The Dark Oracle of Fire,
Part
I
by
Shawn
Carman
Isawa Nakamuro inhaled sharply and opened his fan with his left hand, signaling to his instructor that he had a question. Isawa Noriko was an exceptional instructor, and Nakamuro never tired of her brilliant lectures. She made the heroes and villains of the past come alive with her vibrant lessons. History was laid bare before the student. It was exhilarating, especially to a mind as eager and curious as Nakamuro’s. Unfortunately, sometimes his curiosity surpassed even Noriko’s talents.
Noriko
raised a hand to her head and rubbed her temple for a moment before fixing
Nakamuro with a resigned look. “You have a question?”
“Yes,
sensei,” he said excitedly. “When you were recounting the incident with the
Oracle of Fire near the Shosuro lands, I was hoping for more information on the
Oracle. What do we know of him?”
“Very
little,” the instructor said curtly. “We cannot even be certain of his name,
although it seems likely that he, like many Oracles, was an Isawa. Few others
have the raw elemental mastery necessary to impress the Elemental Dragons and
be rewarded with such a role.”
Many
other students nodded proudly, but Nakamuro persisted. “Shouldn’t we know more
about the Oracles? Are the Phoenix not the wisest and most knowledgeable clan
in the Empire? That is what you and the other sensei tell us. If the Oracles
are as powerful and as dangerous as you all say, is it not our duty to learn
more about them?”
“Dangerous?”
said Nokiro. “What are you talking about?”
“In
744 according to the Isawa calendar, you told us that the Oracle of Fire went
on a rampage, destroying several villages before he disappeared in a great
fireball and appeared in the Shadowlands.”
“Enough,” said the sensei sharply. “The incident you are referring to is subject to question. There is no proof that the man responsible for that rampage was an Oracle, much less that he succumbed to the Shadowlands Taint. You are allowing your boyish fascination with the Oracles to cloud your studies.”
“But
isn’t it true…”
“I
said enough!” Noriko barked. The other students all dropped their heads,
averting their eyes from their teacher’s anger. “If you want to discuss this,
you should take your questions to Master Ariken. I am to instruct you on
history, not theological matters. I warn you, Nakamuro, Ariken-san will not
tolerate your folly lightly. You would be best served to remember why you are
here and attempt to bring honor to your family.”
Nakamuro
bowed his head, obviously shamed. In his mind, however, he was not deterred.
The Oracles were truly a marvel, the earthly representatives of the distant
heavens. The Phoenix should know more. And if there was no one who could answer
his questions, then he would answer them himself.
•
The candle had burned low,
casting the study chamber in a dim, eerie light. Isawa Nakamuro took no notice of
his surroundings. He sat motionless on his mat, his eyes glazed. The scrolls
before him were unrolled but unread.
Every time he tried to focus his
attention on his studies, the same scene replayed in his mind over and over
again. He was with Aikune, fighting against the Hantei’s guards to reach
Yaruko. Hida Tsuneo’s crushing tetsubo strike, crushing her body and sending it
sprawling, broken across the floor. Aikune’s screams of anguish echoed his own
tears of pain and grief. Fighting side by side with Aikune against the Steel
Chrysanthemum’s armies brought no satisfaction, no end to the pain. The damage
had been done.
Nakamuro closed his eyes.
Sometimes he could force the visions away. Sometimes he could not. After nearly
six months, it was becoming easier. Or at least it was easier while he was
awake. At night, nothing could stop the dreams.
At fourteen years of age, less
than a year after his gempukku, Isawa Nakamuro had lost everything. The girl he
loved was dead, murdered by a madman in an attempt to blackmail the Phoenix
into serving him. Even his best friend, Aikune, now despised him. Nakamuro’s
eyes burned thinking about it, but he had no more tears. The only thing that
could distract him from his pain was study.
He reached out and picked up a
scroll. It was a document he had been working on that compiled all the
information the Phoenix knew on the Oracles. He had once hoped that such a
document would give him more insight into these strange beings, but he rarely
felt hope any more. Still, it would be good to put his mind on other matters,
at least for a little while.
