Beast Knights 7 - Meeting And Familiarity

CHAPTER 7 – Meeting And Familiarity

"Yuri-kun? Shori? Murata-kun, too?"

"Mari-san? Is that really you?" Yuri could only ask in disbelief and also because he had to make sure that what he was seeing in front of him at the moment was the truth.

That the identity of the cloaked warrior attacking them earlier was none other than Yuri's mentor on Earth and one of Shori's childhood friends, Akiyama Mari.

But the young woman's initial response was a burst of short laugh, as if relieved, followed by a wide smile that only confirmed Yuri's suspicion that the cloaked woman was indeed his mentor.

"I can't believe it. What are you three doing here?" Mari inquired as she sheathed her sword, which Murata and Shori soon noticed was a nodachi, one of the blade weapons that they were familiar with as a Japanese one. And they also knew that it was one of Mari's specializations.

The other soldiers knew that it was safe for now, so they put back their swords back to their sheaths. But the confusion they felt because of the sudden turn of events didn't dissipate one bit. In fact, it was intensified because of the interaction among the four people.

"Shouldn't we be asking that to you? How come you're here in this world?" Shori asked back as he approached Mari.

Mari sighed and looked at Shori. "I've been going back and forth to this world since I was sixteen. Trust me, that came as a shock to me at first. But eventually, I learned to accept it since it's something that you can call my destiny."

"Then… you've been here for that long, Mari-san?"

She nodded. "Yes. I've been trained for that long as a warrior guarding this island. But you haven't answered my question at all. What are you three doing here? And I mean, to this island? Who gave you the access to go here?"

Yuri was about to answer but Murata soon intervened. "Sorry about that, Akiyama-san. But we're in a bit of a situation right now. That's why we're here."

The woman frowned at that. "A situation? What do you mean?"

In a shortest time possible, the three Soukoku men were able to explain the events and situations that led them to go to Esovia. The atmosphere around soon became thick with tension. It was evident in Mari's grave expression as she appeared to be thinking deeply, as well before focusing her attention once again to them.

"A possible Phantasma attack? If it's true… then I won't wonder why the dragons here had been acting really strange lately. Since when did it start?"

"If I would calculate it in this world's timeline, that would have been three weeks ago," Murata answered grimly.

Mari was nodding soon after. "That's exactly the same time the dragons began acting strange." She sighed and tapped her forehead slightly. "A Phantasma attack to this day? That would surely cause chaos to the people living here if they find that out."

"Mari," Shori called out, making the woman's focus shifted to the older Shibuya. "Before we get right to the topic, can I ask you something?"

The said woman frowned slightly at that. "About what? If you're going to ask about me and the reason why I've been in this world for so long, I'll answer that later. Right now—"

"No, that's not it. It's about this forest."

"This forest? What about it?"

"Does the magic of this forest already disappeared?" Yuri asked the question this time, sensing that it was probably what the others had been curious to know if it was about the location that they were currently at.

"I don't get what you mean."

Murata sighed before deciding to speak. "From what I can see, this forest was protected with Lady Yunsoo's illusory ability and it was one of the possible locations protecting the Esovian Mazoku living in this island. But when we entered here, it seems that the forest didn't cast any illusion to distract us or even destroy us."

"Murata-kun, now I think you have an active imagination." Mari smiled a bit and shook her head, appeared to have been amused with those words. The others were confused at that but she soon spoke. "It's true that this forest was alive in a way because of Lady Yunsoo's ability to cast illusion, but it's not as deadly as you all thought it was. The worst thing the forest illusion could do to any strangers trying to get to this island—specifically to those intending to head to the capital—is to remove the memories of those people, especially if the barrier around the forest itself would sense some ill intentions."

"Then why didn't the forest do something like that to us when we entered here?" This time, it was Wolfram who asked the question.

"Does any of you had any ill intentions to this place?" Mari asked back instead of answering.

