The Wind and the Void

by Ryan Kirk

His comment was met by solemn nods, but when it was clear he wasn't going to add anything else, they resumed their conversation, knowing it was what he desired.

  The world slowly faded away from him, his world gently consumed by darkness and silence. In his last moments, he imagined he could feel the entire Kingdom breathing a great sigh of relief. They were safe and whole after a thousand cycles. Perhaps it was real. Perhaps it was in his head. Either way, he died with a smile on his lips.

  Epilogue

  That autumn was a busy one. Makoto had hammered out the details of the peace treaty in the days following the nightblades’ attack. The Azarians wouldn’t return to Azaria, but that had never been expected. Makoto knew they were still too strong to be forced out, and there was plenty of land for everyone. The Azarians were allowed to settle wherever they wanted, provided the land wasn’t already in use by another.

  In exchange, the Azarians agreed to obey the laws of the Kingdom and submit themselves to the justice of the king. Ryuu feared that it would be a difficult transition, but some groups of nightblades were starting to return to the Kingdom, and many of them were taking the roles of regional guards. It would be their responsibility to enforce the peace during these turbulent days.

  There were few hunters left from their battle with the nightblades and the nightblades’ subsequent attack on the Gathering. Those that remained joined clans and helped them rebuild. Ryuu and the other nightblades who could sense at a distance kept a wary watch on them.

  After a small debate, Ryuu and Moriko decided to visit Shigeru’s hut one last time. It wasn’t a far journey from where the Gathering had been, and Ryuu wanted to see the home he had grown up in.

  Returning to the hut opened up a host of memories for Ryuu. He spent two days just wandering the surrounding forest with Moriko. He thought a lot about Shigeru. The man had given up everything for a young boy he had saved from bandits. Ryuu thought back to those early days, wondering what Shigeru would think of him now. His master had also carried a heavy burden. Would he understand?

  When Ryuu was older, Shigeru had told him he was destined to do something great. Ryuu wasn’t so sure he was. He had brought the nightblades back, but he had also initiated a massacre. It was a far cry from the legends he had dreamed of living as a child. He would be happy to fade into obscurity.

  Moriko was more content than Ryuu could ever remember seeing her. She loved being in the old woods. She always had. He was still a little surprised she was so eager to leave for an island that had so few trees. At times, he considered trying to convince her to stay, but he knew his efforts would be in vain. Her heart was set on returning to the island, and even he had to admit he was starting to acknowledge the wisdom of her decision.

  He wasn’t sure what to do with the hut. A part of him wanted to burn it down, to burn any connection he had with his past. He was ready for a new start. But Moriko argued against it. The hut was important to both of them. Ryuu had grown up there, and he and Moriko had lived there together for several cycles. It was as close to a home as either of them had in the Kingdom.

  Instead, they cleaned it well, emptying it of any goods they wanted to keep. They harvested what little of their garden had survived their absence and prepared the ground for anyone who might return. They would leave the hut in pristine condition. It was unlikely anyone else would come across it, but if they did, it could be a home for someone else, too.

  With a fond farewell, they departed the hut and walked until they found the river. Ryuu purchased passage on a boat going up the river to Highgate. They had talked about exploring more of the Kingdom together, but had decided against it. Winter was coming, and soon transportation to the island would be a lot more difficult. They made good time and were in Highgate in a few days.

  Ryuu was pleased to see that life in the Kingdom was slowly returning to a new normal. Many people still lived at the monasteries, but every day people were coming back. News of the nightblades was spreading, and while none wore the black in public, whispers could be heard. There was fear in the whispers, but there was hope too. The nightblades had saved the army in their final battle against the Azarians, and word of their deeds was starting to take hold. Ryuu wondered how long it would be before the public learned of the other events of that evening.

  Highgate was also returning to the city it had been before the war. It would take more time to heal, but the process was beginning. Ryuu and Moriko enjoyed a delicious meal, and Moriko begrudgingly admitted it was one of the best she’d ever tasted, far better than the fare at the inn the last time they had passed through.

