further away.

Jushiro roamed through the fortress to find the man he was desperate to save. He searched through every room and hall until he looked at the central tower. With a thorough look, he noticed it stood next to the docks on the westside. He figured that's where Vinbror would be. With haste, he raced with all the stamina he could muster.

As the group neared the entrance to the cellar room, worry overcame the already concerned princess. Lashida entrusted Bronir to take a wounded Ivar back to the camp.

"Your highness, what are you doing? Don't tell me you're going out there. You can't! The fort is swarming with rebels," Bronir protested.

"Our forces must have breached the gates by now. We can't leave Jushiro to die or worse. I promised I would look after him," Lashida said.

Bronir protested even further until Ivar told them to leave at the sewer entrance. Promising he'll make it back to camp, he encourages the two to find Jushiro. Lashida thanked him for it and rushed off into the fort.

Rushing through the halls, the two warriors deduced Jushiro would head toward the central tower. Bronir, feeling wary, wondered if Lashida knew something he knows not. Wanting to question her, he openly asked Lashida, "Tell me, princess, what is it about Vinbror that made decide to help Jushiro? Everyone, including you, declared him a traitor, yet you chose to help him save Vin out of the blue? That's not like you. So tell me, what is it you're not telling us?"

She felt pressured by his question. Lashida remained silent as she didn't want to expose what her task is. She instead brushed off his and stated they need to find Jushiro.

Near the top of the central tower, Jushiro climbed the stairs in exhaustion. He made it to the main room, where he stopped, locking eyes with the hooded man he met at the cliff.

"You!? Where is he? Where is Vin!? Tell me, or I will force it out of you the hard way!" Jushiro demanded.

"Such beastly demands from one such as yourself, Motoshita," The hooded man said.

Jushiro looked closer at the man and could tell he was hardly human.

"The look he gave me was of a presence of efficacious malice. His eyes were black like an empty void with a dark amethyst in the iris. His wicked smirk sent a chill down my spine that the winter weather couldn't do. It was dark under his hood, but he noticed a scar on his right eye, probably a battle scar from a blade,"

Out from the darkened corner of the room came forth another hooded man who called out to Jushiro with an, "Oi, little brother," Jushiro froze as he recognized the voice. He muttered, "Vin?" The man took off his cloak to reveal himself to Jushiro.

Jushiro was shocked with a slight relief to see Vinbror in front of him.

"Why Vin? Why would you betray us, me? What was the reason for all slaughter and sudden change of heart? I need to know, why go to such lengths to betray me? You were my big brother since the day we met. We ate together, spared, laughed, and cried together. We were brothers, Vin!"

There was a brief moment of silence until Vinbror let out a sigh of disappointment and told Jushiro the truth about his life.

"And so, the moment Vinbror opened his mouth, my world and view came crashing down like the assailed fortress we stand inside. I trembled with every word as Vinbror told me the truth of his heritage and life's mission. I wanted to cry in disbelief and anguish with every word he spoke,"