Nakamuro dipped his quill in ink
and resumed his writing. After a while, the images slowly began to recede from
his mind.
•
“You
impudent little fool!” Isawa Taeruko was consumed with rage. She had been
hostile toward Nakamuro ever since her daughter’s death. Her grief had blinded
her to the fact that he, too, had mourned Yaruko’s loss. “Do you have any idea
how sensitive those documents were? And you failed to return with them!”
Nakamuro
bowed. “I am sorry, Taeruko-sama.”
Agasha
Gennai, Master of Air, held up a hand. “Tell us what happened, Nakamuro.”
“I
delivered the documents to Kuni Misashi as the Council requested. I understood
that he was to provide an artifact for study in exchange for the scrolls. He
did not. Instead, he attacked me, using maho.”
Shiba
Ningen, Master of Void, shook his head. “Terrible to lose so great a mind to
the Taint. The Kuni are fools to meddle in such things.”
“They
do only their duty,” Isawa Hochiu, Master of Fire, said with a sigh. “Someone
must be bold enough to stand against the darkness, whatever the cost.”
“What
became of Misashi?” asked Isawa Riake patiently.
“I
was forced to kill him,” Nakamuro said sadly. “His dying spell destroyed much
of his home. I searched for a day, but found no trace of the artifact you
desired, nor the documents that were delivered to him.” He shook his head. “I
should have found another way. Perhaps he could have been saved.”
Taeruko
snorted. “Incompetence and sentimentality. What abject failure.” She turned to
the other Masters. “He is unfit to serve us any further.”
“I
have heard enough,” Gennai said forcefully. The old man’s fierce demeanor was
so unusual that even Isawa Hochiu drew back in surprise. So long as he had
studied with Gennai, he had never seen the man display anything other than
earnest calm and serenity. “I too know the pain of loss, Taeruko. Unlike you, I
have not allowed it to destroy my soul until I am nothing more than a bitter,
hateful specter of a human being. You are a heartless fool. If you wish to
blame someone for the death of your daughter, then blame Tamori. Blame the
Hantei. Better yet, blame yourself. But do not blame this boy, for as of now he
is Master of Air.”
A
hushed silence fell over the council room. Nakamuro shifted uncomfortably,
uncertain what to do.
Gennai
stood suddenly, glancing around the room with an expression of anger and
disgust. “I retire from the Council and name him as my successor, for I no
longer wish to be a part of these proceedings.” He turned left the room without
looking back at the table, pausing only to nod reassuringly at Nakamuro.
Shiba
Ningen shook his head sadly, though he did not appear surprised. Riake looked
down, her expression inscrutable. Only Hochiu looked at Nakamuro, his face
flush with shock and indignation.
“Begone
from this Council room, boy,” Taeruko hissed in a low voice. “Do not return.”
“With
all due respect, Taeruko-sama,” Hochiu replied. “You cannot address the new
Master of Air in such a manner.”
Taeruko
eyed Hochiu for a long moment, then nodded with a scowl. Gennai had chosen his
successor, and that could not be changed. The rules of the Council must be
observed.
Hochiu looked down at Nakamuro.
“What was your previous standing, boy?”
“Acolyte
of Air,” Nakamuro answered, eyes wide with terror.
“Hmph,”
Hochiu grunted. “Very well then.” He gestured to Gennai’s empty seat with a
negligent wave of his hand. “Take your seat, Master Nakamuro. We have much to
discuss before the day is done.”
•
“I
told you not to speak to me of my father,” she said menacingly.
Nakamuro
sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. “Shaitung-san, I know you are
angry, but you must listen to me. There is no way we can hope to defeat your
father unless we discover his plans.”
“There
will be no we,” Shaitung returned curtly. “This is a matter for the Tamori to
deal with. Your kind are not welcome in our affairs.”
