That was for later, though. For now, this place was all hers.
After a time, she stepped away from the center and approached the walls and the prizes contained within. She walked along, following the outline of the room, her eyes drawn to the rows of crystals she passed. Soon she began to see a pattern, how the colors repeated themselves – thirteen crystals of unique hue, then they would start again, over and over. There had to be hundreds of them, maybe more.
Surely a few wouldn’t be missed.
Though she didn’t expect to get away with it, the thought of hiding them beneath her pillows, taking them out and marveling at them at night when the servants were either asleep or tending to other duties, was a compelling one for someone aching for new experiences in life.
Taking one of each seemed too risky to her. As many as were in the room, she felt that number might be too great to go unnoticed. But one or two ... maybe three of them? Surely, she thought, that wouldn’t seem out of place.
She spied one, black as night, the same color as her mother’s throne, and decided to start with it. She reached out, preparing to grab it, but then remembered what had happened when she’d first touched the sword in her mother’s chamber.
Kisaki hesitated for a moment, but then laughed at her own foolishness. This was nothing like that had been. A tiny pebble didn’t compare to a weapon. Besides, she wasn’t standing on top of a chair, practically begging to be overbalanced.
Nevertheless, it would be foolish to not exercise at least a little caution.
Finally, she agreed upon a compromise between the warring opinions in her mind. She reached out slowly to the black gem, holding her finger above it. Then, fast as she could, she placed it upon the crystal and just as quickly removed it.
Nothing.
She laughed at herself. Was this how it was going to be for every new experience she encountered? Some bold adventurer she was turning out to be. If the heroes from her scrolls were present, surely they would have laughed at her timidity.
That settled it.
She quickly snatched the black crystal from the shelf, braced herself, then laughed when again nothing happened. She opened her hand and found the gem sitting in it, looking no different.
A fitting souvenir of her adventure. She next decided on a greyish crystal. At first glance, it appeared drab and boring, but when she got closer, she could see it was multi-hued – the coloration more that of a stormy sky, or so she guessed. She’d never actually seen a storm in person, just through the imagery Shitoro sometimes conjured during their lessons. The thought fascinated her, though. Rain, wind, and lightning. Such an exhilarating change of pace from the normalcy of her life.
As those thoughts swirled through her mind, she felt the black crystal in her hand seemingly grow warm, but she dismissed it as nothing more than the gem taking on the warmth of her body.
She continued to stare at the grey crystal, letting her mind wander. Yes, this one reminded her of adventure, braving the high seas upon a ship, standing on a beach after a storm, battling enemies as lightning crashed overhead.
That one would do nicely for her new collection.
The crystal in her hand pulsed, shaking her from her reverie. For a moment, it had almost felt as if it had a heartbeat.
Kisaki shook her head. For all the wonders of this place, she wasn’t quite ready to believe that a rock could be alive. It must have been her imagination.
That reminded her she’d probably tarried long enough. Certainly someone would be along soon and, while she loved the thought of meeting new faces and possibly making a friend, she didn’t care to be caught in the act of selfishly purloining the contents of this place.
She grabbed the grey crystal she’d been eying and a red one sitting next to it, then quickly stuffed them into her pocket.
It was time to go.
But perhaps one more look at this wondrous place, so I can commit it to memory.
Glancing at the doorway to make sure no one else was in sight, she stepped to the center of the room again and slowly spun in place, taking it all in.
Marvelous as it was, though, her mind was still drawn back to the fantasies she’d conjured a few moments prior.
Yes, she thought, indulging herself. I am a great general and this is my secret treasure room, won after many hard battles against mighty warriors. She remembered the great celestial wars she’d read about, but it was the smaller, more intimate conflicts that truly fascinated her. The ones where victory was decided by the swing of a sword as kings battled each other one on one.
As she thought, she continued to turn in place, enjoying the multicolored hues of the many crystals. So caught up in her fantasy was she, that she didn’t notice that the circle she stood within had started to glow.
Battles, storms, lightning, the high seas, Earth itself. Though Shitoro had dismissed them as a low people, the humans fascinated her. For some reason, she was drawn to them and their history.
Truly, she thought, if there’s only one place in all the multiverse I could visit, it would be Earth.
The black crystal still in her hand pulsed again and then cracked open in her palm, releasing its energy.
Kisaki had only a moment to panic as a flare of white-hot light erupted from the circle on the floor and engulfed her.
And then she was gone.
8
Ichitiro’s impotent pontifications of war against the humans was instantly forgotten once Midnite sensed the weak pulse of power, her own energy being released.
But that was impossible. Access to the crystals was currently forbidden. None dared venture forth from the palace until such time as it was allowed. True, some of the youkai could be rebellious at times, but they knew the limits of their impudence and that certain lines were not to be crossed without terrible retribution.
Besides, all who resided there were immortal, and if there was one thing immortals understood, it was patience. What was a decade, a century, or more of waiting to beings for whom the passage of time was meaningless?
