A group of shyo mah girls stared awkwardly at me as they wandered by. They covered their mouths with their hands as they whispered to one another, giggling and darting doubtful looks in my direction.
"Terr, is that you?" I instantly recognized Etsu's face as she emerged from the same group of girls. She gave a quick wave as she ran up to me. "What happened to you? Why are you so dirty? Did your master punish you?"
"What do you mean?" I asked innocently.
She tugged lightly on my shirt. I looked down and immediately saw what she meant. "It looks as though you‘ve been spending the day cleaning the stables."
"I was tested today. I didn’t know I would end up looking like this afterwards."
She shook her head in disappointment. "And after you finished, they didn’t give you time to clean yourself? Where is your class leader? He’s the one responsible for making sure that you and the others look presentable for dinner. I can’t imagine your class leader leading students in this way."
"What’s happening here? Why are you not with your fellow students Etsu?" A middle-aged woman robed in dark red silk appeared from the shuffling crowd.
Etsu turned and immediately bowed. I bowed as well.
"My apologies Master Moon," Etsu said softly ", but this student has not properly prepared himself for the evening meal. I humbly ask your permission to escort him to the wash house. He could also use a change of clothes."
My head was still bowed and I was unable to see her face, yet I could feel her judging eyes glaring down at me.
I heard the woman sigh before she spoke. "Etsu, just because I made you class leader, does not mean you must look after every student here. Your responsibility is to my students, not to this boy."
"But Master Moon, " Etsu said, trying to sound compassionate. "He’s separated from his class. He’s lost and doesn’t know where to go. Please allow me to help him. I will return as quickly as I can."
The gong bellowed through the air once again.
"Dinner ceremonies shall begin shortly," announced the green robed man.
"Very well," Master Moon said in a hurried tone. "But there’s no time for him to change. Just get him cleaned up, then bring him to the Great Hall immediately."
"Yes Master Moon." Etsu took me by the wrist and led me across the courtyard.
Inside the wash house, Etsu worked the hand pump and filled a bucket of water. She dipped a wash cloth into the bucket and reached out to wipe my face.
I quickly snatched the cloth from her hand. She seemed offended at this, but I couldn’t have her treat me like a young, helpless child. "I think I can wash myself. Can you wait outside?"
"Boys and their pride," she muttered as she proceeded to wait just outside the door.
"And thank you for your help," I said, calling out after her.
I took off my satin shirt and vigorously wiped down my arms, chest and face.
"This morning, on the airship, you were running around close to tears, and then I see you again tonight, clueless and confused. It looks like misfortune follows you everywhere." Though she was speaking from outside of the building, I could still make out the slightly sympathetic tone in her voice.
"My mother told me that there’s no such thing as misfortune," I replied. "Only tests of the mind and spirit."
"That’s what my parents say as well. But I think they just say that to make us feel better when terrible things happen."
I slipped my shirt back on and stepped out of the wash house. I found her standing next to the entrance. She saw that I‘d forgotten to shut the door, so she slid it closed behind me. "It's not supposed to make us feel better Etsu. It's supposed to make us stronger."
She nodded, but it was obvious that she was reluctant to agree. "Then maybe all of this misfortune has given you the strength of a tiger." She clawed the air with her hands and made a playful roaring sound. I smiled.
A moment later, she looked down at my hand. "What is that thing you keep carrying around with you?"
I held the transparent ball up to her eyes, gleaming proudly. "It's a tamma. It's something all shyo mu are required to carry."
"What does it do?"
"I guess it helps me become a better shyo mu."
"Let me see it. " She took the ball from my hands and proceeded walking back to the Great Hall, examining it with curious eyes.
I chased after her. "Hey, you should have asked me first before taking it.”
"Why? You‘ll just say no." She glanced at me with a smirk, turning the ball in her hands. "What is it supposed to do?"
"I don't know. But it shows things that only shyo mu can see."
"I guess you‘re lucky to have tools like this," Etsu said as she politely handed it back to me. "We don‘t get anything. I think they expect us shyo mah to learn with just ink and paper. How boring is that?"
By the time we arrived, everyone was already inside the Great Hall. As we went through the doors, I gazed over a vast sea of chatting students seated next to finely carved, wooden tables. Over-sized paper lanterns of white and red glowed softly from the rafters high up in the ceiling. Golden dragons as well as pictures of mountains and oceans molded from brass decorated the walls. The students were seated according to their class, with the shyo mu boys on one side and the shyo mah girls on the other. The tables that seated the more advanced students had both of them sitting together.
Master Moon was on the far side of the room, motioning for Etsu to come.
"I have to join my class now Terr," Etsu said humbly. "I'm sorry I can't help you find yours."
"Don't worry. I think I'll be able to find them. Thank you for your help."
She gave a small smile, then left.
