by Ryan Kirk
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 pursuit 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 their 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 to 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 of 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 a 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 anyplace 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 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 had 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 looked 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 tra
il, the fresh fish almost brought tears to his eyes. The fish was a pink and fatty fish he had never tried, 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 had been 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 areas outside of the Three Kingdoms. 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.
As a young boy, he had tried to imagine what it would be like to see water as far as the eye could see. There were stories that told of sailors who, when they reached the middle of the ocean, couldn’t see any land at all. Ryuu had wondered what that must be like. To not see any land. Water was so impermanent. It didn’t keep any shape. Ryuu knew about navigating by the stars and signs in the sky, but they always pointed to landmarks on the ground. To navigate with nothing but the uncaring sky to keep you company seemed a terrifying prospect.
But as Ryuu reached the shore, he felt like he could understand the desires of sailors. They were wanderers, trusting only to their own abilities to keep them alive. Ryuu felt in a way that he was like them. He had Shigeru’s cabin, which he called home, but he knew he wouldn’t be able to spend his entire life there. His abilities prevented him from settling the way others could. He and Moriko had tried, but their enemies had found them. Ryuu viewed it more of an inevitability than an exception. And so here he was, wandering the land as the sailors wandered the sea. They had the stars to guide him, and he had his sense, intuition, and Shigeru’s wisdom, cut short as it was. Their enemies were the elements and the sea itself. Ryuu’s enemy, near as he could tell, was everyone.
As his mind wandered, his body reached the shoreline, and Ryuu stood out looking at the sea and the sky and the line between the two that was barely distinguishable. He had wanted to experience the sea for so long growing up, and now here he was. At that moment he missed Moriko acutely. She wouldn’t have said anything, but he knew she would be just as awestruck as he was. It was hard for him to accept, but she loved him, and she was all he needed. At that moment he thought it was a mistake to send her south. The Southern Kingdom could take care of itself. He wanted her by his side.
The waves had a hypnotic effect on him. He stared at the waves, watching as wave after wave crashed against the sand of the shore. Ryuu was surprised, but he could sense there was a power in the sea, a life just as the land itself had life. He was awed by the scale of it.
As Ryuu watched the waves crash, he could feel his body relaxing, the tension of many days of riding melting off his body. He opened his sense and he could feel the fish off the shore, the small animals that crept along the shore line. He could feel the presence of the city at his back, but on this cool day he was alone on the beach. The sounds of the surf rolled against his eardrums, and he could feel all the patterns of life. It was almost like being in the deep old woods, so alive with life. But this was so much more rhythmic.
He couldn’t even tell when it happened, but without warning something in his mind slipped. He had no better word to describe it. It wasn’t the sudden snap he sometimes experienced in combat. This was much gentler, like Ryuu had somehow sidestepped the current of reality. In that moment he saw Moriko standing in a sea of her own, a sea of grass that stretched as far as the eye could see. She was walking, alone on the sea, to the south. And then the moment was gone and he was standing on the shore looking out at the ocean.
Ryuu stood as still as the rocks that bore the brunt of each wave’s demise. He glanced around him and decided that no more than a few moments had passed. He didn’t know what had happened. Ryuu shook his head, trying to clear the remaining fog from his memories. It was as though he had been there with her. He stood and watched the waves roll in, but no answers came to him. With one last, longing glance at the ocean, Ryuu turned his back to find nondescript lodging for the night.
Ryuu awoke before the sun the next morning, eager and nervous to begin the next stage of his journey. He ate a light breakfast at the small inn and went back to the stables. They were quiet, even the horses still asleep in the pre-dawn light. Ryuu drew his blade and went through his kata, the same exercises he did every morning. He lost himself in the movements, allowing all his attention to go to his blade and to his cuts. When he finished, he was glistening with sweat and his mind was calm. He was ready to take the next step in his journey.
He followed Orochi’s directions, arriving at the docks just as the sun was starting to rise over the ocean to the east. Ryuu drank in the vision, the colors unlike any he had seen before.
