It was far off, but it was definitely burning. Had Yuuta run into the bergbear? In that case, things were looking hopeless... Why did this have to happen...?
Konobo finally made it back, bringing some others along with him.
“Captain! That’s a fire...!”
“Yeah, it’s really going...”
“What’ll we do?! We need to pick someone to go to Donius! Oh, and I brought the oil for the search!”
Konobo was a pretty clever youngster, but he still lacked experience.
“We won’t be sending anyone out.”
“Captain?!”
“Konobo, those flames are gonna move fast. They may be all the way out there now, but they’ll reach this town before the break of dawn.”
“T-That can’t be...”
“Konobo, have everyone here gather up all the folks from around town. Have them get together their belongings, too. In the worst-case scenario, we may have to abandon the town.”
“Are things really that bad...? But what about sending someone to Donius?”
“If we end up needing to evacuate, then we’ll have to get everyone to the highway by dawn. We’re just plain lacking in guards. I mean, the fire could end up driving wolves or goblins out of the forest. And if our luck is bad enough, it’ll drive out the bergbear, too.”
“...”
“I want to use everyone we’ve got to protect the townsfolk. You’ve got to understand, Konobo.”
“You have my utmost respect, sir...! I’ll make the rounds as soon as possible!”
“I’m counting on you.”
My other subordinates who overheard the conversation dispersed throughout town. They were better men than I deserved.
“Derek, I’m sorry, but your shop...”
“Torne, I’ll say it as many times as it takes: I trust your skill as a gatekeeper. It’s true, it’ll be a shame losing the shop and the town. But no one cares more about the life of this town than you! I’ll do whatever you ask.”
“Derek...”
Afterwards, I got wagons moved to the gate, discussed matters with the townsfolk who had gathered, and helped load everyone’s luggage. Not everyone believed the fire would make it to us at first. But when they saw it continue to spread across the mountain, more of them started packing up and helping out.
“Derek, we’re good here!”
“Got it! I’m going to go find Anti and the wife. My girl must be back home by now...”
“Yeah... Hey! Hold on, look there!”
Just as Derek was about to go, I spotted Sola darting about between the wagons. Yuuta and Ana’s parents were with her.
“Sola! What’s going on?”
“Dear, Anti never came back!”
Derek and I both froze.
“She couldn’t have, but...”
“There’s no way... I mean, she didn’t pass through the gate.”
“She’s so slender, though. She could squeeze through the same places as any kid.”
“The irrigation gate...?!”
“Sola, that fire will be here soon.”
“I know. I passed by someone from the guard station about 30 minits ago.”
“Damn... At any rate, we’d better go check the irrigation gate!”
A group of us adults headed off for the irrigation gate.
...The latch was off. Damn, looks like she really did it.
“...”
I couldn’t look Derek in the face.
Earlier, I said I was willing to abandon Yuuta and Ana. And now, Anti was being added to their number.
Couldn’t I even save my own friend’s daughter?
“Torne, make sure everyone makes it out of town...”
“Derek!”
“...”
Sola was never without a smile, but now her face was serious and tense. That... that was the face of someone who had accepted that her daughter may well be gone for good.
“I’m sorry... I’m so sorry, Sola...! Because of our son, your daughter...!” Yuuta’s mother said, begging Sola for forgiveness.
Damn it... god damn it! How could I let something like this happen?
Was I really going to run away and leave those kids behind?
Like hell!
“Derek, I’m heading out to look for them.”
“But Torne...!”
“I may be a gatekeeper, but I’m a Cardiffer first and foremost!”
“Torne, you...”
“I’ve got to pay you all back for the delicious food you’ve fed me over the years!”
“You old fool...”
“Yeah, I am a fool!! And a first-rate one, at that! You’re coming along with me, right, Derek?!”
“Sola, I’m sorry, but I...”
“Take care, Dear.”
We hurried on back to the guard station and grabbed torches.
Then, I gathered up as many men as I could.
I ended up leaving the town to Konobo, and then we headed out to try to find them before the fire came.
The mountain was already completely red.
