by Ryan Kirk
After a quarter moon, Moriko was truly doubting her sanity. Every day was the same barren landscape. It was beautiful, in its own way. She would still prefer the woods to the prairie, but she was beginning to see what others saw in it. There were times when she appreciated the sensation of being alone in the world, all the land around her quiet and empty. It was just that it never ended. She had never seen such a vast emptiness. Dozens of times a day she checked her bearings against the sun to ensure she was still heading south.
She continued to follow the path, and it seemed straight, but she was beginning to doubt herself. She had never felt so lost. Days and nights blurred together.
A half moon into her journey, she received all the excitement she could ask for. She had been riding south, lost in thought. With little to hold her attention, there was little to occupy her mind. By the time she noticed the dust rising on the horizon, it must have been visible for quite some time. Moriko shook herself awake. Her mind was so used to the unceasing monotony, she hadn’t even realized her surroundings had changed.
She squinted. She wasn’t sure, but it looked like three or four riders heading towards her. On the horse, she was visible from leagues away, and she cursed her lack of awareness. They were still some ways off, so she held her place, debating what to do. None of the other scouts had returned, except for the one, which meant the riders were probably hostile. But if she didn’t stop to talk, there was no way of knowing.
Moriko’s instinct was to turn the horse around and run, but her mission was to scout, so scout she would. She calmed her horse as the riders came galloping towards her. As they got closer Moriko saw it was four riders, each seemingly a part of their horse. She wasn’t an expert, but they rode with a grace she could never hope to match.
Her sense screamed at her and she backed her horse up a few paces as an arrow fell in front of her. She glanced up, surprised. The riders were still a long ways away. There wasn’t any way she should be in bow range by now. She sensed other arrows incoming and backed her horse up further as they rained down around her. So much for trying to speak with them.
The decision made for her, Moriko turned her horse around and kicked it to a gallop, heading north. The locals were not friendly. She tried to throw out her sense, but as the horse below her bounced her around, she could barely focus. She considered herself fortunate to be able to sense a couple of paces away. Moriko turned around, dismayed to see the riders easily gaining on her. They were much better riders than she was.
Her sense limited by her own distraction, she could only sense the arrows a moment or two before they struck. It still seemed an impossible distance, but arrows continued to fall around her. It was only a matter of time before it happened. She felt it a moment too late. She ducked her own head out of the way, but the arrow lodged itself deep in her horse’s neck. The horse stumbled and started to collapse. Moriko didn’t hesitate. She leapt from the saddle and tumbled across the ground as the horse fell in a heap. She got dizzily to her feet and drew her sword as the world righted itself around her.
There wasn’t going to be any running from this battle.
8
Before Ryuu left Akira’s camp, he pulled out the faded note Orochi had given him. The directions to Orochi’s island took Ryuu through the Western Kingdom, a path which seemed like a poor decision considering the two kingdoms were at war with one another. All that mattered was that he reach a port in the Northern Kingdom called Highgate. Ryuu went back into Akira’s tent to ask for directions which took him through the Northern Kingdom. Akira had a clerk draft him directions while Akira himself wrote two passes for Ryuu, allowing him to travel under Akira’s protection. Ryuu was grateful. He had never been out of the Southern Kingdom and didn’t know what type of land or trouble he might find. Akira affixed his seal to both letters in the bottom right corner. They would mark the documents as official if Ryuu ever had to show them.
After the tasks were completed Ryuu was on his way. He rode at a steady pace, trying to balance the need to keep the horse fresh with his need to get north as quickly as possible. Time was of the essence. On horseback, if he didn’t suffer any delays, it would still take him more than a half-moon to reach Highgate. He packed a minimum of provisions, trusting in his skills as a hunter to feed him when necessary. Traveling light was traveling fast.
