Sky of Paper: An Asian Steam-Driven Fantasy Tale

by Matthew Seaver

  General Fung's daring words cut through the air as I approached with the tray of refreshments. He was flailing his arms about and slapping the table with his palms, making a bit of a ruckus. Everyone else eyed him cautiously as if he were a wolf bound to a leash, about to break his bindings at any moment.

  "I’d always wondered about the value of these temples," the general said. "Surely Hotaka, you're a reasonable enough man to understand that these children would be better suited to flying the imperial ships of war, rather than being used as toys for the Emperor, or even the merchant fleets for that matter."

  "You are a bold man General Fung," Master Hotaka replied calmly. "To question the divine will of the Emperor. Surely, you yourself are reasonable enough man to understand that they are better suited to aiding the prosperity of our great nation by flying commerce and trade ships. Besides, isn’t your military devising new flying machines? I believe they’re called air planes; tiny vessels of the air which do not require the aid of the chienkuu ko."

  General Fung gave a stout laugh. "Those tiny, fragile things? Armed airships are still where the power lies. In the coming months, I plan to petition the Emperor to have you present me more of your students, so that they may help expand our glorious air navy."

  "We do not need a larger military," one of the temple masters said in such a loud, passionate voice, that the tray shook in my hands as I set it down on the table.

  "You are blind." The General took a slurp from his sake cup. "Our economy is weak and coinless. Everyone views our nation as weak and gullible. It is because of this that almost no one wishes to trade with us. And the few that do, take advantage of our position, leaving us still starving and begging. It is time for us to show them that we are the Tigers of the East, that we have a divine right to prosperity, even if we must take it by force."

  It was obvious the general carried the conversation. But amidst the muted reactions of disgust from the temple masters, one in particular, Master Lu, seemed to regard him with a certain amount of admiration.

  "You propose then, to make claim upon a portion of the mainland?" Another man said boldly from across the table.

  "I believe, it is our destiny to take the entire mainland. We possess the best technology and the best military. The world pretends to not notice these things, but if they continue to impose these embargoes then we may have to show them the sheer power of our resolve."

  Master Hotaka remained a patient, thoughtful man. He watched the argument unfold, seemingly biding his time. The man from across the table took notice of this as well.

  "What say you Master Hotaka? What do you think about all this?"

  He glanced in the man's direction, then calmly turned his eyes skyward. "I think it is a beautiful day today, perfect for sky sailing. The rain has subsided and a most refreshing breeze has taken its place. Don't you think so Mr. Kozu."

  The man across the table gave a confused nod.

  "The country is on the brink of a new era, and the only opinion you have pertains to the weather?" the general gruffed.

  Master Hotaka's words must have been highly respected, for it was enough to bring a silent calm among the guests. Even General Fung, not receiving any reply from his blatant taunting reluctantly succumbed to the strange absence of debate and turned his attention to his sake. Everyone, who had been glaring at each other and were once so intent on sharing their opinions, now moved their gazes to the clouds and the distant horizon. I too was tempted to approach the railings and gaze upon the earth below.

  However, the serenity of the moment was interrupted when Master Lu suddenly coughed and sputtered from his tea. Paya reached up to clean the dribble from around his mouth with a silk cloth, but he waved away her hand.

  "What is this?" he muttered to me hoarsely. "What sort of mixture have you made this time?"

  He tossed the cup and let it spill all over the deck.

  "There was not much to choose from Master Lu," I replied startled. "I could only find tio root and some sort of yellow leaf ground into a powder."

  "Master Lu," Master Hotaka said pleasantly. "Since when have you started drinking tea? I thought you detested it."

  Unlike General Fung, Master Lu served under Master Hotaka, and therefore had to be careful with the words he presented. This time, he decided not to reply at all. He darted a suspicious glance in my direction, then stood up and gave a respectful bow to Hotaka before turning and swiftly leaving the table with Paya shuffling close behind.

  "Terr is it?" Hotaka said also standing. "Please, come with me."

