The messenger cocked his head to one side, studying Akira closely. Again, Akira got the impression he couldn’t keep any secrets from the man in front of him. “I see. We did not know.”
Akira shook his head. “It’s of no matter. I care deeply for her, and am glad you came to heal her.”
The dayblade gave the king another knowing look. “You were expecting a different message.”
Akira nodded. There wasn’t any point in trying to hide the truth from the messenger. It seemed he could see directly into Akira’s heart. “Your eyes see far, and the events shaping our lands are not secret. The land is reunited for the first time in over a thousand cycles, and yet we face an enemy more dangerous than we have ever met before. I know you know of the hunters. I hoped perhaps you had come with an offer of strength for us in our time of need.”
The dayblade was silent for a moment. “And you would accept us with open arms?”
Akira nodded.
“And your people?”
Akira was about to nod, but then he thought about the question. He had become used to the idea of nightblades, but for almost everyone else, they were still considered the most deadly enemies the Three Kingdoms had ever known. “I don’t know.”
The messenger spoke softly. “We are no longer under the command of the king, but I will let your desires be known.”
Akira didn’t think he’d get any more from the messenger. It was as much as he could hope for. “Thank you.”
Without another word, Akira led the dayblade to the tent where Rei was resting. When they entered Akira saw that Rei was wide awake. She had sensed another one of her people nearby.
“Rei,” the dayblade’s voice was filled with concern.
Rei murmured a greeting, and the dayblade got to work. Akira watched with unconcealed interest. The nightblades and the dayblades were legendary. He had been given the opportunity to see the skill of nightblades in some small part, but he had never seen a dayblade at work. The dayblade ran his hands gently and slowly along Rei’s body, spending more time around the cut that had paralyzed her and left her right arm useless.
Akira wanted to question the dayblade. By sight alone there was little he could see. The works of the dayblades had passed into legend, and the reality of their skills was beyond his knowledge. He resisted the urge. Whatever the dayblade was doing, he was clearly focused on the task at hand.
The king stepped forward, risking the ire of the dayblade for a chance to see more clearly what was happening. The dayblade had his hand wrapped softly around Rei’s arm, where she had been cut deeply. Time seemed to slow down, and to Akira’s eyes, nothing seemed to be happening. But when the dayblade removed his hand, Akira saw that the scar on her arm had faded. It was still visible if one looked for it, but the change was dramatic. Akira shook his head to make sure he was seeing everything correctly.
The dayblade stood up and took a drink of water. He looked tired but determined. He glanced at Rei. “Do you want something for the pain? This next healing will hurt even more.”
Akira was surprised. Rei hadn’t let out any sign she was in pain. She was a strong woman.
Rei shook her head, and the dayblade nodded. “Then let us begin.” He turned to Akira. “This will take some time. There is no need for you to remain.”
Akira bowed. “I will stay for a while longer yet, thank you.”
The dayblade seemed not to care. His attention was already focused on Rei as he sat down next to her, placing both his hands on her bare back. He closed his eyes, and again he went to work. Akira watched, but could see nothing happening. He did see that Rei was in pain, her face contorted and her teeth grinding against one another in an effort not to scream. Her will held for a time, but eventually the scream broke free, surprising and frightening Akira for a moment. Her scream was primal and uncivilized. It didn’t seem to faze the dayblade at all. He just kept his hands on her back.
Akira took his leave as another scream was ripped from Rei’s throat. The legends only told of the healing of the dayblades. They never spoke of the pain that accompanied such healings. Akira wanted to stay, but he could do no good, and Rei’s screams rattled his nerves, as well as those around the tent. He was grateful her screams faded quickly.
Akira ran some errands, meeting with some of his commanders and signing a set of orders placed in front of him. He went about his day-to-day responsibilities with half a mind until the dayblade found him.
“I have done what I can.”
“How is she?”
