by Ryan Kirk
The two sat down, and Kiyoshi served tea. Minori sipped at the brew gently, pleased with its quality. Kiyoshi might be simple, but he was a man of refined tastes. The leaves imparted a rich flavor that finished with just a hint of sweetness. The tea was excellent. Kiyoshi’s preparation was flawless. Minori would have led with the polite exchange of remarks mandatory to such settings, but he decided to break the rules of etiquette and see how his host dealt with the pressure.
“Kiyoshi, we have much to discuss. I’m sure you have several questions about why I’ve been sent.”
Kiyoshi’s smile was gentle, as though he were talking to a child. His eyes were still lit with laughter, and Minori saw the old man didn’t mind the breach of etiquette at all. Despite himself, Minori drew parallels between himself and the king’s adviser. Perhaps they were more similar than he thought.
“I don’t think there’s any question as to why you’re here. The council is displeased with the way I’ve handled affairs. They hope by sending you, they can pursue a more ambitious strategy that gives the blades more political power.”
Minori found himself on the defensive. His first impulse was to lie, but he could see deception would do him no good. For now. Kiyoshi knew exactly why Minori was here, and if Minori wanted the older man to be his ally at all, he would have to become far more comfortable telling the truth.
“You are correct, of course. The council believes you are too amenable to constraints being placed on the blades.”
Kiyoshi’s smile grew. “I have heard much about you, but your honesty is a refreshing change from the politics of the castle.”
Minori held his own grin in check. He could already feel Kiyoshi warming up to him. If he played this right, the old dayblade would be helping him in no time at all. He replied, “I can imagine. I’ve seen the politics that dominate the Council of the Blades, and I suspect it is even worse here.”
A small silence blossomed as they both sipped their tea at the same time. Minori saw Kiyoshi was perfectly at home in the silence. It would be his responsibility to move the conversation forward.
“I believe you mean well by your work. You are doing what you think is necessary. If I were to guess, I would say you believe the way to quench the dissension among the lords is to make the sacrifices they request. You believe that by doing so, you’ll keep the Kingdom functioning smoothly.”
Kiyoshi’s grin remained on his face, but he nodded. Emboldened, Minori continued.
“I understand your beliefs. But you’re wrong. What happens when you’ve sacrificed so much authority the blades aren’t able to effect change any longer?”
“It’s the same question that keeps me up almost every night.”
“So explain yourself. Why is giving up our legal powers a better plan than maintaining them, or even strengthening them?”
Kiyoshi sipped his tea, clearly thinking through Minori’s question. When he did answer, his response surprised the nightblade.
“I’m not sure it is the best plan. But I can predict your thoughts as well. You’d like to see the blades become stronger. You see the pettiness that drives the lords, and you believe the blades must be strong to protect the Kingdom. You even believe the blades should influence or direct the policy of the Kingdom.”
Minori was delighted. He hadn’t been sure what he would encounter when visiting Kiyoshi, but he certainly hadn’t expected an honest debate. He couldn’t imagine this conversation happening anywhere else, at least not between two people whose opinions and actions could actually shape the future of the Kingdom.
“You are right, of course,” Minori replied.
Kiyoshi spoke carefully. “So, as you can see, we already agree on quite a bit. The world is changing, and the role of the blades has to change with it. You worry I will make us too weak, and I worry you will make us too strong. The fact is, if I had to choose between the two extremes, I much prefer my own, even if it leads to the decline of the blades many cycles from now.”
Minori had to take a sip of his tea to hide his surprise. At the Council of the Blades, Kiyoshi’s argument would be considered treasonous. He’d be thrown out of the council, maybe even executed.
Minori’s mind raced, trying to understand Kiyoshi’s reasoning. “You don’t believe we can handle the extra responsibility, do you?”
