Trials of a Champion

by Thomas O'Gorman

  Dirks gasped, as did every man in his company. “Your Majesty, it would be our honor to see you home.”

  Sarah’s bolstered force made it to the army headquarters just south of Alexandra. When they got close people started lining the road, waving to Sarah and cheering for her. Sarah waved back and smiled. At least some of the people are for me.

  They arrived and General Coy and the rest of the army leadership that was loyal to her came out to meet her. They all bowed when she dismounted off the back of Svae’s horse.

  “Please rise. We have a city and a country to take back. Let’s get to work.”

  Chapter 23: The Oracle

  September 25, 850 A.A.

  The last three days were a whirlwind. The Xi En government was preparing for the official ceremony to induct Winn as Ichi. Winn told them, and at some points was screaming at them, that he wanted to wait until after he got back from the oracle to have the ceremony, but the vizier wouldn’t hear of it. They moved Winn into an apartment in the Imperial Palace. It was much bigger than Jaunty’s quarters. Winn had what he would call a valet, a maid, and bathing girls. Winn sent the bathing girls away, saying that he could draw his own bath and wash himself. He was modest even through the cloud of madness. A tailor came to fit him in several Xi En garments, and Winn got mad at him in the middle of the fitting and threatened to stab him. A barber came to cut off his beard and trim his scraggly hair, and by some miracle he let the man do his work. A weapons smith came to present him with weapons for the ceremony. Winn liked the wakizashis he used to fight Ni, and he told the man he wanted two of those. The man explained that a longer sword was needed, and that he should pick a katana. Winn growled but told the man to make him two. The man agreed and left quickly.

  Jaunty spent the whole time controlling Winn, feeling like a babysitter for the world’s deadliest human. Ambassador Wells came to check on them and Winn thought he was LaVoran and tried to kill him. It took Jaunty, the Ambassador, and two of the servants to subdue Winn. Wells left hurriedly and Jaunty spent an hour explaining who Wells was. Finally, Winn showed some contrition.

  “Jaunty I really don’t know what to think,” Winn said. “I believe you because I trust you, but my head is telling me something else.”

  “Winn you can’t trust your head,” Jaunty said in exasperation. “Haven’t you figured that out by now?”

  “I am beginning to.”

  “I am tired of trying to hold you back. Please just listen to me until we get to the oracle.”

  “I will try.”

  The next day was a flurry as well. After breakfast the diamyos wanted to spend one on one time with Winn. They let Jaunty come along. Winn was relatively calm talking to them. They asked him about his fighting experience and about how he came to Xi En. Somehow, he was able to tell them mostly what actually happened, though some false memories did emerge in spots. The diamyos had the grace not to question those parts of his account.

  The last diamyo Winn spoke with was Oda Tadanao. He only had a few questions. When he was finished, he asked if his daughter, Satomi, could speak with him. Winn said yes, and Oda motioned for a servant to fetch Satomi. She entered the room, and Jaunty’s jaw dropped. He had only seen her from afar, but now that he saw her up close, he couldn’t believe his eyes. This woman was so beautiful. She was as pretty as Sarah, or real close to it. She sat down and started talking to Winn, but Jaunty didn’t hear a word they said, he was so fixated on her.

  “Mr. Vaux, good morning, and thank you for taking the time to speak with me,” Satomi said.

  “It is my pleasure to speak with a lovely lady such as yourself, and please call me Winn,” Winn replied.

  “Thank you for saying that. If I may, what are your plans after the ceremony? Will you be serving the emperor in the traditional role of Ichi?

  “My plans are to go to the oracle. I have something to consult her about. After that, I was planning to go defend my country and my mama’s county from invasion by the Menegar. No, I don’t plan on fulfilling the traditional role of Ichi. I will appoint a replacement before I leave your shores.”

  “I am disappointed to hear that. I understand about defending your country from invaders, but I was hoping you would come back and take your rightful place as Ichi. You see, the government is old and stale, we need advice and influence from someone like you, a man that has seen much of the world.”

  “I am flattered. I get the impression that most of the diamyos were relieved that I was going away.”

