by Guy Antibes
~
No one bothered the two men as they walked through the stillness of a cool evening. The sun had firmed up the mud from the previous day and lights showed from all over the valley. Shiro looked at Sumi’s house. He no longer thought of it as Tishi’s for some reason. The White Rose Society had new leadership, for sure. Would anyone follow him across the sea to the north? They would have to deal with different people, customs, language and they even wrote differently.
A dim light, perhaps from one candle, illuminated the front of Ashiyo’s house. Shiro walked into the little courtyard and removed his shoes along with Mistokko and made his way to Ashiyo’s bedroom.
Shiro knocked and walked in. “Ashiyo!” he said quietly. But then he squinted. Two figures were huddled in Ashiyo’s bed.
A light sprang up and a young woman sat up in a night robe along with younger appearing Ashiyo.
“What are you doing here!” she said.
The captain shook his head. “You were right. That’s her. It looks like we see two traitors in front of us.”
“Who’s a traitor?” said a voice from behind the two men.
Shiro turned to see Roniki standing behind him. “It all depends on how you define honor, isn’t it?” Shiro said. Shiro summoned a few balls of light.
“Your honor belongs to the Emperor, farmer,” Roniki said.
“Not for long,” Shiro said. “I’m leaving Roppon with Mistokko. You won’t have to worry about me any more.”
“I didn’t expect that reaction Shiro,” Ashiyo said. “I was prepared to fight.” He lifted up a sword on the other side of his pallet.
“How hard, Ashiyo. It seems you fight for whatever side pays you the most attention.” Shiro now understood Ashiyo’s motivations. The man let others lead him. Whoever led the strongest, received his allegiance. Once Sumi took over, Ashiyo went back to being a good Imperial subject.
Despondency had instantly replaced anger as he recognized Sumi as Ashiyo’s bed partner. How long had that relationship been going on? Probably at least as long as her tryst with Mistokko.
“So much for the memory of Shiuki, Ashiyo?”
The older man turned red and threw some clothes around him. Shiro didn’t really care what Sumi did or did not wear.
“Why don’t we sit down and come to some kind of terms,” Shiro said. “We don’t need hatred or harshness.” Shiro squinted at Roniki.
“How did you pass our wards?” Roniki said.
Shiro snorted. “I’ll tell you when we finish talking about the fate of the White Rose Society. Play me false or you will die, Roniki. But that wouldn’t help either of us would it?”
Roniki narrowed his eyes and folded his arms. “What position are you in to dictate terms?”
Shiro had to restrain Mistokko. “I’ll show you terms,” Mistokko said as he instinctively grabbed at a sword that wasn’t there. Shiro’s was hidden by a spell.
“Let’s sit in the library and have a civilized discussion. I’d like Tishi and Chika to join us, if you don’t mind,” Shiro said.
“I hadn’t expected such civility, Shiro,” Sumi said. She glared at Ashiyo. “Find them and bring them here.”
Ashiyo winced at her command and then bowed to her and fled from the room before he had properly tied his robe.
~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
~
“WHY DO YOU BRING US HERE? And who are these people?” Tishi said, glaring at Sumi with open hostility.
“You were never really part of the White Rose,” Sumi said, lifting her chin, as Chika walked in with Ashiyo.
“You come from the Guild!” Chika said, looking at Roniki.
“Sit, Chika. The White Rose Society is now under the thumb of the Guild, like it or not,” Shiro said. “We are going to talk about what will happen going forward.”
Sumi puffed out her chest. “It’s time your arrogance came to an end, Shiro. Your rebellious attitude has been suffocating.”
“And how many of your sisters did I save from death at the hand of…” Shiro glanced at Chika and then back at Sumi, “the hands of the lords of Sekkoro and Udishi?”
“Not all,” Ashiyo said, with a hint of sorrow in his voice. Shiro hoped that those emotions had been genuine.
Shiro shook his head. “No, not all, but there were plenty that we rescued.”
