by Ryan Kirk
Her less lucid moments were filled with blood-soaked memories. The people she had failed to protect, from the day she had learned her father had died to today. The lives of so many were on her hands.
Asa had fought Koji before in the streets of Haven. Then again with Juro in the fields. Both times she had been defeated, but both times, she had thought the battle was close.
Then she saw him fight the three nightblades in River’s End.
He was so fast and so strong. Had that been a dream as well? The pain felt real, but the situation hadn’t.
Asa wasn’t nearly as deadly as Koji. She wasn’t nearly as strong or as fast. Every time they’d dueled, he’d played with her, but that didn’t make her angry. She was glad he had spared her.
When she came to, she was in a world entirely different than the one she had been in before. She wasn’t cold or tied to a post. She didn’t have to watch as bodies were carried away and burned. Instead, she was in a warm tent, the soft sounds of voices in the background. She tried to move, but a gentle yet firm hand held her down. Tracing the line of the arm, she saw it belonged to Koji, his face worried.
“Jun says you should rest. You aren’t strong enough yet to be up and moving around. You’ll be fine, though. He healed you.”
Asa figured the questions could come later. For now, she was simply grateful to be awake and alive, and that surprised her. She had thought she was ready to die, that there was nothing left to live for.
The pain of what had happened hit her again. She doubled over, tears pouring down her face. She hadn’t been able to save them. How could she live with herself knowing what had happened?
An arm wrapped itself around her quivering shoulders, and she slid comfortably into Koji’s embrace. They didn’t say anything but just sat there, Koji letting Asa cry about what had happened.
Eventually the tears subsided, but she needed to tell her story. Someone else needed to know what had happened, needed to know how she felt. In hushed whispers so as not to disturb the rest of the tent, she told her story, from seeing Koji assassinate Shin to finding a place where she felt welcome. She forced the story out, pushing the words away as though they were poison.
When she was done, she cried again until she felt empty. She fell asleep in Koji’s arms.
When she awoke again, the tent was the controlled chaos of a camp being taken down. The blades moved with a quick and silent efficiency, packing gear with the ease of those who had performed the task hundreds of times. Koji told her a storm had passed and they were on the move again. Lacking any better plans, Koji had volunteered them to accompany the party. Asa didn’t mind. She had asked about Starfall, but Koji shook his head. There was no help to be found there.
She was given a horse and warm clothes, and she was already feeling much better. The party moved at a walking pace, in no rush to get anywhere. Asa and Koji remained near the rear of the small column. Up front, the woman named Mari argued with Jun, the dayblade. He had to be a man of no small talents to have revived Asa.
She thought they looked like a motley group. Most wore the blue attire of House Kita, but the uniforms fit poorly if one looked closely enough. They huddled deep in their uniforms against the cold. Some forces even a blade couldn’t overcome.
They started a fire that night, and Mari came and sat down next to Asa. The blade bowed to the lady. “Koji tells me you are the one who made the decision to save me. Thank you very much.”
“You’re welcome. How do you feel?”
“Not quite whole yet, but better.”
Mari paused, then asked another question. “Do you stand for the Kingdom or against it?”
Asa scoffed, the query feeling absurd to her. After all she had been through, she didn’t care at all for politics. Mari looked hurt, and Asa was reminded of something Kiyoshi had once told her. At the time, she had thought his statement a pleasant and naive ideal. Now, though, she wondered if it might be the wisest thing she’d heard.
“I don’t care one way or another about the Kingdom.” Mari looked upset, and Asa rushed to finish her point. “The Kingdom is only useful so long as it protects the people it rules. If it does, then yes, I’ll support the Kingdom. Otherwise, may it rot in pieces. All that matters is that people can be safe and live their lives as best they can.”
Mari sat there silently, speaking only after she’d carefully considered Asa’s words. “Thank you, Asa. I’d never thought of the matter quite that way. I, too, think about the people, but I’ve always thought the only way to keep them safe was by maintaining the stability of the Kingdom. Perhaps that’s not the only way.” Her voice was thoughtful.
Despite not knowing Mari well, Asa liked her. She was direct, and her inner strength was apparent. Koji had explained how Mari had earned the service of the blades who surrounded them, and Asa could now see why. She wasn’t sure she was ready to take anyone’s orders yet, but if she were, Mari seemed as good a choice as any other.
The most obvious challenge facing the small group was that Mari was clearly directionless. One morning matters came to a head, and they didn’t even tear down camp, staying in one place until they decided on a clear course of action. Mari had been heading back toward her brother, but Jun had asked her several times to rethink that decision, and finally Mari acquiesced.
Asa collected bits and pieces of information from the assembled blades. Mari had come to Starfall to seek an alliance. The request was far outside the bounds of tradition, but the Kingdom was in a precarious position, and Mari had made a strong case. Although she had been rejected, it seemed that when the small group had coalesced around her, she reverted to her original plan, thinking to go to Hiromi with the blades.
