The Fall Of The Tribes

by Philip Read

  Where the protectors of the god and goddess of knowledge and learning gave me the blessing of their god. The blessing of tongues which has helped me in learning Japanese so quickly.

  A very complicated language to write that has thousands of characters and each character having different meanings depending on how it’s pronounced. And making it more complicated as meanings differ depending on how those characters are combined.

  A language that forces the speaker to be flexible of mind and listen while also decoding the appropriate meaning of the words at the same time. Resulting in a people that are natural problem. Solvers and creative thinker, their minds challenged and stimulated by even simple conversations.

  It initially took us something like two months to get here from the Tundra, and eight months from here to the Hito villages. Now it’s taken us barely a month to get here from the Hito valleys and I can only imagine another ten-day at this speed to get home. The excitement is palpable in my stomach.

  “I smell blood in the air. Human blood.”

  The disturbing statement comes from Kensuke Iwabuchi, the Brave flying to my left and slightly behind whom my head is slowly turning towards. ‘That’s the creepiest thing I’ve ever heard coming from a vampire’ my eyes are conveying as I look at him.

  “Yes. And a lot of it.” Another confirms and I resign myself to their discussion. As they go into detail about the fear in this particular scent or adrenaline in that particular scent of blood.

  This is almost like that time I sat next to Ayta and he spoke of liking to bugger other men and I pretended what he spoke of wasn’t as disturbing as it sounded. Being polite as I nodded my sympathy at his many challenges in his chosen vocation of buggering men.

  I eventually see evidence of the assault myself though as plumes of smoke still permeate the air. We get ready midair, planning our assault and landing format quickly. With a backup team landing a few kms away to cover our pursuit of them or retreat. Also checking if they had any extra forces in the sparse woods of the rocky slopes.

  I land with the assault team and we encounter magic from the get go. Attack after attacking taking the attention of the spiritual weapons. I didn’t know zanpakutō‘s could block magic like its a solid object. Good to know. I move, swinging my o-katana from the sheath at the hip to strike at the spear of darkness that almost skewers me in a perfect iaido, the art of unsheathing.

  I move, following a set sequence of moves I’ve practiced a thousand times. Moves that so confuse my current enemy that I nearly take his arm off dispute his clear advantage in power and magic. He pushes me away with some unseen force that seems to be growing the width of the ground separating us.

  Three of the Brave are facing off against a creature with a heavy glaive. Cutting inches into the stone floor with every missed swing, yet pulling out with the ease of a hot knife through butter. The thing and it’s wielder glowing blue in runes and symbols. We can all already tell the weapon is the greater threat than the wielder.

  Asriel is facing off with a young man with a golden glowing arm summoning all manner of object with it to keep him at bay. Asriel parries all attacks with his toya, speaking all the while to his attacker though I can’t hear him.

  The rest of the assault team are divided between spectral creatures of spirit that would be a very difficult challenge to anyone not wielding spirit bound weapons. I’m pushed back by the shifting of the ground again and find myself in a corner.

  The one throwing all kinds of magic around, including black whips that keep me curtailed as he deals with the others seems to be the main problem.

  Asriel is suddenly no where to be seen after our numbers mysteriously decrease, but his aura keeps flaring so I know he’s busy. Everyone else not in the immediate assault is looking at options, reinforcing us, checking for other threats, checking the wounded. It’s all a planted chaos as someone comes to my side. Clearing the tentacles with his blade like clearing grass with a scythe.

  There is already blood and guts all over the floor around me I realise as I lose my footing slightly on an intestine still attached to a section of a torso. My sword is a blur as I deflect hundreds of projectiles shooting at me, one handedly spinning my spiritual blade around myself with sublime wrist work. Left side forward making myself a smaller target and decreasing the surface area I have to guard.

  Using the o-katana single handedly results in faster movement but a lot of power is lost in the stokes.

  After deflecting all the pellets I move forward with a burst of speed, joining the fight in earnest.

