Fire (Buryoku Book 5)

by Aaron Oster

  The man’s second was another, younger-looking man, with a 7th Dan Red-Belt. Marrie wondered how old these men were, as age became hard to tell as Martial Artists traveled along their Paths. For all she knew, they could both be several hundred years old…

  Her thoughts were interrupted as a door at the back of the room opened, revealing a man dressed in ornate robes of the same style and color as those present. Around his waist sat an 11th Dan Gray-Belt, signifying his place as the head of the Herald Clan and someone on the brink of moving up to Black and reaching the realm of the Scions.

  Everyone stood as soon as he entered, all bowing respectfully to Herald Duncan as the man made his way over to his throne-like chair. Only once he sat did the others reclaim their seats.

  “I won’t mince words,” Duncan said, as soon as the others were seated. “You can clearly see that there are some people who are no longer here. They’re dead,” he said plainly.

  “As you will have undoubtedly noticed by now, there is a girl standing by my seat,” he continued, not even bothering to elaborate further on the deaths or replacements of the previous members who’d occupied those seats. “I’m sure you’re all wondering who she is.”

  Duncan interlaced his fingers, leaning forward and placing his elbows on his knees. His eyes swept over the room, making sure to meet each of the family heads’ gazes before he spoke again.

  “Her name is Herald Marrie, and she is my future daughter by marriage. When she comes of age, she will be wed to my son, Leroy. I hope you all know what will happen if any harm should come to either of them…”

  Marrie expected there to be some kind of uproar at the announcement. Certainly, the head families would be outraged at the proclamation. Surely, they would want to know of a son that had never existed before today. They’d want to know why she was being chosen to marry him of all people.

  They said nothing. She could see some shocked looks, some tightening of fingers on the armrests of chairs, but aside from that, none of them said a thing.

  “I realize this is a lot to take in,” Duncan said. “So, before we move on to the next topic, I will open the floor for questions, in order of seniority. We’re short on time, so you each get only one. Make it count.”

  The first family head, an elderly-looking man with a long, wispy gray beard and harsh lines on his face, rose stiffly to his feet. A 4th Dan Brown-Belt sat at his waist, and he had an aura of calm assurance about him that seemed to demand respect.

  “We were unaware that you had any living blood relations,” the man said, his voice sounding far stronger than his age would imply. “Are we to assume this Leroy has been adopted?”

  “No,” Duncan said. “He is my son by blood, born through my marriage to Hoshi, of the far Akuma Clan.”

  The man looked as though he wanted to do nothing more than ask another question, but he nodded graciously and sat back down.

  The next person in line, a woman who had an odd, ageless quality to her, rose from her seat.

  “Why choose this girl, Marrie, as his bride, when there are so many other eligible matches among our families?” she asked.

  Marrie felt a small flare of annoyance as the woman blatantly insulted her in front of everyone there, but she bit her tongue to stop herself from saying anything. She was a member of Duncan’s household now, so she would need to learn diplomacy and keep her tongue in check.

  “Because she is a prodigy,” Duncan said plainly. “She has more skill and potential than any of your children, grandchildren, or second cousins. Within a year, she’ll be a Grandmaster, and before she turns eighteen, she will be a Supreme.”

  This time, there was a small round of muttering, not that Marrie was surprised. Making such a bold proclamation was beyond overconfidence. Plus, it placed a lot of pressure on her to deliver, which was something she had no idea if she could even do.

  She looked to Duncan worriedly as the muttering died down, but the Sovereign didn’t turn to face her, keeping his gaze locked on the next person who’d stood.

  “If this girl is so talented, then why are you not naming her the next clan head instead of your son? If you had a child with that Beast woman, as you say, then surely you would have introduced him already if he were strong enough, so where is he?”

  Marrie could immediately tell by the man’s tone of voice that he was going to be a problem. He wore a Base Brown-Belt over his robes, which seemed just a bit more ostentatious than the rest. Judging by that, the way he carried himself, and his general attitude, it was obvious who he believed should be the next clan head, and it wasn’t her.