  Anxiety, excitement, nervousness, surprise, uncertainty. So many emotions had I felt in the days since coming to the temple, and yet as I walked the deck with Master Hotaka, I felt as if every one of them had been balled up and crammed into my stomach. As he walked, his footsteps hardly made a sound. His posture was impressively tall, straight and regal for a man of his age, and yet, his face held an expression so humble, it was as if he was unaware of how daunting and inspiring he truly looked.

  "Terr of the Stream from the Village of Rune ," he regarded me softly. "I consider it important to remember the names of all the new students and where they come from. Yours seemed to be the most unique of them all. A strangely named child from a strangely named village. You must stand out quite a bit."

  I was too nervous to consider when it was proper for me to speak, so I restrained myself from replying.

  As if he were able to read my thoughts, he said, "go on, feel free to speak your mind."

  "My sister says the name implies good luck. So to live in a village named Rune, that is in a prefect also named Rune, on the island of Rune, can only mean that for people who live there, they will receive good fortune three times over."

  I was careful not to look up at him too quickly or for too long, so as not to disrespect him, but in the slow gazes my eyes afforded me, I saw a man who seemed to be pleased with my reply.

  "Well then, I think perhaps your sister is right. You have been very fortunate to come this far. Though what we do here is not fully understood by those outside, you are the envy of every citizen in Rui Nan. You may think that Master Lu is trying to make you think differently, but just remember that he is simply providing you with another means to add to your good fortune."

  "I don't understand what you mean. How can being his tea boy bring about good fortune?"

  "It is not about the tea young student. He has his own reasons for that. What I mean, is the test he has challenged you with. It’s no secret that he barely acknowledges you as a student. Maybe his true ambition is to make sure you remain permanently as his tea servant."

  We stopped at the front of the boat, overlooking the bow. There was a wonderful view of a distant coast, with branching rivers that seemed to claw at its edge, and as our small vessel approached, the majestic pagodas of the Ocean Temple loomed into view. But I was hardly taking notice of any of this. Ai had already made it known to me, of Master Lu's intentions, but to hear it confirmed by Master Hotaka's own words, caused the reality of it all to fall upon me like icy rain just before the snow.

  He probably noticed a small bit of hopelessness hanging coldly in my eyes, because he looked at me with a curious, but warm look on his face.

  "I don’t care much for formal reviews. They don’t serve much use, and it’s unfair to the students. But when Master Lu came to me to approve your test, I thought that perhaps this time, for this one student, I should provide him with a grand opportunity. No matter what happens, know that you are not being tested because you are a failure. The truth is something completely different."

  "Then why? Why am I being made to do this?"

  "Master Lu is not the only one who has a plan for you."

  We landed upon the courtyard of the great Ocean Temple, where the most senior of the students resided. Just as the name implied, it sat at the very bottom of the mountain, upon a steep cliff that overlooked a restless ocean. Like the distant rumble of a herd of animals, the roar of the waves
could be heard all around. Unlike the other temples which had buildings that stood tall and magnificent, the ones that resided here looked short and squat, as if clinging to the earth so as not to be swept away by the wind. A few of the structures seemed so close to the ground, they curved with the flow of the hills and zigzagged in awkward directions mimicking the rocky coast it was built upon.

  We disembarked and made our way into an even larger courtyard, one which was filled with people lined in neat rows. At first, I thought they must have been students since they were dressed in temple garments and stood together in pairs as boy and girl, shyo mu and shyo ma, but they were much too old. Upon closer examination I began to doubt whether they were truly chienkuu ko at all, because among their faces, I had not found a single pair of eyes marked with exotic colors. No greens, no yellows, no purples; only brown eyes, like those of the common person.

  "Pay attention now, " Master Hotaka whispered to me as we proceeded to the stage at the far end. "This is a very special ceremony, the Ceremony of Jade's End."

  Ceremonial drums sounded, the temple bell rang and the masses bowed to Master Hotaka's endearing presence. The crashing waves bellowed from beyond the walls, as if the ocean itself were honoring his arrival.