The
Master of Air frowned, frustrated with this routine. “Then you are a fool,” he
said. “And you will soon be a dead fool. You cannot defeat a Dark Oracle alone,
and you will die if you try.”
An
older shugenja present in the chamber bristled at Nakamuro’s words, and began
to cross the room, his face twisted in anger. His intent was clear, and
Nakamuro prepared to defend himself. It seemed that no matter where he was, he
could always count on others bearing him ill will.
“No,
Chosai,” Shaitung said, holding up a single hand.
“I
will not hear him speak to you thus, Shaitung-sama,” the old shugenja growled.
“Enough,”
she repeated. “That is the first time since the Phoenix joined us that I’ve
heard him speak earnestly. Perhaps he has something interesting to say after
all.” Her expression softened for a rare moment. “Nakamuro-san is right. We
have been fools.”
Chosai
frowned, but backed away obligingly. The murderous look in his eyes did not
disappear, however. “I have studied the Oracles my entire life,” Nakamuro
continued. “I know much about their powers and weaknesses, but even more so, I
know how few weaknesses they truly have. They are powerful beyond reckoning. A
lone shugenja cannot defeat them, no matter how powerful she might be.”
Shaitung
smirked. “One might say the same of the Elemental Masters. Yet you were
defeated, weren’t you? And by a single shugenja.”
Nakamuro
nodded. “Exactly,” he replied. “The only way you were able to defeat me and my
brethren was through extraordinary circumstances. You were prepared. You knew
the terrain. We underestimated you. A variety of factors combined to give the
lesser opponent an advantage, to allow her to conquer a superior opponent.
That, Shaitung-san, is exactly what we must do. We must not charge blindly into
battle. We must plan, as you did when you defeated the Council.”
“Then
let us plan,” Shaitung said impatiently. “What can you tell me that is of use
against my father?”
“I
know that a Dark Oracle cannot attack another unless it is attacked first, or
it is invited to do so. If the head of a household invites his presence, he is
free to act against that household. If an Emperor invites his action,
theoretically, he is free to act against the Empire.” The exhaustion was
obvious in Nakamuro’s voice. He had been considering his words for some time,
it seemed. “My understanding is that it was Tamori who acted first when he
caused a volcano to explode unexpectedly in your lands. Is that so?”
“It
is.”
“Then
he must have been invited to attack you,” Nakamuro said. “If your people did
not attack him first, someone set him upon you.”
“A
Phoenix, most likely,” growled Chosai.
“Impossible,”
the Master of Air countered. “Our clans were yet allies when that happened.”
“How
can we trust this Phoenix’s so-called expertise, Shaitung-sama?” Chosai
demanded. “He is the enemy.”
“Nakamuro
stood beside me against my father,” Shaitung said. “If he wished to betray me
he could easily have done so in the zokujin caves.”
Chosai
scowled at Nakamuro suspiciously, but Shaitung gestured for him to continue.
Nakamuro drew himself up, his brow creased with worry. “I am saying that
someone from each of our clans, a Dragon and a Phoenix, have allowed this war
to happen. Caused it, even. Toward what end, I do not know. But our people are
dying for someone’s foolish pride.”
Shaitung
nodded. “Mirumoto Tsuge,” she said. “The commander of the Dragon armies. He
came to me and confessed that Tamori coerced him into inviting him into our
war.”
“No,” Nakamuro said. “That was too recent. I believe
Tamori had influence over the Dragon before that. There is another traitor, one
who acted of his own volition most likely.”
“How
dare you?” exploded Chosai. “Your people deny us the land we need to live, and you
would dare come here and suggest that one of our number is responsible? This is
an outrage!”
“Be
still, Chosai,” said Shaitung firmly. She was looking at the Master with a
strange expression. “What would you suggest we do, Nakamuro?”
Nakamuro
rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “I have a plan.”
•
The Shrine of the Moon, one month ago
“Simply
amazing,” Nakamuro said. “I cannot believe it.”