I made my way across the enormous room, moving from table to table, looking for familiar faces. It was like gazing into a glorious flower garden. Every table was its own color, with each group of students wearing matching clothes. Some of them glimmered with metallic adornments and thread. Others wore soft colors decorated with flowing patterns. It seemed, the more advanced or senior a student was, the more intricate his or her clothes were. This made it easier for me to find my class, for they were seated on a table in the farthest corner of the room, their plain, white clothes standing out like an unattractive silverfish in a pond full of rainbow carp.
Master Boar saw me approach and quickly pulled me to the side. "You're dirty and you've ripped your clothes. Do you realize how disgraceful you look?"
"I’m sorry master, but I did as you told me. I went to the stream to discover what was in the box."
He made a small rumbling sound in his throat that caused the smoke from his pipe to scatter. "That was several hours ago. At most, it should have taken you no more than a few hours. Everyone came back by noon, except for you. Your class leader got worried and he and the rest of the students spent the rest of the day looking for you. Because of your careless actions, you have wasted valuable teaching time."
"The teacher I met wouldn’t let me leave. It took all day before he was satisfied enough to dismiss me." Even though it wasn’t strictly my fault, I felt a tinge of guilt for worrying everyone.
"That’s impossible." I sensed Master Boar getting annoyed at my protests. "The teacher I sent you to told me you never arrived."
"But the old man by the stream; he said he was a teacher. He took me to a strange-looking hill in the forest and told me about the tamma."
The Boar's eyes grew wide and his brows furrowed. It was as if he were mimicking an animal preparing to charge. "What did he say to you? Did he tell you what his name was?" He took a few stern steps forward, which startled me and sent me reeling until I almost stumbled over a chair.
"He only told me about the tamma and I don't know what his name is. He just told me to call him, old man." The students in the nearby tables grew silent and I suddenly felt their curious gazes resting upon me.
The Boar, realizing the unneeded attention lowered his voice to a whisper. "We will not speak about this anymore t
onight. Whatever it is you know about the old man, keep it sealed in your mind and do not let it leave your mouth."
He turned away, puffing at his pipe as he strolled to the other teachers, intent on conversing with them.
"Are you alright Terr?" Han asked as I uneasily sat down next to him. "Some of us thought you got lost and had a violent meeting with a wolf or a bear."
"Whatever it was you were doing, you probably had a more exciting time than the rest of us," Kidou said in a droll tone from across the table.
I stared longingly at the transparent ball in my hand, then looked up solemnly. "I'm sorry if I made you worry Han."
Han smiled broadly, shaking my shoulder reassuringly. "You're back aren't you? I was sure you didn't run off like that coward, Masa. And from what I heard from your conversation with Master Ichiro, it sounds like you met an interesting stranger today."
The loud, thundering crash of a gong filled the cavernous room instantly catching everyone‘s attention.
One of the temple servants made his way to the front of the head table and gazed at all the faces in the room before making his announcement. "Now entering, the Temple Master."
Master Hotaka, Head Priest and leader of the Imperial Temple was at the head of a procession of other temple masters that filed reverently through the center aisle. Trailing at the end, was a stalwart-looking man in a military uniform, who's straight posture and stern gaze seemed to emit a sort of pride that challenged the humble nature of the robed figures around him. His presence was made all the more obvious by the loud clicking of boots against the smooth, wooden floor. At the head table, all the members of the procession sat down, except for Master Hotaka who seemed eager to address the students.
"Today is a special day," Master Hotaka said, giving particular notice to our table. "For today we honor our new students. For them, an important chapter is beginning, one which sacrifices their old lives so that they may be renewed. As of today, their old family names are gone, replaced with a title that few have the honor of receiving. Let this ceremony signal the beginning of their glorious service to the Emperor."
Temple servants carrying silver trays of paper and ink visited the tables that seated the new students. A small piece of paper, ink and brush was placed in front of us. The senior students pretended to look interested, but it was obvious that they had witnessed the ceremony practiced many times before.
"On the paper before you, each of you will write your family names." From Master Hotaka, it sounded like a polite request. But the Boar, who gestured impatiently at us to pick up the brushes, made it clear that any request from the temple master, no matter how gentle, was almost as important as a command from the Emperor himself.
As we proceeded to write down the honored names of our families, earthen bowls were placed at the center of our tables.
"Everyone who stands united under the divine will of the Emperor," Master Hotaka announced. "Is blessed by a family name. For generations it has been passed on from parent to child and each time, the name is preserved, nurtured and dignified by the actions of you and your ancestors. Whether it brings you honor or shame, this is your most cherished possession. Never forget your family or where you came from, but know, that as of this night, your family name is no longer your responsibility. The Emperor absolves you of any past disgrace that you may have carried from your ancestors by commanding you to leave your name behind and in its place, take the divine title of the temple you reside."
The small amount of oil in each bowl was lit, sparking a flame that flickered intensely.
"Now," Master Hotaka continued. "Let your family names turn to ash. Stand up and place your names in the bowl. Take your first steps on the path to becoming a chienkuu ko."