  “That,” Duncan said, his tone not changing in the slightest, “was two questions, I believe. Despite what you think, Herald Bart, you are not above anyone here. Now, either pick a single question or sit down.”

  A long, tense silence greeted those words, everyone turning to the man to see how he would react. Bart stared back at Duncan, his lips drawing to a thin line. Thankfully for him, he was smart enough not to argue.

  “Then I choose the question about this supposed son,” Bart said. “Where is he?”

  “Somewhere safe,” Duncan answered, then turned his gaze to the next in line.

  “Wait!” Bart exclaimed as the woman stood. “That’s not an…!” he trailed off, as Duncan swung his eyes back to him.

  “Is there a problem with the way I answered your question, Herald Bart?” Duncan asked.

  Bart swallowed but pushed on.

  “‘Somewhere safe’ isn’t exactly an answer,” Bart said, lifting his chin as though daring Duncan to argue.

  “Just as your question wasn’t a question,” Duncan replied smoothly. “It was meant as an insult. You question my word. Be happy I don’t reduce the size of this meeting by another chair, and sit.”

  That last word was uttered with so much authority that Bart immediately did as commanded, sitting before he could even think of what he was doing.

  “Herald Joy, do you have a real question?” Duncan asked, turning his gaze to the woman who was still standing and patiently awaiting her turn.

  “Is your son strong enough to take your place, should you fall?” she asked immediately.

  “Not yet,” Duncan said. “But he will be. I would not choose a successor if I weren’t supremely confident in their abilities, child or not.”

  Joy nodded then sat, making way for the fifth person in line, a short woman with graying hair.

  “What did the Fae faction do to deserve the deaths of their family heads?”

  A stark silence hung over the room at that. It seemed this was a question that several others had wanted to ask but hadn’t dared to for fear of repercussions.

  “They were working for their own self-interest instead of for the betterment of the clan,” Duncan said, sitting back in his seat. “There is no room for traitors in our midst.”

  His eyes flicked to the last man in line as the woman sat, the newest member of the main family branch of the clan.

  “Why tell us about this now?” he asked.

  Duncan smiled. It seemed he’d been waiting for someone to ask this exact question.

  “Because, up until now, I believed him to be dead, along with my wife,” Duncan replied. “And when he returns, he will tell me who was responsible.”

  The man sat as a low muttering passed between the gathered leaders once again.

  Marrie was surprised that Duncan would play his hand like that. Why give away vital information when keeping it to himself would give him a much better chance of catching the obvious traitor?

  “Now, moving on,” Duncan said, causing the muttering to die down. “We’re faced with another, more immediate problem. I’ve recently discovered that an Ancient Cavern Beast is rising in the Burning Hills. I’ve already spoken with several of the Sovereigns from other clans, but I need to make contact with the two unaffiliated ones who were spotted in our lands.

  “Make no mistake, this Beast is stronger than any of us, and while I know we gene
rally do not get along with the other clans, sometimes, we must join with our worst enemies to ensure the survival of our civilization.

  “I worked hard to make this clan what it is today, and I refuse to allow some Beast to come marching in and take it all for itself.

  “Ready your strongest fighters, send out our messengers, and prepare for war. And yes, I do mean war. The Cavern Beast will bring hordes of creatures in its wake, and we will need every able-bodied fighter we can spare. I’m opening the floor for questions. I can spare an hour, so choose your time wisely.”

  17

  “You seem to be practically bursting at the seams with questions,” Duncan said as the two of them retreated to his personal quarters in the main compound.

  They’d left the rest of the family heads to continue discussing the war preparations, shore up their defenses, seek out the wandering Sovereigns, and summon all of the Sages the Herald clan had within their ranks. Apparently, they’d taken what he said very seriously and were planning accordingly.

