Nightblade's Vengeance (Blades of the Fallen Book 1)

by Ryan Kirk

  Shin’s primary question was very direct. “Should the worst come to pass and force become necessary, how will the blades respond?”

  Minori handled the question gently. “The blades do not act as a unified whole, one of our greatest weaknesses. A great deal will depend on Kiyoshi. There are many blades who despise the actions he has taken but would still hesitate to go against him directly. Although he is losing support among both nightblades and dayblades, he does have a small, loyal following that could interfere with a smooth transfer of power. That being said, I now believe most blades will support whomever I back.”

  “Even if it comes to force?”

  “Yes. There is a great deal of discontent with the current state of affairs. Word has spread that you will treat the blades differently, and many will fight for that opportunity.”

  Shin nodded.

  “There is one other challenge I would like to discuss with you.”

  Shin’s face was a mask as Minori continued.

  “A while ago a new nightblade came into town. She has the backing of the council, and I’m afraid that if her mission succeeds, I will become a liability to our plans.”

  Shin frowned. He clearly wanted more of an explanation, but Minori was loath to give him one. When it was clear Minori wasn’t going to say more without prompting, Shin replied, “Why can’t you take care of this?”

  “I’ve built my goodwill on standing up for the rights of blades. Even my closest advisers would abandon me if I sent someone after one of our own.”

  Shin gazed out into his gardens, contemplating the consequences of his actions.

  “Very well. I have a unit that has been specially training for such a purpose. She’s alone?”

  Minori nodded, relief flooding through his body. A part of him felt sorry for Asa, but she was swimming in waters far deeper than she understood, and Minori had no choice. Thankfully, she would soon cease to be a thorn in his side.

  Chapter 12

  Kiyoshi was deep inside a world that few people understood. His mind and energy traveled pathways closed to all but those whom fate selected. He could sense the king’s energy and feel the blockage in his mind and stomach. Healing the mind was delicate work, work that few of his peers would have even considered doing. If the consequences weren’t so dangerous, even Kiyoshi would have held back. But he had no choice.

  First among Kiyoshi’s thoughts was that even the power of the dayblades had limits, limits that were far too apparent to him today. While the dayblades could extend life, they couldn’t defeat death. Sooner or later, the body gave out, and a person rejoined the Great Cycle.

  Gently, as though he were trying to open a door without the owner knowing he was there, Kiyoshi focused his attention on Masaki’s mind. He knew if Masaki had been able to speak to him, the king would have ordered Kiyoshi to let him die. Kiyoshi knew he went against the king’s wishes, but they needed him alive, at least for a while longer. As soon as he publicly proclaimed an heir, he could pass on to the Great Cycle in peace.

  Kiyoshi studied the flow of energies in the king’s head. Even a healthy mind was like looking at a knot of tangled strings, but Masaki’s was even more jumbled. With a careful touch, Kiyoshi went in and tried to subtly alter the flows of energy, like poking at a giant knot with a finger, hoping it would magically unravel. Sweat beaded down his brow, and with a firm but focused touch, Kiyoshi felt a piece of the knot fall away. He retreated. It was more success than he saw some days. The temptation was always to do more, but one of the fundamental truths of being a dayblade was that one wanted to do as little as necessary. Nowhere was that truer than working inside someone’s mind.

  The mind was amazingly intricate and sensitive. In ages long ago, when the power of the dayblades was still being refined, there were stories of healers going into the minds of patients and causing horrors as a result. A gentle nudge the wrong way could destroy a person’s memories or power of speech. Most dayblades avoided the mind, but Kiyoshi took a certain pleasure in pushing himself further. His actions were born out of necessity, but he still felt pride at his abilities.

  Done for the day, Kiyoshi allowed most of his own energy to flow into the king, to give him strength for the next day. Kiyoshi gave probably more than he should, but the king’s life was far more important than his own.