“Apparently
all those things my sensei said were true,” Asako Bairei said with a smirk. “I
really can accomplish more when I commit myself.”
“There
was nothing here a month ago,” the Master of Air said incredulously. “You’ve
done all this in a month?” He gestured about, indicating the large shrine
around them. “How is that possible?”
“I
found some intriguing notes regarding methods the Asahina use to accelerate the
building process. With a handful of shugenja, you can accomplish in weeks what
would take hundreds of laborers months to achieve. The practices haven’t been
used in several centuries because of some structural instabilities the Asahina
discovered, and the Asahina never had great success with Earth magic, but I
managed to correct their errors. Also, such construction is only possible in
areas where the Earth kami are extremely strong. Fortunately, the site we chose
for this shrine was one of great elemental harmony.”
Nakamuro
smiled. “You certainly live up to your reputation, Bairei-san.”
The
scholar raised his eyebrows in surprise. “I have a reputation? Really? What
sort?”
Nakamuro’s
smile faltered. Truthfully, Bairei was known as an absent-minded, socially
inept scholar with a tendency to forget trivialities like eating and personal
hygiene. If it was not for his assistant, Asako Yuya, he might have long ago
starved to death in his own libraries. Many prominent scholars admired his
brilliance, but few wanted to be around him for any length of time. Respected,
yet resented. Nakamuro could relate to that.
“You are known to be of great
help to those seeking lost lore,” the Master of Air said finally.
“Ah,”
Bairei smiled. “I have an eye for detail, that is all.”
“And
that is why I have sought you out,” Nakamuro said. “I have need of your
historical expertise.”
“I
am flattered, Nakamuro-sama,” Bairei said as he bowed. “How may I serve the
Elemental Masters?”
“Is
it safe to speak?” the younger man asked, looking about cautiously. “This
matter is… somewhat sensitive.”
“Of
course, my lord. There are a handful of monks who assist me, but none are
within the Shrine of the Moon at the moment. Yuya is away, arranging for more
supplies to be sent from Shiro Shiba. Otherwise, there is only the occasional
Hitomi making a pilgrimage to the shrine. We are quite secure here.”
Nakamuro
nodded slowly. “What do you know of the Dark Covenants, Bairei-san?”
The
scholar drew back in surprise. “They are powerful artifacts, said to hold power
over the Dark Oracles. Their origins are unknown, as are their full powers.
They are very poorly understood by mortal minds, and only a handful of scholars
among the Great Clans’ shugenja families know of them.”
“Are
you aware of how they disappear and reappear?”
“I
have heard some accounts,” Bairei admitted, “but nothing conclusive. Nemuranai
- items enchanted by the kami - often have a will of their own, appearing and
disappearing at a whim.”
“These
Covenants are among the most nefarious type of nemuranai,” Nakamuro said. “They
bring corruption wherever they are found, twisting the natural order. Whenever
they are found, they are cast back into the Shadowlands, but they inevitably
turn up somewhere in the Empire again. They long to bring their gifts to
mortals, it seems.”
“Fascinating,”
Bairei said.
Nakamuro
laughed darkly. “That isn’t the word I would use, but the sentiment is the
same.” He looked out on the courtyard beyond the hallway where the two men
stood. “I have studied the Oracles and their sinister counterparts my entire
life. My studies included the rare information on the Covenants, and I believe
I understand their nature. They are drawn to sites where the Oracles have been
active. It’s as if they seek out remnants of the Oracles’ purity in order to
destroy it.”
“That’s
incredible!” Bairei blurted out. “Have you recorded these theories? I would be
greatly honored if I might make a copy for the library here. You see, I feel
the shrine would be best served if it included…”
“I
am aware that the Oracles were involved in the creation of the Elemental
Nemuranai during the Clan War,” Nakamuro continued, cutting Bairei’s eager
rambling short. “I know that they guided a henshin named Asako Shingon in the
process, and that it was done in the mountains in our northern provinces, but I
do not know where. There is no record of the location. The last known sighting
of the Dark Covenant of Fire was during the Oracle’s rampage nearly four
hundred years ago, in the cliffs near the sea three days ride north of Shiro
Shiba. It was lost shortly thereafter, but I believe it may be where the
Nemuranai were created. That should be the closest suitable location, if my
theory is correct.”
