It was a strange sensation, to be wearing the black out in the open, surrounded by men who would have been more than happy to kill her only a couple of cycles ago. But now they nodded their respect to her. It wasn’t a full bow yet, but in time, perhaps it could be. Maybe Ryuu was right. Maybe there was a chance for the nightblades to come back to the Kingdom. Maybe the people were ready.
But not all of them. The well-dressed man drew a dagger and lunged at her. She sensed the strike coming, and with one hand she deflected the blow, while the other delivered a strike to the man’s face, open-palmed. Blood erupted from the man’s nose, and the look of horror on his face was almost amusing.
With a curt shout from Akira, guards separated the two of them. More accurately, they moved the large man further away from Moriko. None of them ventured too close to her.
The man sputtered, and Akira gave him a rag to stop the flow of blood. “That was a foolish decision.”
The man finally managed to find words to express his rage. “I had heard you were spreading rumors, but I never dared believe they were true! I will have your head!”
Akira glanced around the room. “You are welcome to try, but I don’t think my honor guard is going to help you.”
The man looked around and saw that if there was an enemy in the room, it was him. He settled back into his cushions, considering his options.
Ryuu leaned over and whispered in Moriko’s ear. “I think you just punched the Chief Abbot.”
The pieces fell into place for Moriko. She could feel the sense emanating from the man, but it lacked power. She hadn’t noticed at first, her own sense largely contained in the larger group of people. Ryuu was better able to use his sense in crowds, so he knew better than her what they were stepping into. He probably hadn’t told her on purpose, to see what would happen.
Moriko didn’t feel any guilt. If she had known who he was, she might have drawn her sword instead of using her fists. Perhaps that was why Ryuu hadn’t said anything.
Akira knelt to the ground, and everyone else followed suit. “Let’s get introductions out of the way. You all know me. To my left is my top general, Makoto. The man over here is the Chief Abbot of the monasteries, and he’s the reason why we are all here today. To my right are two nightblades whom I’m honored to call friends, Moriko and Ryuu.”
The Abbot started at the mention of Moriko’s name. He fixed her with an angry stare. “You’re Moriko?”
Moriko didn’t realize her name had become so well-known in the monastic system, although she supposed it was understandable. The Abbot turned his gaze to Ryuu and a look of understanding came over his face.
“My king, these two nightblades are responsible for the massacre at Perseverance several cycles ago. They must be killed. I know you consider our work with the Azarians a betrayal, but if you must know, it was only because of the actions of these two that we even sought the partnership.”
Moriko’s head spun at the news. The Abbot wasn’t lying. She and Ryuu had been responsible for the massacre at Perseverance, but it had been the fault of the monks. All Ryuu had done was help her escape. The monks had attacked them. It had resulted in the deaths of several monks and one Abbot. How had that one event driven the monasteries to betrayal of the entire Kingdom?
Then she understood. The monasteries had thought they were the seat of true power. They had thought they were the only ones gifted with the sense, and maintained absolute control over it. They had thought all nightblades extinct. But then one breaks into a large monastery and kills their best warriors without a problem. Of course it would have shaken their system to its core. In the Azarians they would have seen an alliance to both protect themselves from the nightblades and put themselves in a position of power in the Kingdom. The monks had overestimated their strength yet again.
Akira spoke, and Moriko brought her attention back to the moment. “Trust me. I know what they have done, and although I don’t condone it, I understand it. Since then they have been instrumental in aiding the Kingdom, and I believe they will continue to do so.”
He silenced the outburst from the Abbot. “It’s time for us to be realistic. We all want the Kingdom to survive this threat, and each of us has a part to play. Yes, under the old treaty, cooperating with nightblades was punishable by death, but that treaty ended with the coronation of Tanak, our first king. Abbot, you know the monks don’t have the strength needed to resist the Azarians. We need the nightblades, now more than ever before. You need to accept the times are changing.”
