Forge the Path of Sorcery

by NAK Baldron

  Shaya stepped close enough to Ren that her warm breath bounced off his cheek. "The next time you insult me, will be the last time you have a tongue."

  "Sorry," he whispered, and his eyes went out of focus.

  After a long minute, Ren wiped away the last of his tears and cleared his throat. "What's going to happen to me?"

  "Honestly, I'm not sure yet. If pressed, you must claim protection under my clan. My honor will protect you for a time. Once I can prove Nori's betrayal of our customs, the other thief-lords will demand your release."

  "What about a trial? If I'm guilty—"

  "This is not your Pearl Nation. You're not here for committing a crime." Shaya spoke as if Ren were a child. "Guilt is not part of this. Our courts serve at the pleasure of the emperor." She spat on the ground and whispered, "Sueun's blight."

  From the small of her back, Shaya produced a small box wrapped in silk. "This will help pass the time and keep you healthy."

  Ren accepted the box as she slipped it through the bars, careful not to touch the iron.

  "Stay strong. Sueun's Blessing."

  "Wait—"

  "I have to leave." Shaya left the way she'd entered, but at the end of the hall called back. "I promise."

  Ren collapsed on the stone floor, and his ass regretted it. He felt twenty pounds lighter. Shaya and Akio weren't going to leave him to rot in this cold dungeon. They'd been betrayed.

  The present was lighter than it appeared, and when he shook it no sound came from inside. Careful not to damage the silk, he unwrapped his gift. The box was made from a kind of seashell, each polished down into flawless flat surfaces, giving the appearance of a solid piece with no lid. Even in the dimly lit cell, the box glimmered like oil floating on water. Ren pushed against each face until one slid back.

  Inside was a tiny vial of green liquid and two decks of cards—one with blue backs, the other red. Ren laughed despite himself, damn cards had gotten him in this mess in the first place. He kept laughing until the guards came to shut him up.

  INTERLUDE VI

  Sapphire Nation, Fencura

  A FOG LINGERED OVER THE COBBLESTONE STREET—the heat of the source-light had warmed the stones to the point that water underneath pooled to the top and began to evaporate. Akio hated when days grew this hot. He would much rather have a cool breeze off the ocean during the setting source-light.

  With Shaya's mother safe, they made their way back to Master Takumi's home to wait for his return, and the word as to when Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi would meet. He looked over to ask a question but found Shaya was lost in thought. If only he knew how to comfort her.

  Akio kept his ears focused on the surrounding sounds, his vision limited by the fog. The streets weren't safe. Soft splashes from boots upon wet stones echoed around them.

  "We're not alone," Akio whispered.

  "I know." Shaya slipped the top of her sword free from its sheath.

  Akio followed suit and brandished both stilettos—keeping his hands against his sides to avoid frightening random citizens. People were bustling to-and-fro in the distance, he could hear their voices on the air, but near at hand no one spoke.

  The hairs on the back of Akio's neck stood up. Stopping Shaya with one hand, Akio dropped into a fighting stance and waited.

  Better to be wrong and prepared, than caught off guard again.

  "What?" Shaya whispered.

  Akio pointed into the fog where he could just barely make out a black figure.

  "Dock boys?" she asked in a quiet voice.

  Akio tapped her sheath, and she instantly understood drawing her sword.

  "Now, now." A voice from the fog spoke out, in a deep thunder. "None of that."

  A man—nearly twice as large as the two men who flanked him—stepped forward from the fog, while at the same time two more flanked them from behind.

  "She's just a pup," a woman's voice cut through the fog from behind.

  Akio fought the urge to turn around, knowing the man before him was the real threat to Shaya.

  "What do you want?" Shaya asked.

  "Justice," the man with the thunderous voice said. "You killed Goro, and Chihiro will never be the same. He might not survive the night."

  He moved closer, still flanked by his two men, and Akio could hear the boots of the two behind them as they closed in.

  "The way I see it, you owe me for my two men," their leader said. "Blood for blood."

  "Your men got what they deserved," Shaya spat. "They attacked us and died."