  “I know it isn’t my place to ask,” Marrie began, mentally recoiling at her audacity in questioning the Sovereign. “But why did you all but tell them that you suspected someone in the clan of betraying you? Wouldn’t it have been smarter to let them go on thinking that you weren’t onto them?”

  “Astute as ever, I see,” Duncan said, pressing his hand to a door and allowing a flare of Weakness Reiki to pass through the mechanism.

  The door slid open soundlessly, revealing a lavishly furnished living area, complete with over two-dozen couches and overstuffed armchairs, four fireplaces, several small tables, and a small kitchen at the back.

  As of now, the place was shuttered, but Marrie knew that all she needed to do to get something was knock on the shutter, and a personal cook would be with her in moments. It was beyond extravagant and all hers. Well, it would be once she was married. For now, the set of suites directly to the left of the main living area was hers alone, and it was no less lavish than this space.

  Duncan waited until the door closed before giving her a reply.

  “Anyone with half a brain would already know I suspected someone within the clan,” he said, walking over to one of the armchairs and collapsing into it. “So, I decided to let them know I’m onto them. If they think they’ll be caught, they might try and get rid of evidence and expose themselves in the process.”

  Marrie nodded slowly, understanding dawning.

  “Well, don’t just stand around,” Duncan said with a sigh. “Sit. Relax. I promise I won’t be insulted.”

  Marrie bit her lip nervously but did as commanded, taking a seat as far away from Duncan as she could without insulting him. It was hard to be in such close proximity to this man. She was at once terrified and ecstatic about being in his presence. It was hard to wrap her mind around it, but apparently, it wasn’t something Duncan could control. He had told her as much after officially adopting her into his family.

  In fact, he’d been confiding in her a lot, telling her things she felt she didn’t deserve to know. But when she’d asked why, Duncan had told her that she was now squarely aligned with him. Her entire position in the clan depended on him. Until she could stand on her own two feet and force the others to heel on her own, he was confident she wouldn’t betray him.

  “So, what do you make of Herald Jeremy?” Duncan asked, lighting a fire in one of the dark hearths just by looking at it.

  “He seems nice?” Marrie said, not sure of what he wanted to hear.

  “You don’t need to keep being so stiff and informal when we’re alone,” Duncan said with a sigh. “You are part of my family, and you’ll be my daughter by marriage in a few years. If you tense up like that every time we’re away from people, you’ll start to make me uncomfortable.”

  Marrie felt her cheeks grow warm at that but allowed herself to relax her muscles a bit, sinking further into the chair.

  Unlike in most parts of the world, the Heralds seemed to prefer actual chairs to floor mats and low tables. Growing up in the clan, Marrie preferred them as well. Having spent over a year in captivity, though, the luxury was still something she was becoming accustomed to.

  “I’m sorry,” she said, looking down at her hands as she fidgeted with the fine robes. “I guess I still don’t really feel like I belong here. Like I’m an impostor and just waiting until you realize the truth and kick me out.”

  “Please,” Duncan said. “Do you think so little of me?”

  Marrie’s head snapped up at that, her eyes going wide as she realized she’d inadvertently insulted the most powerful man in the Herald clan.

  “Calm down, I’m not insulted,” Duncan said.

  He was now holding a glass that contained a dark, amber liquid, which he sipped slowly. Duncan seemed to enjoy drinking on occasion. Of course, if anyone below Brown-Belt even tried drinking it, they would be burned alive from the inside out, but for someone at his level to feel the effects of spirits, it had to be strong.

  He took another sip, finishing his drink before placing the glass on one of the small tables and rising to his feet.

  “Look, I wouldn’t have invited you in and offered you what I did, without doing my research. You have more potential than almost anyone I’ve met, and I’m including myself in that category. In fact, I’ve only ever met one person who has more than you. So, relax. Take a few days to wind down. I know how hard you’ve been training to reach Blue-Belt. We’ll be heading back to the Windblight in just a week, so you won’t have much time to take it easy once we leave.”