  The next day they caught a ship to the island. They were delayed by a storm, but came to the island without further incident. They made their hut on the island their home, and as the days passed, they tried to start their new lives.

  One night, just over a moon later, Ryuu and Moriko were asleep when both awoke to the feeling of someone running towards their hut. Ryuu sensed it was Rei, and his heart sank. There was only one reason why she would be running here at this time of the night. He looked over at Moriko and saw understanding in her eyes as well.

  They were both up and dressed by the time Rei got to their hut. She was ready to give birth any day now, and she moved slower than she once had. The look in her eyes said it all, but she spoke anyway. “He’s dying. He wants both of you.”

  They walked quickly towards Tenchi’s hut, indistinguishable from the others on the island despite his position. While on the way, Ryuu asked a question.

  “Rei, how is it that he knows he’s dying? Did something happen?”

  Rei answered without looking back. “You may have already figured this out, but the line that separates dayblade and nightblade is fairly ambiguous. In general, nightblades are able to manipulate the sense externally, while dayblades manipulate it internally. But there isn’t any rule or natural law that prevents one from doing both. Generally, it’s just a natural limitation we all deal with. Tenchi is able to utilize the sense in both ways, at least to a degree. He can sense what’s happening in his body, and he knows he’s dying.”

  Moriko spoke up. “If he can sense what’s happening, can’t he fix himself?”

  Rei’s smile was sad. “Healing doesn’t last forever. Dayblades can heal, but we can’t cheat death. I have little doubt that his vitality, especially considering his age, is due in large part to continual self-healing. But no one lives forever.”

  Rei stopped at Tenchi’s door. “This is as far as I go. He has already spoken his last words to me.” She glanced at Ryuu with a look he couldn’t comprehend.

  Ryuu and Moriko stepped into Tenchi’s hut. It was as bare as ever, filled with only the minimal essentials for living.

  “Come in, come in.” Tenchi’s voice was strong. It wasn’t what Ryuu had expected, but with his new knowledge, he expected that Tenchi would push himself to the very end. He would go out strong and quickly. Ryuu’s respect for the old man only deepened.

  “It’s good to see you both. Thank you for coming.”

  Ryuu couldn’t help but tear up. “I’m going to miss you very much.”

  Tenchi’s grin was sad but wide. “And if I’m being honest, I expect I’m going to miss you both very much as well. Your presence here hasn’t always been comforting, but you’ve changed our future, and for that, I’ll always be grateful.”

  Tenchi fixed Moriko with a stare. “Moriko, please take care of Ryuu. You can see as well as I that he hasn’t healed yet, but if anyone can help him, it will be you. Don’t give up on him.”

  Moriko nodded, tears starting to stream down her face.

  “And one last warning. The skill you possess, the skill that makes you so dangerous, comes with its own danger. You’re not the first with your skill, and I imagine you won’t be the last, but I don’t know of anyone whose talent exceeds your own, living or dead. Your ability to go so far inside yourself and live there constantly, it can cause a person to cut themselves off from the world. I know you struggle
with it already, but never give up on the world. It’s a good place, no matter how much evil happens here.”

  Moriko bowed deeply, tears dripping from her eyes. Ryuu didn’t understand exactly what Tenchi was saying to her, but it affected her deeply.

  Moriko stepped away and Tenchi turned his attention to Ryuu. “Ryuu, I’ve never met anyone with as much strength as you have. Already you are the best warrior I’ve ever met, and you still have many cycles of development left. Don’t let the power get to your head. Keep learning and stay humble. Come here.”

  Ryuu did so and Tenchi held out his hand. Ryuu took it and the world fell away. He recognized the technique instantly. He and Tenchi were as one. It was how he had learned to sense at a distance so quickly.

