Sky of Paper: An Asian Steam-Driven Fantasy Tale

by Matthew Seaver

  "Well I'm not going to be sold away, " I heard one of my classmates say. "I plan to be the first to graduate to the River Temple."

  "If I don’t make it, " another one of the students said. "I'm just going to run away and go back to my family."

  "That would just make things worse." Kidou's voice had little emotion, but I knew he meant well with what he was saying. "How can you go back to your family knowing the shame you'd bring them?"

  "They would still love me, no matter what."

  "Then you should return their love, by showing them that you‘re worthy enough to graduate this place."

  Han rose his hand, diverting everyone‘s attention. "Kidou, I think that's enough. Nobu, you shouldn’t be thinking such things. None of us is going to fail. I’m sure we will all make our families proud."

  At that moment, everyone's eyes turned upwards as the sky boats flew overhead, the lanterns hanging off their bows dotting the evening sky like fireflies as they made their way back to the River and Ocean Temples.

  I looked down at my tamma again, rubbing my fingers across its smooth surface. That night, I decided to set aside all of my concerns and to only look down the path ahead of me.

  Chapter 5

  I dreamed that night. It was the same dream I had while in Rune. The same dragon appeared and blew fire into the sky just like before, except this time, he lowered his massive head and looked at me with solemn eyes. He dipped his head towards me until his massive nostrils were close enough to exhale gusts of hot air into my face. He whimpered as if he had been injured.

  "Are you alright?" I called up to him.

  He took a deep breath, then blew another gust of air into my face before he answered. "Everyone is going to forget about me. They will forget, and everything will end."

  He opened his enormous jaw, then closed it shut, making a snapping sound louder than the loudest thunderclap I‘d ever heard. I closed my eyes and covered my ears as the ground shook like a restless ocean beneath me. The ghastly sound continued until I could no longer bear it. I cried out, afraid that the dragon had come to take my life.

  When I opened my eyes again, I found myself in the temple dorms, panting and looking around frantically in the dark.

  "Finally, you're awake."

  I turned around and saw Han standing near the open door in the hallway, holding a lantern.

  "I'm glad you’re roommate isn‘t here," he said. “If he’d heard you whimpering and yelling like that, he’d probably smother you with his pillow.”

  "Was I really causing that much commotion?" I asked, still catching my breath.

  "Yes, you were. I've been trying to wake you up, but you just seemed too infatuated with that nightmare of yours."

  "Wake me up? Are we starting training already?"

  "No, it's still too early for that. Master Ichiro wanted me to make sure you got up early today. Get dressed and meet me outside; and be sure to bring your tamma." He left the lantern in my room then slid the door closed, before making his way down the hallway.

  I folded my bedding and put in the closet. Before I slid the closet door shut, I made sure to take out the silk pouch which carried my tamma and tied it snuggly to my waist. Quietly, I made my towards the entrance of the building, carrying the lantern with me. The winter flies greeted me outside, each one emitting an eerie blue glow as they flickered about. Han was waiting several paces ahead of me.

  "Don't forget Terr," he said. "Your tamma is as important to you as a sword is to a warrior. At least that's what Master Ichiro told me yesterday. Make sure you carry it with you everywhere you go." I nodded. He looked down at the object tied at my waste, affirming that I‘d brought it.

  "Now that you've woken me up Han. What is it you want?"

  "I was told that you’re supposed to go to the River Temple today. You were assigned as the morning tea server to a person called, Master Lu."

  I was confused at first, then I realized I had forgotten about the incident onboard the airship yesterday and about Master Lu’s punishment.

  "The River Temple? I don't even know where that is."

  "Neither do I," Han said with a sigh. "But Master Ichiro says, all you have to do is go to the stream, then follow it down the mountain. Eventually, you will come to the River Temple. He said to make sure that you come back before the hour of the dragon. You had better hurry Terr. Master Ichiro will be angry with me if I don't bring everyone to training on time."

