《Travels of a spirit fox》


 Prologue~messenger of the gods.

    The winter fox stands, ¶¬¥­¥Ä¥Í


    In fields of spring rice sprout, Èô¤¤´º¤¤¤Í


    No more grows good rice. ¤´¹ÅÃפʤ·


    ~Author~


    The job of a messenger is simple but vital. The gods need such a service as much as mortals, to converse across the domains of the heavens and to warn mortals without killing those too weak to endure the presence of a deity. Every god must trust their own messengers. I am still surprised that Inari, the goddess of rice would trust us especially the young ones. I have not seen the thousands of years that the elders tell stories of, but I have lived a long time and been to everywhere form the darkest corners of Hell¡¯s dungeons to the domains of Apollo, where opening your eyes is to burn them. Of my tasks the most common and most fun are sending messages to the mortals on the will of their crops. They are emotional enough that it is fun to play with them and strong enough to give a thrill in the act of escape, yet not so emotional that they all rush for murder over slights and not so strong that the punishment is fatal. Even for us kitsune, it is not wise to prank a god.Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.


    I must admit I feel for the mortals. My people and goddess shares that feeling. Inari would not provide so well if not for that. It is a shame many don¡¯t return the sentiment. An elder once took an orphan for his own and we are rumoured to eat children. Some youngsters scare people with illusionary fire that doesn¡¯t burn hot and some seduce men for fun and suddenly we are evil witches that corrupt the mind. Strangely enough that is one of the things that has always made it so fun. No one likes to prank the truly good and wise, the good give nothing back and the wise make you feel bad about the act. It is the fools and the misguided that are the most fun. It is not fun to prank a god.


    Despite our love of mortals we can never truly hurt or help them. We are messengers because we can walk the line between the realm of the spirit and the mortals without the channels of the gods. It is all too easy to fall on one side or the other. In this regard many of the elders are fixed either with the mortals, unable to hear the gods or with the spirit, unable to visit the world of the mortals.


    I feel glad that I am still young and capable of choosing my path in life wherever that may take me. As it stands I am in front of the elders to receive my message. The message is simple. There will be a good crop in the east despite the drought. The east is simply what I call the east of the small area I am a messenger for not the actual east. I plan to keep it simple this time around and only tell a drunk, preferably one lost in the woods. I find that is the best way to do things. Drunks tell people things easily and the exaggeration they give to the story always helps spread the message. I understand that this is exactly why our messages are not accurately conveyed. It matters not.

 Chapter 1~spirit fox and war.

    The summer fox stands, ÏÄ ¥­¥Ä¥Í


    In fields of wizened rice, Á¢¤Ä ǬÔïË®Ìï


    Once more grows rice sprouts. ÐÂÃ× ³ÉéL


    I phase to the mortal realm, slowly appearing hidden in a rice field near the centre of my domain. I dash to the forest and begin to walk closer to the town where I am supposed to deliver my message. I see swaying grass on moderately flat land. Forests of bamboo and trees are scattered in all directions with the mountains to the far west covered in the thickest visible foliage.  It is a whole hour before I get close to the town. The walk brought me into the forests. Travel is so much slower as a mortal. I play-hunt some rabbits in the woods until evening as I wait for a drunk to wander into the woods.


    The sun has fully set and there is no-one. Usually there is someone who wanders off in search of drunken adventure as the sky turns gold. I should investigate. I move closer to the village only to see the shattered doors and smell the scent of death.


    I am no stranger to the concept of war and have witnessed two wars between gods but this is a massacre not a battle. In the heavens wars are cleaner. Soldiers that die disperse into the spiritual energy that comprises them and those too wounded to fight or recover self-destruct as a final blow to their enemy. I have talked to the god of murder and that of war but seeing messy death in front of me makes me go cold. I feel scared.


    I hear whimpering. I still have a small duty to deliver the message even if there is no reason to.  I enter the battered house that the noise is coming from and see a dog sniffing at a bloody mess on the floor. The man weakly rubs the dogs paw with tears softly running, flowing across his cheeks. The dog growls at me before running away at the sharp click made by the man. He looks at me and smiles "Please kill me..." The man whispers. I walk over to him and crouch down avoiding the blood as well as I could. "...I have suffered enough." I nod and decide to help. I grab a knife from the table nearby and provide a clean cut across his throat. The man had no legs. He should not suffer any more. "There will be a good crop to the east" I whisper as the light leaves his eyes. I wander further into the house after the dog, tears moistening my own cheeks.


    I had been watching over these people for almost as long as I have been a messenger. I played with that man and his brothers when they were children. I annoyed his grandfather to no end and made friends with his aunt. I may only visit for short times and been shown more scorn than favour but I had good memories and have grown attached to this place. I had seen death but it was not the same. In those cases the village lived on and the deaths were all properly mourned and justified.


    This was a senseless massacre.


    The rest of the small house consists of two other rooms, both ransacked to some degree. One room holds a low table covered with a blanket and a smashed tea set; the other contains a broken bed and a tipped desk with spilled ink and scattered brushes. Among the remains of the table is a white sheet of rice paper covered in writing. It is a letter. I smile. I will be sure to deliver it someday, I am a messenger after all.


    I walk to a nearby field of rice with a heavy heart and try to phase into the realm of the gods. I wait for the familiar sensations of becoming weightless and tingling as the world changes around me but nothing happens.


    I mentally kick myself as I break down into full sobs in the grass. The elders had warned us that causing too large of an injury or using too much divine power would leave us fixed in our state of being. I had killed a man. I was not thinking.