Without hesitation, Kidou stood up and threw his piece of paper into the fire. Everyone else quickly followed. I paused, waiting until everyone else had thrown in their names and watched as the stacks of paper curled up and withered like dead leaves. I looked down at my paper clutched in my uncertain hands and saw the worth of my life up until now, brushed in ink. I’d never known the history of my family name, whether it was once held in praise by a great general or humiliated by a lowly peasant. My mother never told me or my sister about our ancestors. I suppose there was nothing truly glorious to say about the history of the Wind family, save for the humble, yet brave deeds of my sister who must have brought us at least some dignity. After a few moments, gazing idly at the paper I tossed it hesitantly into the bowl.
To my relief, the rest of the evening was spent without ceremony or formalities. We ate, chatted and laughed just as normal children would at any family meal. Kidou was as serious and silent as ever, hardly picking at his food as he whispered to himself, his newly acquired title. Kidou of the Stream, he‘d mumble in proud, mumbled tones. For Han it was an opportunity to make fun of him.
“You know why he’s so infatuated with his new title?“ Han announced. “Because at home, he was called Kidou, Master of Snores and Keeper of the Round Belly.”
Everyone laughed except for Kidou, who seemed too occupied with himself to notice Han‘s playful banter.
We were served as much food as we wanted that night. There were mountains of rice served in great big bowls and fish, chicken, pork and beef served boiled, fried and stewed. Vegetables of all kinds, many I had never seen or heard of before in many exotic shapes and colors, were served raw, pickled, or cooked. In Rune, I had never really eaten anything beyond a helping of rice, some potatoes or cabbage and a bit of fish. Though I could have just as easily filled my belly, I ate sparingly, as I felt guilty for not having been able to share the food with my sister. My thoughts of her quickly made me forget how hungry I was. Even though Mr. Takaya was with her, I couldn’t shake my worries.
The meal concluded with each master presenting their final words of the day to the table of their assigned students. Master Boar seemed like someone who would never show his anxiety. He was much too strong-willed for that. But I could see on his face, a hint of concern in his stern gaze as he spoke. Perhaps he was unnerved by my meeting with that strange old man today, because his eyes glanced in my direction every now and then as he spoke.
"We will begin training tomorrow," said the Boar in a hoarse, but loud voice ", I’ve already informed your class leader of all the details. He will be in charge of waking you all and taking you to where you need to go. I suggest everyone get as much sleep as you can."
We left the Great Hall and just as we made our way to the main courtyard, we paused. Our class looked on with envy as we watched the advanced students board the sky boats. Each boy and girl walked together in pairs, as if they were close siblings. Their brightly colored clothes, and the long, flowing sashes tied at their waists left me wondering how much I would have to prove of myself to wear such things. Of all of us, Kidou seemed to be the most distracted by them. He looked on with such longing, I thought that at moment he might steal one of the sky boats for himself.
A few of them happened by our group and gave us the same, curious stare that we had given them. It took me a few moments to realize that they were actually giving particular attention to me.
"You're that boy that met the old man in the forest today aren't you?" one of the shyo mu's said. ”I remember. You were making such a commotion with your master. I think my entire table must have heard you."
I felt my face flush. Immediately, I hardened my expression and tried to seem as mature as possible.
"I didn’t mean to be disrespectful," I said in a calm tone so as to hide my embarrassment. "I guess my master was just worried about me."
"He should be," the shyo mu's partner said. She frowned hotly, obviously upset about something. "That old man was probably trying to steal you away and take you to his so-called school."
“School?” I asked.
“Yes. A school for gifted children like us.”
"You mean, there are other places like this one?"
"Yes, there are many of them." Her e
yes narrowed, adding to the loathing expression on her face. "But they’re all privately owned and most of them are just run down buildings with poor teachers that don't care about you at all. The students who finish training there become slaves, and are forced to fly broken down airships for corrupt business men. At least here, at the Imperial Temple, we receive the best training in the world, so that we might serve the Emperor and fly his Imperial Ships. Heaven smiles on everyone that comes to this place, so you should consider yourself very lucky, but also you should be very careful and train as hard as you can."
"I understand," I said humbly.
"No, you don't understand." The shyo mah's voice exploded. She turned her fierce eyes to all of us, as if we’d done something to offend her.
Her partner placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "What she means is, there are terrible things that can happen if you are not careful. Representatives from other schools wander onto the temple grounds every day, spying on us, watching us, waiting for us to slip up. It’s important that we do well here, because if any one of us fails to meet our masters' expectations, we are sold away to one of those terrible schools. Our abilities are of great value to certain people and there is always a demand for us. Chances are, that man you met today will be watching you. Make sure you do not dishonor yourself by giving your master a reason to fail you. That‘s the only sure way to keep men like him away from you."
A somber silence fell upon my classmates as we walked back to the dormitory. I thought about the two senior students and about how passionate they were with their warnings. I wondered if such a thing once happened to a close friend of theirs or if they had seen their classmates become victims to the consequences of failure.
Sky of Paper: An Asian Steam-Driven Fantasy Tale Page 13