  At the time, he had simply been absorbing one skill, but when he touched Tenchi’s hand this time he experienced it all. A part of his mind realized Tenchi was pushing skills into him as fast as he could, but it was all a jumbled mess to him. One moment he felt like he could block someone’s distance sensing, another moment he could feel every single muscle twitching in his body. Skill after skill embedded itself in his mind. Then it was over. He rocked backwards.

  Tenchi grinned, although it was obvious the effort had taken its toll on him. “You won’t understand it now, but with study, all the pieces should come together and you should be able to get quite the jump on others. There’s so much we don’t know. You’ve told me that you’ve considered sheathing your sword forever, but I would ask you not to. Perhaps you will never have to kill again. I hope for your sake you don’t. But the sword is a tool that illuminates all other teachings and philosophy. Continue to study. Continue to grow. Let your knowledge become a beacon for future generations. And show the other old men how much they have yet to learn.”

  Ryuu grinned, but Tenchi turned serious. “Ryuu, I know you’re still torn about what you’ve done. I understand. I am, too. I can’t help you to find peace, but you must. Find it and move on, otherwise it will hurt you forever.”

  Ryuu nodded through the tears and Tenchi spoke again. “Call Rei in.”

  Moriko went to go get Rei. The two women helped him to his feet, and together they walked slowly. At his direction, they stepped out of the hut and sat outside. The sun was rising in the east.

  “I just want to see one last sunrise. Then I’ll let it go.”

  The sun rose slowly, burning the ocean and night away as it rose.

  Tenchi looked at each of them in turn. “I have been fortunate. I’m dying in the company of the three I love most, watching a beautiful sunrise. Thank you.”

  They watched until the sun completely rose above the horizon. Around them, the island was slowly coming to life. Tenchi smiled. He looked around and took a deep breath. Ryuu saw that his face was dry and he was calm.

  Tenchi closed his eyes and was gone.

  It had been over a cycle since Tenchi passed away. Ryuu still thought about him often, but the grief was getting more bearable every day. Moriko was his constant companion, for which he was extremely grateful. There were good days and there were bad days, but he wasn’t sure he would have made it through the bad days without her.

  They had asked Ryuu, after Tenchi’s death, if he was interested in coming onto the council or becoming head of the island. They had asked Moriko as well, but both of them had refused. Moriko wasn’t interested in guiding the nightblades, and while Ryuu did have some interest, he didn’t believe he was worthy to lead. Not yet.

  Elections had been held, and it was no surprise when Shika won them. Support for returning to the Kingdom was at an all-time high; and in a reversal of fortune Shika spent her time trying to convince them they needed to take it one step at a time. It was quite the change for a woman who had been willing to go to almost any length to return to the Kingdom.

  Both Ryuu and Moriko gave Shika a lot of advice in that cycle. The two of them had grown up in the Kingdom, and combined with Moriko’s firsthand knowledge of the Azarians, there were many questions that could be answered. Even if they weren’t in charge of the island, their knowledge and advice guided many of the council’s decisions.

  Beyond that, life settled into a predictable routine. Ryuu and Moriko both continued training every day. Ryuu sought out teachers among the elders and books in the library. Never before had he read so much. Moriko told him he was getting soft. He didn’t agree, but there was no arguing that life was much easier than it ever had been.

  Tenchi had been right, of course. With the knowledge Ryuu had been given he learned much more quickly than others. His base of knowledge was growing faster than anyone expected, and already he was developing techniques previously thought impossible. When he wasn’t training or learning, Ryuu was often trying to pass the knowledge on to others. He was also trying to develop a new sword style based on everything he learned.

  Relations with the Kingdom continued to evolve. Rei had become the blades’ ambassador to the Kingdom, and more and more of them were working their way over to the land they had once been exiled from. Progress was slow, and it was only Rei’s influence and Sen’s wisdom that prevented the entire idea from collapsing all around them. The situation was delicate, and it would be for a long time. Turning away from over a thousand cycles of tradition would take several lifetimes.