    Eventually my tears dry and I get up feeling emotionally drained. I feel my stomach churn for the first time in many years. It is too dark to search for food though. I enter one of the houses without a scent of blood and sleep. I wake to the caws of the crows and high-pitched calls of the koels. Sleeping near the dead is one thing that would attract scavengers. I should have dealt with the bodies sooner.


    After searching a few houses I find the tools I need. I search for rocks of the correct size and shape. I build many pyres from broken houses and forest wood I burned many bodies with a poem and song. None had written a death poem of their own so I used one I had heard long ago "A small night storm blows - Saying ''falling is the essence of a flower'' - Preceding those who hesitate". I had heard it from an elder as he wept over a brave mortal warrior. In these times it seems fitting.  I bring those who I know to be shunto into homes that would act as funeral houses and say more words with offerings of food, calling to Inari to guide their souls. I bury all those who have a family grave and mark stones carved with names where I know them, or more often words from my memory of them over those I don''t. One exception is given to an old man who I leave on a hill with a stack of carved stones for an open burial.


    The act of burial had been long and hard. I had eaten from the remains of the village stores and forest and drank from the village well. l knew the rights did nothing for the dead but they gave me peace. Peace from days of blistered hands, aching muscles and in knowing the wishes of the dead had been fulfilled to the best of my ability. I walk to the centre of the village, built one last fire and gather as much of the village''s remaining food and sake. Two travellers wander upon me in my lonely celebration of death. Both join me. We sing and dance deep into the night stopping to tell tales of myth and our lives.


    It was a skirmish between two large factions that had destroyed the village. It seems two local lords have been preparing for war and marching on each other''s boarders to test their strength and anger their foe. Suddenly I have no direction, my previous life under Inari has ended. I now know what I want to do. I wish to stop a war. At least, I wish to try.


    I wake to song birds at dawn. None of the harsh calls of the crows break the cheery tune. I take some money, walk out of the house, stretch with a series of slow motions and walk away from the village down its largest road. I don''t look back. First I check on other nearby villages, at each bartering some meat and a night of song for a room, a meal and some coin If I can get it. All the villages are fine. The force that destroyed the first village was probably just there to probe resistance rather than cause any damage; just like the travellers said.


    As I wander I ask about the state of affairs, descriptions of the waring lords and things that might delay or stop the war. The most common answer was that the war would probably only stop if Buddha and the gods descended to tell them to stop. I don''t think I can do that. I don''t think anyone can get that to happen. An illusion maybe possible but that is far beyond me. I don''t like the next most common idea to kill both lords and their families because it is likely those that take succession will be even more adamant for the war to honour the dead line or get misguided revenge.


    Finally satisfied, I walk towards the centre of the state; towards one of the only places I am likely to be able to end the war before it truly begins. I am beginning to find my feet blistering into callouses from all the walking. It is ironic that only after I am no longer a messenger I get the feet of one.


    The closer I get to the capital the less forest I see and the more the land is covered with farms and fields of rice. As I approach the town I am greeted by a yipping fox. I smile and stroke it. I respond with a yip of my own. A guard rushes round the corner with his hand on his club. He has a large scar on his left hand and striking eyes. He instantly relaxes into a smile and a nod before turning back the way he came. "Why was he so tense?" I ask the fox.


    "We agreed to warn them of danger in return for never being hunted." The fox replies puffing his little chest out as though he had personally negotiated the deal. It is very cute. "Why are you here big sis?"


    "I am stuck here." I say as the little fox''s eyes grow wide. I notice that I am getting odd looks talking to the fox from a merchant as he approaches in his carriage. "Go now, I have things to do." The fox scampers off. I finish my walk to town as the merchant passes me. At the city gate, I am greeted by the guard I saw earlier. He waves at me and I wander into the city. The city is vast with a large castle standing proudly in the centre. The houses are made more of wood and less of rice paper screens like the houses in the countryside. It is clear that to affect the war I will have to go to the castle, but I have lived long enough to know that I must have a purpose to enter such a grand abode. I can only think of one such purpose available to me at the moment but telling them of the attack on the village will likely do more to provoke war than anything I can do in the few minutes I am in the castle to prevent it.


    Stomach growling from the journey and deep in thought, I wander into a shop and order a bowl of tofu noodle soup with tea. There is a group of men playing majhong and passing round a bottle of sake. Another, older man sits in the corner with a shogi board in front of him. I need something to clear my head and a game seems perfect. I wander over and sit down opposite the man. The food is going to be a while. "shall we play a game?" I ask. The old man smiles and nods, making his first move. "Sure, but expect to lose youngster." The man answers with a voice that could grind oats.


    Now that I think about it I am probably older than this man I have probably been playing shogi for longer. The gods of wisdom and games tend to ask us to play games like shogi. I have lost many times because of that. Those gods get annoyed when they are beaten at such games. It is better to avoid winning. Not that I am thinking I could beat a god of wisdom if I tried. You never know what they can hear. It is better to not risk that they can hear my thoughts.