By the end of the first day Ryuu couldn’t even see the dust kicked up by the rapid movement of Akira’s armies marching to the northwest to do battle with Tanak’s forces. Ryuu rode northeast. As he rode, the gentle rolling plains and forests of the Southern Kingdom turned into more rugged territory. It was on the fourth day of constant riding that Ryuu found the river that denoted the end of the Southern Kingdom and the beginning of the Northern Kingdom. The river wasn’t wide, but its current was rapid as it crashed through the steep valleys. It was another half day before Ryuu found the bridge which would carry him over the swift currents.
Ryuu passed through the checkpoints on either side of the bridge without trouble. He had hidden his sword on his back to ensure he didn’t attract attention. The guards of the Southern Kingdom accepted his pass without question. Passing through the northern checkpoint took a little longer, but he raised no suspicion. He was waved through with a minimum of conversation.
Ryuu’s ride became more rugged as he went on. He had visited the mountains which bordered the Southern Kingdom while growing up, but not often. He was a child of the forest, and riding in the mountains was a novel experience for him. The trail, while well constructed, twisted and turned and rose and fell in such a way that Ryuu was sure he would have to revise his original estimated time of travel. Every day he seemed to cover less ground than he expected. He considered pushing the horse faster, but already signs of weariness were creeping into the beast’s demeanor. Ryuu kept his pace while trying to hold on to his patience. A half moon into his journey, he guessed he was only halfway through the Northern Kingdom. His pace was unbearable.
Ryuu had been curious what the Northern Kingdom would be like and how it would differ from the land he had grown up in. The geography was different, more rugged and mountainous than the Southern Kingdom. But Ryuu also noticed the people were different. For one, there were fewer of them, or at least, that was what Ryuu suspected. He was on one of the well-used trade roads, but he didn’t encounter many people, either travelers or villagers. Ryuu passed through or around several villages, but his sense told him none of them were overcrowded. He didn’t encounter any cities with the population or energy of New Haven. The people were clever with their agriculture, building terraced fields throughout the lush mountains, but there still wasn’t enough space to grow the food needed to feed a large population.
Despite his slow pace, Ryuu was fascinated to be in another kingdom. It was so similar to and yet so different from his own land. The people he did encounter throughout the kingdom were guardsmen. Their quantity surprised him. In the Southern Kingdom there were local garrisons, but most were small and had a tendency to roam together as one unit, visiting each village in their domain perhaps twice a cycle. By and large, villages were expected to take care of themselves, with only the most serious crimes being handled by garrisons. The land was safe, but it was largely because punishments for crimes were severe and the land was prosperous enough that few resorted to banditry or other crimes.
Here in the Northern Kingdom it was different. Guardsmen were posted all over the roads and around the villages, and Ryuu spent a significant amount of time using his sense to detour around them. He often found them roaming in groups of three or five, each group affiliated with a local command. To Ryuu’s southern sensibilities, it seemed like there were far more guards than were needed, but he had to admit he felt like there was a greater degree of order to the Northern Kingdom. He wasn’t sure if it suited him like the freedom of the Southern Kingdom, but he could understand the appeal.
Ryuu was able to avoid any encounters until he was about a hundred leagues away from Highgat
e. He was riding along a typical stretch of road when he sensed them. They were high in the mountain, and Ryuu mistook them at first for wildlife. It was only as he got closer he noticed the small horse paths which led higher up the hillside. Ryuu whistled softly to himself. Anyone riding those paths would have to be a much better, or at least a much more confident rider than he was. Any mistake on those paths was punishable by death.
He caught the motion out of the corner of his eye as the five riders came charging down the path before him. Ryuu calmed his reaction with the practice of a seasoned warrior. His instinct was to try to kick his horse to speed, but he saw immediately the futility of the idea. The riders descending upon him were much more skilled than he, and the road itself was not built to carry a galloping horse and rider. Although he was trying to avoid confrontation, he was much safer standing his ground than he would be if he tried to run. Curiosity was also part of his decision. He had done nothing out of the ordinary to attract attention, and he wondered what had worked the guards into such a frenzy.
