The Wind and the Void (32 page)

Moriko thought about what Tenchi said. She’d never thought of it in that way, but his idea seemed right to her. Whenever she dueled any of the nightblades on the island, there was always a hesitation, a particular softness in their strikes. Neither she nor Ryuu had such a softness. They trained and fought to kill, and it was a very different experience than training and fighting simply to get stronger.

It made Moriko wonder if Ryuu's goal of getting the nightblades to return was worth pursuing. The hunters were like her and Ryuu. Their skills were forged on the battlefield of life, and all their softness had been burned away under the merciless Azarian sun. All that was left was strength, strength Moriko worried the nightblades on the island wouldn’t be able to match.

She looked up at Ryuu, and from the look on his face, she figured he was thinking something very similar. The nightblades were strong, but she didn't know if they were strong enough.

Moriko and Ryuu sat across from each other in the small home Ryuu had been given when he first came to the island. They were eating the evening meal, and Ryuu brought up the topic she had hoped never to discuss. They had already been on the island a half moon, and Moriko knew every day was a hard one for Ryuu. He had wanted to go to the island and bring the nightblades back to the Kingdom the next day. But Tenchi wouldn’t allow such haste. He argued that the nightblades faced the most important decision of the past thousand cycles of their history. It would be foolish to rush to an emotional decision.

Moriko had met Shika and found that she liked the leader of Tenchi’s opposition. She was strong and outspoken, two characteristics Moriko valued. Shika was a frequent visitor as Moriko and Ryuu made plans to return the nightblades to the Kingdom. Ryuu was using the time given by Tenchi as an opportunity to set up meetings with small groups of blades on the island, holding intense discussions as to the future of their people.

Moriko had attended one of the meetings and found it boring. The arguments were predictable and obvious. Ryuu and Shika didn’t coerce people. They simply asked that everyone think carefully on the arguments both for and against returning to the Kingdom. Moriko decided she had better things to do, and she spent her days training, escaping the political nonsense Ryuu engaged in.

They hadn't settled the question between themselves yet, and it was a question Ryuu was ready to force.

It was an unfair question for him to ask. She knew he wanted to bring the nightblades back, and he knew she never wanted to leave the island. But they both wanted to stay together, and that was where their problem lay.

"What do you hope to accomplish with the nightblades? Even if you get them to return, what will you do?" Moriko asked.

Ryuu thought for a moment before answering. "I want the nightblades to figure out a way to attack the hunters. If we can break the hunters, we can break this invasion."

Moriko shook her head gently. “The Azarians are more than just the hunters. Everyone who rides with them is a strong and capable warrior, and I don't think just killing the hunters will be enough. Also," she hesitated, "I don't know if the nightblades are strong enough to overcome the hunters."

Ryuu almost objected, but Moriko stopped him.

"Come on, Ryuu. You have fought both hunters and nightblades. Tell me you think the nightblades are stronger."

Ryuu looked like he was about to, but stopped. Perhaps he wasn't willing to admit it, but he had to see the truth of Moriko’s statement.

Moriko pressed her advantage. "So if you aren't sure you can win, why are you even trying?" She thought about her next statement before continuing, deciding it needed to be said. "What if all you are doing is sending all these nightblades to their death?"

A tense silence hung over the room as Ryuu considered Moriko's questions. When he spoke, he spoke slowly, wanting to make sure every word was exactly what he meant. "I have thought about that, too. I think about it every day. The fact is, I don't know if the nightblades coming back is the right thing to do. However, it is the only thing I can do. I don’t have any other way to help."

"But why? Why do you feel the need to protect people who wouldn't lift a finger to help you?"

Ryuu spoke softly. "Because all life is worth fighting for. It's not about trying to save only those people that I care for, or those who care for me. It's about trying to save everybody, as many people as I can."

"You can't possibly save everybody. You know that."

"I know. But to me, it is like pursuing perfection in swordsmanship. There is no way to be perfect. There will always be some little thing that you can do better. But that doesn't mean I don't try every time I train."