Bairei
rubbed his chin thoughtfully. His eyes darted back and forth quickly. Nakamuro
could almost see his mind racing as he considered the thousands upon thousands
of scrolls he had read and memorized. “The Shingon, a vassal family of the
Shiba, take their name from Asako Shingon,” he finally said. “Their records
include another involved in the Nemuranai’s creation, a Unicorn practitioner of
Meishodo named Iuchi Yogersha…” Bairei winced. “Wait, no that cannot be right.
Yogosha. I apologize, I have a terrible memory for gaijin names.”
Nakamuro
frowned. “That is not very helpful, I’m afraid.”
“Wait!”
Bairei exclaimed. “There was a cartographer’s report from the early days of the
Clan War that indicated a pony with Unicorn brands was found wandering a valley
in the mountains near the Castle of the Faithful Bride. It caused a brief
concern that the Unicorn had advance scouts in the area in preparation for an
attack, but those allegations were dismissed as ridiculous.”
The
Master of Air stared at the scholar in wonder. “You remembered the account of a
single cartographer from over thirty years ago?”
“Well,”
Bairei said embarrassedly, “it was a rather unusual report.”
Nakamuro
rubbed his hands together. “I will need a copy of this report if I am to find
the valley. I must leave immediately. Where was this document to be found,
Bairei-san?”
The
scholar looked embarrassed and glanced down. “I… cannot remember.”
The
Master of Air’s face fell. “That is unfortunate. Still, I thank you for your
help. I am grateful that your vast memory could remember that much. Hoping for
an answer to my every question would be too much to expect.” He sighed. “I
shall begin my search of the mountains come morning, then.”
“Wait,”
Bairei said. “I do not remember where the document was found, but I remember
well its contents. I will lead you to the place you seek.”
“No,”
Nakamuro said firmly. “It is too dangerous, and you are no warrior.”
“Neither
are you,” insisted Bairei, “yet you intend to face a Dark Oracle. I will not be
denied this chance to witness one of the Covenants. Such a chance will not come
again in my lifetime, I expect.”
“Let
us hope not,” Nakamuro said grimly. He hesitated for several long minutes
before finally sighing again and nodding. “Very well. Make preparations to
leave in the morning. How long will the trip take?”
The
scholar grimaced. “It is very difficult terrain, Nakamuro-sama. At least a
week, possibly much more.”
“Then
let us waste no time,” the Master added. The two men receded deeper into the
shrine, speaking of preparations and supplies. Neither noticed the cloaked
figure that emerged from the deep shadows along the wall and slipped quietly
from the shrine.
•
Nakamuro
pulled himself up to the ledge with shaking arms. He gasped in exhaustion,
grateful for the chance to rest. The climb was far more difficult than he or
Bairei had imagined, and it had taken them nearly two days to reach the plateau
where the scholar was certain the Elemental Nemuranai had been crafted.
Nakamuro had been sorely tempted to use his magic to bring the two of them to
the top, but he was leery of using so powerful a spell near the Covenant, if it
was in fact here. The cursed items had a reputation for attracting kansen,
corrupted elemental spirits, with their sheer presence, and the Master of Air
was not eager to tempt fate.
“A
bit of assistance, please,” came a weak voice from behind him. Nakamuro turned
and reached down to grasp Asako Bairei’s arm, heaving him upward as best he could.
As difficult as the climb had been for him, it had been infinitely worse for
Bairei. The reclusive scholar was in no condition for such exertion, and
Nakamuro strongly suspected he regretted his insistence on coming along. “Are
we there?” Bairei rasped, gasping for breath in the thin air.