No one could say a word about that. But it was because Mari's words already answered the Mazoku's own question with regards to the mystery of that forest.

"Lady Yunsoo made an exception about the illusion that she put to this forest. As long as the people who would enter this forest won't have any ill motives and intentions to anything and anyone in this island, the illusion would be put on hold to allow those people to enter without any hassle. As simple as that."

The rest of them just nodded as a sign that they finally understood the situation.

"But this is really unbelievable. Yuri-kun as a Maoh? I thought the only thing you could lead was your baseball team back on Earth," Mari joked with a smile.

Yuri scratched the back of his head as he smiled shyly. Of course, the sight had infuriated Wolfram (no surprise about that) since the scenario appeared to the blond Mazoku that Yuri was flirting with a woman. But before he could even do anything to try anything to strangle the young Maoh, Gwendal spoke.

"Forgive me for ruining the mood. But we're in a hurry to see Lord Amrein. We need his help with regards to the Phantasma attacks that the kingdom is facing recently."

"Why Klaus?"

"Of course, he's the only one we knew that came from this island, Mari. At least, Conrad knew him and we're hoping that maybe he could lend us a hand about the situation right now," Shori answered this time.

Mari frowned. "Conrad? You're not possibly talking about Lord Conrart Weller, aren't you?"

"You knew him, Mari-san?" Yuri excitedly asked.

"Only by name," Mari answered with a smile. "Klaus would mention him most of the time. He said that he's one of the few people outside of Esovia that he could entrust his life with. Trust me, that's a rare thing for that guy to say to us." Soon after, Mari became serious and faced the four other men accompanying her friends from Earth. "Don't tell me… He's here? He's with you right now?"

Conrad soon stepped forward and bowed down in front of Mari who was perplexed for a moment at the soldier's sudden action. But it was only for a short while. She regained her composure after that and gave respect to the said soldier.

"You must be him, huh? The soldier that Klaus would always talk about to us."

The soldier nodded and properly introduced himself to Mari. "Yes, that's me. Lord Conrart Weller. I'm the second son of the previous Maoh and Yuri's bodyguard."

Mari nodded and bowed, as well. "It's nice to finally meet you. And thank you… for always protecting Yuri." She was sincere about that part, considering that she was aware of the fact on how dangerous the other world could be. It didn't take long before she remembered something. "I'm sorry. Where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself to you. My name's Mari. Akiyama Mari. And as you know now, I'm Yuri's mentor on Earth and Shori's childhood friend."

The others introduced themselves, as well, to the woman despite the sudden turn of the situation for all of them.

"Now this is really weird coming from you, Mari," Shori soon commented that changed the others' focus to him.

"What do you mean?"

"You don't usually befriend people this easy, considering that you just met them now. Aside from that, you already believed that Conrad was really the person that Klaus was mentioning to you. How are you able to do that in this world?"

But Mari smiled mysteriously and turned around, deciding to just keep quiet about the matter.

"That's because of her ability that she was able to gain the moment she first appeared to this world," a woman's voice said that made Mari stop to her tracks and sighed in defeat.

When the rest of them turned to the source of that voice, another shock came to Yuri, Shori and Murata upon seeing who it was.

"Rina-senpai?" Murata blurted out.

"Yo!"Rina smiled cheekily to Murata and even did a two-finger salute.

"Even you, Rina?" Shori also couldn't help blurting out his surprise to see another familiar face in that world.

"Yes, even me. But I was brought here two months after Mari."

Mari turned around and faced her friend. "Seriously, Rina. Shouldn't you be guarding the west part of the forest?"

"I got curious since things had gotten a bit quiet in this area so I decided to check it out. I never thought our kouhai and even our friend would be the reason for that to happen." Soon after, Rina faced the four soldiers just watching them. "I'm Harusaki Rina, Mari's best friend and Murata-kun's mentor back on Earth."

"Do you mind if I ask you two about your role in this island? You don't seem to be normal warriors just guarding this forest," Yozak managed to ask that question.