The Abbot looked for a moment as though he was going to leave the tent, but then he thought better of it. The cynical part of Moriko’s mind knew that if nothing else, if they were successful, this meeting would lay the foundation for future work together. If the Abbot left and their effort was successful, the monasteries wouldn’t receive any support from the new Kingdom. He had to stay, whether or not he liked it.
In the end, the Abbot nodded his acquiescence. “Very well.”
Akira smiled, and Moriko thought it was genuine. She realized he really did want everyone to work together. It was more than just necessity. “Good. I am glad. Now, if you would be so kind, please tell everyone here what you told me. I think they will be very interested.”
The Abbot looked to the group. “As everyone seems to know, we made the decision to cooperate with the Azarians several cycles ago. We were mistaken, and know that now, but if there is any advantage to our error, it is that we have been close to their councils and have some idea of what they plan.”
“Right now, all the clans of the Azarians are spread throughout the land. This was by design. The clans as a whole were given a mandate to spread out. They never really trusted us, and they wanted to see the land they’d conquered for themselves. But they aren’t settling, not quite yet. There’s one more thing they need to do. This autumn, they will come together in an annual celebration called a Gathering.”
Moriko nodded. She had been at their Gathering during the last cycle, and she had a fair number of good memories to go along with the nightmares of those days. She had wondered if they would hold to their traditions in a new land.
“At this Gathering, the clans will decide where they are going to settle. The People, as they call themselves, are nomadic, but they do recognize vague territories. Apparently, it keeps inter-tribal disputes to a minimum. Normally, they wouldn’t worry much about it, but the clans are under stress. They lost far more people than they expected when they invaded, and clan dynamics are very different than they once were. The Gathering will be very important, and everyone will be there. I know where this Gathering is going to be held, and if we strike it hard enough, perhaps we can send them all back into Azaria.”
Akira let the idea sink in and then turned to Moriko. “Moriko, of all the people here, you know the Azarians best. What do you think?”
It took Moriko a moment to realize her name had been called and all faces were turned to her. She hadn’t come to the meeting expecting to become a key source of information. She thought in silence for a few moments.
When she spoke she was hesitant, as though she was testing the words for herself before letting others in on them. “I think the Abbot is right about one thing. If we are going to strike the Azarians in any meaningful way, this will be our best opportunity. They haven’t settled too well into the land yet. If we wait for a future Gathering, no matter how hard we hit, they won’t budge. I’m also not sure the Kingdom will be able to mount a resistance if we wait another cycle.”
Everyone seemed to know there was more, and Moriko was uncomfortable with how closely everyone hung onto her every word. “However, I don’t know if we have the ability. The Azarians will view any attack as a test of their strength and will, and they’ll believe the only way to pass that test will be to remain. If we truly want them to retreat, we can’t just attack them. We need to break them, and I’m not sure we have the strength.”
Ryuu spoke softly into the resounding silence that followed Moriko’s statement. “Do you think that’s true even with the nightblades coming to help?”
Moriko nodded.
Everyone seemed disappointed until Akira spoke. “Thank you, Moriko, for your honesty. I believe Moriko is right about the timing, which means we absolutely must seize this opportunity. If we wait another cycle, or for any other opportunity, I fear our strength will have diminished too far. Ryuu and Moriko have told me several hundred nightblades are on their way, and I intend to make full use of them, along with every soldier and citizen who can stand and fight. I do not know if we’ll be successful, but it is the only chance we have; if we give up, we give up the Kingdom.”
Those around the table pondered Akira’s words, and one by one, everyone nodded their consent. The decision was made, and they settled down to make their plans.
Chapter 33
Akira and Ryuu rode together near the head of the column. Behind them were thousands of men, the vast majority of soldiers who were left to fight for the Kingdom. As far as the column stretched back, Akira knew their numbers paled in comparison to the full number of Azarians. But it had to be enough. It was all they had.
