The Dream Shifter

Chapter 180

Yuki did not think that he would find a rational mind to speak with. He figured that the head would be just as fearful as his village. "I intend no harm to you or your people. I'm simply passing through."

"If that is so then why are you standing here?"

All though Yuki saw him ask the question, it became clear the man already knew the answer. He just wanted it to be said aloud. "You're holding two of my friends. I cannot without them." While Yuki made no demands to any of them, the voices of the people erupted violently as though as said something offensively unreasonable to them.

"So he is with them!"

"He's threatening the village as well!"

"We need to hand him over to the South Gate too!"

"Tie him up!"

"You're the reason we lost everything!"

Remaining calm under the verbal assault for Yuki became difficult the longer they continued. He ground his hands tighter to fight through his urge to fall into reflex. Yuki did not know how much longer he could stay quiet with how ungrateful they acted. Fortunately for him, someone else had a significantly shorter fuse of patience (really, really short, but that's not really a surprise). "You idiots!" shouted Seiji appearing from the side of the square at the end of the crowd in the front. All of the attention focused on Yuki made it very easy for Seiji to sneak in. Unfortunately for him, it also meant that after the initial startled reaction that they all broke out in mass hysteria.

Yuki released a reluctant sigh. "You aren't helping matters, Seiji…"

"How could you keep listen to those ungrateful and self-centered people?! We saved them!"

His condemnation provoked outcries from the mob. Fear no longer held back their anger to speak to Seiji. "You didn't save us! You only made things worse!"

"They'll come back to finish the job!"

"There'll be retribution from the military for what you did to them!"

Seiji could not take their complaining for more than a few seconds before he snapped back at them. "Shut the hell up! You were screaming and yelling when they came through tearing up your homes! And now you're telling me that you wanted it that way!? How hypocritical can you be?!"

Everyone began to shout and yell again at Seiji, but Paramonos interrupted them. "There are things you don't understand."

"I'm not looking to understand you! I did what was right and I make no excuses for what I did! I'd do it again!"

"Seiji!" jumped Yuki. He needed to get the situation back in control. Seiji's methods only fueled the fire in the villagers. Yuki saw their eyes. "You aren't helping matters!"

"How the hell can you think to defend them!?"

"Young man, there are certain things that are necessary to be endured for the sake of safety."

Seiji started to open his mouth again, but Yuki threw him a piercing stare. He had to settle the situation alone. Yuki took a small step forward to the old man making his intention to speak clear. "You're afraid that you're village will suffer retribution from the military because of our actions. Correct?"

Shouts confirmed his question without the need for Paramonos to speak. They knew with certainty that could not be dissuaded. Paramonos gave a nod to Yuki. "It's likely that they'll search our village to be certain. And next time their search wouldn't be so polite. Your attack will make them strike down harder in their search and it'll be my people that suffer because of your actions."

Disgruntled mumbling from Seiji broke Yuki's connection for a moment. He knew that Ayumi had told him that his actions had more consequences, but he never imagined to see it happen to soon. What he did could not be undone anymore. The dice was cast and he had to live with his decision. Yuki just wished that he could do something. 'These people did nothing wrong, but they'll suffer because of me! I can't stay here to protect them… What can I do? Words won't fix this…'

Yuki ground his fist tight in frustration. No path laid open for him. 'It's those bastards running things! The people that want me dead! They're making all of these people suffer! How can they do this to their own people? They've accepted such treatment as normal…' His hand turned raw from mashing his fingers into his palm. He had to stop them. 'If they weren't in charge…things would be different… If I…' Yuki tilted his head up realizing suddenly his answer. "What if I could promise you that this will never happen again?!"

"Yuki?" questioned Seiji.

He soon had everyone staring at him trying to figure out what he meant. Seconds dragged out in silence before a voice from the crowd broke through launching a tidal wave at him. They felt insulted by him. He mocked them not understanding the situation. He knew nothing.

Yuki exhaled a breath leaving all of the noise behind him. He closed his eyes thinking about everyone and letting them pass through his thoughts. 'Ayumi's going have my head for this…' A ripple in the ground came from his feet before bursting suddenly into tall grass that filled up to the knees. Every house and object from Skoupa disappeared leaving only the residents behind. All of the yelling came to a sharply punctuating halt. They all knew very well the implications without anyone saying anything.

Turning around to face all of the villagers, Yuki fixed them with a deep penetrating stare. Any resolve and determination he managed to muster filled his features. The staidness in his stance gave them no room for doubt. "I swear to you here that I will this stopped! I am an outsider to you and this is a foreign place to me…but this is the home of my father! My father, your King!"

Yuki ground his fist tight in frustration. No path laid open for him. 'It's those bastards running things! The people that want me dead! They're making all of these people suffer! How can they do this to their own people? They've accepted such treatment as normal…' His hand turned raw from mashing his fingers into his palm. He had to stop them. 'If they weren't in charge…things would be different… If I…' Yuki tilted his head up realizing suddenly his answer. "What if I could promise you that this will never happen again?!"