Asa saw Jun’s point of view clearly. She had already watched a similar story play out, and she knew how the tale ended. A small group of blades joining a lord without the blessing of the council? Such an action would both infuriate and inspire the other lords, who would also seek to recruit blades to their cause. Asa had little doubt such attempts were already under way. Mari’s return to her brother would add legitimacy to these actions, and all would be lost. Either the council aligned with a single lord or none at all. Any path between those options would spell the certain doom of the Kingdom.
Mari had been stubborn, but she eventually heard the blades out. Her willingness to change her mind was testament to her character, but they were left with the problem of what to do. Koji suggested an answer that sparked debate.
“We could return to River’s End and destroy the rogue blades before they gather more to their cause.”
The blades loved Koji’s suggestion. Word of what had happened at River’s End had spread throughout the party, and the hatred they all felt for those blades and their actions burned as hot as the sun. Koji’s suggestion was direct and decisive, characteristics the blades appreciated.
Mari, although she shared a portion of the blades’ anger, was more reasonable. She pointed out that her party was outnumbered by the rogue blades. Failure, or anything less than an amazing success, would end whatever they decided to accomplish.
Koji, however, was persuasive. He was willing to take most of the risk on his own shoulders. He would be the point of the spear. His voice was strong and confident, and he outlined a plan for attack that almost had the blades running for their horses. Even Asa admitted the plan was bold. Everything would depend on Koji, but the young blade seemed eager for the challenge. Having seen the full extent of his skill, Asa was less worried than some of the others. Koji was the best nightblade she had ever seen.
Eventually Mari capitulated. She did so with disappointment written on her features but also with a measure of grace.
River’s End was less than a half-day’s ride away, so the decision was made to launch the attack early in the morning. They decided to pack up camp and move closer to the river. Several blades, led by Koji, went to find a boat for the attack.
That evening the group sat around the fire, eating and telling s
tories. Asa had never been part of a larger group of blades. She’d traveled with her master at times, but her need for revenge had always set her apart. She was used to traveling alone, the wide-open spaces and narrow city alleys hers and hers alone.
Her mind buzzed with thoughts, moving from one to the other like a bee among flowers. She couldn’t forget or push aside the memories of her actions in River’s End. She had acted rightly, but no amount of bathing would wash away her guilt. Revenge was forefront in her mind, but from experience she knew even that wouldn’t end the anger and disgust she felt. She wondered if anything could.
There was a comfort, though, in being among companions. For one, she didn’t have to hide who or what she was. Traveling alone, she had often traveled incognito. She didn’t like the stares and attention she received when she wore her black robes, so more often than not her weapons were hidden and robes packed away.
The other blades weren’t wearing their robes today, either. They had shed the blue uniforms of House Kita and replaced them with regular traveling clothes. For what they were about to do, they didn’t want anyone making connections back to Mari. As Asa looked around, she saw the companions were well provided for, so long as they weren’t forced to fit into borrowed uniforms. With so much time spent on the road, blades valued gear that would last. Their personal robes and coats were thick. Most wore leather boots, but three or four of the hardiest, Mari included, wore only raised sandals.
The stories ranged from the mundane to the mystical, from the everyday to the epic. Some of the stories rang of truth. Others might not have happened but contained a moral all the same. Asa’s mind and body slowly relaxed, and she was surprised to find that she was enjoying herself.
Jun told a story that was a variation on one of Asa’s favorites.
“Long ago there was a nightblade who had settled in a small village. He married a beautiful woman he fell in love with and tried his hand as a farmer growing rice.”
Asa let out a small smile. In legends, blades and civilians intermingled freely. She had never known such a time, but more than once, when she had been younger, she had longed for it. Today such things never happened. Well, almost, she thought, the memory of one unique man coming to her.
Jun continued. “The blade was nothing special as a farmer. The crops grew, but the family did not prosper. Likewise, with his attention divided, his swordsmanship also did not improve.
“One day he came upon a white fox whose leg appeared to be broken. The blade, who had a kind heart, offered to bring the fox to a nearby dayblade for healing.
“As soon as he offered, the fox stood up and walked, and the man saw that the fox had five tails.
“The fox said, ‘For your kindness I will bring about all that you desire.’
“The cycles passed, and the fox’s promise came true. The rice in the field multiplied, the man had three strong children, and students came from across the Kingdom to study the sword under the famous master.
“Much time passed, until one day the man came across a cat injured in the road. Now the man had no time for such distractions. He hurried on, only to be stopped by a voice behind him. He turned and saw a white five-tailed fox where the cat had once been.”
Jun’s voice deepened as he imitated the fox. “‘For a kindness long ago, I have protected and guided your fields and your hands. For your ignorance, I shall withdraw my magic.’
“The blade tried to make amends, but it was too late. As was foretold, his crops were eaten by locusts, his children weakened and were on the verge of death, and rumors spread that he wasn’t able to block a single cut with his sword.
“Several moons later, the man heard the wailing of an injured cat outside his house. The night was late, and the man was bitter, and he thought at first of throwing a stone at the feline to get it to leave. But when he saw the cat with the broken leg, he thought of his own children, weakened, and bent down to care for it.
