Tonight would be the third eting since the first eting. The second had been a one-sided eting, and this one, well, it wasn’t a eting because Sagiri was waiting for the team. After they left the college successfully on their own, it’s when Tsaka could pull so strings to make sure it was as if they never left and to tie up any loose ends and make their disappearance seamless.
Sagiri had not managed to stay at the war college for long during the second night, but he had left a written letter with cues for Kiuga to find it. It was much harder to et the others the second ti since they were having so compulsory night training. He had clearly said in his letter that he wanted a squad, but they had to be willing. Even if only Kiuga and N’varu showed up, he would still be grateful. Sagiri perched on the abandoned watch tower a couple of thousand miles away from college. That is where he was to et with Kiuga and whoever showed up. The watchtower must once have been the first to welco anyone who ca through the southern gate, but now it stood abandoned and alone.
The night was silent, and it was now midnight, but not even a leaf had fallen. The night was still. Perhaps matching Sagiri’s anticipation. Sagiri had not slept or eaten well in the last three days, and a single nightmare was still driving him crazy whenever he closed his eyes. He had grown weary of waiting as rain started falling a few minutes after midnight, and he was not leaning on one post of the tower. It might have been abandoned, but it was still able to keep standing and cover him from the rain.
Was no one coming? Had they failed to make it out?
But then again, if one was incapable of evading the warriors on watch and breaking out of the college by themselves, then they were not worthy of joining his squad or standing a chance against Tatani.
He was beginning to doze off right after one when he felt the first presence a few thousand yards out. The person was moving soundlessly and as stealthily as possible. He stayed hidden, watching the tower from the shadows before he finally made an appearance. By his movents, it had to be kiuga. He stood at the bottom of the tower for a mont as if to make sagiri aware of his presence before moving back into the shadows. A few monts later, another presence arrived. Of course, Kaka Asakana. It was right to say that he and kiuga were sworn brothers now, and if one was willing to go, the other could naturally follow.
His arrival was silent, but Sagiri could sll the guy’s excitent and impatience. Kiuga stopped him, and they both lted into the shadows.
N’varu was the third to arrive, then Bukata and Zazarie, Ulekai the fearful was the sixth, followed by Maita and Banga. Zolinka was the last to arrive, and they were all hidden in the shadows. Sagiri could feel their eyes on him or just the dark tower.
His face could not help but pull into a small smile. He had not thought Ulekai and Banga especially could show up. Even Zolinka was quite a surprise. Maita’s arrival was expected, however. He was not going to let Kaka one-up him on rits. A chira would never let an asakana outdo them. Squad 25 had grown strong together in Galka, and it seed they were able to find a way to make it out of the college without getting caught. Sagiri’s heart swelled with nostalgia. Even so, a bitter-sweet taste filled his mouth.
This could be, no doubt, the last mission he was going to execute with his squad. This could very much be the last ti they stood on the sa side. Just how many goodbyes could he afford before he gave in to the nightmare that he could not escape from? He had not faced most of his squad ever since he went berserk, but he could not delay any further. He could feel Kaka’s impatience growing, and he knew it was ti to make an appearance.
Sagiri walked to the edge of the thirty-foot watchtower and let his feet walk over the edge. He had gotten used to free-falling, and he enjoyed it now more than anticipating touching the ground. In those monts before he touched the ground, he was free. He closed his eyes and let himself feel the wind and last of the rain wash over him as the ground rushed to et him. Ooh, to be free. Free from his sealed fate. Right when he was ten feet away from the ground, he twisted his body one to look down, then twisted twice more to magnify the short-lived freedom before he flipped and twisted his body through the air to land on his right foot and bent left knee before he stood his full height.
He did not leave a single dent on the ground this ti.
"Show off," a voice joined a few monts later. It was Maita.
"Long ti no see," Sagiri greeted as more shadows erged from their hideout. It almost felt like old tis.
"A greeting is not going to cut it." Zazarie snapped. It could seem he was not happy, the sa with Bukata.
"Kiuga said you were about to commit suicide, and we should co to bid you farewell. I almost thought that fall was you taking your easy way out." Ulekai was beside himself.
What?!
"I said, he was going on a suicide mission, and it would be nice to say proper goodbyes," Kiuga defended. He must have lied to them to get them all to co.
"Tomato potato," Maita said.
"A tomato and a potato are not the sa thing." Banga corrected him in a low tone. "So what have we gotten ourselves into?" Banga turned to Sagiri.
"We can’t talk here. I will tell you once we are out of the Tagayia collegium lands," Sagiri said after a mont.
"I know you were not planning to leave without us," a voice joined the group, causing the group to turn swiftly, getting into a defensive position of two out of habit.
"It’s the triplets again." Kiuga sighed.
"I thought this was a squad thing. Why are they here?" Kaka grew hostile.
"Well, we can’t let squad 25 of Galka Academy get all the glory," Nayira said. Sagiri turned to look at Kiuga. He was the only one who knew about the squad eting point, and he was to relay the ssage to only squad 25.
"I swear on my good looks, I did not tell them," Kiuga swore.
"What looks?" Kaka groaned, raising his hand to smack kiuga but kiuga dodged.
"You do underestimate my beast and Pavire’s bird.’ Gavina said. The girls looked like they had co prepared and were even carrying war-equipped backpacks. It seed the girls were not going to back down, and sagiri did not have it in him to argue with them. He was only asked to get his own willing team. He did not will it for the trio to co, but asking them to go back would be the sa as talking to the deaf.
"See. I am innocent in this," Kiuga defended. A little commotion had ensued, and if it continued, they would be caught before they even made a step.
"Let’s just go for now," Sagiri said.
They had a lot to do. And there was no ti to bicker.
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