  "You'll die too," Akio added.

  He meant it. No matter what happened here, one thing was for certain, he'd shove his stiletto through that man's eyes before the end.

  A laugh as deep as the hulls of ships colliding erupted from their leader. "They're feisty little pups. I'll give them that."

  Akio brandished the points of his stilettos at the man's throat. It had the desired effect, and the man stopped chuckling.

  "Little pups have claws," the leader said. "Very well. Draw."

  In a sudden flurry of steel, their swords were drawn and pointed at Shaya.

  "What do we have here?" A man's voice cut through the fog from behind them.

  Akio recognized the voice. He turned toward the voice as Master Takumi strolled into the center of the swords to stand beside them.

  "Step aside old man," the woman threatened.

  "Junko, be silent," the leader bellowed. "Don't you know who this is."

  The leader bowed before Master Takumi. "Please, forgive her ignorance Master Takumi."

  "Nobu, of the dock boys, I presume?" Master Takumi asked.

  Akio turned to face their gang's leader.

  "Yes, sir." Nobu bowed his head again.

  "Excellent," Master Takumi continued. "Presently you will receive word from Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi explaining that you are to forget any arrangement you thought you had with him regarding the condition of Kaito-Tanken Shaya. He is expecting her to attend his court as his guest to discuss business, and would be most displeased to hear of harm befalling her."

  Junko moved closer behind them. "We're not going to listen to this old—"

  "Silence," Nobu yelled. "If Master Takumi says it's so, then it's so. If he wanted to save the pup, you wouldn't stop him, but disrespect him any further and it's your life."

  Nobu bowed again to Master Takumi. "If honor demands it, you may kill her."

  Master Takumi walked forward and waved his hand under Nobu's face for him to rise. "There is no need for bloodshed. However, I would take it as a great courtesy if you and one of your men would accompany us to Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi's court."

  "Yes, sir!" Nobu turn to the man on his right. "Ryo, you're with me. The rest of you, go make us some money."

  The three other gang members left—Akio noticed Junko give her gang leader a nasty look before following the men into the fog.

  "Thank you," Shaya whispered to Master Takumi.

  "You are welcome," he waved her comment away, "but I think young Akio here would have had something to say about the affair. Two sharp things."

  Master Takumi placed his hand on Akio's shoulder and said, "You can put your stilettos away."

  Akio did as ordered, noticing for the first time that Shaya had already sheathed her own sword.

  Where had it been clear that hostilities were over?

  "Shall we?" Master Takumi asked, before he led in the direction of the Thieves' Market and Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi's private court.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  UNDERNEATH THE BLOODY SQUARE where Akio and Shaya called home, lay the Thieves' Market. The old clans of the Bloody Square had carved an artificial grotto from the bedrock of the island with the aid of Amethyst Sorcerers, long before they were born. They had needed a place to hide from the Emperor. A stone staircase descended from the surface of the Bloody Square to the stone floor of the market below. Amethyst Lanterns illuminated the vast cavern, not that they needed to fear fire. No, the lanterns served as a subtl
e reminder of Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi's vast wealth.

  As the five of them descended to the final step, the heat of the afternoon subsided, and it left Akio with a slight chill. The humidity of the ocean clung to the stone pillars of the grotto, and tiny streams of water trickled down to buckets on the ground—an abundant source of clean drinking water. As Shinzo was a stone island, clean water was always in high demand.

  The group ignored the merchants who manned their stalls, calling out to them as they passed in an attempt to entice them. If it weren't for the pressing meeting, Akio would gladly have stopped to examine a cobbler's wares. His boots were beginning to pinch his toes—a constant ailment for a growing boy.

  "They will be expecting us," Master Takumi said as they approached Hiroshi's court, or Sueun's Temporal Palace, as he preferred to call it.