  Chapter 8

  Sachihiro

  The fight drags on because martial strength and magic are not very good counters for each other. One needing an opponent to be further away to be most advantageous to the wielder, the other up close and personal.

  The glaive wielder being the only one of the four or more opponents using a physical weapon. I’m guessing a minimum of four because Asriel and two of our disappeared are yet to reappear. I’m kept at bay by the arm user deflecting and protecting against the ranged magical attacks.

  I’ve never faced magic of this extent before but I’m learning quickly. Both by doing and by watching the other’s fight. I can feel my yet to be named o-katana heating up in my hand. Though the attacks don’t get through, the energy as heat is permeating through.

  Kenzo Suzuki besides me gets through first, bringing his naginata to bear on the brightly lit young man. Not all the Brave have zanpakutō‘s but they all have at least one spiritual weapon, Kenzo’s being his naginata spear. A long weapon designed for the battlefield and keeping opponents at bay by giving a lot of reach.

  And of course all Hito made weapons are razor sharp, dual forged and folded at least a thousand times. The blades would be a force in the world even made of normal steel as some are. But the celestial metal forged weapon cuts through Brightie’s magic without losing any momentum.

  Only slowed down by Kenzo’s need to parry and readjust as the malleable magical power takes on a different shape. The distraction is enough for me to get closes though as I sweep in with forms 14, 3, 18 and 6 of the 36 basic kenjutsu combat forms. The spectral snake thing protecting his flank dissipates with a screech, my momentum carries me through and my blade cuts clean through his troublesome arm.

  The scream he unleashes isn’t a sound the human throat is supposed to be capable of. Bursting my ear drums and disorienting me saving him as the killing stoke of move 6 leaves a gash on his collar bone instead of ripping him open. I recover quickly with a reverse kick to the chest knocking the air from my opponent and sending him flying into the rubble.

  I look around myself, no immediate enemy to fight and still slightly off kilter. I take a knee and watch as the big man with the glaive faces of against the three vampires. Its a beautiful fight, the man is fast enough to keep up with them even with bursts of ultra vampire speed. Faster than them even, two of them at least. Keiji seems to be slightly faster.

  I can only actually see half the fight, when they slow down enough not to be streaks of air, light and sparks. This man clearly has more power though and if they weren’t wielding spiritual weapons that glaive would have cut their weapons in half long ago.

  The air drawer isn’t doing much better as the vampires close on it, only two having had gone down. They are showing skills and abilities I didn’t know they had. Yoshihito Yoshida turning into smoke a few times while dealing with the spirit creatures. The front of a katana eventually appears sticking out of the magicians chest before disappearing and his head falls left while his body crumbles right.

  A bright but silent explosion of light disintegrates the body, sending Seiji flying from his kill. The rest join the fight with the loud mouth glaive wielder, using naginata’s to harass him from a distance as the three closest continue fighting with katana’s. My zanpakutō is still bound on my back in satin.

  I am still on one knee and unwound it carefully, I can’t miss a chance to blood it, not a blade thi
s moody when it comes to unsheathing. I rush into the fight with my nodachi in hand, a polearm in it’s length and still sheathed so still a bludgeoning weapon.

  I find a rhythm with the other harassers and we get to work sweeping in and out, deflecting as best we can but we are fighting a monster in human skin. A Mister with unending stamina and skill that I’m sure would stun even Asriel.

  He swings the glaive around as though its a part of his body. Dodging, sweeping, attacking, spinning it around his body. Both the blade and the shaft leave devastating results on the temple as the vampires dodge and deflect. I stay most at the back as I’m not as fast yet.

  The blade of the glaive is eventually locked down by the three vampires against their own weapons on the floor and I don’t hesitate as with a perfect iaido my zanpakutō sings as it cuts through air and takes his head. A surprised look plastered on his face.