Nakamuro
looked around. “I believe we are. I can sense the lingering presence of the
Oracle of Air.” He stopped and closed his eyes, holding his hands out before
him. “Her essence is still in this place.”
“Marvelous,”
Bairei said flatly. “I would hate to think that climb was for nothing.”
Nakamuro
extended his senses further. “There is something… wrong. Over in this
direction. To the west. Something is not right.”
“That
must be our quarry, then,” Bairei said, forgetting his exhaustion. He climbed
to his feet quickly. “Let’s go find it, shall we?” Nakamuro nodded silently,
and the two made their way cautiously over the uneven rocks toward the west.
Occasionally, the Master would stop and extend his senses again, each time
growing more concerned. Bairei was, of course, oblivious to his trepidation.
In
less than an hour, the pair came to a great depression within the plateau. The
sides were smooth, almost like glass, and a strange glow came from the basin’s
center. Bairei gasped in astonishment. “It’s here!” he exclaimed. “By the
Fortunes, what an opportunity!” Without waiting, he began to make his way
hurriedly down the basin’s side toward the center.
“Wait!”
cried Nakamuro. “It’s not safe!”
It
was too late. There was a thunderous rumbling sound, and the earth seemed to
rise up in greeting. Three gigantic, ponderous shapes exploded from the ground.
They were roughly humanoid in shape, but comprised of earth and stone. Their
forms were blackened and twisted, as if warped by some great supernatural
force. These were Jimen, demonic spirits infused in living rock.
“Oh
my!” exclaimed Bairei suddenly. The man seemed dumbstruck by the spectacle
before him, and did not raise a hand against the twelve-foot tall monstrosity before
him. It lifted one gigantic fist to crush him.
“No!”
shouted Nakamuro. He summoned an incredible tempest of air that rocked the
giant, twisted elemental backwards, thwarting its attack. Bairei seemed to come
back to himself, quickly summoning a wave of water that smashed into the
giant’s torso. Already off-balance, it toppled backwards and crashed into the
ground. The force shook the entire plateau. “Get out of there!” Nakamuro
shouted. He reached out and grabbed Bairei with another gust of air and pulled
him from the basin. “The Covenant must have drawn these elemental terrors!”
“Evidently!” exclaimed Bairei
breathlessly. “What should we do?”
Nakamuro
watched the remaining two stone giants shamble toward them as the first climbed
roughly back to its feet. “I think perhaps we should run.”
“We
can’t!” exclaimed Bairei in shock. “The Covenant!”
Nakamuro
held out both hands, unleashing a tempest of harsh winds against the three
creatures. They slowed, but did not stop, plodding forward at a crawling pace.
“We may not have a choice!” he shouted.
“All
stone melts with enough heat,” the scholar screamed over the roaring wind. “Can
you not burn them?”
“Their
hide is too hard!” Nakamuro returned. He looked at Bairei. “Unless you have
another suggestion, I suggest we flee!”
A
shadow fell over the two shugenja, and Nakamuro heard the faint flapping of
cloth in the heavy wind. A figure wrapped in a cloak dropped into the path of
Nakamuro’s tempest. The cloak was thrown open, and the wind hurled the figure
across the basin. The stranger kicked away from the first giant and landed on
the second’s shoulder. The cloak fell back and an arm reared back as if to
punch the thing. A tattoo on the arm began moving, a rolling wave of water like
a tiny tsunami flowing along the forearm. The arm came down in a brutal
jiujitsu strike even as the earth demon reached up to grab its tiny attacker.
The
fist struck stone with the sound of a thousand waves crashing on the shore.
There was a flash of red as the jimen’s stone exterior cracked, revealing the
molten heart within. The cloaked stranger leaped away to perch on a second
giant’s shoulder.
With
a great shout, Nakamuro dispelled his tempest and focused his power on the
damaged giant. He focused the same power, the same intensity into a narrow
blast of air that roared like thunder as he unleashed its power, drawing
moisture from the air to send a jet of cool rain into the heart of the demon.