  “Regardless, what is your position on whether Xi En should enter the war against Menegar.”

  “You were not attacked, and as far as I know, Aviel or Skal has not called upon you to help, so at this point you are in the right place. If Aviel or Skal calls for aid, my hope would be that Xi En would answer.”

  “Thank you, Winn, for your time. That is all I wanted to know from you.”

  Satomi got up to leave, and Jaunty leaped up out of his chair.

  “If I may ask you a question?”

  “Of course. You are?”

  “Pardon me, I am Jaunty Chen. I have been Winn’s best friend since he was six.”

  “You grew up in Aviel then? Were you born there?”

  “Yes, I grew up there, but I was born here. I am officially an Xi En and Avish citizen.”

  “It would be interesting to know where your loyalties lie. Anyway, go ahead and ask your question.”

  “I was told you were promised in marriage to the next emperor. Is that true or is there some leeway in who you pick?”

  “Some have said I am choosing the next emperor by who I pick as a husband, but in truth I do not love any of my suiters. I suppose I am bound to whoever the next emperor is. My father has sworn to make me empress and he will not agree to bind me to another. Of course, if the new emperor won’t have me, then my father will have no choice to marry me off to another. Now I must go. Thank you, gentlemen.”

  Winn and Jaunty rose out of their chairs when Satomi got up to leave. They bowed and when she left, they sat down.

  “There is a chance then,” Jaunty said.

  “A chance for what?” Winn asked.

  “A chance to marry that girl, she is amazing Winn.”

  Winn laughed. “Don’t get your hopes up. Unless the new emperor doesn’t like women or is married, he will snatch her up. Besides, I thought you might be having second thoughts about Alana.”

  “I miss her, but we left on bad terms. I think she wanted to break up with me, and that is why she stayed with Sarah.”

  “I know I am crazy right now, but I don’t know. Women are mysterious, it is impossible to know their minds.”

  Before Jaunty could respond there was a knock on the door. It was the tailor wanting to take more measurements and wanting Winn to try on some garments. Winn allowed the tailor to do his work. After the tailor was finished, the rest of the day was taken up with meeting officials.

  The next morning the weapon smith came by to visit bringing with him Winn’s ceremonial swords. He handed one to Winn. Winn took it out of the scabbard and examined the blade closely.

  “This isn’t pure steel, it is too shiny and light,” Winn said. “What did you make these with?”

  “It is a special secret that only I know. I can tell you one ingredient. Diamond dust.”

  Winn shook his head and pulled the other sword out of the scabbard. He waved it around and found that it was balanced perfectly, just like its twin. It was light and shiny as well.

  “What is your name, smith?” Winn asked.

  “Sora Ono, master,” he replied.

  “Sora-san, you may be the best sword smith on the planet. These swords are a work of art. One question. Can you fight with them?”

  “Master, of course you can. They are more durable than pure steel and hold their sharpness longer as well. These are my best work.”

  “If I didn’t have swords that were forged by the god Hephae out of Mesonite steel, these would be by swords of choice.
In fact, I will use these until I find my swords Breaker and Slicer again. These swords are so special they deserve names. Sora-san, would you like to name them?”

  “Master, I am humbled by the honor you have given me. As their maker, I name them Fury and Fate.”

  “Fine names. I will hold Fury in my right hand, I strike with anger with it. In my left hand I will hold Fate. The death stroke most often comes from the left.”

  “Are you left-handed, master?”

  “No, I favor no hand. Each hand is as deadly as the other.”

  “You write with your right hand,” Jaunty said.

  “I can write with my left equally well and have done.”

  “You shoot right-handed,” Jaunty said, thinking he proved a point.

  “That is because I am right eye dominant. If I was left eye dominant, I would shoot left-handed. Do you want me to punch you with both hands so you can tell if one punch is weaker?”

  “No thank you,” Jaunty replied.

  “Then shut your yapping mouth. I am ambidextrous. Deal with it.”

  “Master, again I am honored that you will carry my swords. Do you require anything else of me?”