Moriko didn't agree, but she understood what Ryuu was trying to say.

Ryuu continued. "You're absolutely right. I don't know what's going to happen if I succeed, but I have to try something. I couldn't live with myself if I didn't.”

Moriko hated Ryuu then. He had always been willing to sacrifice himself to save others. Why couldn’t he just think about himself for once? Ryuu’s next question froze her mind solid.

“The only question I have is this: What will you do?"

Moriko wished desperately this moment had never come, that she would never have to answer this very question. She knew what she wanted. She wanted to stay on this island, to hide from the world and live out her days in peace.

Suddenly, her time back in the monastery returned to her. Again she was naked and tied to the floor, and Ryuu came into the scene. That evening, he had been willing to sacrifice himself to save her. Every time she drew breath, it was because of the type of man he was. For the first time in a long time, she felt guilty about her selfishness. She couldn’t ask him to change, not now when everything was at stake.

Her next words surprised her. "Will you come back to the island, if you can?"

Ryuu nodded. "If I can."

With that, Moriko’s mind was made up.

"Then I will come with you."

Ryuu's face lit up. It seemed like he was a new man, and Moriko realized how much her answer meant to him.

She gave Ryuu a small smile. "Somebody has to keep you alive, so you can come back. And knowing you, I'm the only one strong enough to bring you back safely from whatever mess you get yourself into."

Ryuu laughed as she spoke, yet she couldn't help but feel her words were far too accurate.

Chapter 26

If there was one thing Nameless was certain about, it was that the land the People had moved into was a rich land. Losing the old man had been hard, and Nameless hadn't forgiven himself yet, but now he was able to wander the land freely, hunting and wandering as in the days of his youth.

Everywhere he went, Nameless was amazed by the diversity and quantity of the wilderness he explored. Almost all his previous life had been spent wandering the plains of Azaria, and while his homeland held an austere beauty, it paled in comparison to even the most desolate sights of the Three Kingdoms.

For almost a full moon Nameless lost himself in the beauty and wonder of their new land. He wandered back and forth, and although he sometimes encountered a clan, he always avoided them. He told himself he wasn't shirking his responsibilities, that he was scouting out the land to ensure it was right for his people. But it was a thin lie, and he knew it. He wanted to be alone, to focus only on his own survival. It was pure living.

From time to time he would be visited by some of the demon-kind, and they reported on the progress of the invasion. For the most part, it had gone as expected. The People, although vastly outnumbered by the citizens of the Kingdom, were much stronger warriors; with the aid of the demon-kind, the People had made tremendous progress into the land. But despite this, there were problems beginning to bud, challenges to be solved immediately. The alliance with the monasteries, which had given Nameless much of the information they had used to plan their invasion, was on unstable ground. From the reports Nameless heard, it sounded as though the monasteries were using the invasion as an excuse to assert their authority. Nameless had always expected this, but he hadn't expected that they would try to do so by attacking his clans. The reports were scattered at best, but Nameless worried they were indicative of a growing problem. The monasteries would need to be dealt with.

And their king, if he could even be called such, was still a problem. He was wandering the land, much like Nameless. But instead of exploring, he was harassing and killing the People. For a single man, he was causing an impressive problem. Had Nameless felt like exerting the authority, he would have sent two pairs of demon-kind hunting him, but none of the clans could look beyond their own survival.

His People were also having trouble settling in the mountainous regions which had once been known as the Northern Kingdom. Apparently the military there was still powerful, and their riders had superior skills in the mountains. It was unfortunate to hear, but Nameless couldn't bring himself to care too much. Even if they weren't able to make progress into the Northern Kingdom, they would still have over two-thirds of the land, which was more than enough space for them to grow and become stronger. In time his warriors would learn how to ride in the mountains, and they would decimate the armies of the Northern Kingdom.