Searching the surrounding ground, he brought his horse to a small rise in the road, giving him a slight advantage in height. It didn’t really matter, but there was no point in giving up any advantage, no matter how small. Then he sat and waited while his pursuers came down the mountain trails. He watched in fascination as the riders expertly navigated their horses down the winding paths in the mountain. He would have called their pace “breakneck,” but each rider seemed more than comfortable in the saddle. They were having fun. Ryuu watched and sensed as they shifted their weight ever so slightly, staying always in perfect harmony with the horse. He wasn’t sure of their skill as warriors, but he could testify to their amazing skill with a horse. He wondered if this was the skill of all riders in the Northern Kingdom.
As the guardsmen rode up to him the lead rider called out, “Halt!”
Ryuu looked around. He hadn’t moved at all since taking the high ground.
The rider seemed to realize his mistake, a hint of embarrassment creeping over his face. He tried again. “Who goes there?”
Ryuu wasn’t sure how much was safe to share. “A traveler.”
“Where are you from and what is your destination?”
“I come from the Southern Kingdom, and I’m heading for Highgate.”
“And what is your business?”
Ryuu didn’t want to lie, but he could hardly state he was traveling to find the hidden island where nightblades supposedly lived. “My business is my own.”
He said it without malice, but it rubbed the guard the wrong way. Ryuu groaned inwardly as the soldier sat up straighter in his saddle. He puffed out his chest. “Everyone’s business is the business of the guards. Answer or suffer consequences.”
Ryuu controlled his irritation. He was late and only wanted to complete this journey. He pulled out his documents, displaying them for all to see. “I have done no wrong and have only ridden on the roads which are open to all travelers. What is this about?”
The other four guards circled their horses around Ryuu, blocking all his exits. Their leader replied, “These are trying times, traveler, and no one matching your description has checked in at any guardhouse. It would seem by trying to avoid attention you have brought some down on yourself.”
Irritated as he was, Ryuu didn’t want a confrontation. “My apologies. This is my first time in your kingdom and I’m not familiar with your customs. It was not my intent to offend. I didn’t realize I needed to check in.”
The lead guard relaxed just a little. “Ah, I see our brothers at the border have been lax about informing our guests of our customs. No matter. Simply return with us to the last guardhouse you passed and we will get you all straightened out.”
Ryuu thought back. The last guardhouse he had passed had been a full day ago. He couldn’t bear the idea of backtracking and losing days of progress. He thought about showing them one of the letters signed by Lord Akira, but he wasn’t sure what effect it would have. The guards were all suspicious, and he was trying to avoid attention. But he didn’t see any other way out of the situation besides fighting, which he really didn’t want to do.
“I’m sorry, but that is not an option.” He pulled one of Akira’s letters out and handed it to the leader of the guards. “I’m on a special mission from Lord Akira, and I cannot delay. I apologize for my ignorance, but I must reach Highgate as soon as possible.”
The guard read the letter and tore it into pieces. “All travelers must check in. I won’t fall for your foolish smuggler’s tricks. Prepare to be searched.”
The guards all drew their blades, and Ryuu took a quick assessment of their skills. From their balance and the way they held their blades, they had received a lot of training. They were good, but not good enough. He didn’t want to fight. He lowered his voice and met eyes with the captain of the guard unit.
“I’m sorry, but I can’t have you interrupt my mission. I need to go forward. Let me pass.”
The guards hesitated. Ryuu couldn’t guess what was in their minds, but he could sense they weren’t ready to attack him yet. None of them had expected this to escalate so far, and they were nervous to find a man who showed no fear in the face of five blades. The silence stretched moment after moment, but Ryuu was calm. He could take them if it came to a battle. The question was if they realized it.
He wasn’t sure what convinced them. Maybe it was his lack of fear. Maybe the captain was thinking twice about tearing up a letter with Lord Akira’s seal. No matter the reason, it worked.