    As the game continues I see the man''s expression becoming more and more grave. He is certainly good at the game, almost as good as me. A kitsune elder might have to take off their blindfold to win. It is because he is skilled that he knows he is losing even if it is quite close. My noodles come through midgame and I start to eat as I play. "So, what brings you to the capital young lady." Asks the man, eventually.The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    I don''t know how to respond to that. I can''t tell the truth; the kitsune are often hated and many people want war, but I must say something. "I am looking for work and influence if I can get it." I say finally. The old man raises an eyebrow and moves his lance before shaking his head. "It seems like there is something you are not telling me and it is not my place to ask but I can only think of a few jobs that a strange village girl like yourself could get any sort of real influence. Fewer still that don''t take a might lot of time and elbow grease for nought but a chance at the spot." I perk up at those words "can you give me an example?"


    "I can do a bit better than that, young lady, but not till you beat me and I ain''t that far lost yet."


    A few moves later I have won the match. "To think this is the first time I''ve lost in 20 years. I must have gotten rusty but I said I would help you so I will, regardless of my excuse for losing. With a brain like yours you could probably become a matron or head maid given a few years. You could probably get the matron job faster if the war breaks out. I would say becoming a nurse now would be a mighty fine idea. They are not hiring maids near here yet maybe they will when the new war heroes are announced."


    I frown a little. "Is there any job that could get me into the castle before the war?" I ask.


    "If that is what you''re looking for, I hear the lord is looking for a concubine. With a body like yours you can make the job. The lady doesn''t like it but they have to hire you if they offer a job. If ya go for the nurse job head to the medicine house up this same street. If you want the other go to the Daemon inn and tell the barkeep that Gyoku sent you." I get up and walk away paying the shop owner for the food before I leave. I turn around as soon as I leave the shop and notice that Gyoku''s severe expression is gone. He is grinning like a maniac.


    I wander around the city as I consider my options I am no stranger to the healing arts but I am not that good at it either. I am significantly better at charming men, my human form is incredibly beautiful and I have definitely got experience. I have charmed men, cyclopes, nymphs and angels for fun with a few genuine lovers dotted around the multiverse. I do however have more pride than a concubine usually has. I remember what the old man said and grin. I need to get a bit more information on those in charge before I make my choice. Shame about the maid job, that would have been perfect.


    I ask a beggar for directions to the Daemon inn and pay him two coins. He tells me the location is in the slums. I grimace and wander till I find a shop selling clothing and buy an old cloak with a deep hood. I can take care of myself but it is best not to tempt fate. I walk quickly through the slums. The buildings are no more than broken shacks and the smell of human waste hangs heavy in the air.


    As one of the few perfect structures the inn is easy to find. I take a step into the inn to a flood of heat and scents - from the smell of urine and sweat that it shares with the outside to the remarkably pleasant smell of the drink and food. The interior of the establishment looks to have once been impressive but worn down over time from the series of ripped paintings on the walls to the sturdy, drink stained tables and repeatedly patched chairs. I sit down and wait in the least filthy corner of the inn.


    I listen carefully to the conversations as the evening drags on and the remarkably sober barkeep is dancing around to keep the drink flowing one way and money flowing the other. Most of the chat is useless drunken rambling but there were a few useful bits of information I gained. First, the wife of the city lord is from a higher ranked family and so servants and aides other than samurai, which swear loyalty to him specifically, have to follow her instructions over his. This includes concubines. The lord is trying to keep his otherwise acceptable affairs a secret. I also hear some matters of the lady''s habits and an upcoming ceremony and grin. If I play my cards right I can get that maid job I wanted.


    I walk out of the inn and rush towards a more reputable part of town to stay for the night. I need to wait a few days to put my plan into action if I don''t decide to take the nurse job. Unfortunately, I, like most kitsune, like to live dangerously and take calculated risk. It is probably why we are so good at shogi. On my way I am intercepted by two hoodlums with shoddy knives and one with a huge wart on one cheek that is the only impressive aspect of the two of them combined. They ask for me to hand over everything but then start to look excited when they see my face. It disgusts me. I show very little mercy as I beat them unconscious. They will probably be telling stories of a blue flaming demon in the form of a girl after they wake up using their minor burns to prove it. They would not bother me again, at least.


    I find an inn with the sign of a tea cup, pay the inn keeper for the night and another meal and eat before finally falling asleep. The next morning I wake up, well rested and with a plan in mind. I go to the nearby laundrette and ask for a job. They always need more people to work there. The god of cleanliness always complains about it. The woman running the establishment has a formidable figure and a permanent no-nonsense expression in her face. The work is hard and the crude soaps, water and constant rubbing play havoc with my perfect hands in such a way that they will not gain callouses like my feet. I channel Qi into my hands to heal them and keep them from deteriorating. After getting my pay I go to the inn and with my reed flute I play the cost of my stay. Alone in my bed I mull over the gossip from the washer women and consider my plan for the future. I repeat this routine for four days. Finally it is the day before the festival and time to set my plan into action.


    I throw on my cloak and rush down to the Daemon inn. Unlike last time I walk straight up to the barkeeper. "Gyoku sent me to get a job with our lord,¡± I say quietly across the bar. The bartender does not even look up from the cup he is cleaning as his significant muscles flex and his thumb indicates to the door beside the bar. I move through as the bartender greets a customer he is clearly familiar with.


    The back room is much cleaner than the main bar with a bench to one side and simple but elegant decorations on the wall both showing none of the wear from the outside. There is a stairway leading up to a second floor. I sit on the bench and begin to notice a scent of flowers and sweat from the upper floor. The usual smells of the slum are mostly absent though. I take off my cloak. It is not long before the bar tender walked back through. "I am glad you are beautiful." He says. "I feel like this is the last time our lord will try to get some variety. His wife is beautiful enough for him and he already has just enough girls to fulfil official functions even if he can''t touch them."


