Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  Everyone is silent as the emperor stares at the sword, and then looks over the gathered dignitaries.

  “Ambassador Swanbeck I have concluded that your treaty is not in the best interests of my people.” the Emperor says shaking his head wondering what he has done.

  “Sir, if I may—” But he too is silenced as the emperor holds up his hand.

  “You may not. From this moment on, economic investment from every nation will be considered equally.” He says and looks back over at Byrdi who has not moved or spoken this whole time.

  “This is an outrage” Swanbeck says furious at the decision.

  The Emperor gestures. A servant escorts Swanbeck to the exit. Kage takes a step closer to the Emperor.

  “Enlightened One, we should discuss this” Kage says his voice as oily as a snake once more.

  “Kage, do you know our northern island?” The emperor asks his face unreadable.

  Kage only shakes his head and looks at the emperor in confusion.

  “There is a small one called Tel Fyr, a rock in the sea. There is nothing there but crabs that have been known to tear a sleeping man apart… I have had a small house constructed on the island. You will go there now and await our summons.” The Emperor says his voice perfectly calm.

  “Sir… ?” Kage says shocked and infuriated.

  “I hereby seize your family’s assets and present them as my gift to the people.” The emperor says his eyes still affixed to the blade.

  Kage can only look at him, stunned at this sudden change of heart.

  “Further, I have decided to stop the railroad expansion into Yoshino.” he continues his mind made up.

  “Enlightened One” Kage says his voice now only a whisper.

  “You have served your function. I have no more need of you… You can conspire with the crabs now. Remove yourself.” The emperor says calmly as if he said nothing more to someone then hello.

  “Honored Emperor, I do not know why you disgrace me.” Kage says now trying to understand what has just happened.

  The Emperor finally looks up from the sword.

  “If your shame is too unbearable… I offer you this sword.” His eyes fierce, his offer is simple, accept it or kill yourself.

  Kage looks at him for a moment. Then bows tersely and goes. The Emperor looks at Byrdi, still kneeling before him.

  The Vulkoori is not a man now. He is an idea. Tell me how he died.” The emperor says a tear escaping his eyes for his old master.

  “I will tell you how he lived.” Byrdi says now looking up at the emperor with a kind of fatherly kindness.

  Simon stands on a lecturing hall In front of him is several of the different races all of them, their attention wrapped as he speaks of the lost Vulkoori and their ways.

  “. . . And so the days of the Vulkoori had ended. And in the years to come the Rising Sun of Imperial eastern Islands would fly in triumph, Nations, like men, it is sometimes said, have their own destiny As for the Hitori Captain, no one knows what became of him. All that is left is his journal, which I have published, according to his last request. Some lay he died of his wounds, others that he returned to his own country. But I like to think he may have found at last some small measure of the peace we all seek, but few of us ever find. Anshinritsumai. [I wish you peace.]” Simon finishes to an applause of the audience a smile crosses face, finally he has been able to do complete the work that he has been trying to do since he arrived on these islands, to preserve this ancient culture so others may learn from it.

  Chapter 16

  Ronin

  The powers of old have lost and lie dead. A simple servant has risen to become a general war breeds war fields are rampaged and hearts are lost. The world is at war with no end in sight and notorious warlords battle to rule the world the most powerful of these warlords is the Kainith elf kingdom’s Mecmed. Here in Ronin the honor of the former Unagi clan is now but a dream. Griffin, a mastermind of chaos who came to power by supplanting his lord vies to become its ruler. Griffin’s sole desire is for a stronger more powerful Ronin however in his drive to accomplish his goals the people of Ronin struggle to survive for in Ronin war is incessant. In fact one battle has just ended but the only souls to cast off the woes of war are those that lay dead, heaped on the ground, to those on the battlefield, is hell our world or the one beyond, no one knows for sure

