Brave Story - Miyuki Miyabe [310]
“C-Captain…”
“When did you learn enveiling magic? Is this another of the Traveler’s powers?”
“This is called enveiling magic? I had no idea.” Wataru tried a timid smile. “Could you see me? Or could you somehow sense me, even though you couldn’t see me? That’s amazing.”
The captain did not smile. The tip of the sword was still held at Wataru’s throat. “You work for Kutz. Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I didn’t even know all this was going on.”
“Then you’re an idiot.”
“I know.”
Captain Ronmel called over his shoulder to one of his men. “This boy is a Highlander. He needs to be interrogated. Throw him in with the other one.”
“Yes, sir,” one of the Knights said, his steel boots clanging on the floor as he approached. Now I’m under arrest. So much for my plans.
Then, Wataru thought he heard a voice calling from somewhere—it’s coming from inside my head.
—Wataru.
—You have three gemstones. You have a new power.
—Say the words. Azlo, lom, lom. Spirit of the wind, blow through time, carry me faster than light itself.
“Than light itself…” Wataru echoed.
“What?” The Knight stopped.
“Carry me faster than light itself!”
Captain Ronmel, a short distance away, turned to look.
—Get ready!
“Fly!” At the moment he said the word, Wataru felt his body disappear. Suddenly, the world around him filled with light.
He was flying. Dancing up into the air. He left the surprised shouts of the Knights far below and rose up through the light. He gripped the sword hilt tightly in his hands. Climbing, climbing, up to the sky.
Then, the next instant, he shot across the blue sky as though fired from a cannon.
“Waaaah!”
His body floated, then suddenly stopped. He could see his surroundings once more. He was flying, in the air above Gasara. No, he was floating. Wait, I’m falling…
“Aaaaah!”
He hadn’t been that high, after all. He hit something hard, landing on his behind. Sparks shot through his skull. “Where am I?”
He was on top of the roof of a store on the eastern edge of town that he’d visited many times. He was lying on the red tiled roof. One of the tiles was cracked in two where he had landed.
The people walking on the street below gaped and looked at Wataru. Some were even pointing. The owner of the store came barreling out into the street. “What was that?”
So the third power of the sword was something like teleportation. It felt a bit like he imagined what going warp speed felt like. But he hadn’t gone that far, and it seemed pretty dangerous to boot.
—Sorry, Wataru.
It was the voice from the gemstone.
—You’re not strong enough to control it yet, it seems.
“No, this is fine, this is great, I got out of there!”
Wataru stood on the roof. Several Knights of Stengel had noticed Wataru and were approaching him. What do I do now?
“Oy, Wataru! Oy! Oy!” It was Kee Keema. He was running toward Wataru from behind the Knights. “What are you doing up there? Have you heard what’s happened?”
“I know!” Wataru said, cupping his hands to his mouth to shout over the crowd. “Look out, Kee Keema! They’ll catch you!”
“Huh? What are these guys doing here?” Kee Keema ran on, bowling through a cluster of Knights, knocking two of them off to the side into the wall of a nearby building.
“H-hey! That’s hindering a public official!”
“What do you mean? I’m a Highlander!”
“Then you’re even more guilty! You’re under arrest!”
“Run!” Wataru drew the wyrmflute from his pocket. Looking up into the sky he blew it as hard as he could. Jozo! Jozo, come quick!
A red speck winked into existence in the sky far above. Wataru faced it, waving his hands, jumping up and down on the roof, shouting at the top of his lungs. “Kutz! Kutz! Come out! We’re getting out of here! We’ll ride out on my dragon! Where are you?”
Kee Keema clambered up to the top of the roof. Several Knights came running from the nearby crossroads. At the head of a large group rounding the corner was Captain Ronmel. “Apprehend that boy!”
Suddenly Wataru was cast in shadow. Jozo was directly overhead. “You called,