by NAK Baldron
Normally the celebration would have taken place ten nights previous, with everyone wanting to rejoice their own survival. But it had been postponed in respect to Isamu—formally Kaito-Tanken before Shaya's inauguration—and the funeral pyre which had been held for him. Clan Kaito was exceptionally unlucky during the last Time of Daggers, losing two Tanken in one year.
Akio forced his legs forward. Tradition and honor demanded he attend Shaya's for dinner, but he feared her mother. He'd never been trained how to conduct himself at a formal dinner—he knew he'd make a mistake and look the fool in front of Shaya. Could there be anything worse?
Clan Kaito's ancestral home was on the fourth floor of the West Wing, directly overhead from Akio's home. Perhaps this was one reason he jumped on the opportunity to swear himself to her? Growing up he watched Shaya and her brother—the way they carried themselves, as if they knew they owned the entire square—when their father died a year ago. Akio cried privately—lest his father see. Isamu's pyre had been too sad for him to ignore and he hoped that his devotion to Shaya would help her mourn her brother's death.
"Welcome, First Sworn Akio." Shaya's mother greeted him at the door.
"Thank you, Honorable Mother." Akio bowed his head slightly. Respect was due, but it would look poorly for him to show too high of reverence for the mother, when it was Shaya whom he swore to.
"Please, come in."
Akio was shocked to see their home was nearly as sparse as his own. There was no sign of wealth or luxury. Was Clan Kaito destitute?
"We've made fish stew and rice. Do you take yours spicy or plain?"
"Spicy, thank you."
"Please, sit."
"Yes," Shaya emerged from the lone hallway, "you should consider my home, your home. As First Sworn of Clan Kaito, you are as much my family as Honorable Mother."
Akio bowed as low as he could, keeping his arms straight at his side.
"Please." Shaya's hand gestured for him to rise. "In public I expect proper decorum and reverence befitting our stations. However, when we are alone there is no need. You are my closest subject, and I expect loyalty until death. In return I vow to uphold you above all others, and share all that is mine with you as if you were blood of my blood."
"You honor me, Kaito-Tanken Shaya. I don't know what to say."
"You've already said it, ten days past. Your pledge to me in front of the Bloody Square is the greatest honor you could have bestowed on me."
"You two sit," Honorable Mother said. "I'll bring the food."
Akio waited for Shaya to sit first, and took the seat to her right, as befitting his new position as First Sworn. He sat a full head taller than her, but at seven-years-old she carried herself with the poise befitting her station—her back perfectly straight, and her head held high. Not even the Emperor's daughter looked so majestic. He cursed himself for thinking of the Emperor. Now that he was a member of Clan Kaito, it was his sworn obligation to wish death upon the Emperor and all of his household, and if ever possible to see it done.
"Here you are." Honorable Mother served Shaya.
She brought back another serving for Akio, with an extra spice bowl on the side. She took her seat across from Akio on the cushioned bench recessed into the floor—a small sign of affluence—in a home. Akio and his family ate on an old stone rock that lay directly on the floor. They couldn't afford cushions for seats. Rather they used hemp mats laid upon the floor.
"Sueun's blessing," Honorable Mother said.
Akio and Shaya echoed the blessing, and the three of them began eating.
The broth was so rich it made Akio's mouth water between slurps, and they'd used smoked seaweed in the rice to give it an extra layer of richness. There was no doubt, this meal was the best he'd ever had in his life. His family would prepare a large feast to celebrate the passing of the rainy season, but even that wasn't nearly as good as what he ate now.
Akio slurped down the last of his bowl. When he placed it down noticed they were looking at him with open curiosity, which he found reassuring because he found them fascinating.
"It was very good. Thank you."
"You're always welcome to eat with us," Honorable Mother said."
"Yes," Shaya said. "As I said, what's mine is yours. But now let us discuss the business at hand."
Honorable Mother knew she was dismissed and made herself busy with cleaning while they conversed.
"As First Sworn, you'll be expected to fight for me. Kill for me. And if need be, die for me."
"I'm honored to serve, Kaito-Tanken Shaya."
"Shaya."
"What?"
"Just Shaya. When we are alone like this, I don't want you to be so formal. We must learn to trust one another implicitly."
Akio didn't know what implicitly meant, but he understood the duty of trust well enough. "As you wish . . . Shaya."
"See Akio, it's not awkward after all. I'm sure we'll soon be close friends. Toward that end, I've enrolled us in Weapons Master Takumi's school. We start first thing in the morning. Come the next Time of Daggers, you and I will be all that stands between the other Thief Lords and the utter destruction of my clan."
"I'll die before I let them hurt you."
Shaya's eyes narrowed and she stared at Akio for a long time. She blinked first and said, "I respect your courage, but you and I both need training if we're to stand any chance against the many threats of the Bloody Square."
CHAPTER FOUR
Texas, Earth
Friday, September 2nd
When the morning came around, Kandice decided to blow off school. Fuck the group presentations. Her fellow group members could do it without her. There were more important things to worry about than college.