  A young elf wanders the latest of the battlefields of the city of Ronin, the battle of course being between the knights known at the Wolfpride who fight on the side of the Lord Griffin, and in turn Mecmed and the rebels lead by the soldier Byrdi and his own group of fighters. The elf is as white as porcelain, with long hair like raven plumes. His eyes are bright blue and on his face are several markings, On each cheek are three red marks like something had clawed him, and on his forehead a blue crescent moon. He is dressed in white puffed out pants with the elastic in the waist and cuffs. The color seems to shimmer and shine since it is made of what he has only guessed was silk. He then pulls out the white fold over shirt with the red geometric floral pattern on the sleeves and right shoulder. Over all of this is a kind of armor that goes over his stomach and lower back. It is soft black leather armor, but throughout the armor there are metal squares seen into the leather. The sewing 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, along his legs is a set of quilted black armor with polished silver edges, 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 tie at the upper leg. Then a set boots and what look like some kind of bracers. Along his waist is a yellow sash with a royal blue wavy pattern along the bottom. The elf is none other then Attonnan, the ghost, he seems to be weary as if he has just finished with some kind of battle of his own, his eyes seem to focus and unfocused at turn. Slowly two men begin to approach him. They do not look anything special just normal townsfolk. “Hay someone alive, they actually survived, who is it,” One of the men says to the other.

  “Hay who are you, are you okay” The second man says and approaches Attonnan.

  “Great peril awaits us beyond the Black River summoned by the beating of drums” Attonnan says his eyes unfocused and then without warning he falls face first into the rain soaked ground.

  “What should we do?” one of the men says taking a look at the fallen warrior.

  “What do you mean what should we do, we don’t have a choice. We’ve got to get him to the village” The other says and they both stoop down to help him up. They take him to once of the outer villages of Ronin where he wakes up in a small cottage. He opens the door and finds Vulge standing near the gate, Vulge keeps his back turned and Vulge hasn’t changed in all these years. Still a large man with a bald head. His body a bit more weathered now he is dressed in a simple outfit rather then the captain’s uniform that he was used to seeing him in. With a smile Attonnan begins to approach but stops out of shock as Vulge begins to speak.

  “This isn’t a battlefield, you cannot go around spilling blood here. Do you understand what I am saying? I could have left you for dead, lying on the battlefield but I didn’t I brought you here. If you are truly thankful you shall refrain from fighting or causing trouble in this village” Vulge says his voice stern but not angered.

  At first Attonnan is shocked Vulge didn’t recognize him. Perhaps he has changed so much that Vulge wouldn’t recognize him. Letting a long sigh escape him Attonnan bows and walks down the hill where he finds a boy practicing with a stick in a field. Kid hears him approach and growls.

  “Hay who are you, rebel shouldn’t be in this village. My sister gets scared when she sees rebels, go
away get our of here.” The child says and attacks him with the stick. Attonnan smiles but steps side to side avoiding each blow.

  “Calm down kid” Attonnan says his voice soft but cold, like a fall wind.

  “Hay you don’t talk to me, get out of here” The boy says snarling at him even further.

  As the kid makes his second attempt to attack him Attonnan shakes his head to see a woman begin to approach, it is his sister Maeraer. She is dressed in roman like gown her hair tied up in a nice bun with some hanging loose. She like him has changed; her once girlish form now a form of a full-fledged woman with curves to match. Attonnan turned a bit pink finding himself looking at her like this.

  “Lucius stop that, what are you doing. Leave him alone Lucius” Maeraer shouts at the boy, and hearing his mothers voice he stops like a statue.

  “But he” Lucius says ashamed for attacking him but still holding firm about that warriors shouldn’t be here

  “That’s enough, I’m sorry about Lucius but he is right about our village we don’t need a rebel hanging around here. Go before you bring us danger please leave, please” Maeraer says looking calmly at the sword at Attonnan’s side.

