by Ryan Kirk
“In the Three Kingdoms there is no information about the Azarians and their hunters. I had hoped the records here on the island might be more complete. I also hoped to seek training here. There is too much I don’t know, and I can’t protect those I love without greater strength.”
Ryuu took a deep breath. He had said all he had to say. He met Tenchi’s level gaze.
“And what if I were to tell you that you could never leave this island again?”
“I would do everything I could to escape when my mission here is complete.”
Tenchi smiled. “I appreciate your candor. I am undecided about you. There is something greater at work that I don’t understand. In this I agree with you. But we are not of the world anymore, and your desire to play a role in the events transpiring in the Three Kingdoms is of great concern. I will not guarantee you passage back to your homeland, but you are welcome here.”
Ryuu didn’t feel like he had a choice. He had known what he was getting into when he stepped on the ship.
“Thank you.”
Tenchi motioned for Ryuu to follow him and together they continued up the tunnel. Ryuu could sense the life above him, but decided to hold his questions.
“How much do you know about us?”
“Very little. Shigeru only mentioned the island the evening before his death, and Orochi and I never really spoke. I know there are other nightblades here, and I know this is where both of them grew up and trained. I assume the training Shigeru gave me originated here. Other than that, I know little else.”
“We came here after the Great Purge. It has been almost one thousand cycles since we cut ourselves off from the rest of the Three Kingdoms, and a lot has happened in that time. In some ways, there are similarities here to your monastic systems. We train daily and value knowledge and experience above all else. Daily we make progress in learning more about the world and the sense we are gifted with. I would argue our warriors today are more capable than those of legend.”
Ryuu nodded as he took all the information in. “I have many questions for you. I have only been here a little while, but I’ve already experienced techniques that just yesterday I didn’t think were possible.”
“I expect you have. You must remember your training was probably very haphazard. Shigeru was one of our best students and strongest swordsmen, so that bodes well for you, but mastery of the sense is a skill developed with time and patience. Our older men may not be as physically strong as our younger ones, but they still win most duels because of a greater understanding of the sense. Shigeru was gifted, but he was forced to escape the island before he learned some of his most valuable lessons. It was a shame. I had hoped, perhaps, that he would have been my successor.”
Ryuu hung on to every word. He had grown up with Shigeru, but Shigeru had been a very private man, and Ryuu knew little about his history. It wasn’t his priority, but he was hoping he might learn more about the man he called father during his stay here.
As they walked, Ryuu realized even the final chamber of his trial was far from the surface of the island. They climbed and climbed, eventually reaching a narrow stairwell that curved around and up. The higher they got, the more life Ryuu was able to sense. He didn’t understand it. There must be much more life on the island than he had assumed. It wasn’t the same as entering a city, but it wasn’t that different either.
When they reached the surface Ryuu almost fell to his knees. The light was blinding, but despite the tears that ran down his face, Ryuu saw something he had never expected to see. They had come up on a small rise which gave them a commanding view of the area around them. Tenchi grinned at Ryuu’s reaction, having clearly expected it.
Below him stretched not a small village, but a well-inhabited area, stretching wide and covering the entire plateau as far as the eye could see. Everywhere below him were people moving back and forth, all dressed in the traditional robes of the nightblades. There weren’t just a few hundred. There were a few thousand. Ryuu had found an island with enough strength to change the history of the Three Kingdoms.
Tenchi led Ryuu to a small unoccupied hut. “I do not know what conditions you have grown up in, but here we believe in modest living. There is little here, but it will provide all the shelter and warmth you need.”
Ryuu chuckled to himself when he saw the building. It was a small hut almost identical to the one he had grown up in with Shigeru. Apparently his adopted father hadn’t quite been able to leave the comforts of his own upbringing behind. “It is perfect and more than enough. I thank you for the hospitality.”
“It is no problem. As you can imagine, getting a visitor from the outside is very, very rare. I imagine word of your arrival has already spread throughout the community. Being the leader of this bunch, I can say I’m usually the last to hear of events of importance.”
Ryuu grinned at Tenchi’s self-deprecating sense of humor. He didn’t underestimate the man. Tenchi’s attitude might be flippant, but his mask belied his true power. Underneath the surface there was a man who had been born and raised on the island, one who probably knew more about the sense than anyone else alive. He was the man who could fill in the gaps in Ryuu’s training.
“I will leave you to rest. You have had an exhausting journey, and there is still much in front of you, if my instincts are any indication. Will you dine with me and the other leaders of the island tonight? Until then, I will place an escort at your door. You are not under guard and are free to travel wherever you like. However, you come at a rather delicate time. I can explain more to you later, but for now you should get your rest.”
Questions darted through Ryuu’s head, but the trials had taken more out of him than he was willing to admit. He was exhausted, and the idea of a day of rest appealed to him. “I’d like that very much, thank you.”
A few moments later, a young woman appeared at the door right next to Tenchi. Ryuu recognized her as the opponent he had fought for his third challenge. She was even more attractive in the daylight.
“You have already met Rei. She will stay outside your door until this evening, keeping away unwanted company. If you want for anything, please let her know and she will assist you. I’ll come this evening before sundown to bring you to the supper.”
