"If you wish to help, please leave."
Akira physically took a step back, surprised by the woman's request. It was the last thing he expected to hear.
The woman found a little bit more courage and continued. "You seem like a decent man, and all of us here believe you think you are doing what needs to be done. But our armies have failed us, and our young men aren’t coming home. The monks say they can protect us, and we believe them."
Akira looked around the courtyard and saw many nods of agreement among the people. Rage, anger and grief welled up in his heart, and he was barely able to contain himself. How was it that his people would choose servitude to the monks over a chance for freedom and a new start? His mind struggled to comprehend, but he wasn’t able to put a rational thought together. He was moments away from losing his composure when he heard the calm voice of his captain. "Akira, we should leave."
Akira looked in surprise at his captain, who never used his name, and saw the same pain and sadness that he felt reflected in his captain's eyes. It sapped all the anger from his bones. "Very well. I shall do as you ask."
He mounted the horse that had been provided for him, and took one last look around the monastery. "I know that right now you are scared. I know, because I am too. But know this. We're still fighting, and we will continue to fight until we have peace. Hide behind these walls today if you must, but one day you will be free. You have my word."
With a silent curse, Akira spurred his horse to motion, refusing to look back at the monastery as he left.
Chapter 23
At one time, Ryuu thought jumping in the river would be a great idea. Now he was far less sure. Moriko had taken their gear, but all the same, Ryuu was weighed down by his sword and clothes as the river took him downstream. He had never realized how many rocks and downed trees were in the river. In short, swimming and drifting downstream was not the relaxing experience he had hoped it would be.
Eventually the water slowed, and Ryuu saw he was approaching a village. With a few powerful strokes, Ryuu swam in the right direction, ensuring the current would push him up along the banks of the river.
It was mid-afternoon by the time Moriko found him. He had started a small fire outside the village, warming himself and drying his clothing and gear. They each updated the other on the status of their tasks. Ryuu wasn't surprised to hear Moriko had accomplished her task without difficulty.
Ryuu was hesitant to talk with Moriko about his own experience, partly because he was still figuring it out himself. He had fought with all the power he had, and it still hadn't been enough. But there was a nagging sensation in the back of his mind, a doubt that would not go away. Had he fought with everything he had? Was he as good as he was going to get, or was there still more for him to learn? He did not know the answers to the questions, but hoped he could find them before he met with Nameless again.
Once they were all caught up and Ryuu’s clothes were decently dry, they continued on their journey. Moriko had brought the two horses they'd gotten from Akira, and they continued to follow the river at a decent pace. Ryuu knew they had shaken Nameless momentarily off their trail, but he wasn't sure how far Nameless would pursue them, and he wanted to put as much distance between them as possible.
That evening they came upon village that was small, but had a dock. There was a decent sized boat moored there, and Ryuu figured it was as good as any. They rode into the village to find the ship's captain.
The man was easy to find, and fortune smiled upon them. The man was leaving for Highgate in the morning, and was more than happy to take on two additional passengers in exchange for their horses. As Ryuu suspected, everyone who was able to head north was doing so, trying to avoid the Azarian advance for as long as possible. Everyone was waiting for a miracle, but none was forthcoming.
The next morning they were off, and the days that followed were some of the most relaxing in Ryuu's memory. He and Moriko didn't train, worried that word of their skills would spread. Instead, they spent most of the day lounging around the ship, watching the land pass behind them quickly. The wind was from the south and the currents were strong, and Ryuu was amazed by how quickly they sailed up the river. It was his first time on a ship on the river, and he delighted in the speed of the vessel. After two days of traveling, the captain picked up on Ryuu's interest, and the two of them formed a loose friendship. The captain would instruct Ryuu on the nuances of the ship, and on occasion even gave him a chance to steer the vessel. Ryuu was thrilled, and Moriko simply shook her head and laughed at him.
As they traveled north, it felt like a weight was lifted off their shoulders. Ryuu couldn't use his sense very well while on the boat, but even if Nameless was pursuing them, they had left him far behind. For a while, at least, they were safe, and for the first time in several moons, both of them felt completely at ease.
They continued to dance around the question of what they would do once they got to the island. Ryuu wanted to convince the nightblades to make a return to the Kingdom. Moriko wanted to make their home there. Sometimes it came up in conversation sideways, but every time it did, they changed the subject quickly. The time would come when they would have to make a decision, but both of them enjoyed a temporary truce, enjoying their days on the river as a simple and carefree time.
It only took them a few days to get all the way to Highgate. Ryuu couldn't believe how much faster water travel was. He would never ride a horse through the Northern Kingdom again if he could help it.
When they reached Highgate, Ryuu barely recognized the city. The last two times he had been through, it had been one of the most exciting places he had ever seen. Markets had flooded the city, and you could hardly turn a corner without running into a vendor willing to give you the best deal you'd ever heard of. The city had been alive, full of an energy all its own. As they journeyed up the river, Ryuu told Moriko about it, about all the people and the wonderful types of food they had.
But when their little ship pulled into dock at Highgate, it felt as though they had sailed into a ghost town. Last summer, Ryuu could hear the city from leagues away, the combined voices of thousands of people all living, breathing, and selling next to one another. Today Ryuu could hear the sound of old paper blowing across the streets.
There were people about, but far fewer than Ryuu had believed possible. The docks were nearly empty, where once they had been filled with ships of all shapes and sizes. The people who remained did not seem friendly, and indeed, as they disembarked from their ship, Ryuu felt as though they were being actively avoided.
Moriko stood next to Ryuu and looked up at him. "Quite the city you've got here."
Ryuu looked around in wonder. "I don't understand. The Azarians haven't made it this far north. How can the place be this deserted?"