Kandice pulled into her old driveway next to a small silver Honda, more of a go-cart than a car.
How often do they change out vehicles?
When she knocked on the door, Slava opened it as if he had been waiting at the door.
"Hello, is Lance here?"
"No," Slava said. "Please, come inside."
Kandice followed him inside, and Slava closed the door behind her. His English surprised her, though the accent was unmistakable.
"Would you like a drink?"
"No, thank you. It's still early for me."
He offered her a seat in the living room, and she sat on the sectional. Slava poured two drinks from the vodka bottle on the coffee table, but Kandice refused his offer to join in.
"To your health," he said, as he finished the small glass in one drink. "I understand my grandson spoke with you yesterday."
"Yes. He left upset, and I wanted to talk to him again."
"Lance . . ." He paused, as if searching for the right words. "He has a temper. It runs in our family."
"He was very insistent that I get a new bike, but I don't see how that would solve anything. I think it would cause more problems if I report it stolen to the police."
"We will handle the Politsiya," Slava said. "The stolen bike idea was one way to handle it, but there are many others. If you want to keep the bike that is fine."
"Why was he so mad then?" she asked. "He left in a hurry and seemed hurt."
"In the motherland, Politsiya are criminals. He has never forgotten that. It's hard for him to remember that here, they play by a rule book. Any time there is a rule book, there are ways to get around it."
"I still don't understand why he was so mad," she said.
"My grandson likes you," he said. "It has been a long time since he could talk to someone. I am not always the best company. Besides, you are a beautiful woman."
"Thank you." Kandice blushed, and looked at her feet.
Slava waved his hand—dismissing the gratitude—as if what he had said was a simple fact. He wasn't hitting on her, but it was flattering to hear him state her beauty in the same tone he might state the weather, as if her beauty were an undeniable fact. Kandice found Lance attractive, but she hadn't considered that he felt the same—or how it
might affect his judgment.
"Do you know when Lance will be back?"
"He goes out in the morning and comes back for lunch. We have spent years together, and we both need space from one another."
"How often do you run into someone else?" Kandice asked. "I mean, there have to be more of us out there, right?"
"We know several families in Europe. They go back as far as our family, and for generations we have worked together. However, here in the States, we have only met a few people who can see as you do. We have yet to meet an established family."
"Really!" She was on the edge of her seat. "How far back does your family go, then? Surely there are families here doing what you do."
"We can trace our ancestors that could see the Nechists back to the tenth century. However, there are families in Europe who can trace their lineage back to before the fall of the Roman empire."
Kandice sat motionless—anything to not break the moment. Slava looked out the window while she tried to process what he told her. It was surprising that there were families, thousands of years old, who knew of Aether Walkers.
"How long have the Aether Walkers existed?"
"They have been here as long as we have. Some think they were here before us, and that our ancestors were their prey."
"That's absurd," she said. "We're not animals. We can't be prey."
"Look at history. Given the age of the earth, we are rather new. However, we have come far in a short time."
"If they were here first, how would we have grown to a large population?"
"This is only a view that some hold. There is not a record of our history that far back."
Kandice was in awe of the magnitude of the Aether Walker's history. But her questions were becoming invasive to his privacy. There were still so many to ask, but she needed to learn the lesson of not prying too deep. The emotional outburst from Lance still stung.
Her phone showed 11:30.
The awkward silence that developed between them was too much to bear and after a prolonged minute she stood to leave. "Please tell Lance I stopped by."
"Kandice, please, do not leave. He will be here soon."
"It's okay," she said. "Tell Lance to call me."
Slava rose from his seat. "Allow me to walk you out."
He insisted on following her and holding the door open as she left. When she pulled out of the driveway, he nodded and waited for her to reach the stop sign before going back inside.
Her abrupt departure might have been uncalled for, but the atmosphere of the living room had become painfully still. Slava was a kind gentleman, but she only knew him in passing. There was nothing to gain by overstaying her welcome. Something her mother had been sure to instill in them as children.
Memories rushed back of her mom, forcing her to make friends as a child. It was impossible for Kandice to introduce herself without feeling like an outsider. It was easier to assume others felt the same—preferring to be left alone—rather than make friends. But in the end her mother had won, and Kandice had learned to master the basics of social graces.
CHAPTER FIVE
Sapphire Nation, Fencura
The waters were calm as they sailed north. Three days passed, and Ren thawed out his bones as the air grew warmer. Realization that the rest of the world wasn't nearly as cold as the Pearl Nation sunk in. Tomoko kept a close eye on Ren, but he was allowed full run of the ship and used that freedom to watch the sailors. The way they moved in unison to hoist the sails and tie off knots intrigued him. Before the trip, he'd never given much thought to sailing or how dependent the Pearl Nation was on the goods brought in from the docks. With the magic gone they were an isolated nation, and if not for Captain Kaito and other captains like him, they'd starve.
The captain always gave Ren a warm smile when they crossed paths on deck, but aside from pleasantries they didn't speak. None of the sailors spoke to Ren, only Tomoko when he could. The isolation wore on him, and he grew eager to reach the Sapphire Nation. Pass or fail, he was ready to take the test and move forward.