  "For all of you, this is the end of a chapter," He announced. "Your journey across the sky is complete. There is no longer anything more for you to explore, to master, to overcome. Just as it was to those who soared the skies before you, age and destiny has taken away your gifts. The sky will no longer bend to your will and the airships which you have come to know, will not longer heed your commands.

  "But do not think for one moment, that this is the end of all things for you. Let the next generation concern themselves with the air and the sky. Know that this next chapter of your life is one of peace and reflection. The Emperor thanks you all for your service and he wishes great prosperity and long life to you. Take heart as we return you, your family names and send you on your way to live freely in the golden nation of Rui Nan."

  Over the next hour, temple masters, teachers, officials and other important looking people stood up to present their speeches. Some were little more than short, dramatic good-byes. Others were long, drawn out reminders of what it means to be a citizen of the empire.

  Afterwards, the temple bell sounded again and the drums pounded to life as each row stepped forward to receive a small finely-carved green-colored box. The monks reverently read off each family name and carefully handed each box to its owner.

  "Master Hotaka," I asked hesitantly. "What are they doing?"

  "They are containers of Jade," Master Hotaka said, leaning towards me ever so slightly, " which is where the ceremony gets its name. Within each box, is the Imperial Chrysanthemum seal, a symbol of their past life as chienkuu ko, and an official letter, granting them back their family names, so that they may again live as normal citizens."

  "But how can that be? Being a chienkuu ko, isn't that a life-long task? How can they simply leave all of this behind?"

  "They aren’t leaving young student. We are letting them go. Everything has an end, including the gifts all of us possess. The shyo mu, with their second sight, and the shyo ma, with their ability to change the sky currents; most will lose these gifts when they grow into adulthood. When they lose the color in their eyes and the will to bend the air we honor them with this ceremony and let them continue with their lives as they please. Such is the eventual fate of those who graduate this temple."

  "Then, if you would please excuse me for saying so, why are your eyes still green and why do the other masters still have their gifts?"

  The wrinkles on Master Hotaka's face arched upwards, as if he was expecting that very question.

  "Though what I tell you is true," he answered, "no truth is absolute. A very small number of us never really lose our abilities; and as such we continue to remain in the service of the Emperor until the day these abilities leave us, or old age overcomes us."

  That night, I lay in my room, thinking about the ceremony, about the time that would eventually come, when our gifts would begin to fail us and our services would no longer be needed. It was true that we were revered as the children of the sky, and yet, as we are all destined to grow into adulthood, so too would we lose our special place in the eyes of the Emperor.

  Masa was snoring loudly in the corner. He too must have known about this all too well. I wondered if he was glad that the life of a sky child was so short, that he would not have to endure for long, the lifestyle he so detested.

  I barely had a chance to shut my eyes before I was awaken by a sharp pull of my arm. In the darkness, my dreary eyes could only make out a shadowy figure, hunched over my face. Wide awake now, I sat up for a closer look, but the figure grabbed my collar and yanked me towards the door.

  "C'mon, if I have to get up early, so should you," the figure said with little regard for the people sleeping in the neighboring rooms.

  The voice as all-too familiar to me and I cried out in protest. "Stop. Let go of me Kass."

  "No," she said defiantly. "If I let go, you'll just go back to sleep."

  I finally managed to pull her hand off my collar and quickly got to my feet, being careful not to make too much noise. The piled mass in the corner that was Masa, hardly stirred.

  "What are you doing here?" I hissed. "And where's Etsu?"

  "She's outside of course. We were waiting for you to meet us for training, but I knew you‘d be lazy and sleep in."

  She grabbed my arm and ushered me again towards the door.

  "Wait," I said suddenly ", let me get my tamma first."

  "Hurry up.”

  I barely had a chance to get my coat and tamma before she shoved me down the hallway. Outside Etsu was pacing about impatiently with a lantern. Kassashimei rasped me on the head several times with a strange looking stick that had a bushel of feathers bound to one end. I spat and hissed as the feathers smothered my face.

