The servants removed the plates and brought them bowls of watered wine and tea. Hannya whispered into Gyoroe’s ear, and his eyes shifted to pale blue. Smiling, he stood and clapped his hands together three times.
“It is time for your gifts.”
Gifts? They glanced at one another in confusion as servants brought in a collection of weapons, armor, and other items.
One servant placed a recurve bow, three quivers of arrows, and a saber on the table in front of Zaiporo.
He leaned forward and touched the items. “These are for me?”
“Indeed,” Gyoroe said. “The bow was crafted from the finest wood and enchanted so that arrows loosed from it can injure supernatural creatures. Using the rune-carved, peach-wood arrows from these quivers, the bow can cause as much damage as a sword with trace amounts of white-steel. Also, the bow cannot be broken or the string snapped by any natural means, and neither cold nor heat nor damp shall affect it. The saber contains two percent white-iron. Against a powerful demon, it would be like striking a tiger with a dagger, but it is better than nothing.”
Zaiporo stood and bowed. “Thank you, Lord Gyoroe.”
A servant gave Iniru a crescent knife and a set of twelve throwing spikes. She weighed the spikes in her hands.
“I did not create a sword for you, since you have chosen to use Turesobei’s white-steel blade during battle,” Gyoroe said. “The spikes are laced with traces of white iron, and the knife, like Zaiporo’s sword, contains two percent white-iron.”
A servant presented a warhammer and a crimson shield emblazoned with a rampant gold bear to Kurine. She oohed and ran a hand along the shield. “It’s so pretty!”
“Only the strongest of demons or magic spells could break this shield. It contains powerful protective enchantments and was constructed with wood from the sacred kasa tree, which is harder than iron and lighter than bamboo. Also, dark-iron flakes were laced into the reinforcements so that it can absorb energy attacks. The warhammer contains two percent white iron and a rune of the ram of force that will triple the strength of each solid blow you strike. That particular magic will fade in time, but not before you have completed the tasks I have set for you.”
Wow. Even for the Blood King, magic of that sort would take considerable effort. All the time Gyoroe had spent by himself, when they didn’t know where he was or what he was doing, he must have been working on these items. Kurine’s, in particular, were amazing. But then, Gyoroe had always liked Kurine a lot, for some reason, so it wasn’t surprising that he’d put extra effort into her items.
Kurine bowed deeply. “Thank you, Lord Gyoroe. I shall put both items to good use defending Turesobei.”
“See that you do.”
Another servant gave Awasa a torc made of silver strands twisted together and a pair of matching silver arm bracers with purple trim.
“What weapon could I give you that would serve as a better gift than Fangthorn?” the Blood King asked. “As for the torc, it will bring some calm to your mind.”
“I could have used that sooner,” she said irritably.
“We thought it best that you learn to control your impulses without it,” Hannya said. “Besides, the effect is not powerful. It will only serve to take the edge off your anger. You will still need Fangthorn with you at all times.”
“The bracers,” Gyoroe said, “possess an enchantment that will increase the potency of your mudras and prevent your hands and fingers from cramping.”
Awasa bowed. “I shall use these things well, Lord Gyoroe.”
“Lord Motekeru….” Gyoroe shrugged. “Alas, I have no gift I can give a warrior as mighty as you. But you seem in rough shape from the wear and tear of so many battles. I could—”
“I carry my scars with pride,” Motekeru grunted, “and I wish only to rejuvenate by eating the hearts of Master’s enemies.”
“If that is your wish,” Gyoroe said. “Now, for the Illustrious Lu Bei, a bag of the last tea leaves picked from Tsubaia Mountain before it exploded.”
Lu Bei, his eyes as wide as Turesobei had ever seen them, snatched the tiny bag from the servant’s hands. He sniffed the tea with a deep breath and sighed contentedly. “It is pure heaven and a most kingly gift. Thank you, Lord Gyoroe! I shall treasure the bowls I brew from these leaves and think pleasant thoughts upon you.”