“As he did, his eyes were opened, and he saw he held the five-tailed fox in his arms.
“‘You will always receive that which you put out into the world,’ the fox said as he disappeared from sight.
“The blade wasn’t sure what the next day would bring, but he went to bed that night contented.”
Mari came over and sat next to Asa. The lady was clearly distraught, but Asa was in too good a mood to try to pry the reason out of her. She was enjoying the story. Jun told the tale differently than she had heard before, but the heart of the fable was the same. As soon as Jun finished, with the blade returned to his former glory, his lesson forever learned, she turned to the lady of House Kita. “Does something trouble you, Lady Mari?”
“Asa, you’ve seen terrible things happen, right?” Mari asked.
Asa flinched from the memory of her sword flashing down twice. “Yes.”
“I’ve never ordered people to kill one another. The thought is troubling to me.”
Asa studied the lady, the younger sister of a man she’d watched die. The fact that Koji had killed her brother hadn’t come up yet. Asa figured he would tell her when and if he was ready. Mari was strong, there was no doubt of that, but she hadn’t been raised as a warrior.
“Death is a part of life.”
“True, but that doesn’t mean I need to command it. Who am I to have such power over the course of a person’s life, to determine when it should end? The blades at River’s End have done wrong, but who am I to judge their punishment?”
The lady looked like she was going to continue. Asa guessed these thoughts had been running through her mind since the decision had been made to assault the village.
“Who are you not to do whatever is necessary to save your people?”
The answer shocked Mari into temporary silence.
“What do you mean?”
“I will not pretend to understand what it means to live the life of nobility. But life is about balance, and to those who have been given much, much should be required. You were born with a responsibility to your people. If you do nothing, these blades will be a threat beyond comprehension. Thus your path is clear.”
“But must it require violence?”
“Maybe not, but I can think of no other way. Can you?”
Mari shook her head, a deep sorrow on her face.
“Do not think in terms of right and wrong. You will drive yourself mad, and none of us know how the Great Cycle moves through our lives. Ask instead if you are doing the best you can and be satisfied with nothing less.”
Mari gave Asa a slight bow. She said nothing in return, but Asa could see her turning ideas over in her head.
Asa wasn’t much interested in Mari’s plight. She was eager for the morning sun and the chance to bring justice to those who had killed Daiki and Ayano.
Asa couldn’t recall the last time she had been on a boat. Cycles ago she had taken one from the Northern Sea upstream for several days. The travel hadn’t been particularly quick, but she had some time between assignments, and the captain had promised a relaxing journey. The journey had been pleasant, filled with breezy sunny days and calm currents, but Asa had decided there was little special about riding on the water.
Nothing today changed her mind. The blades had found a decent rowboat for their assault, just barely large enough for the entire group. They were all there except for Koji. Mari sat in the back, protected by the blades and Takahiro. Together they sat, cramped and eager to fight, if for no better reason than to get off the boat and be able to stretch their limbs.
Mari’s presence had been argued, but she had won easily. The lady of House Kita argued that she would not become a leader who sent others to fight where she wouldn’t go. If they were going on her command, she would share the risk. The look in her eyes and the tone of her voice made it immediately clear she’d accept no arguments, but Asa was still surprised when the blades capitulated. Takahiro had promised he would remain close by, guarding her in the conflict.
The boat traveled downstream toward
River’s End, the current carrying them along. The river was hardly swift but moved fast enough so that the snow and ice covering the earth couldn’t quite get a foothold. The only noises heard were the soft creak of the boat and the muted sound of the tiller gently directing the water behind them.
Asa had volunteered to travel with Koji on his part of the mission, but he had wanted to go alone. None of the blades were sure of the wisdom of the decision, but Koji’s unshakable confidence eventually convinced them. Even with his skill, Asa wasn’t sure how he would triumph if too many blades reached him at once, but he had been insistent, and after her rescue, she wondered if her presence would just hold him back.
Asa’s doubts and worries dissolved as they approached the village. She extended her sense, easily able to sense the blades inside River’s End. She couldn’t be sure at this distance, but fewer blades seemed to be present than she remembered. Perhaps not more than a dozen. If true, Mari’s forces were barely outnumbered.
Asa sensed the light of the gift die out beyond the borders of the village. For those with the sense, others with the gift felt like bright pinpoints of light. When one who was sense-gifted died, it was as though the world got just a little darker each time. The world dimmed again. It could only mean that Koji, approaching River’s End from the land, had killed a patrolling pair. Asa was surprised the deaths had come so close together.
When Asa and her companions turned the corner of the river and River’s End came into view for the first time, they saw a village in confusion. Blades ran back and forth, disorganized as a group could be. As Asa watched, one group of blades rushed forward to defend the docks but then ran away toward Koji’s line of movement. No one seemed to be in charge of organizing the defenses.
Asa shook her head in amazement. It had only been a few days since Koji had killed Akane and rescued her. In that time, the entire collection of blades seemed to have fallen apart without a strong hand to guide them. Had their discipline been so lax to begin with?