In the early morning of the fourth day, Ren awoke to bells from the lookouts. They had spotted the first island of the Sapphire Nation. Through his window Ren saw the source-light hanging over the ocean. The water mirroring the light created the illusion of there being two source-lights.
By the time Ren climbed atop the deck, all the sailors were standing in two neat lines, straight as rods. He'd never seen them stand at attention—they'd always been bustling about accomplishing their tasks.
Ren climbed to the quarterdeck to stand with Tomoko. "What's happening?"
"Wind's died."
"What?"
Tomoko pointed straight up, and Ren looked at the sails. They hung slack against the mast, instead of their normal pillow-like posture from capturing the wind.
"What do we do?" Ren was so close, it would devastate him to miss the examination.
"Captain's gone to get an artifact." Tomoko pointed to where Captain Kaito emerged from his quarters.
The captain carried a blue gem the size of Ren's head, which rested in the center of a dark wooden bowl.
"Is that really a sapphire?" Ren asked.
"No," Tomoko said. "It's a special stone the Amethyst Nation trades with sea captains to create wind. Watch closely!"
Ren forced his eyes wide open, fighting against the strain from the sun. He was going to see magic. Real magic. The kind he'd only read about in history books.
Ren couldn't make out what the captain said, but he watched as Captain Kaito raised the stone above his head, and a gust of wind brushed against Ren's cheeks. The sails filled with air and puffed back out to their normal size. The ship kicked forward, skipping over the first couple waves until it settled back into a normal speed.
Behind Ren the first island of the Sapphire Nation—a tiny spit of land that looked more like a pile of sand than a real island—passed by the ship's hull, and Tomoko said, "It's good to be home."
Ren looked about for another island with signs of life rather than the small pile of dirt they'd just passed. "Where?"
"Our nation is as large as the Emerald Fields, but spread out over the ocean in a myriad of islands." Tomoko clapped Ren on the shoulder. "Don't they teach you of the other nations in your schools?"
"I've seen maps of the world, but I never realized how spread out the Sapphire Nation was. The Pearl Nation is small. We only have the one city, with a few research posts across the Ice Plains."
Captain Kaito yelled out orders, "Back to work! Get your asses topsail. Move, Move, Move!"
"We'll speak later." Tomoko left Ren standing alone on the quarterdeck as he and his fellow sailors went to work.
The captain saw Ren and waved him over.
"What do you think of the Sapphire Nation?" Captain Kaito asked.
"I'm not sure, sir. I've only seen the one island."
"Damn land lovers." He chuckled, his deep laugh shaking Ren. "Look to the water. It changes colors once we pass the first islands. It's how we know we're home. If you were to dive underneath the ocean's waves, you'd find long reef chains of every color imaginable. More fish than you could count in a lifetime live below us amongst those sunken islands. My father was a great fisherman and taught me to sail, from the moment I could walk."
Ren listened to the captain. Something changed in him as the ship sped toward the capital. His stern demeanor gave way to a merry smile, and his voice softened. His orders to his crew were kind rather than demanding.
When the source-light reached mid arc, the captain offered the stone to Ren. "We're making great time. Care to try?"
"I don't know how," Ren protested. The last thing he wanted was to wreck the ship.
The captain laughed. "You'll do fine. Worst that'll happen is the wind will die and I'll have to start it up again."
Ren put his hands out hesitantly.
"Truth is, holding this stone all day gets tiring. I could use a break." Captain Kaito dropped the bowl into Ren's
hands.
The bowl was heavier than expected, and Ren nearly dropped it, but saved it at the last moment before lifting it above his head to balance it.
Captain Kaito spoke between laughter. "You don't have to hold it so high."
Ren brought the bowl down and cradled it against his chest with both arms. "Now what?"
"Think north." Captain Kaito said.
Ren thought of north and felt the wind pick up against his back.
"Woah!" Tomoko said from overhead. "Did he do that?"
"Let's find out." Captain Kaito said. He pointed to the horizon in front of Ren. "That's northeast, where the capital island is. I want you to focus your wind on that spot on the horizon and think northeast."
Ren focused on the horizon, ignoring the burning sensation in the back of his eyes from the sun. "Northeast, northeast, northeast . . ." he muttered under his breath. Nothing.
But as the captain reached for the bowl, the wind picked up, and the ship's nose tilted down into the waves as they swung starboard and settled into a north by northeast direction.
"Well, well," Captain Kaito said. "I think we might have a real sorcerer on deck."
Tomoko dropped from fifteen feet in the air and landed in a crouch next to Ren. The sudden shock caused him to lose focus, and the wind died.
Captain Kaito took the bowl back from Ren. "That's enough for now." A hearty laugh erupted from him, which put Ren at ease.
The wind picked back up before the sails had time to deflate.
"Have you ever used a wind stone before?" Tomoko asked.
"No." Ren wiped the sweat from his eyes.
"I'm impressed," Tomoko said. "It took me nearly six months to learn how."