  “Yes, I do. If I could trouble you would you make one of these for my friend Jaunty? His katana his father gave him is lost. It would be a favor for me. Also, both Jaunty and I like to carry a dagger, do you have any lying around your shop?”

  “Master! You shame me by suggesting I would give you a cast off. I made a third sword that was for practice, but it turned out as good as these two. I will fetch it for Jaunty-san. I will make you both the best dagger you have ever seen. Good day master, Jaunty-san.”

  Winn and Jaunty said goodbye to Sora Ono.

  “Thanks for getting one of those amazing swords for me,” Jaunty said. “My dad’s was special, but these are exquisite.”

  “The man has talent,” Winn said. “It is nice of the vizier to provide the swords and the clothes. I wish we could skip the ceremony.”

  “We have to go through the ceremony if we want them to take us to the oracle. Plus, this will be the highest honor that has been bestowed on you to date. To be recognized as the most dangerous man in the world and be named an advisor to the vizier and eventually to the emperor when they get around to figuring out who that will be, is mind blowing.”

  “Jaunty, I have been the most dangerous man in the world since I was sixteen. I don’t need a foreign dignitary to tell me that. Plus, I won’t stick around enough to advise the emperor. I’ll be in Aviel, fighting for my supposed wife who betrayed me with the army that abandoned me.”

  “Winn, I have told you countless times none of that is true. Sarah stayed true to you and you are a hero to everyone in the army.”

  “That is why they sent eight people to rescue me instead of 8,000.”

  “It worked, didn’t it?”

  “By sheer luck.”

  Jaunty and Winn bickered all afternoon about Winn’s corrupted memories. Then blessedly for Jaunty it was time for the ceremony. Winn put on a silver kosode, a thin robe made of silk, and over it he put on a haori kimono, an outer robe made of thicker materiel but finished with silk that didn’t close all the way in the front. The kosode was silver and shimmering and the haori kimono was white with silver trimming. On the back it had the mark of Ichi. A silver chain held the haori kimono together. Jaunty wore a red kosode and a black haori kimono. His shoes were black as well. After they dressed, they waited in the living area of Winn’s rooms for the attendants to fetch them.

  “You look all white and shimmery,” Jaunty said. “I look like bleeding death. It is apparent who is being celebrated.”

  “You look fantastic, Jaunty, like you belong here,” Winn replied. “I feel very out of place.”

  “Ha! You and Ambassador Wells are the only pale skins for miles. No wonder you feel out of place.”

  “This pale skin is as much Xi En as you are.”

  One of the big controversies over the last couple of days was that the vizier and the diamyos wanted Winn to renounce his Aviel citizenship and become a citizen of Xi En. Winn, even in his altered state of mind, knew enough to refuse to renounce his Aviel citizenship. After many rounds of discussions Winn and the Xi En officials agreed that Winn would keep his Aviel citizenship but would also become a citizen of Xi En. He swore an oath in front of the vizier to that effect and became a citizen of Xi En. Both Winn and Jaunty were now dual citizens of Xi En and Aviel.

  An attendant came and collected Winn and Jaunty. They walked to the great hall of the Imperial Palace, where the ceremony was going to take place. The hall was packed with people who were seated in benches from the very back of the hall to just in front of the vizier’s chair. The attendant walked all the way to the front row and showed them to their seats. The front row was empty save for Winn and Jaunty. Once they were seated, the vizier made his entrance. He walked down the long hall and sat in his chair. He made a gesture to silence the crowd. Once the room was quiet, the vizier began speaking.

  “Royal subjects of Xi En, today I announce that a new Ichi has arisen. An honorable duel was held, and the former Ichi submitted, and gave up his position. The man he submitted to, Winn Vaux, also known as Delver Kide, is the new claimant of the title Ichi. All that is left is for him to receive the blessing of Samir, and he will be granted the rewards and responsibilities of being Ichi of Xi En. I don’t have to tell you Winn Vaux is world famous for his bravery, fighting prowess, and skill as a commander. Though he wasn’t born here, he has befriended Jaunty Chen, a citizen of Xi En who grew up in Aviel, his whole life. He speaks our language, became a citizen, and I am confident he will serve Xi En well. Winn Vaux, Ichi, go to the alter of Samir and pray for his blessing. If the fire at the alter produces white smoke, it signifies that Samir has blessed you. If the smoke is any other color, then you will not receive the blessings of Samir, and will not be Ichi. Please, go now unto the alter.”