To their confusion, both Mari and Rina looked at each other, as if deciding together whether or not they would tell the truth.

"I think it's better if I let Klaus tell you everything. And you should tell him everything that's going on to Shin Makoku, as well." In the end, Mari said those words.

XXXXXXX

As the Maoh and his retainers walked the forest with the two women they met along the way as their guide, Conrad remained silent the entire time. He did manage to act natural around with everyone. But as soon as he laid eyes on Yuri's mentor, something stuck him with a sense of familiarity that he really considered weird. Why would he feel that now, of all times?

Yes, he was already on the island where Lyall was born, raised, and died all together. This was the island special to her and the land she protected even after she died. But the familiar feeling that was bothering him at the moment wasn't meant on the island, but to the woman named Akiyama Mari.

It was always a wonder to Conrad on how he could still know the feeling related to Lyall even thugh she'd been gone for more than two decades now. But he was sure of it this time. Mari's appearance made him realize that feeling again. But why? Why could he only feel that towards Mari?

He was sure of one thing. She was nothing like Lyall wherever he looked at it. And yet…

"Conrad, what's wrong?"

That question brought him out of his reverie and upon looking around, he saw Yuri worriedly looking at him. That made him stop to his tracks. But he was surprised soon after to see the others had also stopped to their tracks and were now looking at him with concern.

Damn it! Does this have to happen now?

"I'm sorry," were the only words that Conrad managed to say and even bowed after that. But for some reason, there was a part of him that told him those words were meant for Mari. Why was that?

Moments later, he heard someone sigh that made him raise his head to see who it was. To his surprise, Mari was already just a few feet in front of him.

"I might not be able to give you a good advice if it would involve the dead princess. But I still hope you'll remain strong whatever it is that you'll learn about her along the way. Two and a half decades had passed since her death and I believe you never learned anymore about this land after that."

The soldier remained quiet since he couldn't think of any words to counter that. But before he could say something, Mari spoke once again. This time, with an understanding smile on her face.

"But I'm sure Klaus won't be that heartless of a person to blame you for something that's not even your fault. The proof was the crest that he gave you that one last time."

At that point, Conrad couldn't hide the surprise on his face. "How did you know about that?"

"He told me, though I had to force that out from him." Mari shrugged after that.

"Mari-san, even in this world, you sure bring out your tenacity, huh?" Yuri commented with a nervous laugh. Being the young woman's student for quite some time now, he was already familiar with some of her personality.

"To a guy like Klaus, I really need to be tenacious, especially when I need to know something important from him."

Soon after, Murata began asking that one crucial question. "Have you met the Beast Knights of this era, Akiyama-san?"

The said woman's expression became somber in an instant that stiffened the rest of the group. Was there something wrong with the question?

"Mari?" Shori called out, hoping that it would somewhat dissipate that serious atmosphere.

"Do you want to know?" Mari asked instead of directly answering the first question. As for Rina, she was just looking at Mari placidly.

Murata nodded. "We didn't know what happened to the Beast Knights after this land dealt with the war against the Phantasma that soon abolished the monarchy system of this kingdom. From what Lord Weller mentioned to us before, Lord Amrein was one of the current Beast Knights. Unless, of course, something happened that made him pass on his position to his successor."

"Klaus is still the Light Eagle Knight and the current leader of the Beast Knights, though he was already training his successor so that when the time comes, that person would be ready," Mari explained. "To tell the truth, only two Beast Knights remained until now since that war. The other four died and I believe you already know that Princess Lyall was one of those four."

"Mari-san, do you know the identity of the three Beast Knights who died during the war?" Yuri asked.

The woman nodded and sighed before speaking. "Yes, I do know them, but only by name since I never actually met them personally. But I'll tell you about it once we managed to talk things through with Klaus since I think that's of paramount importance not just for you guys but also for us who live here in Esovia."

The others couldn't agree more with Mari's suggestion.