Kiyoshi shook his head. “I wish that I did. If we could be both strong warriors and strong leaders, we would begin a Kingdom the like of which the world has never seen. But we’re human. We’re not any wiser than any other civilian. Combine that with our power, and you’ve got a plan for disaster. Ideally, I’d like for the world to continue as it has. Now we have the strength to influence decisions, but we don’t make them. And that’s a good thing. But like you, I’ve seen the future. The current state of affairs will not hold for much longer, and as a people, we must decide how we move forward.”
Minori thought about what Kiyoshi said. What surprised him most was that he understood Kiyoshi. He disagreed with the dayblade, but he saw how Kiyoshi’s beliefs might have come about. There was only one idea Minori didn’t agree with. The blades weren’t just normal humans.
A normal human lived in fear of death. It drove every action, from work to sex. It colored every decision they made. But not a blade. A blade grew up befriending death. With the sense, you could feel the energy that made a person unique. When a person died, you could feel that energy become one with all life. Blades didn’t have to question death. They knew.
Their abilities gave them a perspective no regular human could ever have. Blades would make better leaders. Of that, Minori had no doubt.
“Is there anything that would change your mind?” Minori asked.
Kiyoshi thought about the question. “I don’t think so. Even if you could present me an ideal leader, I’m not sure I trust us any more than I’d trust a regular human to lead this Kingdom.”
Minori nodded his head. The old man had given him much to think about. They wouldn’t reach an agreement. Not today. The conversation was coming to an end. He finished his tea and bowed low, this time doing so sincerely.
“Thank you for your hospitality. I look forward to many more conversations in the future.”
Kiyoshi’s words echoed in Minori’s head. While he hadn’t been sure what to expect, he hadn’t planned on having a civil disagreement with the single most influential blade in the Kingdom. He had known they would disagree. But he hadn’t expected his respect for Kiyoshi to grow significantly.
Minori was a man who respected strength. He despised politicians who bent with the slightest changes in the breeze. There was a strength in standing for principles, and there was a definite strength in choosing decay over dominance. Minori knew Kiyoshi was wrong, but he respected the man for standing his ground. He still might have to kill the old dayblade, but such an act wouldn’t be his first choice.
His next errand was also important. Others might have waited, but Minori thought procrastination was another form of weakness. Far better to fill your days with meaningful activities.
He made his way to the king’s guards’ outpost. The king had armies scattered throughout the land, but the best warriors made their way to the king’s guard. Haven, although it resided in the lands of Lord Isamu’s house, was considered separate from the rest of the Kingdom. The king’s guard were all experts not just in the sword, but also in the spear, one of the few weapons that gave a soldier any chance to harm a nightblade. As an army, they were small, only a few hundred strong, but Minori wouldn’t bet against them in a battle with any lord’s army.
The guard was responsible for the protection of the capital, and their fort was a sight to behold. The walls were three times the height of a man, made of solid stone that had never been breached. But the fort barely registered in Minori’s mind as he approached. His black robes were more than enough to get him through the front gates, and a set of papers marked with the sign of the Council of the Blades gave him entrance to the cells inside the fo
rt.
In a matter of moments, he was sitting across from another nightblade, Koji. Recently, Koji had been in the realm of House Kita, Lord Juro’s land, saving a town from bandits. When he had returned to civilization, he had been detained based on an order from Kiyoshi. Although the young nightblade was unaware of his fate, Minori had learned that he would be sentenced to death in the next few days. Another sacrifice Kiyoshi was willing to make to keep the peace.
Koji bowed to his guest, and Minori returned the bow, although less deep. His eyes ran over the captured nightblade. Koji looked as though he was being cared for. His eyes were bright, and there were no signs of abuse. Minori wasn’t surprised. The guards would fear even a chained nightblade, and from the way this one held himself, Minori agreed with their assessment. The boy was stronger than Minori had been led to believe. He could sense the energy radiating from the captive.
“You don’t know me, but my name is Minori. I’m a representative of the Council of the Blades.”
“It is good to see you. Are you here to straighten out what has happened?”