The dayblade hesitated. “My skills are excellent, but her hurts are grievous. Perhaps if I had been here sooner, but what is done is done. I have healed her spine as well as I am able, and I expect she will be able to walk again. In time, with more healing, she may fully recover from that cut. Her arm is another matter. There is only so much one can heal, and the cut across the back of her arm severed everything to the bone. I have done what I can, and she will have use of it, but she will never wield a blade again. I have given her the news and she grieves to hear it.”
Akira could understand. He was a warrior too, and a warrior who couldn’t fight lacked purpose. Akira was also a king, born to a family destined to rule. There was more for him than the sword, but Rei had grown up a nightblade. Her only purpose as long as she had been alive had been to fight. She wouldn’t know who she was without the ability.
The dayblade interrupted Akira’s thoughts. “Now that she is healed I am called to return with her to the place from where we came. She will have tonight to recover, but tomorrow we will leave.”
Akira read into the dayblade’s thoughts. “Thank you. I am grateful for all you have done.”
He ordered a tent prepared for the dayblade and went to Rei’s tent. He hesitated at the entrance, suddenly unsure of why he was even there. Not only was she a nightblade, but she was broken. How could he help?
She spoke even as he considered turning around. “I’m still here, you know. You don’t need to be scared of me.”
Her voice was stronger than Akira had heard it since the battle. It brought hope to his heart. “How are you?”
“I hurt worse than I ever thought I could. If it’s possible, I think the healing hurt worse than getting cut in the first place. But look what I can do.”
Slowly, as if she was uncertain of what her own body would do, she spun in the bed until she was laying on her back. It was the first time she had done so since coming to the tent moons ago. She looked up at the ceiling and sighed. Akira could see she was in pain, but it didn’t stop her.
“Help me up.”
Akira stepped to the side of the tent and got Rei her robes, slipping them over her shoulders to cover at least part of her nakedness. He grabbed her left arm, her good one, and gently helped her to stand. She got on her feet and fell forward into him. He embraced her gently and rearranged her robes, helping her dress. She was even lighter than he remembered. He didn’t realize she had lost so much muscle while confined to the bed.
Rei took a few hesitant steps around the room, Akira never far from her side. It seemed ridiculous to him that as king of the land he would be spending time escorting around an injured nightblade, but his feelings couldn’t be denied, inconvenient as they were. Rei flexed her right hand. It closed and opened slowly.
“Could you bring me my blade?”
Akira walked across the tent, drew the blade from its sheath and brought it to her. He handed it to her with a short bow. She grasped the sword with both hands and Akira stepped back. Rei tried a practice cut, but it lacked strength. She tried again and the sword slipped out of her right hand. She held it with her left, but the truth of the dayblade’s comments were undeniable. Without a word she handed the sword back to Akira, who sheathed it for her. When he turned back to her he saw her crying.
He went over to her and held her gently. She returned the embrace and they stood there in silence, tears running down Rei’s cheeks.
The next day Akira watched as Rei rode off with the dayblade. She couldn’t keep her saddle well, and the dayblade had promised they would travel slowly. Her sword was still at her side, although it was now useless to her.
They had spent the previous night together. Akira hadn’t expected to, but they had both felt the desire. He smiled and shook his head as memories came flooding back into his mind. It didn’t make any sense at all, but there it was, all the same. He would miss her.
She turned and gave him one last smile as she rode away. Akira wondered if their paths would ever cross again. He hoped they would, but he wasn’t counting on it. Spring was coming, and he didn’t think he would see another summer.
The only way was forward, so Akira turned back to the camp and tried to push Rei out of his mind as best he could. The pass would be open within the next moon or two, and he had a campaign to plan, a battle to determine the fate of the Kingdom.
Chapter 11
Every day Moriko wondered at the change in Ryuu. For as long as she had known him, he had been conflicted in some way. He had always been torn between competing ideals. But their duel in the clearing had unlocked something in him. He was driven and focused; but beyond that he was strong, stronger than she would have believed possible.