It hadn’t occurred to Ryuu how much of a celebrity he would be on the island. He’d never had anyone guard his door. Ryuu doubted the sincerity of the gesture for a moment, but he was too tired to provide much of an argument.
Ryuu lay down on the mat provided for his bed. He had intended to think through recent events, but he was asleep the moment his head hit the floor.
When he awoke, the sun was high in the sky, well past the mid-point of the day. He reached back in his memory. He had gotten to the hut sometime during the early morning, meaning he had slept about half the day. It didn’t sound like much, but he awoke feeling like a new man. He didn’t have any idea what he was in for, but he felt more prepared for it now than he had this morning.
He stepped outside to see Rei sitting in the sun, meditating. She didn’t look at him but spoke warmly.
“Good morning.”
Ryuu laughed, her relaxed demeanor putting him at ease. “Good afternoon, I think you mean.”
She looked up at him, and Ryuu could tell that she was studying him as intensely as a scholar would study a difficult passage. It only lasted a moment, then it was gone, replaced by her bubbly demeanor. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
“Honestly, I was wondering if there was some place I could clean up. I’ve been on the road for almost a moon now, and I’ve not had a chance to bathe in ages.”
Rei grinned and nodded. “We do! Follow me.”
She got up nimbly and Ryuu reminded himself not to underestimate her. Her personality made her seem like a young, naive girl, but Ryuu had fought her. She had skills that would end most anyone who fought against her.
As they walked through the town, Ryuu was surprised to find how normal everything seemed to be. H
e wasn’t sure what he had been expecting, but it wasn’t the scenes of daily life that surrounded him. Women were carrying water to the houses, young boys were out playing. They passed several community places where larger numbers were gathered. Ryuu saw one clearing where school appeared to be in session. He was surprised to see both boys and girls sitting and learning side by side.
In the Three Kingdoms, only the richest women were educated. Moriko had learned to read in the monastery, but she was more the exception than the rule. Ryuu faced a moment of sadness as he thought about Moriko. He was worried about her. The farther he traveled from her, the more certain he was they had made a mistake in separating. They should have stayed together. They could have stayed here, in a place where they were welcomed instead of hunted.
A little farther on, Ryuu found a small square where both boys and girls were practicing their swordsmanship. Ryuu paused to watch. Their skill level was far beyond that of their Three Kingdoms peers. Ryuu noticed that the drills they were doing were the same as those he had practiced with Shigeru. A small pang of grief struck Ryuu. He missed Shigeru.
They continued on, Rei moving slowly to let Ryuu take everything in. He was shocked by the number of people he saw. He wasn’t sure of any way to estimate how many people were on the island, but it numbered well into the thousands. If both men and women were trained, he was in the center of a military force stronger than anything the Three Kingdoms had ever seen in its entire history. Why hadn’t Shigeru told him about this? He had grown up thinking his kind was almost extinct.
“This is amazing. I never thought I would live to see so many blades. There’s so many of you. Of us.”
His comment seemed to be exactly what Rei was waiting for. Ryuu could tell she was bursting with questions for him. She had been trying to be patient and give him time to adjust to the island, but she couldn’t hold herself back any longer.
“So it’s true? In the Three Kingdoms the nightblades are hunted? Why?”
“Yes, we are hunted. I’ve only ever known of four. Myself, Shigeru, Orochi, and Moriko. They hunt us because they believe we are a danger to the Three Kingdoms.”
“In our classes they say we are hunted because the people in the Three Kingdoms are afraid of our skills.”
Ryuu nodded. “That’s true. With so few nightblades left, there is more legend than truth left about us in the kingdoms.”
“Were you hunted?”
Ryuu thought back to Orochi tracking him and Shigeru across the Southern Kingdom. “Yes. Yes, I was.”
Rei saw it wasn’t something he wanted to talk about, so she switched subjects. “What is it like in the Three Kingdoms?”
Ryuu shrugged. It seemed hard to describe his entire upbringing in a few sentences. “It seems a lot like here. Most people go about their lives every day, just doing the best they can. It’s all the same, but with way more space and far fewer nightblades.”
“Have you fought in any wars?”
He shook his head. “No. I’ve fought multiple opponents, but I’ve never been part of a war. I don’t think I ever want to.”
They continued on in silence for a few steps, but Rei’s questions soon came bubbling up again. Ryuu answered them as best he could, always keeping an eye on his surroundings. His presence was being noticed everywhere they went. Most people didn’t seem to care one way or another, but there were some who took a prolonged interest in him. Ryuu could almost smell the politics, knowing they would be a necessary evil in a community this size. He contained his sigh. He didn’t want to become a pawn in some petty political struggle he didn’t understand.
Fortunately, Rei’s presence seemed to deter anyone who was too curious about him. He wondered what it was about this girl, who seemed so insignificant, that kept others away. In his usual manner, Ryuu decided to ask.
Rei’s easygoing demeanor dropped for just a moment and Ryuu saw there was much more to this girl than he had initially thought. It wasn’t that her behavior was a disguise, but it was camouflage of a sort. It hid a very quick and intelligent mind.