Heading off with torches into a forest with a bergbear in it was practically suicide. As night fell, fire was sure to act as a guidepost to lead it towards human settlements. That was why everyone had to be careful when it grew dark.
But now, there was a huge forest fire. Maybe that’d help to camouflage us.
I’d find them. Yuuta, and Ana, and Anti...
I was the old-timer gatekeeper for this town, after all.
“That fire sure is spreading fast...”
The sound of the flames seemed to grow all the more vivid as we passed through the gates. I hadn’t imagined it had spread this far while I was running around back in town...
“Let’s go!”
“Yeah!”
Now that we’d gotten moving, all my hesitation was gone.
We’d keep on looking for them until the last possible second.
We trudged through the damp moss, clawing our way up through the forest.
There were a good number of men who came with us, and all of them found it a struggle, getting tripped up by this slippery ground. But there was no time now to wait around for them.
Derek, though, had enough stamina to keep up with me. Maybe it was all that work down in the mines when he was younger.
...I smelled wood and water through the darkness. The fire was surrounding even this damp, mossy area.
We need to hurry up and find them, fast. I suppressed my panic as best I could and took one step forward. Then another.
That was when I heard it.
“Roooooooooooooooooooooar...!!!”
W-What was that?!
“...Torne!”
“You’ve got to be kidding me...”
It had come this close to the base of the mountain...?
Derek and I hurriedly hid ourselves by crouching in the shadow of a tree. Of course, that wouldn’t stop it from seeing the light from our torches...
“What’ll we do, Torne...?”
“...”
It hadn’t even been 30 minits since we entered the forest. But even so, the two of us may have already advanced a full 700 mels.
We couldn’t go any further, though.
Both Derek and I had wives. I’d said those harsh words before, and for what?
I wept silent, bitter tears.
“...You’ve done enough, Torne. Thank you.”
What’re you thanking me for? We didn’t find any of them.
And if that damn bergbear finds us before we make it back, we’ll end up dead.
I’m a real idiot.
I couldn’t protect the kids, and all I’d done was put my friend in danger.
“Ugh...”
I wanted to keep on going, but my legs wouldn’t budge.
If I turned around now, it would mean giving up on everything.
And so, in my frustration, I let out a pathetic wail.
All my experience was telling me to flee. But I felt like if I turned tail and ran now, I’d be a failure — not just as a gatekeeper, but as a resident of my town.
That was when it happened.
Vrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....!!
“Wha?!”
“That sound...”
What was that sound? It sounded like metal rubbing together.
It wasn’t coming from far off, either. It must’ve been 60 mels, no, 50 meltortes at most.
“W-What is that?!”
“Torne! Over there!”
The source of the sound was moving upwards, climbing into the sky.
The leaves and branches blocked my view, so I couldn’t get a good look. However, I could tell that whatever was giving off that strange metallic sound seemed to be clad in light.
Both of us looked up, dumbfounded.
Just what was that?
Maybe it was a spirit or something?
Whatever it was, it gave off a sparkle, then came flying down towards the ground.
It almost looked like a shooting star.
For that one instant, the flames coming off the mountain were outshone.
Neither Derek nor I could move.
Countless drops of sweat dripped down on the leather armor around my thighs.
The light died down, and I could see the raging flames again. All I could see of the trees surrounding us were black silhouettes, lit by the fire.
By this point, it was all but certain that we’d have to abandon the town.
On the one hand, I had to find out the source of that light. On the other, we had to run. Now.
“Go ahead and resent me, Derek.”
“Don’t be stupid!”
I stood up, finally able to move again.
And then, I noticed something was off.
“...Wind?”
In the next instant, a sudden gust blew through the forest! Ah, no, this is more than just that!! It’s not stopping at all!!
“Whooooooa!!!”
“Derek! Let go of your torch and grab onto the tree with both hands!!”
“But...!!”
“Hurry up!! This is no normal gust!!”
“...Alright!!”
Our two torches were swooped up into the sky.
What’s with this wind?! It’s blowing straight up into the air!!