THE LAST KEEPER

Chapter 138: 138. THE CALL

”What is it?” someone asked in alarm.

”Are there any more contained beasts below this place?!” he asked with the same intensity. Silence prevailed for a second, and everyone looked between him and Loku. They just hoped he could not break him in half.

”Not that it is any of your business, but what I just showed you is what children of your level are allowed to see. You should be lucky to have even been let this far. It is because your squad is being honored. Most of your classmates will die before they even make it to this fortress,” the containment division commander said, his eyebrows knitted together tightly.

Sagiri had only once felt the connection, and it was with Nokai. This was even deeper, more alive, and it was desperate. It was so desperate he couldn’t ignore it. It was as if it was calling to him. Even so, he needed to be more careful now than ever.

”Let’s go,” he said, even as his insides shook. The desperation coming from the loins of the fourth wing. The division commander looked at him for a second longer before he turned around.

”Kids these days are so fragile, just those for peaceful beasts, and you are already losing your mind,” he tsked. seems the asakana always viewed everything as weakness, and it might have saved him this time. With every step they walked away from the inner containment chamber and with every gate closing behind them, sagiri had to fight the urge to turn around and run back to answer that desperate call.

Finally, they stepped out of the fourth wing, and if anything, the feeling got deeper. By the time they got to the inner octagon, Sagiri was sweating at having to walk away.

”Are you okay?” you look pale,” N’varu asked. Sagiri could have wished to let him know of what was troubling him, but then he knew N’varu could have called it a bad decision and worked his hardest not to let him go down. The best person in this situation could be to tell Kaka who could not care but just jump into danger, but after seeing Chief Zaka, Sagiri knew the man could break his own son in half if he brought him shame. The last option was lotaga; of course, he had kissed death one too many times for him, and he did not want to make a habit. His only option was lotaga. The boy was smart, and he could help him come up with a plan and keep his mouth shut.

Right now, however, they were going to be separated again into different squads, and sagiri did not know for how long this time. The team pulled into the inner octagon assembly place to wait for further instructions. Felunka showed up in the company of the ten captains yet again, and there was a swap. N’varu was going to be under Captain Chera this time, and sagiri was going to be in the company of Riogi, who was in charge of the wall patrol of the fortress.

Sagiri and N’varu had not gone back to talking about escaping again, and perhaps they both realized it was even more futile now. The whole squad now was being watched more tightly than ever.

Kiuga, the person sagiri wanted most, was put on spy duty under Captain Yonza. He would spend a whole week outside the gates with little to no window to meet except during the mornings because their new duties were set at night for both of them.

”For the next duties, you will stay with your new captain and his squad even during sleeping hours. You have to learn from them in manner and duty.” Felunka announced, and sagiri’s window was crushed.

”You have a minute to say your farewells to your squad mates till the end of the week, when there will be a swap again. sagiri barely waited for the captain to finish before he captured kiuga and swept him to the side.

”I know you are going to miss me dearly, but this is rather unmanly behavior.” kiuga started teasing, but sagiri shot his question.

”You and Lotaga asked me if I ever wanted to do anything I should especially talk to you or him. I have something I want to do. I have to do it. I want you to keep it between us. And no, you can’t stop me,” Sagiri said in low tones, and kiuga furrowed his eyebrows.

”I’m going to tell you now if it is to spy on Loku and see if he eats the containment beasts, then it is a bad idea,” Kiuga said, still holding to his belief that the man ate beasts.

”I want to break into the containment wing,” Sagiri said, and kiuga froze his brown furrowing even deeper. ”I need you to find me a window, not a perfect one, but still one. even if you don’t help me, I will still go,” sagiri said, and kiuga’s eyes widened.

”Have you talked to N’varu or lotaga...” Kiuga started, but Sagiri cut him off.

”No. I don’t want them to know. And I expect you not to tell them.” Sagiri said, looking into Kiuga’s eyes to make sure he understood. Kiuga was his best shot. Sagiri was good at sensing and perceiving people. He could get past many people, even with the stone used to make the walls of the fortress jamming him. But he needed Kiuga to be able to fill in the loopholes his sensory and archive could not fill, and come up with a plan that would reduce his chances of being caught even further.

”I’m flattered that you think I can find a loophole for your suicide mission, but I just can’t come up with it on the spot,” Kiuga said.

”So will you do it or not?” Sagiri asked, getting slightly impatient.

”You already said you were going to do it no matter what. It doesn’t look like you are leaving me an option, Sagiri the blind. The mission is suicidal, and all I can do is lower those chances by half,” Kiuga said, resting his hand on his chin like he always did when he was plotting. Sagiri could not tell if the boy was excited at having to come up with a plan, but his eyes were already twinkling at the idea of devising a break-in plan.

”So you will do it?” Sagiri asked again.

”You will have to wait on me. Don’t go in like Kaka till I tell you,”Kiuga said with a serious look on his face.

”Are you two talking about me?” Kaka said, approaching them. He must have been too sensitive to his name.

”You are not that appealing to talk about,” kiuga yelled over his shoulders but his eyes were hard as they remained on Sagiri’s face.

”Can I at least know why you are going there?” Kiuga asked.

”No,” Sagiri answered. Whatever was calling on him was his business.

”Time to move recruits, time to stop kissing each other goodbye,” Felunka said impatiently. Kaka snickered in disgust.

”When we meet next, I’ll have a plan. Wait on me,” Kiuga said, and Sagiri nodded.

The squad pulled apart again, and N’varu gave sagiri a ”stay out of trouble” look before he disappeared.

”Follow me,” it was Riogi. He looked less bored than Chera.