  Four guards stood at attention outside the entrance of the red tents. Past them stood a collection of red linen tents. Each tent stood fifteen-feet tall at their center poles—though their widths varied, connected with shared walls or small walkways. Inside the vast grotto of the Thieves' Market, the tents looked out of place, as if a nomadic tribe from the Emerald Nation's eastern deserts had set up camp underneath the city above. More than twenty tents in all had been stitched together to create Sueun's Temporal Palace—an honorary title bestowed by the priests of Sueun in recognition of the fact that Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi was the greatest single benefactor on the island.

  "Master Takumi, back so soon?" the lead guard asked. He carried a curved sword, similar to the one Shaya kept fastened to her waist with a red sash.

  "This is Kaito-Tanken Shaya and her First Sworn Akio, here to see the honorable Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi." Master Takumi introduced them as they stepped forward. "Accompanying them, is Nobu leader of the Dock Boys and his fellow member."

  The teenager looked like he was about to introduce himself, but Nobu stepped on his foot to shut him up.

  "It's a pleasure." The guard bowed to Master Takumi. "Please, follow me."

  The guard led the way, as his fellow guards remained at the tent's entrance. Akio had never been inside Hiroshi's palace before, but he'd heard talk of it. Gossip didn't capture the true beauty of the place. Hiroshi had lined the inside walls with golden fabric and enough lanterns to bathe the room in light as if the source-light were hanging over head.

  Another set of tent flaps led into a casino where men and women sat eager to test their favor with Sueun, gambled on the role of dice and outcome of cards. Akio made a note of how none of them looked up as the guard led the five of them through to another room.

  This room was far darker, with only two lanterns—one at each passage way—to light the room. Here, men and women lay upon oversized cushions smoking dust while servants rushed to-and-fro providing anything required.

  "Why would someone choose—" Akio started.

  "Later," Master Takumi cut him off.

  Akio dropped his gaze to his feet and followed through to the next room. They changed the lanterns here to offer a red glow which bathed the patrons who were piled together in mid coitus. Some in partnership, while others lay in large groups beyond count. The walkway through the room hugged the far-right wall, leaving as much open floor as possible.

  Beyond that room they found themselves in a long tunnel of passageways, but the guard continued to lead them straight back. Past tent flaps to the left and right, and straight through a set of golden silk curtains.

  A small army stood at attention to greet them. Akio understood why he'd not been unarmed. What chance would they stand against so many, even with Master Takumi's help?

  "Master Takumi!" Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi seemed genuinely pleased to see him, as he lay upon a golden lounge chair, large enough for four men.

  Does he ever move around?

  "I have brought Kaito-Tanken Shaya, as agreed." Master Takumi bowed.

  "Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi." Shaya stepped forward and bowed her head slightly. "It has been brought to my attention that you've placed a bounty upon my head."

  "Only for those not within my clan." Hiroshi grabbed a plate of food so fast that he was already eating from it before it registered to Akio, that he'd moved in the first place.

  How can he?

  "Yes," Shaya said. "I understand. Well within the rules for the Time of Daggers."

  "Exactly," Hiroshi said with food in his mouth. "Yes, no clan member has attacked you, nor shall they for the next twelve years, but I can't stop ambitious upstarts."

  "If I may," Nobu said.

  "No," Shaya cut him off, and Nobu stepped away with his man.

  "The Dock Boys attacked me and my First Sworn," Shaya said.

  "I heard."

  "Then you've heard that we were more than capable of defending ourselves."

  "As you say, but that was only two men." Hiroshi flung the plate to a servant standing across the room who caught it with ease. "Next time I'm sure there will be more. There is no shortage of ambitious men on our island."

  "True." Shaya stopped to stare as Hiroshi ate an ostrich leg in three bites. "But it is important to think of the financial implications."

  "Costs me nothing until they succeed." Hiroshi laughed. "Why should I care about smaller gangs' expenses? Besides, once you're gone, I'll have a clear opportunity during the next Time of Daggers."

  "Hopes and Dreams." Shaya stepped closer, and Hiroshi's army encircled tighter. "That's what you have. But I can offer you more."

  Hiroshi stopped eating. "I'm listening."

  "What do you covet most of all?"

  "Gold obviously."