Still, there was no denying what she felt. Someone had accessed a crystal, specifically one of the many she had imbued with her own life force. All within the daimao great court had done so, sharing a portion of their power so that servants and other lesser beings could venture forth as needed.
Though the transfer was harmless to her and her siblings, they still remained connected to the energy sealed away in the crystal matrix until such time as it was released to dissipate into the ether. Such an event could be sensed by the progenitor of each crystal.
Under normal circumstances, it was barely noticeable amid the normal traffic to and from the palace, but now, with passage forbidden, it stood out.
Who would have dared? Certainly not one of her servants. Though it was tradition that minions of the daimao used the crystals empowered by their own masters, it wasn’t law. Had another youkai used hers so as to mask their passage from their respective lord?
If so, their transgression would be in vain. Midnite wasn’t above keeping secrets, but she wasn’t about to let something like this pass without mention. If the youkai in question had hoped she would let them get away with it, they were wrong.
She glanced up when Ichitiro slammed his massive fist onto the table again, no doubt trying to emphasize some tiresome point that the others would disagree with. Sadly, she made the mistake of making eye contact with him.
“And what do you think of my plan, fair Midnite?”
Yes, tiresome indeed. “I think that you will continue to believe what you will, despite the wise counsel of your peers, brother.”
It was a routine answer, meant to mask that she’d been ignoring him. However, he narrowed his red eyes at her. “One day, you may find yourself wishing you had sided with me.”
“Perhaps, but that day is not today, nor do I believe it shall be tomorrow.”
Chuckles could be heard around the table, which Reiden quickly si
lenced with a crackle of red energy. He was not one to allow petty digs or squabbling at the council table ... unless, that is, he was the one to initiate it.
Nevertheless, it had served its purpose, turning Ichitiro’s attention away from her so that she might once again concentrate upon this new development.
She reached out to the power that had once been a part of her before it could fully fade away. Her control wasn’t so precise as to tell who had made the passage, but she could trace where her energy had taken them.
One of the blessed isles of Earth. Of all the places to venture forth to, why there? Surely whoever had done so knew it wasn’t allowed.
Many youkai had been left abandoned on Earth when passage was forbidden, including mates, children, and cousins of the many servants within these vast halls. It was regrettable, but it was thought that all of those here now understood the sacrifice, the larger stakes at play. But perhaps not. Some of the lesser demons could be petty when it came to their emotions, letting them dictate their actions despite the wishes of their masters.
Had that been the case? Had a youkai’s spirit become so broken and desperate that they decided to risk the wrath of the daimao?
Midnite considered this. Once upon a time, the concept of sacrifice for a loved one was alien to her. She understood her duty and what needed to be done during times of war, but there had always been cold, calculated methodology to it. Never had her heart ached at the thought of one of her siblings in danger.
But then she had made that fateful journey to those same blessed isles. Kisaki, her daughter, had been born of the forbidden union that resulted from that night. Since then, Midnite had done everything in her power to conceal her birth, her very existence from her siblings out of fear of what they would do.
She knew of the taboo imposed, one of the few that was honored from lesser youkai all the way up to even the daimao. Indeed, she had been one of those who had endorsed it so many centuries ago.
Hanyou, half-breeds, were tolerated if not particularly accepted among her kind. Of them, those of the highest station were offspring created between different castes of divine beings. If anything, the child of a mazoku and youkai union would not have faced much if any scrutiny.
Children born of one human parent were different, though. They were the lowest of the low, certainly never afforded quarter within the celestial palace. Oftentimes they found it hard to find a place in either world – too weak to survive among their demon brothers, but often too malformed to be accepted by humans.
There were exceptions, of course – hanyou who had persevered to become great warriors, heroes of legend, but they were the rarest of the rare.
Considered to be beneath the notice of the daimao, half-mortal hanyou were allowed to live, but only so long as they were the product of a human born of the blessed isles.
That had been her people’s conceit. The islands, the place the daimao had first touched down upon arriving at this world, were considered blessed above all. The humans living there were thought to have been influenced by their divine presence, retaining a little of it within their souls. Though humanity as a whole was not held in high regard, those from the blessed isles were favored among them – considered of superior stock compared to the savages that roamed elsewhere.
As such, only unions with them were tolerated. Mating with humans from other lands was considered beneath contempt, a heresy. Though these other cultures had names for such bastard offspring – Nephilim, demigods, and the like – the daimao knew them only as abominations to be destroyed.
However, as much as Midnite once believed such things herself, she could not come to view her daughter that way. No matter his birthright, she had sensed a brave and noble soul in the human who had fathered Kisaki. On occasion, she found herself wondering what had become of him, but his ultimate fate remained a mystery to even her. Despite yearning to know what path his life had led, she’d opted for caution where her daughter was concerned. Regardless, the man she’d known, Stephen Fuller, had been worthy.
Midnite could see that worthiness in her daughter. Whereas many hanyou were born little more than deformed oddities, Kisaki was perfect in her eyes, beautiful as the sea after a storm.