Moriko didn't know the answer either, so together they walked deeper into the city, trying to understand what happened. Everywhere they walked the windows had shutters over them, and the silence was almost oppressive. After a little bit of searching they found an inn that was still open. When they walked in, they drew stares from the two patrons in the hall. They took their seats as the innkeeper came up to them.
"How can I be of service?"
"Food to start. But perhaps you could also tell us what has happened here. The last time I was here, the city was full of people," asked Ryuu.
The old man gave them a suspicious look, but Ryuu deflected it easily. "We have been on the road for a long time, and have not heard news in several moons."
The innkeeper shrugged, apparently unconcerned about any danger they might pose. "It's no secret. The land has been invaded to the south, and people are running scared. It is said the invaders are moving north quickly, and will be here within the moon. The monasteries have offered shelter, and most have left to live within those walls."
Ryuu nodded his appreciation at the information. The Azarians were expected to be here within a moon? It seemed hard to believe. The distance between Highgate and the old Southern Kingdom was large, and groups of people moved more slowly than individuals. The Azarians might be coming, but he didn't think they would arrive so soon.
All thoughts of the Azarians fled from their minds as the innkeeper brought them food. Perhaps it was because they had been on a boat for the past quarter moon, but the food was delicious. Both Moriko and Ryuu helped themselves to hearty portions, and when they were done, just for a moment, everything seemed right with the world.
After their meal the two nightblades found a small place that was out of the way. Moriko guarded the area while Ryuu sat down to extend his sense as far as it would go. They had been many days without accurate information, and there was much they would need to know to move forward. Ryuu closed his eyes and placed his hands on the ground, sending his sense far and wide across the land. He sensed the advance of the Azarian clans, moving forward at a pace that continued to surprise him. In the back of his mind, he thought that perhaps the innkeeper hadn't been as wrong as he had thought. It would be more than a moon, but at the rate the Azarians were advancing, it would not be much longer than that, not unless something stopped them or slowed them down.
Ryuu also found Nameless, surrounded by other Azarians. Ryuu didn't spend too much time focusing on what was happening, but simply confirmed the gigantic hunter wasn't on their trail. Satisfied they were safe for the moment, Ryuu focused his attention on the docks. He was worried that with Highgate as empty as it was there would be no ship to the island. His fears proved to be unfounded. He sensed two nightblades at the docks and made a mental note as to their location.
Ryuu was about to stop his roaming when one other thought occurred to him. He sent his sense to the south, searching for the nearest monastery. What he found was almost enough to knock him free of his meditative state. The monastery was there, and it had grown enormous. Ryuu couldn't even guess how many people surrounded the monastery. Whatever the monasteries were doing, they were attracting incredible numbers of people. To his sense, the monastery felt almost the way Highgate did last summer.
Shaking his head, he came out of the trance. They were safe for now, and they had a ship, but Ryuu did not like the way events were moving in the Kingdom.
After Ryuu finished his scan of the Kingdom, they decided it was best to get to the docks. With all the chaos the city seemed to be in, Ryuu wasn’t sure how long the nightblades would stay in the area. He could see Tenchi withdrawing the boats back to the island until events had settled.
Their trip to the docks was short and uneventful. The few people who were on the streets skittered out of their way, and it seemed as though everyone in the city was afraid of one another. Ryuu couldn’t help but continue to be surprised. He had never thought about how a large city would react to an invasion, but never in his wildest dreams had he thought it would be this way. He would have expected fortification and militias, but instead the citizenry had fled as fast as their feet could carry them.
They advanced onto the docks cautiously. Ryuu had left the island with Tenchi’s blessing, but there was no telling whether or not he’d be allowed back. A lot had happened in the cycle since he had left, and he worried he might have used up all of Tenchi’s goodwill.
The two nightblades on the docks stood in almost the exact same position as Ryuu remembered them. To the unobservant eye, they looked like hired help lounging about on the docks, but Ryuu could sense the two of them paying attention to everything that happened nearby. Their vigilance was commendable.
As was his style, Ryuu decided the straightforward approach was the easiest. He walked right up to the nightblades, grateful they didn’t draw their blades on him. That, at least, was an encouraging sign. He looked from one nightblade to the other, but their faces might as well have been made from stone. He had no idea what was running through their minds.
“I’ve come to see Tenchi.”
The nightblade on Ryuu’s left spoke. “And what is your purpose?”
Ryuu looked from one to the other, wondering what was going on. He had hoped to be able to get to the island without any questions. A thought crossed his mind. What if Tenchi wasn’t in charge anymore? Shika had been determined to seize power, and although Tenchi had been confident in his authority when Ryuu had left, a lot could have changed in that time. Tenchi was old, and he could have passed away while Ryuu was gone.
Ryuu decided to answer as safely as possible. “I need to know what the nightblades intend to do. The land is falling apart and needs our help. I need to find out if the nightblades will come and aid the Kingdom.”
A grin broke out on the faces of the two men, and one flipped a coin to the other. Ryuu looked quizzically between the two of them.
The nightblade on the right explained. “We have a bit of a pool back home on when you would return, Ryuu. This is just the start of my winnings.”
The two nightblades laughed, the sound carrying far over the empty docks. The tension fell from Ryuu’s shoulders, and the three of them shared a bow.
“We couldn’t help but mess with you a little bit. You’re always so serious about everything.”
Ryuu shook his head. That much was true.
“Come on and get in. You’re pretty much the only reason we’re here at all anymore. These docks aren’t as welcoming as they once were, and when you’re one of the only ships coming in and out of the harbor, you tend to draw a lot of attention to yourself.”
Ryuu and Moriko got in the boat, and before the sun set they were on the water again. Ryuu tried to question the two nightblades about events on the island, but they were reticent to share too much.