Lu Bei swept his arm out as he bowed. The bag disappeared.
Gyoroe’s eyes had been milky white with kenja-sight as Lu Bei bowed. As his eyes returned to emerald, he sighed. “Chonda Lu at his most clever indulged in pure whimsy. I confess, I partly gave you the tea so I could figure out the trick. But I still cannot tell where you put the bag. Nor do I yet understand how it is that you can drink tea at all.”
Lu Bei grinned. “It is all a trick so simple that none can understand.”
A servant handed a shortsword to Turesobei.
“To you, my apprentice, I gift a white-steel sword named Dairo. It contains ten percent white iron. It should be a good stand-in for you while Iniru wields Sumada.”
“Thank you, master.”
Sumada was nearly thirty-five percent white iron, making it one of the finer white-steel swords in existence.
“For you, Enashoma, I have two gifts.” Gyoroe stood. “First, a set of bracers like those given to Awasa.”
A servant placed the silver bracers on the table in front of her and hurried away. Gyoroe reached into his robe and drew out an iron circlet decorated with silver filigree in a blossom pattern. Housed in the front center of the circlet was the amethyst kavaru of Nāa.
“The circlet was my idea,” Hannya said. “I thought it much more befitting of you than a simple chain.”
“Where did it come from?” Enashoma asked. “It’s exquisite.”
“It belonged to one of my favorite students, many centuries ago,” Hannya said with a mournful tone. “You have always reminded me of her.”
“Who was she?”
“The beloved queen of a zaboko nation long forgotten.”
“Are you sure it’s not too fancy for me?”
“I am certain this circlet is the perfect choice,” Hannya said.
As Gyoroe approached, Enashoma’s eyes brightened, and she eagerly held out her hands.
He shook his head. “Stay where you are.”
Gyoroe lowered the circlet onto her head, as if he were anointing a queen. Enashoma’s red lips spread into a broad smile, and she practically bounced in place. Gyoroe waited expectantly for a moment, then sighed.
“I am placing Nāa’s kavaru in your keeping, until I find a way to restore him, and all my other Kaiaru brethren, to life.”
“Thank you, Lord Gyoroe,” Enashoma said.
“Soon, we will begin your training.”
Enashoma, no longer demure in the least, turned to Zaiporo. “What do you think?”
“It looks very—”
She waved him off. “Never mind, you’re a boy.” She glanced at Awasa, then turned to Kurine and Iniru. “Well?”
“It’s…uh…very pretty,” Iniru said awkwardly.
Kurine clasped her hands together. “Absolutely gorgeous. It matches your face and your eyes perfectly, and it makes you look radiant.”
“It’s not too showy?” Enashoma asked.
“Not at all,” Kurine said.
Iniru shrugged and whispered, “A little.”
“I like it,” Zaiporo muttered.
“It suits you well, Lady Shoma,” Lu Bei said. “And if it is showy, there’s nothing wrong with that. You should look like a queen!”
Awasa tapped the purple, eight-pointed star on her forehead. “We kind of match now.”
“We do!” Enashoma said.
“How does it feel?” Lord Gyoroe asked.
She traced her fingers along the silver filigree and laughed. “It fits perfectly.”
His eyes flashed violet. “The stone—not the crown.”
Unfazed by his sharp tone, Enashoma said, “I don’t know how t
o describe it but…tingly and…natural, really. Even though I can feel energy from it surging through my pathways, it feels as if it has always been with me.”
“The bond is true,” Hannya said.
With a grunt, Gyoroe nodded, then returned to the end of the table.
Enashoma continued to smile and touch the circlet. Turesobei had not seen her this giggly in a long time. It made him uncomfortable. Hopefully, she was just excited because of the opportunity to be a wizard and the festive atmosphere and wasn’t in some way influenced by the kavaru.
Enashoma gave Zaiporo a hug and a brief kiss on the lips. “I’m going to be a wizard!”
“I know,” he said softly.
“Sorry I didn’t tell you before. It was all so overwhelming.”
