Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “You are done my lord” She says her voice soft, almost a whisper.

  “Fuma is your lord, not me.” He says with a chuckle. It is one of the few things he doesn’t like about his possession. Everyone calls him lord, or young lord. But he is nothing compared to his own master, lord Fuma. He is a mere warrior. Fuma is the demon king, a conqueror of lands and people. With that last though Attonnan gets up from the table and makes his way back to his room. Slowly he takes off his black silk pants and begins to dress in his apprentice outfit. Silk white puffed out pants with elastic around the cuffs and waist. A fold over shirt it is mostly white with a blood red floral pattern along the right shoulder and on the cuffs. The sleeves are loose hang down. Attonnan throws a few quick punches and enjoys the snapping sound of the fabric. Now the armor, first the piece that goes over his stomach and lower back. It is soft black leather armor, but as he feels it, he can feel that throughout it are small metal squares sewn into the leather. The sew job gives it a quilted look, the edges rimmed with shimmering, polished steel. To hold this in place are four straps, two on each side that can be tightened, but not too tight or you wouldn’t have the movement you wanted, then two more straps the were slung over the shoulders and tightened from behind. It took him some time to learn how to put in on without help but now that he does know how he does it with ease. Once he is satisfied with the tightness Attonnan then picks up the next part of the armor, it is a set of quilted black armor with polished silver edges but these go over the upper legs and he is guessing the front and back. All for of them are only long flexible piece of square armor. The four are connected with a basic belt, and then two smaller belts at the bottom for those that go over upper leg. Attonnan already knows exactly how this goes. First he wraps the belt around him and then pulls it loose, but tight enough that they cannot fall, he then possessions the belt so all the pieces fall to where they are meant to, then tightness it to it is comfortable. Then slowly bending down he tightens the lower belts above the knee. To make sure it is does not interfere with his fighting he throws a few kicks and smiles, the armor is heavy compared to what he is used to, but cause it is only small squares in leather, they are flexible. Then calmly he smiled and looked over the other parts of the armor, they are only boots and what look like some kind of bracers. Seeing that nothing more is going over his shirt or pants Attonnan takes his yellow and blue sash and ties it around the armor. Slowly he puts on the boots, which are black harder leather that moves up to almost the knees. The bracer goes up to almost mid-forearm, they two are quilted leather, but instead of metal squares it is like metal rods. Last is his blade, a blade his new lord has given him. It is a single edged blade that is curved just slightly, the tip circled upward; he has heard it is called a katana. The handle too is curved, but in the opposite direction of the blade. The handle is wood, covered in light blue silk, over that is a white leather criss-cross wrapped so that down the middle you can see small diamonds of the blue fabric. The end is capped in polished brass, the hilt is also polished brass, it is a simple hilt, round with an only slightly getting out from the blade. The sheath is white with a dragon embroidered in sky blue. The tip capped in polished brass. Unsheathing the sword he looks long and hard at the blade, it is polished and oiled as it always is, he takes extremely good care of it. Down each side of the blade, near the opposing end of the edge is a deep groove that runs the length of it but stops just short of the tip. He was told that his is called a blood groove and it helps the blood flow through the blade without it getting in the way. Holding it in the light he can see hundreds of tiny uneven waves forming a kind of pattern along the edge, this tells him how many times the metal was folded, each peak counts as one fold, he has counted and found that this blade was folded almost 600 times. Each fold is meant to make the blade that much stronger. Smiling he sheaths the blade once more and walks over to the mirror. In all his time he never thought that he would be treated in such high regard, here they treat him as a prince as someone who is respected and cared for. Back home he was only a child, someone who needed looked after and carefully watched. He only shakes his head and letting the thoughts drift out of his mind he begins to bush out his hair, he has short bangs now but the rest of his hair is quite long. It falls almost to his waist. Fuma always enjoyed his hair, and the fact that he takes such care of it.

  It is just as he is finishing combing out his hair when he hears a tap at the door. Smiling he knows that this must be the one to take him to the war chamber. It has to be late afternoon by now. Calmly he opens to the door to find that it is his old friend Aang. Aang is a younger elf then Attonnan but has just recently made the rank of guard. Aang smiles to see his friend and take bows once he snaps back to his senses. This is Attonnan, the lord’s apprentice.

  “Lord Attonnan, your presence has been requested at the war chamber, I am here to escort you to the door” Aang says never letting his eyes lift from the floor.

  “Aang come on, it’s me, stop treating me like some kind of noble” Attonnan says and pulls him into a hung.

  Aang is shocked at first but only smiles and pushes him always.