He felt the lead guard’s stance shift, and he breathed a sigh of relief. The captain had come to the decision not to fight today. Ryuu was grateful.
The guard tried to muster some of his remaining dignity as he motioned for his men to lower their swords. “Know that I will make a full report. I believe you just might be telling the truth, but if not, you will have not just one, but two kingdoms searching for you. There won’t be any place to hide.”
Ryuu hid his grin as he bowed in a gesture of respect. If they knew he was a nightblade, not just two but all three kingdoms would be hunting for him. “Thank you for your understanding. I will let Lord Akira know I was treated well in the Northern Kingdom.”
The guard scoffed. “If there’s even a lord for you to go back to.” He turned to his men. “Come on men, we’ve got bigger problems than this traveler.”
Ryuu watched them depart with interest. It seemed the prevailing attitude in the Northern Kingdom was that Tanak had the upper hand. Ryuu wondered what sort of preparations the kingdom would be making. Would Sen ally with Akira, simply to keep the balance? Ryuu imagined he would almost have to. If Tanak was successful, his new kingdom would be much stronger than the Northern Kingdom, and it would only be a matter of time before Sen and his orderly nation fell.
He tossed these thoughts back and forth until the riders were out of sight. Ultimately, it didn’t matter to him right now what any of the kingdoms were doing. All three of them were in chaos, and he had to get to the island to find answers before events spiraled even further out of control.
Ryuu was beside himself with wonder. He had lived his entire life in the Southern Kingdom, and he had never seen the sea before. For the past day he had smelled the salt in air, a smell he had never experienced. He spurred his horse the last few leagues to Highgate, covering the remaining distance at a fast trot. The poor beast was exhausted, but Ryuu didn’t care.
Ryuu was standing on the crest of a cliff overlooking Highgate. It was by far the largest city Ryuu had ever encountered, dwarfing even New Haven, and from his viewpoint it was incredible. He could hear the hammers of the smiths ringing through the city, and the sounds of civilization were loud. Even from this distance he could hear the mass of humanity below. It was shocking after so long on the quiet roads. But Ryuu barely saw the city. He had eyes only for the sea.
The smell of the ocean had been new, but to take the fresh ocean wind straight into his face was refreshing. He look
ed out over the sea of blue, sparkling in the late afternoon sunlight. Even in the harbor, the waves rose high, crashing against sandy shores and wooden boats. The air was cold and crisp, even though summer was just beginning here.
Ryuu stood and stared, trying to take in the endless blue, the salt in the air, the cool wind on his face. He listened to the sound of the waves breaking on the shore, and he found there was something hypnotic in their rhythm.
Ryuu glanced at the sun and saw he wouldn’t have time to get to the docks today. Orochi’s note had explained the boat to the island only ever left in the morning. Ryuu shrugged. He had nothing better to do with his time but to explore the area.
His first wish was for food. Ryuu went down into the city and followed his nose, which led him to a small shop selling cooked fish from the sea. Ryuu asked the cook to prepare whatever was best. He watched with rapt attention as the cook prepared fish Ryuu had never seen before.
The food was incredible. It would have been delicious at any time, but after a full moon on the trail, the fresh fish almost brought tears to his eyes. The fish was pink and fatty, and even raw its flavor was sublime. The rice and other food were all excellent, and Ryuu washed it all down with some of the best sake he’d ever tasted. When he was done he leaned back and took in his surroundings. From everything he had observed, the port town was orderly and well maintained. He liked it here. Paying for his meal, he stood up and walked towards the shore.
When he was younger he had heard many stories about the ocean. He knew it formed the far northern border of the Three Kingdoms. He also knew the seas were very rough, even during the summer months. Because of that, there was little trade with foreign lands. Everyone knew the world was much larger than the Three Kingdoms, but with only a little trade from the sea and the mountains to the south and east, the Three Kingdoms were isolated from the larger world. What was known about the land outside the kingdoms was largely rumor and legend.