The blast struck the open crack and sent the beast spiraling backwards. The
Jimen shrieked in torment as its body burst open from the inside, torn by the
rapidly cooling rock, it’s broken carcass scattering among the other stones
atop the plateau.
Bairei
was busy as well, softening the stone at the basin’s lip with his powerful
water magic. The nearest giant sank into the thick mire nearly up to its waist,
thrashing madly in an attempt to reach the two shugenja. With a target so close
and completely unable to offer resistance, Nakamuro unleashed a second powerful
spell. He seized control of the water Bairei had already created, granting it a
life of its own, forcing it into every crack and fissure of the demon’s rocky
body. The Jimen began to shudder as muddy water spurted forth from chips in the
surface of its flesh. Turning to face Nakamuro, it screamed in impotent fury
and crumpled into clumps of wet dirt.
The
Master of Air heard another thunderous report as the mysterious tattooed
stranger damaged the third giant, and then the deafening hiss as Bairei’s
spells cooled its superheated interior until it was fused into a solid,
immobile statue.
With
the last bit of rock crumbling from the second giant, Nakamuro relented. The
sudden absence of sound was eerie, and none of the three spoke for several
minutes as they recovered from the exertion. Finally, Bairei simply offered
“Thank you for your assistance, friend.”
The
cloak fell away to reveal a young woman. Her smile was strangely out of place,
but seemed genuine. Nakamuro knew instantly from her attire and the many
tattoos crawling across her barely-clad flesh that she was an ise zumi,
possibly of Tamori descent. “That was invigorating,” she said with a grin.
“When I overheard you in the shrine, I knew following you would lead me to
excitement.”
“Excitement?”
asked Nakamuro. “I thought monks craved enlightenment.”
The
woman shrugged. “When is the soul more alive than when exhilarated? The Tao
says that the world is a temple, and that we are both student and teacher. I
merely find my own lessons where I will.” She bowed. “I am Hitomi Maya. I am
honored to have been of assistance.” She looked around. “Tamori Shaitung sends
her regards, Nakamuro-sama. She must think very highly of you to send a vassal
as talented as myself to aid you.”
Nakamuro
grinned. “We appreciate your aid, Maya-san.”
Maya
looked back toward the basin with a frown. “I assume you have not yet located
the Covenant?”
“No,”
said Bairei mournfully. “But I believe it is in the basin. Perhaps with the
guardians gone…”
“Do
not bother,” Nakamuro said. “It is not here.”
“What?”
exclaimed Bairei. “What do you mean? Where did those things come from if not
from the Covenant?”
“It
was here,” Nakamuro said. “Of that there is no doubt. I can sense its lingering
Taint.” He frowned. “If it were here, the scent of corruption would be far
greater. The Covenant has already been taken.”
Bairei
was crestfallen. “How will we find it now?”
“I
don’t know,” Nakamuro said, his voice jagged. “It could be anywhere.”
“Why
not ask the earth?” Maya asked, gesturing to the mountain beneath them. “You
can speak to the elements, can’t you? Perhaps the mountain will appreciate how
you dispatched its corrupted children and offer guidance.”
Nakamuro
glanced at Bairei. It would be dangerous, but it was possible. The earth kami
might have nothing to tell them, or they may have all the answers they sought.
“Yes,” he said cautiously. “We can.”
Within
an hour, all three were rested and prepared to begin the ritual. Bairei would
attempt to summon the earth spirits, and Nakamuro would commune with them. Maya
was to assist should the demons they fought earlier attempt to manifest
physical bodies once again.
A
rumbling groan from the rocks all around them signaled that Bairei had
succeeded. He nodded to Nakamuro, his brow knit in concentration. Breathing in
deeply, the Master of Air extended his senses again, reaching out to the
troubled spirits around him.
“Leave
us in peace.” demanded a thick, scratchy voice.
“Greetings,
honored kami,” Nakamuro said softly. “Forgive our intrusion, but we have need
of your wisdom.”