At times, the demon-kind inquired as to what his intent was. His answer was always the same. He had done his duty as he saw fit. The People did not need a leader anymore. The only reason he had seized power was because of the necessity he had felt. Now that his people were across, his duty was done. He planned only to serve individual clans as best he could, much as he had before he came to power. At times, the demon-kind were disappointed in his answer, but none dared to question his strength, and Nameless continued his wanderings.

After a full moon of exploring their new land, Nameless decided it was time to rejoin a clan. He would wander until he found one, but once a clan accepted his service, he'd be happy to join them as their demon-kind.

Once his decision was made, it only took Nameless a matter of days to find a wandering clan. Here, in the land that used to be known as the Southern Kingdom, the clans were already widespread. They were still moving north through the Western Kingdom.

When he came upon the clan, the first thing he noticed was that it wasn't very large. There were probably no more than three or four dozen members. He wondered if they had always been so small, or if it was the move into this new land that had killed so many of them. There were none of his kind with them, which surprised him. There should have been enough demon-kind for one pair to go with every clan. He wondered if a pair had fallen to violence, or if something else had happened to cause them to leave.

Nameless decided that in the tradition of his people, he would come bearing a gift. Instead of going directly to the clan, he went on a hunt. Here, hunting had almost become a trivial task, and before half the day had passed, the carcass of a deer hung over his shoulders.

By the time he entered the camp dusk was beginning to fall. There was a short cry from one of the women as he was first spotted, but Nameless made no move to react. The old man had said he was not loved by all the clans, and that was something he must live with. Perhaps someday they would see what he had done for them.

Nameless stopped about two dozen paces away from the camp. If they did not want him, so be it. It was their decision to make.

A man separated from the rest of the clan, and Nameless could see from the way he walked that he was the leader. His balance indicated he was a strong warrior, and he exuded confidence. He stopped two paces away from Nameless. Nameless made no move, aggressive or otherwise. For all the clan leader’s strength and confidence, Nameless towered over him, and could have crushed him without a thought.

"Why are you here?"

It was a ritual greeting, one asked to any demon-kind when they first approached a new clan. Nameless responded with the ritual words, "I come to serve."

Nameless fought the urge to say anything else. Words were cheap, and intent could only be discerned through action. The leader of the clan looked upon the deer carcass and upon Nameless, and in a moment his decision was made.

"You are welcome at our fire. We would welcome your service."

Nameless nodded and followed the clan leader forward, surprised at how relieved he felt. With some help from the young men, Nameless quickly skinned and prepared the deer for the fire, and prepared to feast with his new clan.

For the next few days, Nameless could almost believe everything was right with the world. He acted as a scout and hunter for the clan. During the days he ranged far and wide, and at night he returned to the campfire to be among the People, those who had survived the harsh transition from the lands of Azaria to the lands of the Three Kingdoms.

In bits and pieces, Nameless learned the story of the clan he traveled with. They had always been a smaller clan, for as long as their stories went back. They were an offshoot of an older clan, but had never numbered more than two hundred members. It had not been the battle at the Three Sisters that had reduced their numbers, but Azaria itself. Many cycles had passed since the founding of the clan, and every cycle was a greater struggle than the last. Food had become scarce, and as the clan dwindled, fewer and fewer others were willing to trade women, causing the clan to diminish even more quickly.

Prior to the battle of the Three Sisters, the clan had been fervent supporters of Nameless. They had experienced the danger he had foreseen and knew he spoke the truth.

The Battle of the Three Sisters had been brutal to their clan. They had already been reduced to less than fifty, and the battle claimed the lives of several more. When the demon-kind had come to guide them on their journey through the new land, they had politely declined help. It was not that they held anything against the demon-kind, but the clan had decided that if they were going to survive and grow in this new land, they needed to do so on their own. It was a belief Nameless agreed with. Their story touched him, and although they made it clear he would not travel with them permanently, he was welcome to join them on the journey for a little while. He couldn’t have found a better clan to serve.