Around twenty soldiers gathered to the four. They were clad in lamellar armor, light in weight and green in color. Wearing bronze helmets, none of them carried swords nor guns. They carried giant shields made of hashara shells, decorated with ornate gems and jade dragons. Although the storm did their regality no favor.

“These are the only men I have managed to leak through Port Eshnuk,” Zhen inspected the troops lined up in rank and file. “Due to the current politics we cannot take anybody’s life as long as we’re in Tasdahan territory, for Tasdaha is Azutami.”

“Okay, they’re soldiers. Why don’t we move forward?” Tsuchiya urged, and Zhen nodded. They all began to hurry down the route, following the street lights strewn in a linear direction. Saya noticed that Toya had been quiet. She picked up her pace, catching up to Toya who ran ahead. As they were side by side, no one said anything.

“Ms. Toya.”

“...”

“Just a few hours ago you wanted to kill me. But why have you changed your mind?” She asked even when Toya didn’t respond. Her face was stern.
“All those years, everyone in the tournament always wanted to kill me. Even the people of my own tribe, even my family,” She answered as her running gradually slowed, “But your group… your friends weren’t like that. They hesitated to fight one another. That Buhang, at first I thought he was the same like any other past muqatil, but I saw him cry at the death of his opponent, his friend, your friend.”

“Suruj…”

“And you were the most different one,” Toya exclaimed, taking Saya’s hand. “As long as we get out of here, the sky will turn blue.”

A gunshot rang throughout. Everyone came to a stop. One of Zhen’s men dropped to the ground with a hole in his head. Another bang. Someone clenched their stomach. One of the Z̆ongren soldiers gave the alert in Khoit.

“The Tasdahan forces have arrived!”

Cautious, everyone looked left and right, above and below. No one could see anything in the foggy sandstorm. Zhen raised a spear.

“Don’t falter! Gentleman in the checkered haori, heal the wounded. The rest of thee, wedge formation!” The Crown Prince ordered. The troops arranged themselves around Saya, creating a shield wall. Tsuchiya dragged the wounded safely into cover. Then it came. Rapid gunfire ensued, flashing yellow aiming directly at them. Bullets flew off the shields, but still they were no match for guns. Some were still getting hit. In the front of the line, Zhen rose.

“The muqatil is under attack!” He yelled over the firefight. A bullet skimmed his cheek. But no one responded to his plea for help. A ricocheting projectile got another soldier in the leg. They dropped their shield and collapsed. At this rate it was a one sided battle. Saya could see that the gunfire was coming from the roofs, but it was impossible to see the riflemen.

“Could we attack them with sahar?!” She asked, covering her head.

“We cannot allow more casualties,” Zhen advised, keeping his men in tight formation, “Using spells would risk loss of civilian life.”

“Comin’ through!”

A woman shouted, carrying a huge metal plate on her side. Running into the middle of the street, she added onto the shield wall. Other people followed her doing the same.

“You’re…”

“Karam al-Murata, at your service,” She saluted her with one hand. She wore a prison uniform.

“I thought you got arrested for breaking into Al-Fuhsya?”

“I did, but my dad had an awesome breakout plan,” Karam pointed to him, and he acknowledged. “We’ve brought reinforcements. Now it’s time we get you out of here!”

More and more cityfolk, Azu and Khoitan, rushed onto the street from the buildings. They held anything they could use as shields. Rusted metal plates, buggy doors, trays, concrete floor, whatever they could find, fitting themselves into the shield formation. People began to shout, ‘Al-Tamarud!’, hordes of them spilling onto the road. The tactical alignment became bigger and bigger.

“It is time to wash Tasdaha of our original sin!” Tsuchiya preached to the crowds hiding behind windows, ”Not as Khoitan, not as Azu, not as Tasdahans, but as humans! Azazeru, Banzai!”

“Advance!” Zhen moved the entire unit forward. Step by step, they made it closer to Kapori-ku’s gate. The Royal Guard made most of the vanguard, while the people of Dineh Kazaàd ‘Autónoma formed the body. It was so compact that Saya couldn’t see the sky from under the shields. They all moved in unison. Even so, the Tasdahan soldiers opened fire on their own people. Saya couldn’t tell what was happening outside of the shield wall. But she could see men and women dropping to the pavement with bullets in them.

“Sahar spell incoming!”

A boom of white sent ten flying. Another ten filled in the gap. They needed to pick up the pace.

“Dihu Baohu!” Zhen summoned a barrier over everyone, “Protect the muqatil at all cost!”

More spells impacted his barrier. But the lead rounds pierced through it. Other people raised their hands.

“Mahou Tate!”

“Alam Dire!”

“Alam Baohu!”

Now multiple barriers appeared around them. They were way far from market pavilions near Taikai-ku. The procession of shields passed the mozkara that Kwazhak once dropped Saya off at. There was the store where everyone picked their clothes for the banquet in Pupunru-ku. The first meeting place at Al-Bashwa Hôtel. Saya relived those moments again and again in her mind. She didn’t hear the shamisen. She heard an entire ensemble. Azu, Khoitan, Buhang, and Z̆ongren all worked together in arms. Some weren’t even a part of the Rebellion. But people still took up a shield and risked their lives. The haboob loosened its prowess.

Zhen diligently kept the procession marching onward. Tsuchiya cared for the wounded, praising and shouting the Yyvubia’s name. Toya climbed atop the formation and deflected the metal rain.

The panderiya. The alley entrance with the abandoned food stall. The Kinto Smithy. Those times with Suruj and Mashuu. Saya didn’t want to forget. She saw the Torii gate of Kapori. It was void of any soldier, but rather people cheering for them at the exit. The shield wall finally dispersed when they reached the gate.

The wind became calm. Saya’s footsteps echoed while approaching the Torii, looking out at the desert. She felt nostalgic staring at the vast dunes churning in the distance. Saya touched the wooden gate with her bare hands, feeling the splinters and etched writing. One more step, and she would leave the city once for all. Leave the Dineh Kazaàd. In the deserts of Yahmajô̗ Alą̧̄utl, it was her world. Her home. Saya wondered, if L and Kwazhak were alive, would they be proud of her? Her parents, her Obaa, what would they think of her?

Saya shook her head. Now wasn’t the time. Saya, Zhen, Tsuchiya, and Toya, together they walked out into the Dine al-Othoji as the Royal Guard followed suit.

The perilous journey from Al-Shinkyou, to Rümqî, to Wakoku, the Walang Sahar de Islas, Port Eshnuk, and the Dineh Kazaàd. It all seemed significant in the eternity of time. Saya knew it was a chapter that finally came to an end. The storm cleared at the end of an azure sky.

It was a small tale in Yahmajô̗ Alą̧̄utl.