  I sigh and wipe the sweat from my brow, then I grin as the joy of battle fills me. Joy not just coming from myself but my zanpakutō. This is it’s first kill and I can feel it soaking up some sort of energy, some rushing into me like a bucket of cold water poured over my head. But most going to the blade somehow, yet nothing physical is apparent to anyone.

  *

  It’s a several more minutes before Asriel reappears amongst dozens of dead bodies. Most belonging to priests and priestesses of these cults, two belonging to members of the Brave and one clearly to one of the attackers.

  I grin at the sight of him. “I finished before you.” I say smugly.

  He just snorts, looks at my naked nodachi but ignores me. Going straight for the now disarmed and much less bright opponent, the only surviver of the assault. As we get to him I notice his arm has reattached itself but has lost most of its shine.

  Asriel kneels before him on the floor and places a hand on his forehead, closing his eyes.

  “He has a gease on his soul, he cannot reveal anything.” He says a few seconds later to Seiji.

  “You know him?” Seiji asks as the rest look around for survivors and the Brave backup arrive with six more people in tow. All seemingly meek and harmless.

  “These also have soul marks.” Toshiyuki Hayashi says leading them forward.

  “Can you decipher them?” Seiji asks Toshiyuki who nods that he can.

  “But it would take several days. That one on the floor would take even longer.” He says as his eyes flare red for a moment. It seems there is still a lot I don’t know about vampires.

  I’m enjoying have my zanpakutō out though. It usually doesn’t like being unsheathed but now that its satiated it seems to be more mild mannered, at least for now. It is truly an exquisite weapon though.

  Toru Kurihara notices my fascination with it and nods. “Katana’s are both functional and beautiful making them both useful tools and priced possessions.”

  “Yea, I think the Master that forged my zanpakutō said the same thing.” I respond sheathing it slowly a bit self conscious for being caught admiring it. Just like the time Kuyoki caught me flexing my muscles at the mirror.

  Sometimes you just want to admire yourself without seeming too vain, besides, we have no mirrors in the Tundra I had to take advantage while I still could.

  *

  The dead are burnt, including three dead vampires, resulting in our party now consisting of 14 of us total.

  “Can you neutralise the arm user?” Seiji asks Kenzo.

  “Yes, I can keep his arm detached and we can watch him.” Kenzo responds with confidence.

  “And you are sure you can unravel the gease?” He asks looking at Toshiyuki.

  “Yes, within a month for all of the slaves definitely but I’m not certain with the arm user.”

  “Ok, we leave five people here to watch for further attack and question the prisoners after the soul marks are unrivaled. Asriel, are you sure we should keep this one alive after? He is a troublesome opponent.”

  Asriel nods, “I don’t know him personally but I recognise an initiate of the Order when I see one, he has a lot to answer for still.”

  “Very well. What will you do?” Keiji asks the 6 priests and one priestess that remain alive after the ordeal.

  “We thank you for the help. We would appropriate help in rebuilding and maybe more open communication with your people.” The priestess says solemnly.

  “And you are sure you don’t know why you were attacked?” Asriel asks again.

  “We are sure, though we have heard of such a group in whispered, but nothing more.” An old grey hair priest says.

  “Alright, we leave the prisoners here and head for the Tundra immediately. Hopefully no more surprises along the way. Let’s go.” Keiji says.

  And like that we are on our way at a light sprint down the mountain aide and into the woods. Nine of us now heading towards my home, clloser than ever. I wonder how the war has been going, I wonder whether or not the tribesmen that followed Asriel’s map are already back. If they are I can see Ava, and we can spare, see how much better she’s gotten.

  I’m sure ma is fine. She’s a surviver, its Dee and da that I’m more concerned with.

  Chapter 9

  Sachihiro

  “Sachi my boy!” Da envelopes me in his big arms. Taller and broader than I am. I clasp him a bit longer than I intended, savouring his scent.

  He gives me a funny little grin as we separate. “How have you all been?” I ask as he leads me towards the city gates. And yes an actual city.

  “And how did you manage to build all this in just two years and a few months?”