    "Do I have the job?" I ask.


    "If the lord will accept you. I would have agreed to help even If I could refuse the old man." The Bartender walks upstairs and comes down with a dress and some makeup. "You will need these for the position. Can''t have a beggar seen by the lord¡¯s side."


    I smile. "when should I start."


    The bartender pauses for a moment. "I can get you a meeting with the lord tomorrow after his speech. If you need lessons on formalities we can begin tomorrow also. Meet me here at midday." I nod and walk away. The moment I am out of sight and covered with my cloak my smile becomes a grin. It is always good when things go to plan. I spend a short time in the bath house and walk buying a few objects that might be useful to ensure the plan goes smoothly. Finally satisfied that I can do nothing more, I have dinner at the inn and sleep.


    The next morning I wake up to the sounds of the festival. I spend a few hours ensuring I look my best before donning my cloak and walking to the Daemon inn. The bartender gives no delay this time as he switches places with another man and guides me through to the stairs. I drop my cloak and he grins "I thought I was going to have to teach you how to put that on properly. Instead lets go now. Time is a precious thing." I nod and put my cloak on. He guides me into the heart of the festival near the castle.


    We sit at a ramen shop and eat in a formal way. The barkeep nods and smiles. He is quite impressed. As we sit he asks me many questions about my capabilities. I say I can do most of the things he asks about but lie on a few things. A 20 year old mortal would not have enough time to learn all the things I have and in some cases I am not sure. I have not played a Hocchiku flute in almost a hundred years; even if I can still play Ry¨±teki and Hichiriki flutes as of recently, and was very good at playing it all those years ago I am still not sure.


    Finally the city lord makes his speech. He rambles on for about an hour on his plans to go to war, how much he thanks Inari for a good harvest, he hands out a few awards and notes the achievements of certain warriors. He leaves and is replaced by a performer playing a Kyoto. The bartender gets up and indicates for me to follow him. We walk round the stage and the barkeep waves to a member of the lord''s entourage who responds with a bow, before bowing with me as the lord himself passes.


    We continue into the lord''s castle via a side door and go towards a tea room. I grin but hide it with a quick illusion. This is better than I had hoped. "I hope you know how to hold yourself in a tea room. It would probably be over otherwise." I nod, pass him my cloak and kneel before the entrance to the tea room before pushing aside the curtain and moving inside to sit beside the door leaving empty spaces, as I would not consider myself a guest of honour, but notice a slightly disapproving look I move opposite him. Assuming I gain the position of a concubine I would be positioned beside the lord, mostly out of sight, if at all.


    He presents a bowl of sweets and I accept them and put them to one side. We continue to go through formalities and it is a long while before we finally get round to the matter at hand. "You clearly know how to act in high society." He smiles. "I assume you are aware of all your duties here." I nod. "Yes lord." He asks me a number of things to check I am suitable including whether or not I was coerced before revealing a contract of my exact position and responsibilities. This contract is rare but necessary for a paranoid lord on the brink of war. I sign and we discuss many matters including my remarkable ability to play strategy games before we begin formally closing the ceremony. We hear footsteps in the hall. The curtains part as the lady enters the room holding the implements she was clearly planning to use for her own tea party. I am ushered out and ordered to only fulfil public official duties in my new position. I rely on another illusion to hide my smile as I walk away towards my quarters.


    The days pass slowly and I whisper Words of Peace in the ears of those with power, pulling pranks to make those most vocal in demanding conflict seem stupid. I also stopped assassins aiming for the lord. I don''t want a revenge war. My efforts are in vain as one of the savants tell me of the plan to send declarations of war and mobilise the army. I walk to the forest and ask the kitsune to intercept the messages and leave. I have begun to attract suspicion. The guard that saw me talking to a fox has not helped. He seems to have embellished it a lot and added magic for reasons unknown to me.


    The messenger returns with a report from the captain on  kitsune interrupting communications regarding initiating a war. A message comes from the other lord declaring war and our lord decides to march himself as he declares the kitsune be hunted once more. For the first time I declare my opposition openly. I am declared a dissenter and a few men try to kill me. Those men lose the capability to fight and I run from the war. I am hunted by the soldiers and all who heard the tales spun by them as a seductress and deceiver. I am both when it is required but I am not malicious in the act.

 Chapter 2 ~ on the run

    “ô¹Ä´ßÈËÃü (?????) -?? ???? ? ??? ????,


    »Øî^ÈÕÓûб (?????) -??? ?? ?? ?? ???? ?? ??? ????


    üSȪŸo¿Íµê (?????) -???? ?? ??? ???? ????,


    ½ñÒ¹ËÞÕl¼Ò (?????) -???? ? ??? ?? ?? ???


    ???¡¤(1418¨C1456)


    As the sound of drum calls for my life,


    I turn my head where sun is about to set.


    There is no inn on the way to underworld.


    At whose house shall I sleep tonight?


    Seong Sam-mun (1418-1456)


    With the fires of war on my back, I run. There is no place for me in a land. I am hunted, and no mercy will be afforded me if I am caught. The drums of war shake my bones. I am called to fight but know there is nothing more I can change. The heavens call me, but I cannot go home. The innocent weep for a saviour that is not me.


    I walk fast, almost at a jog through fields and woods. I pick the few plants I know to be edible. I follow game trails for the hope of a morsel of meat. When I see flowing water I take a drink and fill my water skin taken from a dead guard. As night falls I light a fire, eat and disguise myself. I have lost many powers of a spirit but I can still create a ward and make my nights safe.