“It’s okay,” he said. “And I really am happy for you.”
Turesobei couldn’t help but think that Zaiporo didn’t look or sound all that happy about it. Whether because she hadn’t told him immediately, because he was worried about her, or because he was now the only one of the group other than Kurine who didn’t possess magic or special skills, Turesobei had no idea.
“In your rooms, you will find new clothing and armor,” Lord Gyoroe said. “The clothing was magically constructed. Though light as silk, the fabric is as tough as padded leather and waterproof. It is also alive. Unless overly damaged, the clothing will knit itself back together. As for your armor, it has been strengthened with a variety of protective enchantments, giving you greater resistance to magical attacks. Turesobei, I took the liberty of strengthening the enchantments on your existing armor.”
They all thanked him profusely, since they were going to need these things to stay alive. All of this gear was worth a vast fortune, and they were now far better equipped than the bodyguards of the High King of Batsa or the Emperor of Tagana.
“While I do appreciate your thanks,” Lord Gyoroe said, his eyes vibrant blue, “do not mistake my generosity. These gifts are self-serving. Without all of this, I doubt you would succeed. Now, Hannya will brief you on tomorrow’s mission.”
As Lady Hannya stood, Turesobei braced himself. Things were about to get real.
Chapter Nine
“Obviously, the heart stone guardians you face will be formidable,” Lady Hannya said, “but I cannot tell you precisely what they are, because the Shogakami did not share any specifics with me. However, I was able to learn the nature of the guardian system itself. Though each of the Shogakami deployed theirs separately, they all developed this system together.”
No specifics on what they would face? Turesobei winced…then forced himself to remain calm. He was a leader now. He couldn’t let his fear show to the others.
“The first thing to remember,” Hannya said, “is that at each location the guardians must be defeated for the heart stone to appear. Until then, the stone is phased out of material existence in a rather elegant way that even Lord Gyoroe does not know how to bypass.
“And unfortunately, defeating the guardians and making a heart stone appear is not enough. It will still be protected by a force field. A powerful energy spike will be required to penetrate this shield. Turesobei, you should be able to accomplish this with one of your lightning blasts.
“Neutralizing the force fields will sever the links between the eight Shogakami and their power sources. While I do believe the Shogakami are forever gone, if they should be asleep within their realms, they may awaken and come after you. Of course, with Nazyraga Lord of Monsters this is a definite concern, because we know he yet lurks within the Summer Realm.”
A look of terror spread across everyone’s faces. They had all grown up hearing tales of the Shogakami’s power, worshiping them, and fearing Nazyraga above all terrors. To think that the Shogakami might come for them…. A shiver ran down Turesobei’s back.
“As for the guardians themselves, at each location you will face a host of small yet lethal beasts or constructs, along with a single powerful entity that is more than capable of defeating an individual Kaiaru by itself.”
Again, the others glanced fearfully at one another and him. Though nervous, Turesobei maintained a brave face. Even if it was daunting, with the Storm Dragon at his command, he felt himself the equal of a normal Kaiaru wizard. And he had Hannya the Earth Dragon, Motekeru, and his team to support him.
“The type of guardians will vary at each location, according to the preferences of the individual Shogakami who placed them there. Traps and deception are also possible. Finally, and this may be the worst part, I have reason to believe there may be some sort of trick to defeating the guardians. But I have no clue what that trick might be.”
A trick? Turesobei didn’t like the sound of that. It was bad enough that they would be facing guardians so powerful the Shogakami thought they would be suitable for protecting their power sources from other Kaiaru and dragons like Hannya, but to know almost nothing about the challenges they would be facing….
“Finally,” Hannya said with a sigh, “I regret that I will be unable to assist you.”
“You’re not fighting with us?!” Turesobei asked, alarmed. This was even worse news. They desperately needed her help. No wonder Gyoroe had pushed them so hard in training.
“Wards were placed at each location preventing me, Lord Gyoroe, Naruwakiru, and the other Shogakami, outside of the one owning that location, from coming within three leagues. Basically, all the major players of the time were locked out, to prevent a single entity from ever seizing that much power again.”