  The Azarians were becoming integrated with the citizens of the Kingdom, one agonizing step at a time. Most of the clans had found places to settle, and while conflict was still common, there hadn’t been any outbreaks of violence strong enough to cause the treaty to be questioned. Dorjee had become the unofficial ambassador from the clans, and he and Sen were in frequent contact.

  The monasteries were disappearing from the land. When the war ended, Sen had cut them off from his treasury. Their purpose had been to protect the land from nightblades, but now that nightblades were allowed back in the land, there was no reason for them any longer. Some monasteries managed to scratch out a living on public donations, and some of them had become hotbeds of discontent, but Sen and the nightblades kept a close eye on them.

  Rei had given birth to a strong baby boy. She named him Akira, and the child was truly a child of the new world. He knew his heritage as a nightblade, and Ryuu had already promised to train him personally. Sen would train him in the ways of the Kingdom, and Dorjee was willing to teach him the ways of the Azarians. He was the future, and they all knew it.

  Most importantly, Moriko was finally happy. She was glad to be on the island and safe from harm and persecution. The Kingdom was safer than it had ever been for a nightblade, but it was still far more dangerous than the island. Her belly was also starting to grow, and Ryuu was both excited and terrified of the future.

  Even though everything was improving, Ryuu still felt a lingering discontent. Over and over he tried to figure out what was bothering him, but the feeling was too vague to be pinned down easily. When at last he understood, it happened in an instant.

  Most days he didn’t think about the war or the role he’d played. Over a cycle had passed, and life continued. But he couldn’t hide from the guilt he felt. Despite taking action he was still convinced was necessary, he wasn’t convinced it was right. He needed to find atonement.

  Unsure of what to do, he decided to write, to try to make sense of what had happened. He wrote about his life, how he had come to be the sort of person who could make the decision to kill so many. He didn’t have any answers. No matter how long he thought about it, he could never come up with another path he could have chosen that night. Perhaps someday someone would read his words, learn from his mistakes and find a better way. It didn’t seem like much, but perhaps it would be enough.

  He wasn’t a writer. Some days the words came easily, other days it felt as though he were pulling his stomach out through his mouth. But he persisted, working through his life and his decision every day.

  One day Moriko came up to him as he was writing. He hadn’t allowed her to read anything he had written yet, but the time was comin
g when he would. He looked up, smiled, and rubbed his hand against her swelling body. The dayblades said the girl would come in about two moons.

  “How’s the writing coming?”

  “Slow, but I’m almost done. I don’t know if it will prevent another tragedy from occurring, but more understanding is always better.”

  Moriko nodded her agreement. They had had this discussion a hundred times, and she was always supportive. It meant more to him than she realized.

  She pulled gently on his hand and together they walked to the edge of the plateau. The sun was setting, blood red against an incoming storm. They held hands and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, throwing a blanket of darkness across the land and sea. Ryuu looked at Moriko, and in the light of the stars he saw her smile. He returned the smile and looked back over the sea, enjoying the peace he had found.

  Author's Note

  I’ve learned that finishing a story (or in this case, a trilogy) is much harder than starting one. When you start, a whole world of possibility awaits, and you can take whatever direction you like. Every blank page is an opportunity. But finishing a story is just the opposite. With few exceptions, a good ending doesn’t leave the reader hanging. It answers the questions and closes the loops.

  With The Wind and the Void, I’ve finished telling the story I originally set out to tell. I’ve never had more fun than I’ve had writing these stories, and sharing them with all of you has been a privilege. I always thought it was a good story, but I never thought it would excite and engage so many. I’ve treasured every email, Facebook post, website comment, and tweet. I love stories, and its awesome to interact with so many of you who do too.

  Ryuu’s and Moriko’s stories, for me, are done. I suspect that in the future I will return to the world of the Kingdom, but it will be with a new story and new characters and a new place in the time line.

  More than anything, I wanted to thank all of you who have read the books and joined me on this adventure. Endings are challenging, but I hope the journey was a worthwhile one.