by Ryan Kirk
As had often been the case on this journey, she saw them far before she sensed them, twin pillars of dust on the horizon. Her first instinct was to hide, but then she remembered she was a prisoner. The patrol was coming from the west, the direction they were heading.
It didn’t take long for the twin pillars of dust to resolve themselves into two riders who rode straight for them. Moriko had to admit they didn’t look friendly. She had expected Kalden would be greeted with a little more respect, but it seemed his status as an outcast, even an outcast hunter, didn’t buy him anything in Azarian culture.
The two guards couldn’t have been a more mismatched pair. One was a large bear of a man, the other a small wisp. The large one was in charge, but as Moriko watched the two, she decided it was the small one who was a more dangerous opponent. He was wary and well balanced on his horse.
The big man spoke, his voice thundering even though they were only paces apart. "What do you think you’re doing?"
Kalden set his shoulders. If nothing else, he did not lack for courage. “I bring a prisoner to my clan.”
The big man laughed. “Do you have any idea who she is?”
Kalden looked back at Moriko. “I assume she is a messenger or a scout of some sort.”
The big man laughed again. "I don't know how a one-armed hunter like you managed to capture her, but this woman is one of those who he wanted killed."
Moriko’s mind raced. Whoever this ‘he’ was, he was the one responsible for sending hunters after her and Ryuu. And somehow he had known Moriko was coming. Her life was in danger.
She watched as understanding dawned in Kalden’s face. His eyes went wide, and Moriko knew she only had moments to act. She had four blades, two knives strapped to each thigh, Kalden hadn’t found. With one motion, she reached down with both hands and launched two of them at the men on horseback. If they got away a whole search would be launched for her. Her aim with her right hand was true. The blade embedded itself deep into the neck of the big guard, and he began to fall off his horse. Her aim with her left was not as accurate. The knife embedded itself in the left shoulder of the thin man, an injury he seemed to brush aside as he drew his sword. Moriko turned as Kalden drew his blade against her.
Moriko pushed down the fear she felt when she saw that short blade pointed at her once again. The night her and Ryuu were attacked flashed in her mind. There was no need to worry. This battle was hers. Like putting a cloak of shadows back on, she suppressed her presence once again and moved in. Kalden, who had gotten used to her presence, found himself befuddled at the sudden lack of energy emanating from her. He was relying on his own sense-ability and lost track of her. She seized the moment, getting behind him and cutting his throat with one of her remaining blades.
As he dropped, she grabbed her own sword from his belt and drew it, its weight in her hands a welcome reassurance. The thin man looked like he was about to charge, but decided at the last moment it wasn't in his best interest. He turned his horse around, but he didn't have time to escape.
Moriko threw the knife in her hand, already covered in Kalden’s blood. It struck the guard’s neck, and he too fell off his horse.
Moriko surveyed the scene around her. The two guards were dead, and she couldn't care less, but it was different with Kalden. He'd been a hunter, yes, but she couldn't shake the feeling he deserved better. Azarian culture seemed strict and merciless. Yet he’d fought to survive. He didn’t deserve this ending, killed by one who had promised not to harm him.
It was then that all the rage, despair, and frustration boiled to the surface, and Moriko fell to her knees, tears streaming from her eyes. They had almost had peace. For two cycles, they had convinced themselves, but now it was all gone. She didn’t think she would ever lie next to Ryuu again, watching the stars as they slowly turned overhead.
Here she was, in the middle of Azaria, with no way home that she could see. She was more leagues from home than she could count. It was all wrong. She knelt there and wept until there was nothing left.
When she was done, something had changed. She felt colder inside, like all the weakness had been burned from her body, leaving only cold steel behind. She stood up and faced the west. The Gathering was there, and she thought it was time for her to pay it a visit.
Chapter 14
Tenchi and Ryuu walked together from the caves where Ryuu had taken his trials. Ryuu was filled with so many questions that he didn’t know where to begin. Tenchi saw his indecision and spoke first, breaking Ryuu’s nervous tension.
