The Twelve Kingdoms: A Thousand Leagues of Wind

a fire line in the middle of the main boulevard and moved forward to extinguish the flames. The Rooster Gate was before them. Youko's platoon had been significantly reduced in number. Nevertheless, they somehow had to hold the gate and the city streets between them and the main gate of the castle.
    For the time being, the firestorms in the city behind her seemed to be abating.

Chapter 74
    S uzu and Shoukei and their squad galloped through the city, directing civilians dazed and confused by the fire to the south. "Extinguish the fires! If you intend to run for it, then head for the Rooster Gate!"
    Here and there, guardsmen were still lying in wait. They evaded them as best they could, but pretty soon their strength began to flag. They were ambushed over and over. A mercenary next to Shoukei was struck and felled. They just managed to escape as more soldiers rushed them, firing arrows and thrusting pikes. Another horse was struck in the legs and collapsed.
    Not far off, Suzu screamed. "Sekki!"
    The rider of the fallen horse was Sekki. He hit the ground and was sent sprawling. Light infantrymen charged him. Shoukei swung her mount around, but there was no way she would reach him in time. She spotted a soldier swinging a scimitar and screamed as well. Sekki wore no armor that could protect him from such a weapon.
    "Sekki!"
    The heavy clang rang out from a violent impact. The soldier waving the scimitar dropped his weapon, threw his arms over his head, and squatted down on the ground. Suzu stared in amazement.
    "Enough already!" The white-haired old man swung the hunk of wood a second time at the soldier. "Who do you think you are?"
    A rider approached on Shoukei's blind side and delivered the coup de grace to the soldier.
    Sekki sat up and looked at the old man holding the wooden door bolt. "Thank you."
    "Think nothing of it."
    A sinewy hand reached down to him. Sekki grasped the hand and was pulled to his feet. Sekki wasn't injured so badly that he couldn't walk. He went to let go, but the old man held on. Sekki turned to him.
    The old man asked, "Is Shoukou dead?"
    "We've captured him. He's being held in the prefectural offices."
    "Ah," he said, at last letting go of Sekki's hand. "Is there anything more I can do?"
    Sekki smiled. "You can help put out the fires."
    The man nodded and turned around. Suzu smiled down at Sekki. "See? There are people here who get it."
    Sekki grasped her hand and she pulled him onto the back of the horse.
    "Let's go. We still haven't made it all the way around the city."

    They fought their way to the Rooster Gate and dispatched the platoon of soldiers there who had held their ground. The area around the gate was quiet. No incoming arrows. The guard towers atop the gate were silent.
    Youko permitted herself a small smile. Koshou gazed at the scene disbelievingly and turned to her. "What have you been up to?"
    Youko returned the look and casually shrugged. "What could I have possibly been up to? Say, do you think we should open the gate?"
    Koshou scowled and approached the gate. The gate had a portcullis, but it hadn't been lowered. He pushed aside the assault wagon barricading the three doors of the gate and released the bolts.
    It was likely that the arrows would come flying as soon as he opened the large center door. Knowing that, he hesitated. Youko's hand did not as she opened the smaller auxiliary gate. She often pressed forward in this reckless manner. When she did, Koshou had learned, it usually meant the danger was gone.
    Kantai opened the second auxiliary gate to Koshou's left. "Will you look at that," he said, in a deeply curious voice. He turned to Youko, who was securing the ring in the door to a hook on the wall. "Youshi, did you know there were no enemy outside?"
    In fact, there was no sign of the enemy outside the gates. Aside from some wounded, and the scattered corpses and weapons, the countryside was almost bucolic.
    "Ah--" said Youko, and shook her head.
    "You didn't seem very uncertain about opening that door?"
    "I, uh, forgot that there might be enemy out there."
    "You--" Kantai started to say.
    Youko interrupted him. "Enemy are approaching from the other direction. Don't you think we'd better hurry up and get ready for them?"
    Koshou and Kantai exchanged glances. A man ran up to the door that Koshou was holding, pushed it open and latched it.
    Koshou thought he was from Meikaku. Kantai thought he was from Takuhou. Having secured the door, the man pointed at the