  Kiyoshi gently broke contact with the king. Time had no meaning when a dayblade was healing, and he was surprised to see the morning sun rising through the king’s windows. Kiyoshi looked down at Masaki, one of the few men he considered a friend in this world. The king was still alive, and for the moment, he looked well, but Kiyoshi wrestled with his own private doubts. The only reason Masaki lived was Kiyoshi’s daily healings. And living was a strong word for what the king was doing. More accurately, the king was breathing on his own. Kiyoshi wasn’t sure he’d ever get the king to wake up again.

  Kiyoshi went to stand up, but his leg buckled underneath him, and he fell back onto the cushions he had been using for support during the healing. He cursed himself and old age. He had no fear of death. Some days he thought the idea sounded rather appealing. But he had work to do, and he would leave the Kingdom better than when he found it. Then he could pass to the Great Cycle peacefully.

  He knew he couldn’t keep up these daily healings for much longer. Even if he had been young and vigorous, it would be difficult for his body to recover.

  Eventually Kiyoshi was able to stand up. After several deep breaths to keep his balance, he stumbled forward toward his own room, just down the hall. By the time he got to his bed, he felt as though he had run from Haven to Starfall. Twice. Carrying an obese lord.

  Kiyoshi saw a note in his room before he lay down. Fighting apathy, the blade opened the note and scanned the letter. Another cursed King’s Council. Kiyoshi called for a guard and asked to be awakened at the appointed time. Then he lay down on his bed and allowed the blackness of rest to take him.

  Kiyoshi was startled awake by persistent shaking from the guard. His eyes opened, and for a moment, he feared he was being attacked. He rose and tensed his body for combat. He reached for one of the short blades hidden on his body, but his mind reasserted itself.

  Kiyoshi relaxed back onto his bed and nodded his thanks to the guard. With any luck, he would look like any other old man startled awake. The guard, surprised by Kiyoshi’s reaction, bowed and left the room.

  The old dayblade sighed and rubbed his eyes, his body demanding more rest. He knew he had been pushing his limits, but even he didn’t realize how far he had gone. His sense should have warned him someone was nearby, waking him before they approached.

  Lying in bed, almost unable to move, Kiyoshi questioned himself. He knew he would do anything for Masaki, including give up his own life. There was no question of that. But was he walking the right path? His hopes hinged on Masaki gaining consciousness again and declaring an heir. He had to acknowledge, however, that such an act now seemed far-fetched. The two had always thought they had more time, until they didn’t.

  Any other decision seemed worse. The king’s line had always been separate from that of any of the three lords. Legend had it that the first king gave up his land as a sacrifice to the Kingdom. It had always been understood that one couldn’t be a just king when predisposed to a certain house. If any of the lords became monarch, they had to cut their line off from their clan’s for all time, and Kiyoshi had a hard time believing most would give up their family’s rights to the land. Juro, very likely, would, but the others—never.

  Kiyoshi wanted Masaki to declare for Juro. The choice and transference of power would be far from ideal, but they were backed into a corner, and Kiyoshi saw the warrior lord as their only chance.

  It took Kiyoshi a while to realize that a substantial amount of time had passed. He cursed himself. He had been so tired that he had thought nothing about lying in bed even though he had a council meeting to attend. In this time of chaos, his calming presence was needed more than ever.


  He groaned as he rose. He would have gone through his morning forms, but since he had been spending so much time with the king, every routine he once had was a distant memory. Moving stiffly, Kiyoshi shuffled through the halls toward the council chamber.

  When he arrived, he could see that the meeting had already started. The initial pleasantries were done, and if Kiyoshi’s sense of time was any sign, they hadn’t lasted long.

  He stopped in his tracks when he took in the room. Shin was standing, while the other two lords were sitting. What really drew Kiyoshi’s attention, though, was Minori, sitting calmly at the table like he had been a part of the council his entire life.

  Kiyoshi’s tired mind tried to figure out what was happening. Even though he was a dayblade, he could tell he was walking into a trap. He wasn’t worried about physical violence. Minori wouldn’t dare try, not here. But how had he figured out the timing of a council meeting? The schedules were always secret, and Kiyoshi had conveniently had trouble delivering timely messages to Minori.