Minori nodded. “There are many stories being circulated about what occurred in the mountains, but I have difficulty believing them. We hold ourselves to a higher standard, and just observing that you allowed yourself to be chained and imprisoned indicates you aren’t the sort of man the stories claim you are.”
The look of relief in Koji’s eyes was palpable. Minori kept his eyes on the young nightblade. The truth was he had no idea what had happened up in the mountains. The stories didn’t seem true, but Minori didn’t care. Koji had become a pawn, and Minori wanted to take control.
Koji spoke. “I’m very grateful. I’ve been trying to tell the truth to anyone who will listen, but no one seems to care what I have to say. The truth differs greatly from what others would have you believe.”
Minori leaned back, preparing for a long story. “Please, tell me what happened, briefly if you can.”
“As you know, I was sent to the mountains to root out a group of bandits. Some of the local army units had tried to find the thieves, but based on the difficult geography, they were unsuccessful. The bandits were well hidden. It was thought that a nightblade, with the ability to sense the rogues, would be able to track and follow them.
“Everything began well. I was able to wander the mountains, and with my sense, I intercepted a few small raids before they began. One time I followed a survivor of a raid quite deep into the mountains before I lost him.”
Minori stopped Koji. “How did you lose a bandit?”
Koji’s face reflected his failure. “Even though I could sense him at quite a distance, he knew he was being followed, and his skills on a horse were far superior to my own in the mountains. He took paths I was not able to follow mounted, and on foot I was not fast enough to catch him.”
Minori was frustrated. Such weakness shouldn’t be tolerated. But to Koji he said, “Do not worry. I’m sure you tried everything you could. Please continue.”
“Even though I wasn’t able to track the bandit back to his lair, I had a much better idea of where he and his cohorts were located. I returned to the nearest village and began preparations for a small expedition. My plan was to go deep into the mountains and attack the bandits wherever they were hiding. I stocked up on supplies and left.
“What I didn’t know was that the bandits were already planning their own counterattack. I had made enough of an impact that they wanted to kill me. I ended up meeting them deep in the mountains. They had meant to set up an ambush, which wasn’t successful, but I was still outnumbered. The fight was intense, and someday I hope to share more of that. But, in short, I won, even though I lost my horse and supplies in the battle.
“Losing the horse was the worst event that could have happened. I was days away from the village, and game was scarce in the mountains. I won’t waste your time with the details of my journey back, but by the time I made it back to the village, I was near death. Most of the villagers were very kind. I asked for food and aid, and most were more than willing to provide assistance. But as I recovered, I felt like something was wrong.
“There was a farmer in the village, a farmer who had never been friendly toward me. I assumed he just had a general dislike of blades, but as I thought more about it, I realized this man’s farm had never been attacked. I became suspicious. His wasn’t the only farm unharmed, but I followed my instinct. Something felt wrong. After I recovered, I approached the farmer. I suspected he had ties to the bandits. When I questioned him, he attacked me with a knife. I reacted instinctively, killing him with a single blow.
“I left the village that day. My work was done. But I hadn’t shared my suspicions with anyone else, and I suspect the farmer’s wife spread lies after I left, perhaps telling people I demanded extravagant amounts of rice and then murdered her husband when he refused. When I returned to well-traveled roads, I was soon spotted and arrested. I made no fuss because I figured the matter could be straightened out once I was brought here. So I’m grateful you’ve arrived to end this.”
Minori considered the nightblade’s story. It had the ring of truth, and he didn’t get any impression the boy was lying. “I am here to help, but I have bad news for you. The lords have seized upon the widow’s story, and it has become widely accepted as the truth. The people are clamoring for your head.”
Koji paled but maintained his composure. “What will happen?”
“You know Kiyoshi?”
Koji nodded.
“I believe he plans to sacrifice you. There is a great deal of political pressure on him, and he believes your life will maintain the peace.”