"Yuki?" questioned Seiji.

He soon had everyone staring at him trying to figure out what he meant. Seconds dragged out in silence before a voice from the crowd broke through launching a tidal wave at him. They felt insulted by him. He mocked them not understanding the situation. He knew nothing.

Yuki exhaled a breath leaving all of the noise behind him. He closed his eyes thinking about everyone and letting them pass through his thoughts. 'Ayumi's going have my head for this…' A ripple in the ground came from his feet before bursting suddenly into tall grass that filled up to the knees. Every house and object from Skoupa disappeared leaving only the residents behind. All of the yelling came to a sharply punctuating halt. They all knew very well the implications without anyone saying anything.

Turning around to face all of the villagers, Yuki fixed them with a deep penetrating stare. Any resolve and determination he managed to muster filled his features. The staidness in his stance gave them no room for doubt. "I swear to you here that I will this stopped! I am an outsider to you and this is a foreign place to me…but this is the home of my father! My father, your King!"

The words from Yuki rang out through the village as though given wings to fly to the ends of the land. Shouting and yelling came to a stop almost paralyzing everyone. They did not expect Yuki say what he did to them. Most did not even know how to react. Deafeningly quiet minutes passed as though he had dragged the very voice from their lips.

Yuki kept his eyes fixed on the crowd to see their reactions and how things changed, when he knew that they inevitably would. '…I said it… Mom…dad… I'm sorry…' He avoided saying it to himself for so long. Even after he said it a sour taste lingered for him. It could not be taken back. However, he knew that he had to deal with it later. The mood in the village began to sway as they recovered. They gave him no further reprieve.

Anger for the besmirching of their King's name powered their voices. Had it not been for Yuki's display that set them into confusion, they would have erupted sooner. Speaking ill of the King's name gave them more fire and motion than anything before. They started to swarm around Yuki shouting at him for his traitor's words. However, wind blew down around Yuki ripping up the grass spinning it around him. Only the blades of grass that tumbled through the air gave any signs of the presence of wind. Nowhere else did it interact as though stolen. Forming a barrier between the mob and Yuki he stood still defiant in their rage.

The first couple that attempted to grab out for Yuki through the grass were repelled. They received no injuries, but found themselves gently pushed back as being politely told 'no' by some outside force. A few more tried to reach for Yuki before the villagers finally understood. Understanding Yuki's untouchable state did not change their mood. They still threw words at him, even more vicious than before as though being unable to harm him mocked them.

"You damn foreigner!"

"You've got no right to talk about our King!"

"Die for such words!"

Yuki closed his eyes disappointed. 'I guess I should have seen this outcome. They weren't going to just change because of what I said. Now the situation is even more complicated…' He looked back at the old man to see his reaction to everything. The placid features of age changed into a struggle between emotion and reason. Even the head of the village took offense.

Bringing the crowd under control became his priority. Unfortunately, Yuki had not built in much to the field and dropping it meant being mobbed in an instant. He did the only thing he had available. The wind pushed back against the villagers giving him room. Yuki stepped back standing between the elder and Yumi, still uneasily asleep. Only Yori remained awake, but stayed understandably quiet. The wind gave him room and a little moment between the shouting, but not the attention of everyone. "Listen to me!" he shouted trying to get his voice over everyone. It worked partially. "Hate me if you wish, but also know my power. Look at your village!"

He had their ears for the moment. A few of them gave him a little allowance and did as he said. In the chaos none of them had truly taken in the meaning. They recognized the power, but nothing more. Yuki saw he had them a bit longer. "You know the power that I use. You're familiar with it. I can make your entire village disappear with little effort! Call me what you will, but you can't deny what you see before you!"

Questions and uneasy began to spread through the ranks of the villagers. Once given the time to really think about the situation that they found themselves in threatening someone with his powers, many of the Atlanteans started to back away. They did not know if he truly was the King's son. Someone as powerful as he displayed gave them paused. They had to weigh out which they feared more.

"I'm taking my friends and leaving," Yuki said to the old man next to him. "Do nothing to stop us and we won't cause you any further troubles. I promise that I will see this stopped. That I swear to you!" He saw no denial from the old man as he moved to help Yori.

Once Yori stood up and Yuki started in on Yumi, the old Atlantean turned to them. "Why do you do all of this? You'll be hunted by the military. All you've earned is fear with your words. Why would you want to help us?"

"Do you really need a reason to help someone?" Yuki replied simply. The answer gave him no more understanding of Yuki. When Yuki finished untying Yumi and lifted her up into his arms he looked back at Paramonos. "I guess if you really need a reason then it's the right thing to do. You shouldn't have to suffer because of our mistakes."

"Such naivety…"

"Probably, but I guess youth affords such things." He caught sight of Seiji in the distance waiting on him. It made him recall the punch that Seiji gave him to set his head on right. "Though it's easy to forget… Just let the military know which way we went. I don't have the power the stop them yet. So that's the most I can offer you now."