  Winn got up and walked to the alter that was on the left side of the front of the hall. The alter was a man-sized statue of Samir that was solid gold. Samir was depicted as sitting lotus style and floating in the air. Pretty accurate depiction. There was a fire pit under the statue, and in it were normal looking logs. Winn thought that they would produce white smoke with no problem. Winn kneeled to pray to Samir. Samir, I think this is what you want. I am not right in the head, so I don’t know for sure. If you want, I will be the Ichi, but I am not sure what that entails. Winn paused for a moment but heard nothing back from Samir. Meanwhile an attendant lighted the logs. Winn opened his eyes and watched them burn. Normal white smoke was coming out of them, but purple smoke started spewing out of one log. Winn knew he had been set up and that someone must have laced that log with something that burned purple. The crowd gasped when they saw the purple cloud of smoke rise. Winn shook his head. I guess that was a no? He was about to get up when above the statue the real Samir appeared, and he was four times the size of a normal man.

  “People of Xi En, my people, the log blazes purple smoke not because I reject Winn Vaux as Ichi. On the contrary, he is the most important Ichi that has been or will be, and the purple smoke signifies that. I bless him and give him my highest praise. To reject him is to reject me. To accept him is to accept me. Bless you Winn Vaux and bless you my people.”

  Samir disappeared. The crowd was shocked. So was the vizier. It took him a full three minutes to speak.

  “We all witnessed Samir, who came among us and gave Winn Vaux his blessing. Winn come to me and bring your witnesses.”

  Winn stood up and walked to the vizier. Jaunty and Ni stood behind Winn.

  “Winn Vaux, to be Ichi, you must be worthy of a friend who has walked beside you and shared in your triumphs and tribulations. Who will claim friendship such as this to Winn Vaux?”

  “I do,” Jaunty said.

  “Winn Vaux, to be Ichi, you must have defeated an opponent of great skill and prowess, known to all as a dangerous foe. What famed combatant will
claim that Winn Vaux defeated them?

  “I do,” Ni said.

  “Winn Vaux, a true friend and a worthy foe have vouched for you. Our god Samir has blessed you. Therefore, I name you Ichi, the name you will be known as in Xi En as long as you defend your position.”

  The vizier rose from his chair and walked toward Winn. Winn bowed and the vizier bowed as well. The vizier rose up and hung a medallion over Winn’s head. Winn bowed again, then turned to the crowd and bowed to them. The crowd bowed as one, then started clapping. Four young women came from the second row and stood around him. Winn noticed one of them was Satomi. He was sure Jaunty noticed too. The women led him down the aisle and out of the grand hall. Jaunty and Ni followed. They went into another large room that had food and drinks laid out.

  “Congratulations Winn, that was amazing,” Satomi said. “Almost no one has seen Samir before.”

  “We have seen Samir several times. He taught Winn to . . .”

  “Jaunty, don’t brag,” Winn said, cutting him off before he revealed that Winn could fly. “We have indeed seen Samir a couple of times, but most of it was because he was helping me.”

  “Helping you with what?” Satomi asked.

  “Just techniques.”

  “Um sure,” Satomi said. “Your secrets are your own.”

  “Satomi, now what happens?” Jaunty asked.

  “This is the reception room,” she said. “All the diamyos and important government officials will be here shortly to congratulate Winn and try to influence him to support them in their various schemes. The worst will be the diamyos.”

  “It is terrible, and it will go on for hours,” Ni said.

  “Jaunty,” Satomi said. “I wish you would stay close to me during the reception. I want to know all about Aviel and this Princess Sarah. Plus, I don’t want to get stuck talking to one of my two suitors. They are so boring.

  “I would be delighted to, Satomi.”

  Four hours later Winn came into his rooms and fell onto the bed face first, exhausted from the ordeal that was the reception. Jaunty followed him in the room.