    I was first chased by the lord¡¯s guard. I lost them in the maze of streets and ran into the fields. They were fast but I was faster, more agile and more alert especially with fox ears to detect pursuit, fox tails to help with balance and fox muscle enhanced with Qi cultivated for more than a hundred years. Once I pass the walls I was chased by horses but the rice aided me in small ways and I am faster than a horse when it is avoiding roots in a wood.


    I created traps as I went, weaving illusion to make the soldiers fight each other thinking they are attacking me and question their path. Within a day I had lost all immediate pursuit and was searched for by many people instead. I switch to full fox form when I am far from any path and lost in a cherry tree grove. I have killed samurai from the lord¡¯s personal guard now, albeit indirectly. I am certain they are hunting me with their full capacity now. I am dangerous to them.


    There have been many "monster hunts" performed by humans. It is why many other mortals avoid them and live in separate communities. Humans have been known to be cruel, smart and efficient in these hunts and have even managed to wipe out entire other species. The same would never happen to the kitsune. When pushed into a corner we can become far more dangerous than any hunt as the warriors chasing me discovered.


    As I walk I admire the world around me, as I weave between oak and cedar trees among mountains. I know there is a sea across from these mountains and the sea of trees. I avoid the few villages hidden deep in the mountains. I am close to one when I pause. Something feels wrong. I create an illusion that continues to walk ahead of me as I remain still. A shadow shifts following my illusion through the trees. It is evening so the shadows are long and dark. My pursuer is doing an amazing job of remaining hidden. It is a shame I am the target. A less observant target with less experience would undoubtedly not have acted upon a simple feeling of wrongness.


    The figure is dressed in black with gaps allowing the free movement of a long, striped tail and pointed ears. If their tail was bushy they would be easily mistaken for a kitsune between human and fox forms. The hands are clawed, and soft pads muffle the movement of their feet. I wonder if the person is seeking the reward for the kitsune or if they have some other reason. I will confront them either way.


    I move behind them shifting into my part human form and place my pursuer in an arm lock using my magic to cause the grass to remove hidden weapons on her person - there is only one small knife. Using my weight, I push her face into the ground to prevent any loud noises.


    "Why were you following me?" I ask in a harsh whisper. I lift her head up slightly and she replies that she was not following me but was following animals to practice stealth. I take her tanto sword and step back wearily. I slowly walk away but the girl calls out to me "come back and eat with us!" She cries. I am shocked by her change in tone. I don''t trust her but it is nicer to stay in a house than in some woods. At the first sign of an attempt to capture or kill me I will leave.


    I slowly follow her as she moves towards the village, relaxing slightly as she talks to me. It seems she does have selfish reasons to be kind. She wants her tanto back and would like to know how I surprised her. She wants to learn the kitsune arts. I am surprised. For someone so quiet she can talk up a storm.


    The village seems to be a quaint farming village at first glance but the sheer number of large traps and potential ambush sites and choke points around the village shows a completely different story. I quickly decide on the best potential escape route and continue forwards.


    The girl who chased me is called Meri. She waves to those in the field and calls out to them. They respond with a measure of hostility towards us. The presence of Meri is probably the only thing preventing them from taking actions to remove me from their valley. As it is they seem just as tense as me but worse at hiding it. I wave too.


    Meri dashes ahead and is admonished by one of the men in the field. I overhear the conversation. ¡°Why did you bring her here? This village is supposed to remain hidden. There are too many powerful people who would see us dead if they had the chance.¡±


    Meri looks sad and guilty as she replies. ¡°She probably already noticed this place as she was so close and she is probably a ninja too.¡±


    I perk up at that. The good news is that they probably don¡¯t know about the bounty on my head and don¡¯t have a good relationship with the authorities so may ignore it. The bad news is that they might hear about the reward, are mercenaries and would probably try and kill me to protect their secrets, reward or not. I had feared as much.


    It was fun to find out that Meri has no idea I am a kitsune. The man groans and seems to accept that attacking me now whilst they are exhausted, and Meri is here to protest, is probably a bad idea. I am led into the village to more hostile gazes. An old man comes out to greet us. ¡°Hello Grandpa!¡± Meri shouts jumping into a flying hug. Her grandpa has the same ears and tail as Meri only they are tattered with age and old wounds.


    "Who''s this?" Asks the man. "My name is Gy¨­ma." I reply. Meri jumps back and starts talking again about how we met in the woods as she was chasing a fox, "...and she was so strong. She even offered to teach me something." I have no memory of ever having offered but I guess I should play along for now. The old man looks at me for conformation and I nod slightly. A moment later I am hit by a huge wave of killing intent from the old man. I respond with a bit of my own and he nods back at me. Meri''s grandfather is dangerous.


    "I would like a change of clothes, a place to stay and meals for as long as I am here in return," I say to the grandfather. "How long will you stay?" he asks.


    "A few days at the most." The old man nods and I grin. The geishas'' yukata is restricting, ripped and dirty from my time on the run. The change will be worth a few basic lessons. "You can stay in the old house on the mountain over there." He points to a small cabin in the woods. There are clothes and a bed in there at least. I don''t like the grin on his face as he tells me where I should stay but it can''t be that bad.