  He grins broadly at both Asriel and I.

  “It turns out there are a lot more non combatants among the tribes than is immediately apparent, and having something besides fighting to do encouraged a lot of them. Under the direction of the dwarves and the fae more than half of our population is now an amateur builder of some sort.”

  “But still… This level of craftsmanship and these materials…” Asriel says. Seemingly more surprised than I am.

  “Well the fae can travel vast distances very quickly somehow and have been importing experts and materials for years now. Its all very up and up.” Da says inflating his chest in pride. I grin at his antics.

  We walk into the beautifully carved wooden gates inlaid with metal. The wall is over 5 meters tall and seems to be going up slowly. The paths within the city are divided into four lanes. Two grass lanes divided by two lanes made of cobble stone. The building are all two stories or taller.

  Trees and bushes separate property from property, there are people intermingling everywhere. Everyone seemingly busy with something or another. Horse eaters, Saxons, Norse, Savages, Scavengers, Jotnar, Vikings, all the tribes represented within the city as da points out the sites to us.

  There are parks every few kilometres, within these parks are the training grounds and camping grounds.

  “You’re telling me you camp within the city?” Asriel asks again. Da nods proudly.

  “The parks are dedicated to nature and forestry, and there is a forest being planted a few miles deeper into the grasslands. I don’t know how they do it, but these fae can grow trees very quickly and very tall.”

  “I noticed.” I say still gaping at sights. The rate at which everything is being built is astonishing.

  “How did you know we were coming?” I ask since he met us outside.

  “Your ma told me. Her gift has grown as well. The fae say she could Awaken whenever she wants to, but she’s been holding off for some reason.” I nod, not surprised. Ma may not be a warrior but she is formidable.

  “She is still busy with the Council of Chiefs, that’s where she said I should take you.”

  We eventually reach a tall straight building, with four or five levels by the looks of it. The grounds around it decorated into a maze of bushes with buildings on each side of it and a wide courtyard with stone pillars. As we walk in I notice a sand fighting circles behind wide glass double doors. This place is just too strange.

 
At some point Asriel had taken off his shoes and walked on the grass lane. There are even animals within the city and according to da animals that are roaming freely are not to be waylaid. Many of them apparently Awakened and coming out of curiosity from the Dawn Forest. The city and it’s immediate area becoming neutral ground between beasts and humans.

  “Took you long enough.” Is the greeting I get from Uncle Brian as we clasp forearms.

  “And this is Asriel, a friend.” I say gesturing to Asriel. They clasp forearms.

  “You have friends in high places, this is the man that has allowed the tribes to Awaken again if I’m not mistaken. We all owe you an unpayable debt Asriel.”

  Uncle Brian says seriously as we walk the still unfinished halls. I’m not sure whether my eyes have been playing tricks on me or some of the people around aren’t really people.

  “Da, that woman was an elf wasn’t she?” I ask after we pass a very attractive woman flanked by two guards in plate armour and open faced helms.

  Da grunts. “Many of the races we contacted didn’t like our proposals and some are still negotiating. It isn’t going well though, everyone wants more ore and the just isn’t enough of it. Pretty soon the fighting will start over again for the scraps and it will be vicious.”

  “We’re here. Come.” Uncle Brian says, knocks once and walks in.

  Its a big round room with no corners and plenty of lighting. There are benches all around the circle of the room along the wall. Then the middle of the room is raised by three steps and a round table with about 20 chairs draws most of the attention. All the tribal chiefs and some of the Seers are here. It seems I was expected.

  “Sachihiro van Damage, it seems you have returned alive and with fancy new weapons on your person. Tell us about the people of the mountain.” Chief Freya of the Jotnar says.

  And so my report begins while Asriel sits on the side and observes.

  * *

  Gorr the Hermit

  I have a lot on my mind. The fact that I can now turn into a wolf a large part of my preoccupation. I’m here camping out in the wild around a fire welcoming the boy home.