Minori studied Koji’s reaction carefully, all hinging on this point. He saw the rage cross Koji’s face, but the young nightblade controlled it well. Koji’s countenance was stony and silent. Good. The boy was angry.
Minori commented, “I am here because I believe every blade is valuable. Too valuable to be sacrificed on the altar of petty political struggles.”
He could see the relief in Koji’s shoulders. This was almost too easy.
“What would you have me do?”
Minori smiled. “First, don’t worry. I will not let you die for performing your services admirably. I will help you escape, but you’ll need to leave the city immediately. The council will find you a new line of work, but you won’t be acting in public as a nightblade, not anymore. Is that an acceptable compromise?”
Koji didn’t hesitate. “I will do whatever you ask.”
“In the next night or two, I will come for you. Until then, be a model prisoner. Give them no reason to suspect anything. Be ready to move when I arrive.”
Koji bowed deeply. “Thank you.”
Minori stood. “Think nothing of it. I will return soon.”
Two days later, the night was dark, and the cloudy skies portended rain. Minori couldn’t have asked for a better night to mask his plans. From underneath his black robes, he pulled out more black fabric, wrapping the cloth over his face, rendering him almost invisible against the darkness of the skies.
His heart beat faster, but his breath was calm and consistent. It had been far too long since he had done anything truly useful. His recent work was largely of the mind, shaping the path of the Kingdom, but words could never match the thrill of physical accomplishment. Minori was no longer young, but he kept his body in peak physical condition and knew he would be successful tonight.
As he picked his way toward the fort, the skies opened, pouring water upon the inhabitants of Haven. Where others hid from the rain, Minori embraced the deluge. It was only water, and it gave Minori an edge as he approached the fort. No guard, no matter how disciplined, liked standing in the rain. They would find shelter, and as they did, they would leave gaps in their defenses.
Minori reached the walls of the fort without being seen. Families were inside enjoying the warmth of their fires, and businesses were closed. He studied his first obstacle. The wall was daunting but wou
ldn’t be difficult to scale. There were plenty of holds, and he was an excellent climber. He hoped Koji would be just as good on the way out.
Using his sense, Minori determined where the sentries were on the walls. As he had suspected, the guards had taken cover from the rain. He just needed to find a climbing route that the guards couldn’t observe. He spotted one potential route, but the guards would spot him if he took it. He wasn’t dismayed.
Minori crept around the fort, finding another route farther along the wall. He studied the path and decided it would suit his needs. Again, he extended his sense and searched for guards. They were nearby, but no one was paying attention to the section of wall upon which he gazed. The path was open, so he ran forward. His first step upon the barrier was about waist height, with upward momentum. His hand grasped a crack, and his grip was solid. He hung by his hand for just a moment. He needed to be careful.
Finding handholds and footholds, Minori moved up the wall, not hurrying, not hesitating. Within a few breaths, he was near the top, the rain beating down against his head. He extended his sense, double-checking that his route was still unobserved. No guard was looking his way, so he clambered onto the top of the wall. He paused for a moment, studying the courtyard below. There was no reason for any guards to be in the courtyard. No alarm had been sounded, and the rain was still pouring. The guards’ limited attention would be focused on what lurked outside the walls, not inside their home. Minori dropped down and walked across the courtyard without interruption.
His next challenge would be the first guard in the cells. When he had visited Koji two days ago, he had noted the guards, one at the door and another patrolling the halls at random. Wariness was required, but he didn’t expect a problem.
Minori reached the door to the cells and gently pushed it. As it had been when he had visited, the door was unlocked. The guards had no reason to expect anyone sneaking in. After all, they were behind well-protected walls. The unlocked door was a lapse in security they wouldn’t repeat after tonight. Minori opened the door just a crack, exposing the guard standing close by. Minori drew a small tube from the fold of his robes and brought it to his lips. He blew, and a dart embedded itself in the guard’s neck. The poison wasn’t fatal, but it would render the guard unconscious for most of the evening.