  "Get that away from me. What are you doing?" I said in an annoyed tone.

  "Stop complaining. In case you don't know. Today is the day of the tortoise. I'm giving you the blessing of the river spirit. Once a week, you must receive their blessing, or they will not protect you against demons and monsters."

  I turned to Etsu in bewilderment, hoping she could make sense of Kassashimei’s strange behavior, but she only shrugged. As we made our way through the forest, Kassashimei rasped the air with her strange, feather stick, trailing a good distance behind us, as if she were sweeping away imaginary smoke, lingering off our backs.

  "She's a superstitious girl isn't she?" I whispered to Etsu.

  "More than you know," Etsu replied. "And she still hasn’t forgiven you for losing her charm stones."

  Lai and Mai were waiting for us in a clearing with a new sky boat. They wasted no time as we approached.

  "Both of you," said Lai in a hurried tone. "Get in the boat."

  Mai helped Kassashimei sit in the back and like one of the impatient temple teachers, she meticulously inspected and fixed her posture while Lai made me sure that I was standing properly on the bow. The focus of our lessons that night were on form and technique. Lai taught me how to balance and articulate my motions without falling off. Kassashimei was made to watch the movements of my hands and body, while explaining to Mai what I meant if I swept my arm this way, or outstretched my fingers in a certain direction. Though every shyo mu had forms that were mostly the same, each shyo mah had to train themselves to learn the subtle differences and meanings behind their movements. This required Kassashimei to sit absolutely still and maintain a trance-like focus on my body, all the while ignoring her surroundings. Even though she constantly complained and annoyed Mai by impatiently waving her feather-stick around, she reluctantly did what she was told.

  On more than one occasion, I lost my balance and fell off the bow. Kassashimei was quick to take advantage of such mistakes and took it upon herself to utter a few insults.

  "Why bother teachi
ng a turtle to balance like a crane.

  Keep falling Terr. Eventually you'll hurt yourself, then I can find a new shyo mu.

  If I have to bend a wave around his arm when he sweeps it, does that mean I bend a wave around the entire boat when his whole body sweeps overboard?"

  These, and many other remarks she seemed so keen on blurting tested every ounce of my patience.

  I told her to keep quiet, but for all I knew, she probably took my protests as a challenge, since she cemented her insults by laughing or giggling whenever I made the slightest error or when she thought one of my forms looked awkward or silly.

  When I asked Lai if we were going to try flying again that night, he hastily said no. Judging by what happened last time, I suppose he thought it more prudent to slow down the lessons and take things much more cautiously. To me, however, it was painfully slow, and even though I knew he was looking out for my safety, my mind continued to tease at the thought of returning to the sky.

  After a time, he began to notice my boredom. I was confident that my Kaikua was perfect. Even though I was just a beginner student, I did every form that I knew with a grace and steadiness that impressed even my teachers. In that short amount of time, I had even learned to keep my balance. I even dared to try a few advanced techniques I’d seen some of the senior students do , but Lai was not impressed. He demanded I take his teachings seriously or he’d end the lesson.

  Finally, and with obvious hesitation, he decided that my training should move on. When he took my tamma to mount it on the wooden pedestal in front of me, he paused, regarding the item in his hand as if it had suddenly changed shape.

  "Terr, what is this? What’ve you done to your tamma?" he said in a worried tone.

  I took the ball from his hand and realized a detail I had not noticed before. What was once a featureless, glass surface was now carved with intricate circular shapes, like vines wrapped around the base of a tree. The meticulous, curving lines stretched across the entire face, interlocking and weaving to form mysterious and complex patterns. The carvings caught the moonlight in such a way that it gave off a faint, ethereal glow. As I turned it away from the moon to look at it more closely in the lantern light, the patterns almost completely disappeared. Only when my eyesight was turned at a certain angle and underneath the proper lighting conditions did the patterns reveal themselves again.