“Naruwakiru?” Turesobei asked. “Does that mean I could be prevented from going there as well? Hitting a force field during the middle of a teleport is not something I wish to do.”
“The wards were based on the kenja signatures of those Kaiaru, not on the energy of the Storm Dragon itself. You will be safe.”
“You must,” Lord Gyoroe said, “retrieve the heart stones in a certain order. The realm where you begin determines in what order you must take on the rest. Turesobei, you are best at working the Spring Gate, which is fortunate, because I believe the enemies you face there will be the easiest to defeat. Lord Razakan had a tendency toward laziness.”
Everyone stared silently, stunned. Suddenly, Enashoma jumped to her feet and shouted, “That’s it?! You’re sending them into danger, and that’s all you know?!”
“We are fortunate to know that much,” Gyoroe replied calmly. “And this lack of knowledge is the reality you must accept.” His eyes flashed scarlet and orange for a moment. “Unless you have forgotten how everything works here and need to be reminded.”
Enashoma’s eyes narrowed, she huffed…and then she sat back down. “I remember.”
“Good. Now, where was I?” Lord Gyoroe stroked his chin. “Ah, yes. If you are on the verge of defeat, there is no shame in retreating to fight another day. You do not have to seize each heart stone on the first attempt. While I feel certain the guardians will regenerate after you leave, you will be able to return rested, knowing what you will face.
“Now, I suggest everyone enjoy their tea and desserts. Then get some rest. Tomorrow will be an eventful day.” His eyes sparkled blue and white, and he smiled deeply. “The first in restoring the Golden Age of the Kaiaru.” As he stood to leave, his eyes flickered violet. “And I know you will not fail me.”
Chapter Ten
Gyoroe and Hannya departed, leaving them in the Dining Hall to finish their desserts. The mood had shifted from pleasant, jovial even, to sour. Turesobei ate one more bite, then shoved his bowl away in disgust.
Several minutes passed without anyone saying anything, until Motekeru stood up.
“Nothing has changed,” he said in his hollow, mechanical voice. “Tomorrow, we will venture into the realms, and we will fight. We have no choice now. We had no choice yesterday. And really, we had no choice once we arrived here. Unless you wish to be tortured into madness, you will have to do what the Blood King requires.”
“Yeah, but it’s a lot harder now,” Za
iporo groaned.
“It only seems that way,” Motekeru said. “They knew what they were sending you into all along. Mope and complain, if you want, but it will do nothing to change what you will face tomorrow.”
Turesobei nodded. “He’s right. This has always been about us getting the job done. Thinking we could depend on Hannya and that this would be as easy as fighting a few guardians was our fault. It is what it is. Let’s move on and enjoy the rest of our evening.”
“Okay then, so what now?” Kurine asked. “I don’t know about everyone else, but I’m not going to be able to sleep tonight.”
Turesobei frowned. “Well….”
He hadn’t really thought about what they would do after the feast. She was right, though. It was hard enough to sleep on the night before a battle, but here, they didn’t even need to sleep, unless they were exhausted. And they had rested enough already to recover from the weeks of grueling training sessions Lord Gyoroe had put them through.
Everyone looked expectantly at one another, waiting for someone to have an idea. Then Enashoma leapt to her feet.
“Oh! With me getting a kavaru and all, I’d totally forgotten. I planned a good-luck party for you.” She gestured. “Come on!”
They followed Enashoma through the doors leading from the Dining Hall to an outer garden they rarely visited. In fact, Turesobei only recalled entering this area once before. Like with the other gardens, high walls separated it from those to either side and from the nothingness that lay just beyond the Nexus.
Servants had stacked logs into a fire pit in the garden’s center. Cushions and trays for tea and food were arranged on the grass around it. A servant off to the side began playing a light tune on a zither, while another stepped forward and dropped a small torch into the fire pit. Apparently, the logs had been doused in oil, because they instantly burst into flames.
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