“I concur,” Roniki said. “An unfortunate circumstance. The Guild did not press for the destruction of the White Rose Society on South Isle. Our influence may be great from the Guildhouse in Boriako, but the Lord Sekkoro worked with the local Guildmaster. They both died in the flames that consumed the castle. A pity.”
Shiro wondered where Roniki headed with this. It didn’t seem like the facts he knew to be true lined up properly.
“So you didn’t sponsor the deaths of women?”
Roniki shook his head. “Our influence isn’t as strong as you might surmise in all guildhouses. We act as an agent between the aristocracy and the bureaucracy and that’s about it. A sorcerer with too much vision and talent may get in the way of how we’ve kept Roppon stable for centuries. You are such a man and because of that we tried to kill you.” Roniki reddened a bit and cleared his throat. Evidently he struggled with his temper. “We remove such men from the Guild. Those that wish to use the Guild to their own ends, within the rules, we let do so.”
“Remove means cull, you mean?”
“It’s a concept that works, except we cull the exceptional, as well as the mundane. We have maintained equilibrium for well over a thousand years. Mistokko,” he raised his chin towards the captain, “Captain Mistokko learned to mostly stay on his boat. When you became too strong here in this little valley, Sumi teleported to Boriako and we came up with our little plan to capture and kill you. Teleporting is a well-kept secret in the Guild. Equilibrium must be maintained at all costs.”
“Didn’t work,” Mistokko said.
“If it wasn’t for his sword—” Sumi said.
Roniki cut her off with a glare. “Even without the sword, he would have accomplished all you’ve seen. Shiro is a remarkable man.” He turned to Shiro. “We shouldn’t have listened to Ashiyo when we had the chance to kill you in Sekkoro. The prison island couldn’t hold you and now…”
Shiro could sense other sorcerers’ wards being laid down around the outside of the room as they talked.
“I’m leaving Roppon. I’ll take whoever wishes to join me. We will be heading to Besseti. The stone will be gone from the isles, which I am sure you will support.”
“I’ll go with you,” Tishi said, her face grim.
Roniki nodded and smiled. “I don’t care who you include.”
“And I will take whoever will follow me of the guard. It’s obvious the White Rose Society have nothing to fear from the Guild.”
“Correct. However I would amend your plan just a bit. I won’t let you leave the room.” Roniki said.
“Because of the wards?” Shiro said. He rose from where he sat and walked to the door. Mentally he shifted the wards from around the door and slid it open. “Is this what you wished to see?”
Roniki’s eyes grew. “You shouldn’t be able to do that.”
“Never say shouldn’t, Roniki. You continue to underestimate me, for some reason.” He pulled his sword out, revealing it to all of them. “I could have killed all of those who have just betrayed me, for it was a personal betrayal. I still can.” Shiro stepped back in and let the wards return to cover the open door. “No one will be able to enter.”
“Why don’t you kill Ashiyo, first? He’s quite practiced at betrayal.” Roniki said. “I’ve never supported you.”
“I made sure you weren’t killed,” Ashiyo said, pleading with Shiro. “I didn’t support them killing you in Boriako.”
Shiro raised his eyebrow. “But you let me go. The warded cell might have killed me had I not overheard Yushidon talking to Mistokko. I knew it for a trap, and it didn’t work. I saved my friend, but the savor of worki
ng with the White Rose Society had already been lost in the Guildhouse when I learned of the treachery here.” He looked at Sumi. “I have no desire to work with a woman who holds no regard for me.”
“And you think I do?” Chika said.
“I wasn’t talking about you.” Shiro’s heart flipped. Not her too. Perhaps only Mistokko, Tishi and he would leave for Hoksaka.
Chika smiled. “I do. You’d miss the myriad ways I make you blush.”
He exhaled. “I would miss them very much indeed.” He turned to Roniki. “Are we going to have to fight our way out of here? You’d be the first to go and then Sumi.”
Roniki raised both of his hands. His eyes had been glued to the Sunstone Sword as long as it stayed in Shiro’s grasp until he moved his eyes towards the door. Shiro turned to see the anxious eyes of sorcerers peeking around the door. Shiro immediately put up a spell shield as flames cascaded over him.