“You remind me of him, you know.”
Ryuu glanced at Tenchi. The comment struck a chord with him. He missed his adopted father more than he admitted.
“You’re wiser than he was though.”
Ryuu almost reached for his sword. Shigeru had saved his life in more ways than one. He wouldn’t stand for anyone dishonoring his memory.
Tenchi held up his hand. “I mean no insult. I only knew Shigeru as a young man, and he hadn’t seen much of the world. I believe you have seen and experienced much more than he had at the same age. As a result, you have more wisdom than he did. You hold your tongue when you’re uncertain of what to say. It’s a distinct sign of wisdom, in my experience.”
They walked in silence for a few paces, Ryuu trying to decide which question to ask first. Each than ran through his mind seemed more imperative than the last. Tenchi broke his train of thought.
“I apologize for the trials, but it was necessary for us to know. Your performance on the docks was impressive, but you could have been an extremely talented swordsman. There was no way you could have passed those tests without possessing a well-developed mastery of the sense.” Tenchi grinned. “I should confess, I made the tests harder for you. I wouldn’t have sent Rei in for a regular trial, but I wanted to see the extent of your skills.” He indicated the girl Ryuu had fought in the final chamber.
“Every nightblade has to complete the trials?”
Tenchi nodded. “Yes. For each of us to wear the black, they must pass these trials. I am impressed by your performance, though. Rei’s surprise when you sensed her was a delight to observe.”
Ryuu finally found the voice to start asking questions. “How is it you know so much about me and my skills?”
“Orochi wrote a detailed letter to me. I assume it was just before you and he met for the final time. I was surprised when I received the letter. Orochi, like Shigeru, was not of the community. Shigeru, I suspect you know, was under a sentence of death when he escaped. Orochi wasn’t given our blessing, but we couldn’t stop him without killing him, and there are too few of us as it is. I heard from Orochi once when he left but hadn’t heard from him since. His letter arriving out of the blue was quite the occurrence.”
“Orochi told me what occurred between the three of you. He confessed to killing Shigeru and spoke at length about you. He looked forward to your battle, but indicated there was a chance he wouldn’t survive. But he felt honor-bound to finish the job he had promised. He mentioned that if he were to fall, he would leave you directions to the island. That was two cycles ago. And now you are here. I assume you managed to defeat Orochi, and that he is dead. I mourn his loss but respect his decisions.”
Ryuu nodded. “He fought honorably to the end, but I didn’t realize it until it was too late.”
“Orochi was, despite his faults, a good man. We mourn the loss of two of our own. It is a tragedy they came to the ends they did. We had all hoped that at the end they would come to peace.”
“I hope they have found it.”
Tenchi stopped and studied Ryuu. “There is one last question I must ask, as your arrival comes at a challenging moment for the island. What is your intent?”
Ryuu had been prepared for this question, but in the presence of the power he was experiencing he hesitated. He had worked up all number of phrases to make his mission seem more palatable to the nightblades of the island, but he felt like Tenchi deserved his full honesty.
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br /> “I came for strength, and I came for answers.”
Tenchi looked at him silently, waiting for him to elaborate.
“There is something moving, an energy no one in the Three Kingdoms understands. The Azarians hunt me, though I have done no wrong against them. They possess warriors of strength equal to mine. There are rumors of civil war in Azaria, and civil war is consuming the Three Kingdoms for the first time in a thousand cycles. The world is changing, and I’m afraid no one is strong enough to withstand its power.”
Tenchi was silent, so Ryuu rushed forward, trying to get all the information in as quickly as he could.
“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 are 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 some 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 I didn’t think were possible just yesterday.”
“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 would 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-depreciating sense of humor. He didn’t underestimate the man. Tenchi’s attitude might have been flippant, but his power belied his mask. 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 rest of the leadership 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 with the same intent 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. He 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 further 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 further 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 regret struck Ryuu. He missed Shigeru.