  “Congratulations on the commission, I’m sorry I wasn’t at the trial, I was busy” Attonnan says a bit ashamed that he wasn’t there when his best friend faced the trail to become a Hojo elite

  “You were working, I believe it was the village of Sozen” Aang says calmly.

  Attonnan can only nod. Aang only puts his hand on his friend’s shoulder and the two walks down the halls. The walk is a short one but a silent one. Aang knows that Attonnan doesn’t enjoy his work, but he is a good man and will do anything Fuma tells him. He is the perfect apprentice and many of the guard look up to him, even him. In no time the two arrive at the main war room. The guard’s that stand at the edge of each door only nod and open the door. Aang however knows his place and lets Attonnan walk in alone, is only a new recruit and is not allowed in such places. The war room is a huge room the huge torches lining the walls. In the middle is a large table full of maps and other things for planning out your strategies. Attonnan looks around and sees that his chair has been reserved, it is the one to Fuma’s left, and he has yet to earn the place at his right, for now it is still held by lady Elana. Once he has sat down the meeting comes to a start. Attonnan listens carefully as many of the generals lay out the plans for the villages inside the Hojo territory that still fail to fall under Fuma’s rule.

  “Your lord, I wish to speak to you of Omashu, it is a powerful village with a great defense, I am also told that the Takunen revolutionaries have also joined them.” one of the elder generals says and then places pieces on the map representing some of the people that he would use and the opposing forces.

  “Go on” Fuma says leaning in looking at where he is placing the Hojo forces.

  “Well I have come up with a plan. We take the third regiment of guard and have them lay siege to the village, as the Takunen deal with them we take our elite guard and move in from behind.” Attonnan’s mind quickly snaps into action, the third regiment is only recruits, the Takunen will lay waist to them without a second thought, and they will never stand a chance. This man is planning on destroying an entire regiment in order to take one village; thirty-maybe forty lives will be fed to this village. No village is worth that.

  “You can’t do that, those men are loyal to the Hojo clan, and you can’t just sacrifice them like that.” Attonnan shouts at the top of his lungs jumping out of his seat.

  Everyone is stunned and taken back by all this; Attonnan has never spoken out of line like this.

  “Attonnan, sit” Fuma says his voice a growl.

  “No, I won’t, this is obscene, you can’t allow this” Attonnan says pleading to his master

  “You two escort him out of here, I shall teach him a lesson in manors after the meeting.” Fuma says as two guards walk up and grab each of his arms.

  Attonnan doesn’t even s
truggle; he only walks with the guard’s growling. The two guards’ take him to a chamber he has never seen before. It is a long room with deep red stone that covers the floors, walls and ceiling.

  Attonnan seems to wait in there forever. But soon the doors open and all the generals and even his own lord comes in. For a moment Attonnan just watches them, the lords all walk though the room lining the walls then standing opposite of Attonnan is his own master lord Fuma.

  “Do you realize what you did back there, no, I doubt you do. You are not to speak until I allow it if I allow it at all. You have insulted the entirety of the council and the war room, and so have you insulted me. There is only one way to rectify this, Agni-kai” Fuma says and quickly gets into a fighting stance. Attonnan sees this and is shocked, he admits he knew all about the Agni-kai and he was more then ready to fight the old general, but not his lord, he would never fight his lord. Without hesitation he drops to his hands and knees lowering his head to the floor.

  “My lord and master no. Please lord Fuma, I only had the Hojo clans best interests at heart” Attonnan says keeping his head lowered.

  “You will fight for your honor” Fuma says stepping toward him, dropping his stance.

  “I meant no disrespect, I am your loyal servant” Attonnan says now raising his head, his eyes full of tears.

  “Rise and fight me” Fuma says growling. He will not play favorites and he must make sure to keep Attonnan in line. He spoke out of turn and even questioned the war plans, this is far too much spirit for him to tolerate.

  I will not fight you” Attonnan says still staring at his lord and master, tears running down his cheeks.

  “You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher” Fuma says and with that makes a quick kick to Attonnan’s side sending him rolling along the floor. Attonnan does nothing; he will not even raise a hand to defend himself. Fuma kicks him again and again he goes rolling. Fuma now irritated he lifts him to his feet by the front of his shirt and with a hard backhand sends him sprawling to the floor again, blood now trickling out of his mouth. Still Attonnan will not raise a hand. Fuma lifts him again and again backhands him. He watches as for the second time Attonnan slams into the floor, his mouth now bleeding onto the floor.

  “Your cowardice in battle has shown me that you are not worthy of the title I bestowed upon you. But I will give you a chance. I am sending the third regiment against the Takunen. But I shall give you a chance, you shall lead them. Live though this, prove yourself in battle and I might take you back” Fuma says and with the other lords walks out of the room, the general now snickering.