  Attonnan is shocked to find that his sister didn’t even recognize him but knows that a lot of time has passed and his life has thrown so much at him that his form hasn’t been the same, his skin pale white, white as porcelain. He shouldn’t be surprised; perhaps it’s better this way. He is sure that Maeraer and his other siblings have there own life, and perhaps it’s best if he leave them with it. He’s not even sure where his path lays, he can’t even think of where to start. He came back to Ronin in hopes that this might lead to something but now, now he’s just more confused then he started. Taking a deep breath Attonnan only nods to Maeraer and then takes his leave and walks into the town.

  Walking out into the town he sees that much of Ronin has changed since he left. The great bustling city that he knew is now gone and has been replaced with a simple faction of farmers just trying to get on with there lives. There is still a harbor near a river that leads to the main sea for trade and a main square an hour or so away from the farmlands where people can get what they need or sometimes just spend a day in the market to forget about there woes. It seems everything that was so elaborate and showy has now been broken down to its simplest form. Part of Attonnan is sad to see his town so different, but then part of him smiles at the sight of it now. He knows that this is just the foundation of a great kingdom that could be. All it needs is the proper leader and the proper lay of law. Walking through the town he is greeted by the people who are kind and friendly to him though he can see the look of fear and distrust once they see his garb and sword. Talking to them he finds that his town is not without it problems, The whole kingdom of Ronin is at war between two factions, the first resides in his own old castle, The faction is known as the Wolfpride, this is lead by a white knight known as Lord Griffin, he also finds that few ever see Griffin, but his second is seen often in town, Mellyruna, his own twin brother. The second of the factions is a group of rebels who is fighting to force the Kainith elf Kingdom out of the Ronin lands. The Group has no name but is lead by the warrior Byrdi, his half-brother. It seems his whole family has returned home only to be at war with itself. He remembers the words of the old dwarven priestess as he thinks on this, she told them that Mellyruna would rule and it would be started in blood, she also foretold that Byrdi would fight Mellyruna, it seems she was right. Slowly he looks at the landscape and smiles as his eyes rest on the mountain in the distance. They should have listened to her, but they were young and didn’t believe in such things.

  Attonnan soon lowers his head thinking which would be the best way to handle this, he only came to find peace of his home, hoping that he could find his own way, and now here he is and it is in war. This is his home and though he never took his vows Rin was going to name him it’s guardian, it is his duty to set things right. Mellyruna, he was always a calm and inspiring person, he will go and speak to him. Once his brother sees him they will be fast friend and perhaps together they can find a way to stop this pointless fighting. With destination in mind He sets off for his old home, the main castle of the land.

  It takes him almost no time to walk to the main castle of the land and when he gets there he finds that it has not changed at all. It is still a simple looking structure nothing fancy but sturdy and able to withstand many sieges. As he approaches he finds two of the Kainith elf guards. They are dressed in the bright white and light blue colors so familiar to the Kainith elves. As he approaches the two guards chuckle at him.

  “Another for the ground I see” The first guard says and gestures inside.

  “Excuse me” Attonnan says his voice young and curious.

  “Competition time, win and you get a chance to join the main Kainith elf force, do well enough and get the eyes of the Wolfpride and they might let you into there fold, not likely though” The guard says and gestures in.