She couldn’t help but make the comparison to Nameless. Moriko still believed Nameless was stronger. His body and mind were almost consumed by the energy he possessed. He couldn’t stop moving. Ryuu was something different. He lacked the sheer strength of Nameless, but it would still be a battle for the ages if they met. Ryuu was more focused than she’d ever seen him.
Unfortunately, that focus was entirely on saving the Three Kingdoms. He was ready to sacrifice his life, and thanks to her, he no longer suffered from any hesitation.
Moriko still wanted to leave. She had delayed her departure to see what Ryuu would do, and now the time had come for her own decision. She had no desire to save the Three Kingdoms, but she did want be near Ryuu. Once again he had become the man she cared for, and the idea of leaving him hurt her more than she cared to admit. At times she was angry at herself for allowing him to get so close.
To Moriko, retreating to the island had become the most important goal in her mind. Ryuu had discovered a place where they could be accepted. She had listened to him speak about the island, how different it felt to be someplace safe, a place where they could display their powers openly. When he spoke of the island, it sounded like a place Moriko could call home. Already her heart called for her to go, but she couldn’t bear to part with Ryuu now that they were finally together again.
Every day they trained and discussed their next steps. Every day Ryuu would spend some time in meditation, expanding his sense. Moriko still couldn’t believe his abilities. To be able to sense things at such a distance was incredible. It astounded her he had known what she was going through back when she was traveling through Azaria. She would have given anything for even a hint of what he was doing as well.
Spring was coming with alarming rapidity. The snows were melting, and every day Ryuu reported that the battle for the Three Sisters, the battle for the kingdoms, was approaching. Both forces had moved as close to their respective sides of the pass as they could. Ryuu expected the battle would commence within the moon.
Ryuu also reported other marvelous wonders. The armies of the Three Kingdoms had merged into a single fighting force of an incredible size. They didn’t know what had happened, but somehow either Tanak or Akira had managed to bring together more people than the land had seen in over a thousand cycles. It was one of the best pieces of news they had.
The other news Moriko thought about often was the discord in the camp of the Azarians. Ryuu told her he sensed combat there. It was nothing on a large scale, but fights were happening more often. Moriko wondered if the alliance of clans Nameless had created was holding together. She thought of Dorjee and Lobsang and the other Red Hawks she had known, and she was surprised to find she hoped they were fine. They had brought the ire of Nameless upon themselves when it was discovered they harbored a nightblade, and she wondered daily what had happened to them after she left. She had cut their leader deeply, and she worried he might take out his wrath on them. She didn’t hold out much hope for her friends.
Moriko knew she didn’t have much more time to make her choice. Soon they would have to make a decision, and their paths would be set for good. She hadn’t spoken much to Ryuu about it as he regained his strength, but she worried about the monasteries. They were tied up in everything happening, and she feared it wasn’t for the best.
The hunters solved the problem for them. Ryuu sensed them as they split from the camp. The trails in the mountains had to be open enough for them to be willing to risk the trek. Ryuu counted eight hunters. Four pairs, all staying together as they made the hike through the rugged terrain. Both Ryuu and Moriko suspected their purpose, but it wasn’t until they came through the mountains into the land of the Southern Kingdom that they were sure. The pairs did not split into separate groups, but kept together on a path towards their house. At the rate they were traveling, Ryuu figured they had five or six days before the hunters found them again.
Ryuu wanted to walk out to meet them, but Moriko urged him against it. Every step the hunters took in the kingdom was an affront to Ryuu, but they were safest here in the old woods. As much as it pained him to admit it, she was right. In the woods Moriko would be even more difficult to sense, and it was here she could be the most use. In the plains they would be matched strength for strength, and despite Ryuu’s power, Moriko was certain they couldn’t face eight in open combat.
For five days they trained and rested. The waiting was hard, but every day the hunters came closer, unaware they would be expected company. Moriko was afraid, but she had never seen Ryuu like he was now. The kindness that defined him was still there, but there was a new hardness in his eyes. The last hints of childhood innocence had finally been stripped from his character, and he was more dangerous than ever, ready for this final war.