“Always
questions,” the spirit rumbled. “Never can we rest.”
“If
you would but honor my simple requests, great one, I will take my comrades and
leave this place forever. We will trouble you no more.”
“Doubtful.
There are always others.”
“What
would you have me do to aid you, spirit of stone and earth?”
There
was a pause. “The heavy stone upon which the painted one sits. Take it and hurl
it into the sea. Perhaps there I will be free of your meddlesome presence.”
Nakamuro
paled. The boulder the spirit was referring to must weigh thousands of pounds.
“I will have to return with others to aid me, honored kami, but I will do as
you ask.”
“Very
well,” the being grumbled. “Ask your questions.”
“Where
there any other humans here recently?” Nakamuro said.
“Two.”
The
Master frowned. Earth spirits were rarely forthcoming. “Can you tell me about
them?”
“One
the color of sunset, the other the color of pine.”
A
Dragon and a Phoenix. As he suspected. “Did they remove anything?”
“A
small sun. It burned us with its light. It caused us great pain, created the
Jimen that you destroyed.”
Nakamuro
frowned. “Why did the Jimen not attack those humans?” he asked.
“I
do not know. Demons make less sense than humans.”
Nakamuro
thought carefully. “Where is this small sun now?”
“Gone.
Taken far away, beyond my mountain. It sits in another mountain now, far to the
direction of the setting sun.”
“Thank
you,” Nakamuro said hastily. He leapt up from his crouch, his head spinning
with the breaking of contact. “The Covenant was taken from here by a Dragon and
a Phoenix.”
“Where
is it?” Bairei demanded.
“Dragon
lands,” Nakamuro said. His voice was full of resolve. “One of the traitors has
it. And if we find one, they will lead us to the other.”
“Shaitung-sama
promised that my time with you would be interesting, Master of Air,” Hitomi
Maya said eagerly. “Lead on.”
•
The
caverns beneath the mountains were cascaded with endless pools of molten lava.
The heat was overwhelming, unbearable. Any normal human would be killed in
moments, cooked alive by the unimaginable heat. Fortunately, Hitaka had to
worry very little about such things. He strolled through the hellish caverns
without care or concern, the soles of his bare feet barely sizzling in the
molten stone.
Agasha
Tamori, the Dark Oracle of Fire, sat in meditation, submerged up to his waist
in lava. His face was twisted into a rictus grin even as he meditated. His
cruelty and cunning were as limitless as his power. Hitaka could not help but
admire him.
Tamori’s
eyes opened as Hitaka entered the chamber. “You have them?”
“Hai,
Tamori-sama,” Hitaka bowed. He held a loft a large box carved from stone.
“These scrolls contain the genealogical information of every noble Dragon and Phoenix
bloodline for the past twenty years. My magic should protect them from the
heat.”
“And
the library from which you liberated them?”
Hitaka
smiled. “It burns in your honor, Tamori-sama.”
Tamori
raised one eyebrow in approval. “Well done, my servant, well done. When my
meditation is finished, I shall review them. Then my vengeance can begin in
earnest.”
“And
what of the zokujin?” Hitaka asked.
Tamori
sneered. “Idiotic pests, no more,” he said. “We shall deal with the zokujin
when we have finished with worthier foes.”
Hitaka
shifted impatiently. “What is your plan, Tamori-sama, if you will forgive my
asking?”
Tamori
looked at his vassal for a long moment, as if weighing whether to answer his
question or reduce him to cinders. “Those selfish fools sought to bring me into
a war with both their clans, Hitaka,” he answered finally. “For a time, I was
happy to play my part. They sought to manipulate me to their own ends, and
dispose of me at their leisure. They shall soon learn the depths of their folly.
They are so concerned about the next generation of heroes among their clans…”
He chuckled as he reached for the scrolls. “I shall ensure there are no more
heroes of any sort! The time has come to finish what the Steel Chrysanthemum
began. The time has come for the Dragon and Phoenix to watch their future
burn…”