  Attonnan only shrugs his shoulders and walks into the main courtyard. The courtyard is full of people of all kinds, some Kainith elf, some Denerith elf, all of whom are armed with there own special weapons, all trying to gain the eyes of the nobles so that they too can raise above the rank of some commoner and have a chance at a better life. Most are catering to there friends, but he does see one or two either practicing or meditating for the coming battle. Soon a figure walks out to the yard and the chatter instantly stops. It is a woman; her hair is dark and cut short. Her skin tanned from years in the sun. She dresses in a white top with blue trim, Her white pants are tight to the form and at her side hangs a long sword, but seems to be thinner then most. Over her shoulders are copper colored pauldrons and on her left hand is a bracer of the same color, her right hand merely has leather wrappings. She stands with the poise and sternness of a warrior. Attonnan smiles seeing this, not few women can bring themselves to rise to the rank of warrior. Soon another figure enters; Attonnan would know that face anywhere. It is Mellyruna. He is tall with thick ropy muscles his brown hair is short and his bright green eyes flash with life. He wears brown pants and a black sleeveless shirt; over his shoulders are pauldrons that look like overlapping scales. His left hand is covered in a gauntlet. A huge light brown baldric is strapped over his shoulder holding a huge great sword. His boots are soft brown leather and over his shoulder is a brown cloak that has a hood, which is merely resting at the moment. This is not at all what Attonnan expected of his brother, he always saw his brother in finer clothing with the air of a noble, but this, this Mellyruna standing in front of him is nothing like that. He has the air of a Mercenary who has seen to many battles and killed far too many people. All eyes are upon him as he looks around the courtyard. It is just as he thought the men who come before him are nothing but farmers. But then his eyes stop on a pale elf, dressed all in white with black armor. He has never seen this elf before but there is something familiar about him. One thing he can say, this elf is not a farmer, and the way his blade hangs loosely at his side, the way of a master. No, this elf is a killer. Looking into the elf’s bright blue eyes he can see a fire there, a smile crosses Mellyruna’s face as he takes a step past his comrade Noin.

  “I see we have quite an interesting group. Now we shall begin, only a true warrior with no fear of death can rule the land with lord Griffin. Let only those who have prepared themselves step forward” Mellyruna says and looks over the crowd.

  Only Attonnan seems to step forward, but this makes no difference the test is the same.

  “You, vary well show me everything you have and we shall see. I shall judge you with my own eyes now fight” Mellyruna says and smiles as he takes a step back

  With those last few words the courtyard erupts with shouts of battle as the men begin to fight one another. Attonnan is shocked that this would be a simple battle of everyone against everyone and turns once again facing the others. Everyone is fighting
someone, Attonnan smiles and for a while only stands they’re watching his opponents. As a man falls another turns to fight him, it is a younger man with no shirt and a low quality blade. Attonnan only lowers and shakes his head. The man lets out a shout of fury as he charges Attonnan, but Attonnan moves faster then the man can even think. Before the man knows it he has the handle of Attonnan’s blade in his gut, The move was a simple one, get in close to your enemy, then pull your blade with great force, the blade will not come completely out of the sheath but as the bunt of the handle hits the gut it will take the air from your enemies lungs. Attonnan does this flawlessly and takes a step back allowing the man to double over coughing, Attonnan waist no time and swiftly brings his hand down on the back of the mans neck, he watches as the mans eyes roll back into his head and he falls to the ground like a sack of wheat. From behind another charges him but Attonnan simply steps out of the way, not even bothering to turn around. As the man passes him he spins to face Attonnan, Attonnan however is already in the air leaping at the man. Attonnan lands on the man’s chest his right hand now covering the man’s face. When he makes contact the impact is so great they both go to fall to the ground, the man hits first his back to the ground but with Attonnan’s extra weight and force by the hand, the head slams hardest, it does no real damage to the man but like the last, his eyes roll back and it defiantly takes him out of the competition. Attonnan gets up and looks around, most of the men that have come are now laying dead in the courtyard but he is now being faced down by the last five. Attonnan slowly gets into a wide stance and tucks his thumbs into his belt preparing for the attack. The attack happens like a flash of lightening, First a man from behind, Attonnan quickly sidesteps then takes his right arm in his hand, one hand on his wrist, the other on his shoulder, and slams him into the ground, As Attonnan is on his knee another attack thinking he is venerable. This is a mistake when the man is close enough, Attonnan spins on his knee his other leg now extended taking the mans legs out from under him. Attonnan moving faster then a serpent quickly gets up and before the man can hit the ground he grabs him by the face and turns completely around and slams him into the ground, then rolls behind the next two. Before they can comprehend what has happened Attonnan spins them both around by their shoulders then slams the two heads together. The two-drop like stones and Attonnan is faced with only one last opponent, He smiles gets into his wide stance and once again tucks his thumbs into his belt. The man is trembling and only drops his blade running away from him. Seeing the fight is done Attonnan relaxes his stance and gives Mellyruna a polite nod.