Sumi took a step back and gasped. Ashiyo stood ashen faced, batting at a sleeve of his robe that caught a fringe of the fire. Mistokko, standing next to Roniki, rolled away on the matted floor. Chika drew her sword. Shiro lunged and batted her sword away.
Shiro glared at Roniki, who glared back. “I have you at a disadvantage, but regardless, you are the man without honor.” He looked at Chika, mouthed the word, ‘mine’ and then beheaded the sorcerer.
“Please don’t kill me!” Sumi knelt down, her forehead pressed hard to the mat.
Shiro turned to the sorcerers. “If I see you after I’m finished here, you will join your master. You are standing amongst a great many people with power.” He stepped towards them as they winked out. He turned to Ashiyo, pressing his sword to the man’s chest, drawing a bead of blood and extending it a hand’s breadth.
“Consider yourself marked with my sword. Let that scar remind you that you did not share Roniki’s fate. The man hated me from the start. As I said he has no honor. Who knows, you might still have some.”
Shiro looked down at Sumi. “Rise.”
She stood on her feet and refused to meet Shiro’s gaze. She shivered. Shiro couldn’t tell if she acted afraid or if she really was. It didn’t matter. “You will remain behind. I have no desire to help the White Rose Society any longer. Just promise me to keep the women safe. I hope Roniki spoke the truth.”
Sumi’s shaking abruptly stopped. “He did. I’ve been working with the Guild for years.”
Mistokko advanced on the woman with tightened fists. Shiro tapped him back with the flat of his sword.
“Someone has to take care of these women and if the Guild accepts responsibility, that will be so much better than some petty lord.” He glanced at Chika who nodded back.
“Sit, all of you. We won’t have much time before we leave.” Shiro sat back down, his back ramrod straight. His path laid out for him by circumstances that he finally controlled. It felt right somehow. “I will take as many as wish to follow me into Besseti. The lords fight each other and we will be a company of warrior-sorcerers, men and women, who will fight until we can find a proper place to live without the Emperor and his bureaucracy, the Guild or the petty lords. We will travel on Mistokko’s ship, north across the Middle Ocean as exiles, but free people.”
“Mercenaries,” Sumi spat.
“Better a mercenary than a Guild lapdog,” Chika said. Shiro no longer worried about her not coming.
“Ashiyo,” Shiro looked at his erstwhile friend. “You will not be allowed to come. You play your own games and that makes you a liability to the safety of my band. There are some books that I will appropriate. You never used them anyway.”
The man’s color returned and he laughed. “I would follow you and when the crisis came, I’m afraid, I would let you down.” At least Ashiyo spoke the truth.
“We leave as soon as we can gather those who wish to join us. We’ll take only what each of us can carry. I hope there are enough of us to make the journey worthwhile. I have one more trip to make,” Shiro said.
~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE
~
SHIRO PUSHED THE WARDS ASIDE THE LITTLE DOOR once more. He slipped into the Boriako guild house. The courtyards of the guild were filled with sorcerers this time.
He walked right past sorcerers and apprentices both, who bowed to him as he passed. Shiro knew the way and soon found himself outside Yushidon’s door. He knocked.
“You may enter,” Yushidon said. The guild master rose. “Roniki, is the matter of the White Roses at an end?” The guild master sat back down on his low chair.
Shiro knelt and gave a bow to Yushidon. “It is resolved. We won’t have to worry about Shiro again.”
The guild master’s face turned white. “Shiro. You have Shiro’s voice.”
“Indeed I do.” Shiro let the disguise fall. “Roniki is dead by my hand. I gave him a graceful out and he refused. I hope you won’t be so inflexible.”