  Attonnan only lies on the floor shocked, how could this be. In a matter of seconds he has lost everything, but that will not matter, he will join the third regiment and he will earn his place back in his fathers graces. He admits he knows nothing about the Takunen, but they will know everything of him soon enough, and fear him. He only lies there for a few minutes before two of the guard’s help him up and walk him to his room. Once inside his room they help him with taking his armor off and lay him down. He will rest and they are sure that he will need his sleep. First thing in the mourning he will march with the squared to take on the Takunen.

  It is late in the night and Fuma is sitting at his desk looking over the plans for the attack on the Takunen battle. He knows the men will march out before dawn, they will be at the main fields overlooking the main gates of Omashu, there will be no time for them to think before the Takunen fight back. He wonders if Attonnan is ready for this, he knows the Takunen all too well; it was master Takada, leader of the Takunen that convinced his last apprentice to turn against him. He is almost certain that Kenshi is still with them. This will be quite the test for his new apprentice, Kenshi was always skilled with a blade and almost no one could touch him. He almost wishes he could be there when Attonnan wipes that cocky smile off of his face. As this thought runs though his head he hears a tap on the door.

  “Enter” Fuma says already knowing who it is at the door.

  The door slowly opens and he finds that it is the general that Attonnan had insulted in the war room. Fuma glances at the general and then at the clock on the wall, then once again back at the general.

  “I summoned you almost half an hour ago, may I ask why you decided to keep your lord waiting” Fuma says and leans forward

  “My apologies but I had to see if the men were ready for the coming battle. I didn’t mean to keep you waiting.” The general says with a low bow, he knows all to well what happens when you displease lord Fuma

  “I shall allow it to slide this time. I have a request for you in tomorrows upcoming battle” Fuma says and smiles at him, he knows the general will not like this but that is not his concern.

  “And what is that my lord” the general says and begins to stand.

  “Tomorrow Attonnan will lead the new recruits against the Takunen. I’m sure you’re well aware of there odds of survival.” Fuma says folding his hands in front of himself.

  “I am, but they will buy my troop time to flanks Omashu, taking it as the Takunen will be busy with the recruits, at least that was the plan” The general says and takes a deep breath.

  “Indeed but I have a special task for you. I will require you to stay behind when your troop takes Omashu. I want you to keep an eye on Attonnan; I cannot emphasize how important it is that he lives though this battle. If he fails to make it back then I will personally hold you responsible. This will mean a trip to the deep with the ebony hand” Fuma says and glares at the general over his folded hands.

  The general only shudders at this, he has only been told stories what it is like to go to the deep with the ebony hand. They are experts in pain and torture.

  “I shall do everything in my power to see that he comes out of this battle” the general says with another deep and low bow

  “That is all general” Fuma says and with a wave of his hand dismisses him.

  The general walks out of the room and once he shuts the door he leans on the wall. Growling he takes a deep breathe. How did he get into this mess? He has to take Omashu, for that he has to lead his troops. Second he has to keep an eye on Attonnan, he would much rather just leave Attonnan to his own fate. If he dies he dies. Either way he really has no choice, he has to watch Attonnan and prepare his troops so that he doesn’t have to lead them, if he doesn’t he will be at the hands of the ebony hand.

  Taking a deep breath he walks away, he has sleep to catch up on, and then, then he shall rise early and prepare his troops. Tell the plan over and over until soon they can recite it, he will only have a few hours tell they are at Omashu.

  It is early the next mourning, Attonnan is already awake and looking deep in his own eyes as he stares into the mirror. Is he really ready for this? This will be his first real battle. Taking a deep breath he finishes strapping on his armor, his squad will be waiting, it is almost dawn and they are ready to march out. Slowly he makes his way though the halls, the guard’s don’t even look at him, they won’t, and to them he is not what he used to be. He makes his way to the courtyard of the Hojo castle, like he thought his troops are waiting, all of them in the rusty red/brown armor of the rookie Hojo warriors, a chest plate and square pauldrons, each wearing a red bandana with the symbol of the Hojo in the middle. He looks around and sees that one of his troops is waiting for him, the reins of a spare horse in his hands. The horse is Simeron, he would know that horse anywhere, and the soldier is Aang.

  “I couldn’t believe it when I heard you were leading us, there is no way the Takunen will win now.” Aang says and the other cheer.

  He looks at all of them, they are all so young, not one of them is over 100, he wonders if any of them has had there rite of passage. They don’t even know what they are getting into. They are only bait. He knows what he has to do for them. He will fight and he will try to keep them safe, they will lure the Takun
en out, that is their job. Keep them distracted long enough for the others to get inside Omashu, but as soon as they can he will order a retreat, no point in getting any of these young men killed.