    I am dragged off by Meri and we start our first lesson immediately. I show her the technique I pinned her with earlier. When she performs it correctly and with enough fluidity for it to be useful, I demonstrate how to escape. It is a long while before she manages to perform the escape herself. I decide to end the lesson there telling her that the best defence is to avoid the hold altogether.The author''s tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    I walk to the hut and am immediately attacked by a pair of sandals and a broom. I ignore the sandals as they don''t hurt and tie the broom down. I notice there are no other shoes in the room, but I need shoes because my feet will be seriously damaged if I walk the rest of the way in the shoes I have now even with magic to heal faster. The fox form is the only reason this hasn''t happened so far. I perform axe kicks on the shoes forcing them to the floor. I put them on and after a while they stop struggling. They are very comfortable.


    I walk further into the room and nothing jumps out at me except for a tiny money spider. I don''t believe in luck or my chances of becoming wealthy any time soon. I quickly find a shrine maiden''s outfit and beat the dust out of it.  It reminds me of the heavens and is comfortable and mobile. I like it. I put it on and twirl before hanging the outfit back up and redressing myself in a blanket for sleep.


    I groan slightly as I am shaken awake. Mari is sitting over me singing "Get up, the day has begun." Over and over again whilst shaking my shoulder. "You''re awake!" she cries before running away. The girl is certainly fast for her size. I smile and get dressed, almost stumbling as my sandals misbehave. I have been living in this seemingly illogical world far too long to question its absurdity too often.


    I walk out too see Mari standing among other children from the village. They all ask to join in the lesson. I refuse but am immediately offered some money and supplies for the journey so accept. Over the next few days I organise elaborate challenges for the children to train with, based loosely off those I was presented with in my training only less difficult and confusing. I find it amazing how quickly the hostility towards me has disappeared. By the time I leave there is a group composed of half the village waving me off. I feel like I am beginning to enjoy the road and get some small attachment to the village with its unreasonably trusting assassin spies. I guess I was never told the nature of their style or defences and I guess I was constantly watched to some degree.


    I wander through the forest for the rest of the day and a half with regular breaks for food, sleep and rest. I feel safe from my pursuers in the wilderness. After a while I come to a river and notice a path of stones across it a long distance downstream.  A low mountain rises along the bank between myself and the crossing, so I begin to climb it. Nearer the peak of my climb I sit down with a piece of dried meat from the village and look back over the path behind me. In the far distance a trail of smoke is visible. No controlled fire would create such a plume of smoke. It seems to be where the village was positioned.


    I ponder if I should go back and then remember I am on no schedual but my own. I set of back down the mountain at a fast hike. After walking non-stop it is dark in the early hours of the next morning when I approach the village. Noticing that I can hear no voices I spread out fox fire to illuminate the blackened houses and ash covered fields. I see a samurai¡¯s helmet and the old man among the wreck of a house. My sandals tremble and I sit down, hidden in the forest and let them rest. The next morning, I hear a sobbing. I walk towards the source and see Mari over the corpse of a child, crying. For a few minutes I stand there watching. I had long overcome my own grief.  Mari turns and looks surprised. With a roar she draws her tanto and jumps at me. I calmly side step the blade and grab the following wrist. Twisting the arm around I restrain her. Mari is muttering about my treachery and crying.


    I stare at the bodies littering the ground. I need to give a ceremony to calm Mari but don¡¯t have the time or knowledge to do it properly. I need to make it a little flashy but heartfelt. I gather grasses and build a small shrine to Inari. Drawing some rice from my pack with some soy sauce I place it on the shrine as an offering. ¡°please help Inari,¡± I whisper under my breath. I gather my power and a ball of foxfire appears floating out of each body. I cremate everyone with their fire and shape the fire roughly to the form of each person. I create the illusion of a gate on a cloud. Each of the figures disappears into the gate. Mari is looking at me in awe. I slam my foot down and will foxfire to spread out in a wave. Mentally I call out to my god and wild rice grows in the wake of my wave of flame covering the ash and rubble. Soon there is little evidence of a village.


    I walk over to the silent Mari, untie her and then we embrace with her sobbing until she falls asleep. I smile down at her. I may regret showing my powers later, but I doubt it. I take a blanket from my bag and cover the sleeping figure from the cold before meditating to rest whilst not letting my guard down. A long while after the rays of the sun hit my face I hear sounds of movement in front of me. I open my eyes and smile. ¡°If you have nowhere else to go you can join me but we have to go now.¡± I tell her, folding the blanket she had removed and placing my bag on my back to walk off. It is a few seconds before Mari scrambles to her feet and scurries after me. I slow my pace slightly to match hers.


    For an entire week we walk in silence communicating only to indicate when we feel it is necessary for food or sleep. I give my sleeping equipment to Mari. She needs it more than I do. Occasionally my shoes nudge me as if to signal I should say something to the dead eyed youth, but I ignore them. Mari will talk when she needs to. Finally, we leave the mountains and Mari tugs on my sleeve. ¡°They are all gone aren¡¯t they,¡± Mari whispers. ¡°Yes,¡± I respond in a solemn tone. ¡°They are.¡±


    ¡°I was in the forest when it happened,¡± Mari continues. ¡°We were talking just that morning. I was tracking a rabbit. It didn¡¯t notice me but was spooked by the sound of fighting and burning. My grandfather used his energy to send a message. He told me he would die but I had to run, find someone I could trust and live. I know now you didn¡¯t reveal our location, but I was so angry. I want to kill those that burned my village, but I don¡¯t know who they are and I am too weak. I want to be strong; strong enough to kill those that did that.¡±


    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t take revenge. It would not be right for you to dedicate your life to become a killer. It would betray the memory of those that died.¡±


    ¡°I know,¡± Mari mutters.