  "Fine. I‘ll be back as soon as I can."

  I gave him a reassuring smile, but he seemed doubtful as he turned away and went back into the dorm.

  The pale lantern light did little to illuminate my path. I could hardly see a few paces in front of me as I made my way across the temple grounds. Even the winter flies seemed to offer their assistance as they lit up a few patches of ground ahead. Eventually, I found the line of red banners that lead me to the stream. My body shivered partly because of the icy cold, but mostly because of the anxiety I felt as I grew wary of the darkness around me. I scanned my surroundings, wondering if the old man I had met yesterday was watching me. Fear tugged at my thoughts as I wondered if he might suddenly emerge from the trees at any moment and kidnap me, forcing me to be a slave at his school, never to see my friends or my sister ever again.

  I wandered about in the dark, following the stream for what seemed like an eternity until I heard the rushing water quickening its pace. The night sky started to show its first hints of morning as it turned a dull gray, becoming just bright enough for me to see the widening tendrils of several streams flowing through channels carved of stone, and linking together to form a large, steady river. It was the largest I had ever seen, big enough to fit two small airships side by side. There were massive marble walkways adorning each bank, and as I traveled down them, I came across wooden bridges with detailed dragon heads carved on either end. Carved into the railings themselves were tiny temple buildings sitting atop what looked like a mountain covered with zigzagging rivers flowing down from its peak.

  The marble path seemed to stretch on forever, following the river as it snaked suddenly from direction to another. I always imagined a river to be somewhat straight, but the way it moved made me wonder if it was confused as to which way it should navigate down the face of the mountain. As magnificent as it was, walking the path was quickly becoming a chore. Another hour seemed to go by before I thought of how much longer it would be before I ended up back in Rune. It was no wonder that people preferred to travel between the temples via sky boat.

  Dark, green banners had started to line the path that lead towards the distant silhouettes of temple buildings towering high above the trees. The clouds were still thick against the morning sky, which gave a pale, sickly glow, making it difficult to see much of anything. But as I approached, the details of the buildings became much clearer to me and I was surprised to find that the River Temple was a place true to its name, as it had been built atop the river itself. The Great Hall and most of the other buildings sat on pillars that held them over the swiftly flowing water. Numerous channels made from stone and marble branched out, diverting the river into countless, smaller streams that wrapped the temple grounds like vines. Even the main courtyard was built like a flat, stone island, surrounded by water and connected by narrow walkways. Bridges of every shape and size crisscrossed and connected every building and path. By sky boat or bridge, both seemed to be the only way to wander the grounds without getting wet.

  "You there. Are you the boy Master Lu sent for?" A middle-aged woman, holding a lantern was standing on one of the bridges leading to the Great Hall.

  I hesitated, suspicious of the crass nature of the stranger before me.

  "Answer me child. Are you the boy Master Lu sent for?"

  "Yes, I am." I said finally, growing steadily annoyed by her presence.

  "Well hurry up. We don't have much time. Master Lu doesn't appreciate it when his servants are late."

  She turned without waiting and proceeded to wa
lk away. I ran after her, but she quickly held her palm out, signaling me to stop where I was.

  "Running is forbidden on these bridges. These are sacred monuments, each one dedicated to an ancestor of the Imperial Family. Do not humiliate yourself by needlessly stomping around on them."

  The harsh way she spoke, left me thinking that I probably should have avoided the bridges all together and just waded across the water instead.

  "I'm deeply sorry," I said, giving a quick, apologetic bow.

  "What is your name?"

  "My name is Terr."

  "Terr the Commoner? Or how about Terr the Fool?, " she growled. "I asked what your name was."

  "My name is. . . Terr of the Stream."

  "Better. Now follow me and tread softly. The only respectful way to cross these bridges, is to do so quietly.”