  Duncan turned to go, but Marrie called after him, her curiosity piqued.

  “Who did you meet that has more potential than I did?”

  “My son,” Duncan replied without preamble. “I imagine you’ll give birth to quite the monsters when you’re ready.”

  Marrie felt her cheeks grow warm as Duncan left, the door on the far side of the room sliding closed and sealing itself. It was the only part of the compound that no one aside from Duncan had access to. Her Essence signature had been added to the outside door, and just like Duncan, she could open it by channeling her power into the scripts.

  The doors that led to her rooms would only take her signature. Of course, she knew that if Duncan wanted to enter, he could just rip the doors off, but she appreciated the sentiment of privacy.

  Truthfully, Duncan had been nothing but kind to her since she’d agreed to his proposal. He’d gotten her everything she wanted and more. On her own, it might have taken several more months to reach Blue-Belt, but with his help and resources, she’d managed it in a fraction of the time. More than that, she could feel that her foundation was still solid as steel, with not even a hint of the looseness she’d heard people talking about. Those were signs that their foundation was beginning to give under the immense weight of their souls, and while it didn’t mean they couldn’t reach great heights, it did mean that their Paths would end far short of their lofty goals.

  She pushed up from her seat and walked over to her rooms. Although Duncan had told her to relax, Marrie still wanted to do a bit of training, if only to pass the time until dinner.

  The door closed behind her, revealing a long hallway with four rooms lining their walls. A fifth, much larger room, opened up at the end, and this was where she did her training.

  The room itself was quite large, fifty by fifty feet and customized to her needs. Bright green scripts ran the length of the room, powered by Wind Reiki and assuring that it would be beyond optimal for training her Path.

  One side of the room contained heavy weights for lifting that would strain both the body and spirit. She used them daily to assure that her foundation remained steady and strong. On the other side was a series of heavy bags and wooden posts designed to improve her martial combat and footwork. At the back end was a spot for her to cultivate, and at the very center was a space dedicated to technique training.

  Thick scripts marked the floor here, which would prevent any excess energy or forc
e from slipping through. This let her work without fear of damaging the room, not that she thought she could, even if she tried. Even so, keeping the force contained would save her the cleaning time later.

  This was something she hadn’t expected of Duncan. In the other head families or any wealthy family in any clan, they had servants to do all of the things they didn’t want to. And while there was always someone around to cook, Marrie was expected to keep her suite clean and orderly on her own.

  Someone would come in every few days to take her laundry and change the linens, but other than that, she was responsible for everything else, which was nice, seeing as she didn’t really have any friends here.

  As one of the future clan heads and someone relatively new to the compound, Marrie didn’t really know anyone. Add to that the fact that training had consumed her life for nearly her entire stay and her social life was severely lacking. Even when she’d been a prisoner of the Inu clan, she’d at least had the other prisoners around – even if most of them died after just a couple of weeks.

  She squared up against one of the heavy bags, then began training, trying to clear her mind of troubling thoughts and worries about her future. Duncan was placing a lot of pressure on her to succeed, and if she was going to be someone important one day, she had to be strong enough to defend herself.

  One day, Duncan would no longer be around. That could be today, tomorrow, or in a hundred years. Whenever that day came, she needed to be strong enough to fend for herself, to stand up to anyone who questioned or doubted her, just as Duncan had done today.

  It was nearly dusk by the time Marrie left the training room, hair sticking to her face and neck and robes practically hanging off her. When she sank into her bath, it was pure bliss, and she was so tired that she nearly fell asleep then and there.

  Once she was done and placed her drenched robes in the laundry basket, she emerged into the main living room once more, now dressed in a light robe and running a brush through her still-damp hair.

  Knocking twice on the wall, she waited until it slid open to reveal the jovial face of Halley, the cook who was assigned to her.