    ¡°I will teach you to get stronger as we move though. It is good to be able to prevent anything like this happening to you again and for that strength is required.¡± Mari stares at me with eyes a little less dead than before. ¡°First lesson. Smile and live. As long as you can do that there is a hope things will get better and you can proudly say you are not abusing the memory of the old man.¡± Mari gives a weak smile. ¡°There we go.¡± I grin back. ¡°We are close to the coast now. Let¡¯s make every minute count.¡± The final few days of walking are more cheerful with Mari brightening with every step and working on her skills at every stop. As we enter the port city we will be sailing from, she is every bit the ball of energy and life I met nearly a month ago. I disguise myself and we wander down to the docks. We need to leave quickly. The wanted poster at the gate reminded me that this land is hostile to us.


    Due to the excess of light left in the day we head straight to the dock master¡¯s post and ask for ships heading to the main continent. Two coppers later I am informed in a professional manner that there is a ship leaving the next day at noon. I bow to the well-built man at the desk and follow his directions to the appropriate ship. I ask one of the sailors for the captain and am quickly introduced to a beaming man behind a desk with a marvellous feathered hat, strong jaw and stylish coat. ¡°I hear you are willing to pay for passage,¡± he booms. I pull out three silvers. ¡°This will not be enough,¡± he says. ¡°Two extra mouths for food and I will have to clear out a room of cargo for passengers, as is only right. You would have to pay at least a gold coin to cover these costs. Not to mention it is bad luck to have a woman on board.¡± I nod. ¡°We could work for the rest.¡±


    ¡°I would not let you work with the ship for the sake of those among the crew that believe in superstitions nor would I employ a young lady like your companion in any case.¡±


    ¡°We could work as guards. I believe that there were reports of pirates on the route recently and I am sure that I am capable.¡± The captain looks dubious but sighs. ¡°If my current guards agree you are capable you can sail for seven silvers. If you can beat one in a spar you can travel for five.¡± He calls for a member of the crew and whispers to them. They wave to me and I follow them out. We are guided through the city to a field decked out with training equipment, next to a larger building. Our guide calls out and three of the five men their wander towards us. ¡°Hello.¡± The largest of the three says offering a hand. ¡°I am Ben. Our little band is the one you are trying to impress. Let¡¯s go and see if you can.¡± His crushing handshake seems to be the first test. I give him a vice grip of my own and with a nod enter the field. I approve of our captain¡¯s choices.


    ¡°Let¡¯s get this over with quick.¡± I say. ¡°Let¡¯s spar one against three.¡± They look surprised but agree after a nod from Ben. The spar is quick and decisive. I boost my speed a little with Qi and knock the one of the three out of the ring with a kick. My attempt to do the same with his shocked companion is stopped by Ben¡¯s use of a well-balanced punch. I use my momentum to pivot and duck catching the arm of the now wide-eyed Ben and sending him flying over my shoulder. A few seconds and three punches later the spar is over. Ben calmly stands up and gives me a nod. ¡°I¡¯ll see you at the ship before noon tomorrow.¡± I nod and walk away. Mari bounds after me with a grin, recounting the whole event in detail all the way to the nearest inn. We book a room and fall asleep.


    The next day I meet the captain and hand him the five silvers after a bow from each of Ben¡¯s group. The bright weather is possibly the only thing preventing the captain from being bitter. He stands at the rudder wheel and hands his hat off to a sailor before ordering the ship to depart.

 Chapter 3 ~ across the sea.

    On a jolly ocean voyage they cheer,


    "What a nice storm. We have nothing to fear."


    With a puff of brisk wind,


    Onward they grinned,


    And sank two feet from the peer.


    ~Author~


    And so, the boat set sail. Waves brush the hull and the sails billow in the gentle wind. These are perfect conditions for such a journey. The lines are reeled in and with all the grace of a swan the boat slides from the dock and out the harbour. A number of birds float around the ship as sailors toss scraps to them. "It is good luck to have the birds follow the ship as long as possible," the captain explains having followed my gaze. I nod as a sea eagle flies past and grabs a gull from the air. The rest of the birds flee, and the eagle gives chase having finished its meal on the bow. So much for good luck.


    The rest of the first day is spent in good spirit. With smooth sailing some of the sailors are able to break out drink, cards and coin. In good spirit I trade my coin for the equivalent in the mainland''s currency and even earn a little more in cards - I am quite the actor after all. Mari tries her hand at the games and loses even whilst cheating slightly.


    By the afternoon the sky is covered in thick cloud. The mood darkens with the sky and the drink is lashed below deck. We go to our cabin below deck. Meri sleeps and I listen to the chatter above. We are blown off course. They will have to drift with the storm until the sky clears enough for navigation. I drift into a troubled sleep.


    The boat shudders and a loud grinding sound causes me to bolt awake. I watch Mari sleeping for a few minutes. A knock on the door and a call from a sailor that we are going to land makes me shake Mari awake. We both get dressed and leave for the deck. Outside a storm blows around a rocky island surrounded by sand. At the top of the cliff above the beached ship is a castle. Flickering lamplight streams out from windows and the open gate of the castle and the walls of smooth stone are lit by lightning. The captain stands with his magnificent feathered cap and a bright grin I had not seen since our departure.