  There was only one logical explanation: Minori was connected to one of the lords. If that was true and Minori was half as intelligent as Kiyoshi assumed he was, then the nightblade had sided with Lord Shin. Kiyoshi wasn’t even able to track the potential consequences of that relationship. His exhausted mind simply wasn’t able to continue. He stepped forward, wondering how the trap would snap shut on him.

  Lord Shin stopped whatever he had been saying when he saw Kiyoshi move into his peripheral vision. “Kiyoshi, it is good to see you. We all know how you have driven yourself to the brink of collapse to keep Masaki alive, and all of us here are grateful. I’ve heard you already know Minori, sent here as a representative of the Council of Blades.”

  Shin’s words were kind, but his voice was anything but, leaving nothing to the imagination. Kiyoshi was taken aback. The situation was worse than he thought if Shin was being so bold. But he wouldn’t sink to the lord’s level. This was the King’s Council, a place of respect. He bowed deeply to Shin, as befitted the lord’s station.

  “Thank you for your kind words, Lord Shin.”

  It was no surprise Minori had shown Shin and the other lords his letter from Hajimi, but it complicated Kiyoshi’s situation. From an official standpoint, there was no need for two blades on the King’s Council, and there would be plenty of people who would see having two blades as a bid for more power. Minori could argue his more recent appointment overrode Kiyoshi’s older one, and if he did, there was little Kiyoshi could do. He suspected if he appealed to the Council of Blades, Hajimi would default to Minori. Kiyoshi would have to tread lightly.

  Kiyoshi sat at his typical place at the table, and Shin continued his previous line of questioning.

  “What do we know about this wave of crime in Haven?”

  Kiyoshi was surprised again. He had heard nothing of this, but from the looks of the lords, Shin’s words weren’t news to any of them. He realized his efforts to save the king were isolating him from events in the Kingdom.

  Lord Isamu spoke first, his voice angry. “The streets of Haven have become almost impassable. Even trying to get here today, I didn’t feel comfortable with less than a hundred guards. The populace is furious.”

  Juro turned to Isamu. “I struggle to believe you can’t control your people.”

  Kiyoshi interjected, using his own ignorance in the hope it might calm the situation.

  “Forgive me, lords, but with my time spent at the king’s side, I’m afraid I’m not aware of what’s happening in Haven. Would someone be so kind as to update me?”

  Minori replied, highlighting the difference between the two blades. “As of late, the city and, indeed, the entire Kingdom have become unsettled. Word of the king’s illness has spread, and the people fear what will happen if our majesty rejoins the Great Cycle without naming an heir. There have been calls for the council to take action, but due to our respect for the king, none has been taken. The lack of action is causing greater unrest.”

  “And how has this unrest manifested?”

  Minori answered again. “Here in Haven, the streets are not as safe as they once were. There are many more reports of petty crime, but more concerning to the lords are the gatherings that are gaining momentum. I’m sure every lord here has their supporters calling for their elevation to the post of king, but there are other fringe gatherings promoting treasonous ideas. On my morning walk, I heard one group calling for an end to lords and kings. One young man was arguing that all taxes should be abolished forever and people should be free to live as they please. Reports show the gatherings are getting larger, indicating a greater level of discontent with the situation.”

  Kiyoshi was surprised.

  “What actions have the king’s guards taken?”

  Isamu answered this time. “They are doing all they can, but they aren’t prepared for this type of work. They need more men, and money to pay them.”

  In a flash of insight, Kiyoshi saw what was happening. Even though Haven was controlled by the king, it resided on Isamu’s family lands. Chaos here would reflect poorly on Isamu. The other two lords could argue that a man who couldn’t control his own city was in no position to control the Kingdom. He wondered how much of the unrest was natural and how much was being encouraged by the other lords.