Shiro noticed the sheen of sweat on Yushidon’s forehead. He raised his hand. “Don’t teleport out of your office. There is no need. I have no designs of revenge on you. Roniki tried to kill me.” Shiro wished he could go on about the man, but he restrained himself. “I will take those among the White Rose who wish to follow me into exile and sail to Besseti. We will become a company of mercenaries in that land, never to return to Roppon. You won’t have to worry about me upsetting the bureaucracy or the nobility.”
Yushidon relaxed. “I suppose you seek my blessing? You won’t get it.”
“I merely thought it prudent to inform you. I don’t want the remainder of the White Rose Society to be treated like they were in Sekkoro.”
“Neither do I.” Yushidon said. “We are, at least, together on that point. What do I get in return for letting you go?”
Here was the bargain that Shiro hoped to hear. Now he could make a few conditions. He materialized the Sunstone sword. Yushidon jerked back.
“This is the true Sunstone sword. If you heard about it, here it is. Would you like to hold it? I will want it back.”
Yushidon took a deep breath. “I’ll not touch it.”
“I will take this with me and it will not return to Roppon soil. I’m not sure of all that the stone does, but it will disrupt society.”
The guild master laughed. “Few know its power. It might have had the nickname of ‘truthstone’ in the old days. Any two people who touch the stone at the same time can see into the other’s mind and discern if they speak the truth or not. The first Ropponi ruler had no problem using it, but after a single generation, the person who learned the truth also gave up his own motivations to the other person. In our society, one must keep their secrets.”
Shiro slumped. So that was it. Ropponi society was built on the desire to deceive. “I have nothing to hide.”
“Then take it. Leave us. Should you ever need to contact us, don’t return to Roppon, but send a message through your friend Mistokko. He is useful, from time to time.” Yushidon raised his hand. “Don’t worry about him. Roniki only had him captured as bait for you. Please leave me. The fewer that see you on the guild’s grounds, the better.”
~~~
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
~
CHIKA SMILED AS THE SPRING WIND WHIPPED the strands of long black hair that remained unbound. “That is our new home.”
Shiro stood by her at the rail of theWicked Windand wondered where they would all end up. He looked back at the overflow of the three hundred and eleven people who followed him out of Roppon. Not all of them fit below and they all took turns living on the deck. Most were sorcerers, but they were all about to be warriors and they were about to invade a land that held relatively few with power.
Shiro had had enough of language lessons, for now. All of them worked diligently to learn basic phrases of the continent they were about to adopt as their own.
“You do know that I will show you a good time before our group settles down, Chika,” Shiro said.
“I’m sure you are always up for a good time,” she
said, making Shiro smile as usual. What would his future life have been without her to so easily put him in his place?
“Perhaps Mistokko knows how far we are from Grianne.” He patted her on her forearm and went back to the steering platform. He glided up and walked over to Mistokko, who held a navigation instrument to his eye.
“We follow the coast for two days, maybe three,” Mistokko said before Shiro had the opportunity to ask. “How did I know what your question would be? Experience. It happens nearly every voyage when land is sighted. Children behave no differently.” He laughed at Shiro and made a notation on a scroll stick and slid it into a slatted scroll. “Up for a little sparring? I don’t know when I’ll see you again.”
“I still can’t talk you and your crew into coming with us?”
“I’m coming,” Shinku said, looking up from a map, held down by clamps on a fixed table, as he held on to the steering levers.
“Excluding you,” Shiro said. His tormentor on his very first voyage, alone, had pleaded with him to join. Shinku had little Affinity and might not have any on Besseti with the nexus points so deep in the ground.
“I am invaluable. I can guide you by the stars.”
“They are different in the north,” Mistokko said. “How many times do I have to tell you?”
“I’ll learn the new ones,” Shinku said.
“That will be good enough,” Shiro said. The three of them had bantered like this for most of the voyage.
Mistokko looked up at the rigging and sighed. “If only I didn’t love theWicked Wind so much,” he said. “You know the ports that I use. Find me, and maybe by then my mind will change.”
Mistokko drew his blade. Shiro did the same and the ship went silent as it always did when the pair fought. Shinku secured the steering lever and used a rope to leave the platform to the sparring partners.