“I am one of Tenchi’s top students. There are those who think I am being groomed to take over as elder when Tenchi rejoins the Great Cycle. I’m not convinced it’s true, but he and I are close. His policies aren’t popular with all the people here, which is why you’re drawing even more attention than an outsider usually would.”
“But why don’t they approach anyway?”
Rei barked a quick laugh. “Remember our fight back in the caves?”
Ryuu did remember. She had been a difficult opponent, particularly in the dark. Ryuu had never met anyone who could use their presence as a weapon.
“You’re the first person who’s successfully defeated me in over a cycle. So, yes, they’ll stay away until it’s proper to come forward at the dinner tonight.”
Ryuu nodded. It was fair enough.
“Also, I’m going to want to know how you beat me one of these days.”
“With pleasure.”
With that they turned to a private bath house. It overlooked the sea, a gorgeous view. Rei pointed. “There you go. There will be warm water inside.”
Ryuu grinned. It was the first thing he had looked forward to in a very long time.
Ryuu was certain he had never felt as refreshed as he did after his bath. He felt as though he had shed whole layers of dirt and grime from his skin. He and Rei walked back, Ryuu answering question after question. Her curiosity seemed to be boundless as she pestered him with her rapid-fire questions. She reminded him a little of himself back when he had been a few cycles younger. He was still curious, he just wasn’t as forthcoming with his questions as she was with hers.
In fact, he wished he had time to get some of his own questions in edgewise. He wondered if part of Rei’s incessant chatter was an attempt to delay any conversation about the island. The more they walked and talked, the more Ryuu was convinced it was at least a part of the role she was playing. He tried to relax. He was in a rush, but his answers wouldn’t all come in the next day or two. Even if he didn’t like it, he would be here a while. Instead, he kept his senses open to the island, trying to soak in all the information he could.
When they got back to his own hut, Rei left him at the door.
“You’re welcome to come in if you like. I could answer more of your questions.”
He could see a hint of temptation in her face, but she shook her head. “No, I need to stay out here so you can have some privacy. I’m sure there’s still a lot on your mind, and dinner won’t be long from now. I’ll have plenty of time to annoy you with my questions later.”
He went inside, not entirely disappointed she wasn’t coming in. She was right. He still hadn’t had enough time to process the last few days, or the last moon, if he was being honest with himself. He made himself comfortable and let his thoughts drift.
It didn’t seem like long at all before there was movement outside his door. He roused himself from his meditative daze and stood up to greet Tenchi as he came in the door.
“I trust you have found everything to your satisfaction?”
Ryuu bowed. “You have been very generous, both with your time and your resources. Thank you.”
Tenchi grinned. It seemed to be the permanent expression on his face. “Rei told me she kept you very busy with questions about the Three Kingdoms. Please forgive her if she offends. She is very curious about what happens beyond this island.”
“It was no problem. It must be difficult to spend one’s entire life caged in by the sea. I suppose it also prevents a guest from asking difficult questions.”
Tenchi’s grin turned mischievous. So Ryuu’s guess had been correct.
“There is much to be discussed. I’ve mentioned before that your arrival comes at a delicate time. Your arrival will force our community to make a decision, and I fear we aren’t ready for it. I asked Rei to keep you distracted not because there are secrets here, but because I wanted to have the first opportunity to speak w
ith you about us.”
Ryuu found that he wanted to trust Tenchi. The man was open, friendly and kind, but Ryuu’s rational mind kept his guard up. This was most likely the man who had sentenced Shigeru to death. No one here was quite as they appeared. Ryuu reminded himself not to trust too easily.
“We have some time before dinner. I’d like to speak to you about the situation here, but please, ask your questions first. You’ve waited patiently.”
Ryuu’s mind spun. There were so many questions, it was hard to know where to start. “What is all of this? I never expected to find more than a handful of nightblades.”
“Someday I will show you the long history, which is written and must be memorized by all. But first, I must answer your question with a question. What is taught about the Great War in the Three Kingdoms?”
“That the nightblades tore apart the One Kingdom with their feuding and greed. After the war, relations couldn’t be mended, leading to the political system that has held for the past thousand cycles.”
Tenchi ran his hands thoughtfully through his white beard. “It seems the legends haven’t changed much then. The truth is more complicated, as the truth often is. Here on the island, we have a complete account of the time, which you are welcome to read. In short, the nightblades and the dayblades were instrumental in the downfall of the Kingdom. We weren’t the only reason, but we aren’t without blame. After the war, there were still thousands of blades left alive. Those who took a vow never to get involved in the politics of the kingdoms became the ancestors of the monastic system you are familiar with. The system was made of both nightblades and dayblades, but the healing arts of the dayblades were better tolerated by the Three Kingdoms. They attempted to create a standardized curriculum attainable by all blades, a curriculum which ignored much of what we hold true.”
Ryuu was curious. He had always wondered how the monasteries had started. “What do you mean?”
“The sense reveals itself in different ways to different people. You’ve seen a number of different abilities in your time, and despite your strength, you are unable to learn them all.”