  "And I can offer it. I can increase your territory and see to it that your new subjects pay their taxes as they've paid them to me."

  Hiroshi tossed the half empty plate he'd been holding, but the servant that caught it couldn't avoid the splatter of food upon their face.

  "Explain." Hiroshi pushed himself into more of a sitting position than the laying one he'd been in.

  Akio was frozen in place—there was no way he could save Shaya if this turned ugly. This could easily turn into their final resting place.

  "I will sign over all claims to my islands and their industries to you," Shaya said. "I'll see to it that there is no interruption in commerce. What I've collected from up to this point, will be collected by you instead. What difference does it make to a merchant sailor who collects his taxes?"

  "And what do you expect in return?" Hiroshi's voice cracked with excitement.

  "You to renounce your bounty upon my head and support my rule until the Time of Daggers. At which point we can settle this matter honorably."

  "Agreed!"

  Hiroshi snapped his fingers above his head. The gesture was unbelievably fast for a man of such girth. A giant of a man wearing heavy black robes entered through the hanging golden walls of Hiroshi's court, pushing the fabric aside to create an entrance. The giant hunched over to avoid rubbing his head on the lower slope of the tent roof. His pale skin, and complete lack of hair, gave him the appearance of a walking skeleton.

  "Write up a contract between myself and Kaito-Tanken Shaya. She'll be signing away all of her holdings."

  "A few caveats," Shaya said. "First, I'll only sign away those holdings that are not on Shinzo."

  "Fine."

  "Second, you'll only take possession one month before the next Time of Daggers."

  "But—"

  "Or we go back to alley stabbings."

  "Fine!"

  "Finally, you must publicly declare your protection. If any gang assaults me, or mine, you'll see to it that they're hung and bled publicly within the Bloody Square."

  The giant leaned to Hiroshi, for a quick whispered conversation.

  "Protection will only be for Kaito-Tanken Shaya, and First Sworn Akio. Can't have you running around turning all the smaller gangs into clan members. I will not protect any future clan members."

  "What of my mother, the honorable widow."

  "Yes, yes. I'll protect
the old hag too."

  Shaya pulled her sword, and the army pulled theirs.

  "Apologies." Hiroshi waved his hand for his men to sheath their swords. "I Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi formally apologize for any disrespect I've shown to the honorable widow of Clan Kaito."

  Shaya bowed while sheathing her sword. "I Kaito-Tanken Shaya formally forgive Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi for any insult made against my clan."

  "Do we have an accord?"

  "Agreed."

  "I'll have the papers sent to?" Hiroshi asked.

  "Send your man, and your witness to Master Takumi's home. I'll await them there."

  Goruden-Tanken Hiroshi forced himself off his lounge chair and hobbled the six steps to stand before Shaya. His hands were large enough to crush her head. They bowed to one another and then shook hands, sealing their agreement. How was Akio supposed to protect her from him come the Time of Daggers?

  CHAPTER SIX

  THE LAST RAYS FROM THE SOURCE-LIGHT FADED over the horizon, and Master Takumi's courtyard was bathed in darkness. Lanterns lined the walls of the courtyard providing just enough light to see the doors.

  "Attack," Master Takumi called out.

  Shaya pressed her position. Her sword snipping at Akio's legs. Speed was not on his side, and he found it hard to see her movements in the dark, but he couldn't say the same for her. Her sword kept finding the opening in his guard. If not for having two stilettos, he'd have been overwhelmed by her flurry of strikes.

  "Enough." Master Takumi walked across the sands toward them. "Well done Shaya. And Akio, you held your own well for not being able to see."

  "How—"

  Master Takumi held his hand out for his stilettos. Reluctantly Akio handed them over—they'd become a part of him, like extensions of his own arms. The master pointed the daggers down, then up, and then side-to-side.

  "Do you see?" Master Takumi asked.

  Akio bowed. "No, master."

  "Look." Master Takumi handed Akio back his weapons before taking Shaya sword.

  Master Takumi kept the blade's edge aligned with Akio's eyes and moved with elaborate arcs.