Unfortunately, Midnite also knew that she couldn’t hide Kisaki’s heritage from her siblings. Her hair, her complexion, her facial features – all of it would make her brethren suspicious of her stock.
Then there was Ichitiro to deal with. Regardless of who Kisaki’s father was, her very existence was liable to drive him into a murderous rage.
Though Midnite was secure in her power, even she had doubts as to whether she’d be able to stop him if he truly set his mind to it. If need be, she might have to do the unthinkable and turn on him with the Taiyosori to protect her daughter – even if doing so would render her an outcast, her life forfeit.
She quickly pushed those unpleasant thoughts to the side. Such concerns were unfounded. Kisaki was safe in her wing of the palace, sealed inside and with the very best guardian one could imagine, Shitoro.
Her daughter’s safety aside, Midnite still needed to track down whoever the transgressor was. Such a crime could not be overlooked.
While Ichitiro and Reiden continued to argue some point or other, she reached out with her mind to Tanaki, her chief servant.
Tanaki was a dour badger youkai. All business, but exceptionally good at her job. Even so, Midnite frequently found herself missing Shitoro’s fussing. However, he was busy elsewhere. She’d entrusted Kisaki to him, knowing he was worthy of such a task. She could count on him to safeguard her biggest secret. If doing so meant she had to deal with Tanaki’s stern, humorless tone for all of eternity, so be it.
Yes, my mistress? Tanaki replied almost instantly.
There has been a breach of the crystal chamber. Someone has used one of my own to send themselves to Earth.
But that is forbidden, mistress.
As I am well aware. I need you to look into it. Speak to the other servants of the palace, find out who is missing so that I might inform their lord.
It shall be done, mistress. I will not rest until it is so.
Midnite cut off the conversation. If there was one thing she was certain of with Tanaki, it was that she could be counted on. Dour she might be, but she was dogged when it came to her duties.
She’d tirelessly pursue her task until the culprit was brought to light.
9
Kisaki wasn’t a girl easily given over to fear. Despite her sheltered existence, she’d seen a great many wondrous things, and her favorite part of her studies had always revolved around wars and battles.
Nevertheless, she cried out in shock as the room faded away in a flash of light, to be replaced by somewhere much larger. As her eyes adjusted, she realized the floor, the walls, everything that had been around her mere moments earlier, was gone.
The hard floor had been replaced by something white and with much more give to it. Off to one side she saw trees, but much larger and more numerous than in the two walled gardens she was allowed to visit.
In front of her was an impossible sight: water, sapphire blue, stretching as far as the eye could see.
Is that an ocean?
Kisaki’s shock gave way to wonder as she took in the sights, but that wasn’t all. The air was warm, and she could smell the clean scent of the salt water. She dared a glance up and saw a clear blue sky with a yellow sun smiling down at her.
It’s an illusion. It has to be.
Surely that was the purpose of the room she’d stumbled upon. Though she didn’t fully understand illusion magic, she’d learned the basics and could perform a few tricks. Nothing like this, though. If anything, this was the work of true masters of the craft.
A properly conjured illusion could fool the senses, but she’d never experienced anything on this level before. The few so-called advanced spells Shitoro had demonstrated to her in the past were child’s play in comparison.
>
But how?
Then Kisaki remembered. She’d been daydreaming while in the center of the marvelous crystal room, thinking about the high seas, about Earth. That had to have been it. The view around her certainly resembled some of what she’d studied, if only vaguely. Her books were filled with stories of war, but this appeared to be a place of peace. Also, the weather was clear, whereas in many of the scrolls she’d read, there was always a storm taking place during a pivotal battle.
Perhaps if she concentrated harder, the magic of the room would show her something a bit more visceral.
She hesitated doing so, however, enjoying the tranquility of what was before her. What would it hurt to stay and enjoy this for a few minutes longer?
I could be caught, that’s what could happen.
Any second now, the illusion could be dispersed and she’d turn to find the disapproving gaze of Shitoro or, worse, her mother glaring at her.
But so far, she’d gone undiscovered and, after a few moments, Kisaki found her feet moving, almost of their own accord, toward the water.
Further out, past the shallows, she could see waves breaking. Here, though, closer to the ... beach? Yes, that was what this place was called. And what she was walking on was sand. Suddenly, Shitoro’s never-ending lessons didn’t seem so foolish, even if she’d never tell him that aloud.
She reached the very edge of the vast ocean and then kept going, curious to see what would happen. Her slippers, feet, and the bottom of her kimono all became wet as she stepped into the water. Despite this, she laughed. Truly a marvelous illusion! Oh, if only the demon who had conjured this was her teacher. If she could learn to do magic like this, then she might never need to leave her chambers again.
She might explore all manner of...
Kisaki stopped and turned around, noting her footsteps in the sand and how far she’d seemingly come. It wasn’t a great distance, but unless she was mistaken – which she didn’t believe to be the case – she’d walked further than the radius of the room should have allowed. As real as this illusion appeared, she should have bumped into the wall a good ten paces back.
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