He drank in the beauty for a few moments before he began his search. The docks were large, and Orochi’s letter made note of the fact the ship Ryuu was looking for was rarely moored in the same place twice. Ryuu searched and searched, his impatience creeping into his positive attitude. Orochi’s letter stated the ship was usually in town, but there were only two that led to and from the island, and it was sometimes possible that neither would be in harbor. If that was the case, Ryuu would have to wait until one arrived, and he wouldn’t be happy about losing more time.
Ryuu almost missed the object of his search. It was a small, nondescript ship that didn’t attract any attention to itself by design. What gave the ship away were the two men who seemed to be casually lying around the docks, but Ryuu sensed them. The men were wide awake and alert, a small island of calm in the hustle and bustle of the harbor in the morning. He could feel the sense emanating from both of them. They were nightblades, same as him. The shock was immediate. It was one thing to learn other nightblades existed, but to encounter them in the middle of Highgate was something else entirely.
Not having much of a plan, Ryuu decided to walk right up to them. It was direct and simple, and his impatience didn’t allow for much in the way of planning. The two nightblades sensed him in unison and rose to block his way forward. Ryuu’s sword was strapped to his back, still hidden from casual observation. He held himself back from reaching for it. He kept walking forward, one calm step at a time. Ryuu stopped when he was about eight paces away from them. The two nightblades held their ground, only a short stretch of planking beyond them. After that was an endless sea. Crates and barrels were stacked around them, hiding them from the view of most of the harbor.
Ryuu examined them, his breath calm and even. They both held themselves well. He set his shoulders. If it came to a fight, it would be a difficult one. He wasn’t sure what to say. This was where Orochi’s instructions ended.
When there were many choices, Ryuu cut straight ahead. “I seek passage to the island.”
The two nightblades shared a glance. Ryuu didn’t know what it signified. The one on Ryuu’s left spoke. “No.”
Ryuu sized up his opponents. There were others on the ship, so if he killed these two, there would still be people who probably knew the way to the island, but he would rather not start off his relationship by resorting to violence. He also felt strongly about fighting other nightblades. There were few enough of them left in the world as it was. There was no need for them to fight each other.
Both of them were strong. They were both built like Ryuu, not too tall or too large, but built with a wiry strength that would be much stronger than an opponent expected. Passerby would probably have mistaken them for down-on-their-luck seamen. Their clothes were in tatters, but Ryuu could see their sheaths almost sparkled in the early morning sun. The clothes were a disguise, but the blades would be very
real.
He didn’t want to fight, but it seemed he wasn’t going to get to the island otherwise. Their initial response did not invite future conversation. His hand went to his blade. “Stop me.”
They shared another glance and the one that had spoken held up his hand. Ryuu kept his blade sheathed, his hand ready to draw, not sure of what was coming next. The nightblade went to the boat and gave an order Ryuu couldn’t understand. One of the deckhands went below and came up with a long cloth. The nightblade grabbed the package and came back to his original post. Glancing around the docks, he unwrapped the bundle and handed a wooden practice sword to his partner. He grabbed one himself and tossed another to Ryuu, who caught it with ease.
So it was to be a test, then. He didn’t show it on his face, but Ryuu was glad. Facing other nightblades excited his desire for competition, but he had no desire to harm them. Orochi had been enough. He grasped the sword lightly and waited for his opponents to come to him.
He didn’t have long to wait. As soon as he set his stance they came at him, their attacks synchronized perfectly. They were quick, but Ryuu also sensed them coming. He leapt towards one nightblade, throwing off their timing and entering the fray.
The blades knocked together in rapid succession. Ryuu knew he was better than either of them individually, but he wasn’t sure if he was good enough to take them both on. They passed and passed each other, wooden blades searching for any opening to strike. As the battle went on all the fighters put more and more energy into their attacks until they were striking at each other with as much strength as they could muster. Ryuu was holding a defensive position, able to block their blows, but unable to land a solid strike in return.
He was falling back and he knew it. Two nightblades were more than he could handle. He let one cut brush off his practice sword, but wasn’t in time to get the next one. He managed to turn enough to take the blow on his shoulder. Nothing in his shoulder collapsed beneath the blow, although he knew he would have a hard time moving it tomorrow. It wouldn’t have been a killing blow with real blades, but it was the hardest he’d been hit in many cycles of training.