It had been almost a full moon since they had come together and decided to attack the Azarian Gathering, but it felt as though it had only been a few moments. Entire days passed almost without Akira noticing. All of his energy had been directed to organizing the attack. Unlike the Battle for the Three Sisters, there was no contingency planning for the soldiers. If they failed, nothing else would matter. There would never be another attempt.
Some days had been pleasant, filled with reunions. Meeting again with Makoto had been a sweet moment, one Akira treasured. They mourned together the loss of Mashiro, who had been as a brother to Makoto. Akira hadn’t realized how much he missed his general until they met again. Makoto’s gentle nature inspired him and kept him focused on the task ahead. Together they worked endlessly to plan the best attack on the Gathering.
Sen had come into the camp, and meeting with him had been particularly bittersweet. The old man had come down from Stonekeep to visit Akira, and together they made plans and reminisced about times gone by until the moon was high in the sky. For many cycles Akira had kept the older lord at a distance, but now the practice seemed foolish. Once, Akira had thought Sen was a potential enemy, but he had rarely been more wrong. Sen was the strongest ally Akira could imagine, and he regretted the cycles of wasted time.
Sen had offered to ride into battle alongside Akira, but Akira had refused his kind offer. They couldn’t risk both of them. Akira was younger, stronger, and a better soldier. He would be more useful on the battlefield than the older lord. If Akira was to fall in battle, it would be up to Sen to take on the role of king. Akira wasn’t sure what good it would do. If they failed, the Northern Kingdom was vulnerable and would soon fall. But it was important to maintain their pride. Even if they were all to fall, they would do so with dignity.
Initially, Sen had been resistant to the idea of staying back, but Akira had persuaded him. Neither of them had any living heirs, and to leave the land completely without leadership was irresponsible. It had to be Sen, at least until another ruler could be determined. It was frustrating to plan for a future Akira didn’t hope for, but they had to be prepared.
When they began their march, Sen had been the hardest to leave behind. Akira was humbled by the old man’s courage and generosity, and wanted to do nothing more than sit and talk with him for as long as time allowed. Memories flashed through his mind, his childhood visits to Stonekeep and Sen’s small castle. Sen was the only tie Akira had to the days of his youth. He openly wept when the old man rode with his honor guard back to Stonekeep. Akira couldn’t shake the depressing thought that he might never see the lord again.
It would be beneficial if they could wait longer to make their strike. Akira and Sen had both sent out calls throughout the Kingdom for volunteers, sending riders from village to village to recruit anyone who was willing to risk life for their land and their families. People had been trickling into the camp for several days, and every day they delayed they grew in numbers. But it was a risky game they played.
They couldn’t be sure how much longer the Gathering would last. Moriko had told them the celebration lasted an entire moon when she had been among the Azarians, but she had no idea if that was tradition or not. They had waited as long as they dared, and they couldn’t risk another day.
Ryuu had been instrumental in the planning of the attack. Every day he spent the entire morning meditating, his sense wandering throughout the Kingdom. He kept Akira updated on the status of the Gathering, and every day Akira worried he would come back with news the Gathering was breaking up. But he never did. The nightblades from the island approached and volunteers trickled into camp. The time would never be better.
Their battle plan, again, was simple. They would attack the Gathering from different directions. The Azarians had formed their Gathering at the confluence of the two great rivers, but they stayed inside the boundaries of the old Southern Kingdom. In other words, their backs were to the river. Akira and his men would attack from the southeast and Ryuu and the nightblades would attack from the southwest. With any luck they would drive the Azarians into the river and out of their land.
Akira spent much of the journey lost in his own thoughts. Ryuu rarely spoke, and their plans were laid, so there was little to do but ride and think. Akira had always dreamed of becoming king, but he never thought it would be like this. More than anything, he had wanted to bring peace and prosperity to the land. He had never expected he would be forced to save it. Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to be his fate to lead in a time of peace. He would have to settle for doing all he could to save his people.