  Inside and outside, the Great Hall was almost identical to the one at the Stream Temple, except the main banquet room, which was much smaller. The bright red lanterns that hung from the ceiling, the brass decorations lining the walls, all of it seemed to be the same, except that there were much fewer tables. I suppose it made sense, considering that the Stream Temple hall had to be large enough to feed all the students from the other temples during evening meals.

  "My name is Paya," the woman said leading me into what looked like the kitchen. "I am Master Lu's personal servant. Every morning when you come here, you will be working for me."

  We made our way towards the back, where we entered a vast room filled with row upon row of shelves towering high enough to reach the ceiling. Each one must have had hundreds of drawers, all labeled by number. Temple servants wandered about from row to row, climbing ladders and pulling contents from the highest reaches of each shelf.

  "This, Terr of the Stream, is the tea room," Paya said proudly. "It is one of the largest in all of Rui Nan, rivaled only by the one at the Imperial Palace. It is here that you will prepare the tea for Master Lu."

  "Prepare?" I said suddenly. "I thought I was to only serve him the tea."

  I think I must have spoken too harshly, because her eyes began to narrow.

  "You still don‘t understand the honor you‘ve been given. You should be grateful to be given this chance." She paced around me, inspecting me with judging eyes. "Maybe it's because of the fact you're a student here, that you consider the art of tea preparation as somehow below you."

  "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. I just didn‘t think that I was also supposed to make his tea."

  "You are going to do more than that. Much more." She led me across the room motioning at the shelves. "Within these drawers, lies every form of tea leaf, root and herb known across all the kingdoms of the world. Each has their own taste, smell and even medicinal qualities. Every master at every temple prefers their tea to have a certain distinct combination of ingredients. You have the task of discovering what Master Lu prefers in his tea."

  I looked up at all the drawers and shelves and the long row of kettles lined up neatly on stoves along the back wall. “So I have to make Master Lu‘s tea without knowing what kind he likes?"

  “Yes.”

  “If I may ask, do you know what sort of tea he likes?"

  "No, I don’t. As a matter of fact, that is certainly something I’ve been quite curious about. In all my years of service to him, he has never made mention of any drink that was particularly his favorite." I think she must have thought that I was distracted, because she tapped her hand against the back of my ear, summoning my undivided attention. "You will serve him tea, made by your own hands. If he does not like it, you will come back tomorrow. If he does not like the tea you prepare him tomorrow, you will come back the next day. You will do this over and over again until your tea meets with his approval. Is this understood?"

  I didn’t know what to say. What she was asking of me was impossible. With so many ingredients there must have been infinite combinations and varieties of tea. "Is Master Lu crazy? Without a way to know what tea he prefers, I could be coming here every morning of every day for the rest of my life and still not get it right."

  She slapped the top of my head, upset by my sudden outburst. "Be quiet child. How dare you disrespect Master Lu. With a mouth such as yours, it makes me wonder why he hasn’t chosen to punish you more severely. Get to work. I will be back shortly to take you to him and you had better be ready."

  She gave a disapproving grunt, then shuffled out of the room.

  I rubbed the top of my head, barely managing to keep myself from mumbling a few disapproving words of my own. I sighed as I scanned the room once again, lingering upon every drawer and shelf. There was no time to simmer or worry. I had to at least try. I approached the nearest drawer labeled with the number, four-hundred forty-seven. As I opened it, I found a pile of dried purple leaves. It had a pungent odor, much like ginger, that made me turn my nose away. I took a small bowl and collected a few of the leaves. Afterwards, I took small portions from the drawers labeled with the numbers four-hundred seventy and four-hundred seventy-one, the first had a brown powder that smelled like sour fruit and the other had flower petals that had no smell at all, but tasted like mint when I put a piece in my mouth. I brewed the ingredients in a pot amidst the curious glances of the other servants, who were probably just as disturbed as I was by the smell coming from the strange concoction.

  "Who are you trying to poison?" one of them smirked.

  I ignored their teasing and remained focused on the pot.

  "He's making tea for Master Lu," another servant said.