  Shin spoke, the voice of reason at the table. “Lords, this is no time for these petty squabbles. May I propose a solution? My honor guard is scheduled to change the day after next. If you are willing, I would allow my present honor guard to remain in the city to assist the king’s guard. I would be happy to pay their wages, so no new money would need to be raised, and the king’s guard could be put in command. An extra hundred men would surely be useful, would they not?”

  Isamu fixed Shin with an icy glare. “You’ll have to forgive me, Lord Shin, but I hesitate to allow an extra hundred of your men into the city.”

  Minori spoke up. “My lord, I’m new to the council, so you must forgive me, but may I provide a piece of support?”

  Isamu gestured at the nightblade to continue.

  “My lord, I’d also be willing to request the presence of more warriors from the Council of Blades. Even a dozen nightblades walking around the city would quickly help restore order. It would take at least a half moon for the blades to arrive. I would suggest you take Lord Shin up on his offer for now. If you are concerned about the balance of power, rest assured it would be for only a little while. Once the blades arrive, I’m certain Shin would be willing to remove his extra guards.”

  Shin nodded his agreement. “I would be more than happy to do so.”

  Minori continued. “In fact, I may even be able to summon a few blades from the surrounding area who could be here in a few days.”

  Kiyoshi watched as Isamu struggled with his decision. Minori had sweetened the deal considerably. Kiyoshi was worried. If Minori and Shin were working together, as he expected, this entire scene might have been coordinated. It meant the blades were taking a side, and nothing scared Kiyoshi more.

  Isamu reached his decision. “Very well. Lord Shin, your offer is accepted. Thank you for your willingness to help.”

  The rest of the council passed quickly, and Kiyoshi wondered what he had just seen. The blades were aligning with Shin, and Kiyoshi could see only one way this path ended. Perhaps he was overly pessimistic, but Kiyoshi, better than anyone else, understood what happened when the blades chose a side. He feared that blood was going to be spilled. Far too much blood.

  Chapter 13

  If Asa never stared at another piece of parchment again, it would be too soon. Outside of the bit of excitement at the inn, Asa felt like she hadn’t moved at all in ages. She put away all the papers she had been going through, wondering why anyone would ever choose to be a scribe. When she was a blade in training, she had befriended a scribe in training, and he had spoken about the excitement of words, the magic of transmitting an idea through both distance and time. Asa supposed language was powerful, but it
certainly was boring. Give her a sword and an opponent any day.

  Asa returned the papers to the young scribe who managed the archives at Haven. As was becoming a pattern in her research, she was hitting dead end after dead end. She had also been trying to track down Osamu’s brother, but she had had no luck on that end, either.

  Asa wondered if she should just follow her gut. For the past few days she had been trying to control her excitement. After cycles of searching, could her quest almost be over? She was pretty certain she had discovered not just where Osamu was, but who he was—Minori.

  She didn’t have any direct proof, but the circumstantial evidence was strong. He claimed he had been at Two Falls, and he was a nightblade around the correct age. He had also clearly been hiding secrets. He was by far the most likely candidate she had come across yet.

  The best piece of evidence she had was his claim he had been at Two Falls. Afterward, she went over all the records and notes she had taken. She had been right. The name of every blade who had been at Two Falls had been recorded, and Minori’s name wasn’t on the list. But he didn’t know she had access to that information. She didn’t think he had intended to reveal his participation in the massacre, but he’d also been too smart to try to lie to her.

  Thus, if Minori had been at the scene and his name wasn’t on the list, the explanation that was most reasonable was that Minori was Osamu. To confirm her theory, she could try to go through Osamu’s brother, or she could return to Starfall. Hopefully Osamu’s brother would recognize Minori, but Asa still had to find him, and there was no guarantee he was still alive.

  But going back to Starfall didn’t seem to be any better a decision. Minori was chosen by the council and likely a friend of Hajimi’s. Either Hajimi already knew his identity or he didn’t want to know the truth. Going back to Starfall would only cause Asa more headaches.

  More importantly, Asa didn’t want to be too far away from Minori, especially the way events in the Kingdom were unfolding.