  "That's ridiculous. For us to have spent our whole lives perfecting the art of tea making and now this young boy comes to defile the craft?"

  "And serving it to the Master of the River Temple no less."

  I turned towards them, almost on the verge of giving them a ferocious look, but suppressed the urge and somehow managed to hide it behind an expression of desperation instead. "Do any of you know what kind of tea Master Lu prefers?"

  Their faces drew a blank, then they all laughed. One of them patted me on the head as if I were some sort of house pet. They scattered, returning to their business while I fumed annoyingly at them, then at the steaming pot.

  Several minutes later, Paya returned.

  As I followed her up the spiral stairs, carrying the tray, I found myself marveling at how tall the building truly was. Master Lu's chambers sat atop the highest tower in the center of the main building. Paya glanced over her shoulder now and then, as if anticipating the moment I would slip and fall back down the stairs. When she did this, I immediately looked down at the tray, avoiding her glare and concealing a frown that refused to go away.

  We stopped at a pair of sliding doors at the top of the stairs. She slid them open slightly and peered inside, then closed them again.

  "Do not look at the Master directly," Paya said sternly. "Especially when he is speaking to you. Set the tea on the table beside him, then step back five paces. After that, just wait quietly. Disrespect him and I will make sure that you become my own personal servant."

  She knelt down and gently slid the doors open. "Master, the child you requested for has brought you your morning tea."

  The room, was hardly a room at all. There were no walls, only pillars that reach up towards the ceiling and exquisitely carved banisters that ran along the edges of the floor. The entire room was nothing more than a covered balcony.

  Master Lu was standing at the far end, his back to me as he gazed out at the temple grounds below. As I took my first few steps, I felt as though I were walking along the sky. The chilly morning air howled softly, mocking the slightest fears I had at being so high up. I shuffled right up to the table beside him, set down the tray and stepped back five paces, just as Paya had instructed.

  A moment of uncomfortable silence remained as I stood there, waiting like a nervous criminal awaiting his sentence.

  "Well?" Master Lu said quietly. "Are you going to pour me a cup, or do you expect me to drink it from the pot?"r />
  I rushed back up to the table and poured the tea. He turned and watched me with scrutiny as I held the cup up to him, then he motioned with his hand for me to put the cup back down.

  "Tea is not to be rushed young student. I will drink it in time. Now put it down and stand beside me for a moment."

  I set the cup on the table and moved to the railing next to him. He pointed to the temple grounds below.

  We watched as the advanced students, paired with their shyo mu and shyo mah partners, stand in neat rows along the bridges that dotted the grounds. They were practicing their techniques, causing the water that flowed under their bridges to rise and fall. Some had managed to suspend portions of the water in the air, making it to dance and whirl, before gently setting it back into the nearby streams. As I looked on, sky boats coasted by in small formations, with shyo mu guiding their course at the bow while their shyo mah sat patiently behind them, watching their partners' commanding motions. If I was captivated by what I had seen at the Stream Temple, certainly, I was overwhelmed and humbled by the vast display of skill and majesty before me. I gripped the rail of the banister with determined, wishful thoughts, which taunted and tugged at the timid hopes stirring in my mind.

  "Perhaps you wish to be like them someday?"

  I let go of the banister and gave a deep bow. "Yes Master, I would very much like to be one of them."

  "You mean you wish to be a chienkuu ko?"

  "Yes Master."

  "A revered servant of the Emperor?"

  "Yes Master."

  "Good. Yesterday, I doubted your resolve, but today, I sense a renewed vigor about you. Unfortunately, I’m saddened that Masa, my son, does not share your conviction. That is why, as of today, I am making him your responsibility."

  "My responsibility?" His request left me feeling numb.

  "Yes. As much as he does not wish to become a chienkuu ko, he must learn to accept it. Each generation of our family has had the privilege of training at these temples. He was chosen, and now he must continue this honor. You will make sure he completes his training, otherwise I will make sure you never complete yours."