    I get us room and board. The mistress of the castle will greet us personally. We all follow the captain into the castle and towards a woman in a chair with a flowing dress. I feel a light impulse to kneel but ignore it. Many of the sailors bow to the woman and mutter thanks. A strong gale blows rain through the door and it slams closed behind us. "I am very glad to have some company for a while," she says placing her elbows on the arm of the chair. "My servant will show you to your room. Food will be served in a while." An old man with a hunch shuffles into the room and beckons to us. We flow out of the room and drift down halls, past display cases filled with outfits. Finally, we reach a series of doors each with a number. "We are here."  The old man rasps. "A warning from one who knows more than you. Don''t eat anything during your stay." The man fades into the shadows and is gone when a flash of lightning illuminates the darkness. The sailors are left shaken but wander to their rooms. A desire for a proper bed overwhelming the apprehension from the unconventional welcome and scary storm struck castle. It is not long before we are called for food.


    Everyone files into a grand hall covered in lanterns. In the centre of the hall is a grand feast on a long table lined by high backed cushioned chairs. The whole place is lavishly decorated and well maintained. Whole roasted hogs rest on beds of salad. Bowls of fruit and baskets of bread rest on the table. The sailors salivate over the feast. ¡°Go ahead,¡± says the mistress smiling and taking a slice of pork.


    One thin sailor which I remember had gambled his rations away does not hesitate to tear into a loaf of bread. Many of the others including the captain hesitate before eating, remembering the old man¡¯s warnings. Soon all of us are eating. It is not long before I notice something strange. The sailor who started eating first is getting fatter and starting to grunt and squeal excessively as he laughs and talks. I stop Mari from eating in horror. It seemed strange to me how a single servant and the mistress could maintain a castle as large as this and refill every lamp. There are clearly secrets that we have not seen. All around us sailors are becoming more pig like. They are losing clothes and squealing in horror. Despite their distress the sailors never stop eating. Soon the room is filled with animals each wearing some item of clothing. One, the captain, is still wearing a particularly spectacular hat.


    The crew of the ship are herded from the room by the hunchbacked servant as the Mistress saunters over to us. Mari looks stunned. She smacks her cheeks and glares at the woman. I give her a sharp look. ¡°Calm down,¡± she says. ¡°I have nothing against beast-people or women. Besides, my enchantments only work on humans and I wouldn¡¯t cast it on a girl like you. Unless you decide to act like a swine.¡± Our glares don¡¯t change. ¡°Why?¡± Asks Mari.


    ¡°It is simple really. We were betrayed and forced to serve them and so now the roles are reversed.¡± She sits opposite us. ¡°Let me tell you the story of my people and myself.¡±


    ¡°We were a feared and respected people ruled by the women who inherited the unique magic of our people. Our lands were small but bountiful. The men of our land betrayed us out of greed aided by outsiders that wanted our home. The enchantresses were slaughtered or enslaved and forced to eat our own. I alone escaped. A band of turtle beast people helped me.¡±Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    ¡°This was once a stronghold we owned. Here I revived the magic of our people and reveal our enemies for the pigs they are. The world is safer for my work.¡±


    ¡°This is wrong.¡± Mari cries. ¡°Those people helped us and are taking us to where we need to go.¡±


    ¡°Are they really.¡± The Mistress gives a grin. ¡°If they continued south they would find themselves in the thriving slave markets of the southern kingdoms. Besides when have you ever heard a tribe of beast-people starting a war or a woman.¡± I glare harder at the mention of war. ¡°None of those here have started a war and we were heading west until we were hit by a storm.¡± Mari stands up. I decide to speak up. ¡°Is it right to become like those who you claim to be killing?¡± The mistress holds her head and starts to scream.


    ¡°Shut up! Shut up! I am doing good! I have killed pirates and merchants who would kill for coin along with those that work for them. I finally find those who I felt would understand and they curse me as an evil, controlled by greed. I am not like those that wronged me!¡± She looks wild eyed and the hunchback shuffles in. ¡°Throw these two out!¡± The mistress cries. With a wave of his hand myself and Mari are lifted and forced to glide alongside the servant.


    ¡°I warned them not to eat the food he groans.¡± I notice something. The servant is not hunchbacked as I had thought but a turtle beast person. ¡°The mistress is misguided. She has seen many bad things in her life, too many, but her heart is in the right place and she has helped remove bad people from these waters. She does this out of sorrow as much as anger at the world. She would be killed if she left here. If you wish to save your friends, the purple flowers in the centre of the island are antidotes to the curse. The ship will be able to sail tomorrow at high tide. It is then the storm will have passed. Remember, the kraken will grab eight, but the whirlpool will drown you all.¡± With that we are gently dropped into the downpour. With a flash of lightning the door is closed behind us and the world goes black. I produce foxfire and see we are facing the crags of the island ahead of us.


    We move away from the castle, scrambling over rocks and wizened land. Mari looks miserable. ¡°We should kill her.¡± She grumbles. ¡°No.¡± I respond. Mari pouts and kicks a puddle. ¡°But she will keep turning people into pigs if we don¡¯t.¡±


    ¡°I know.¡± I whisper. ¡°That woman has suffered enough and this place is a prison for her. Sometimes you should do nothing even if that might be wrong. You can¡¯t solve everything or save everyone.¡± We trudge for an hour in gloom, relentless rain and silence so thick it makes the walk harder. Eventually we come across a purple flower. Mari rushes to it but I stop her. I don¡¯t know if it is possible to use the rest of the plant. I carefully extract it from the roots.  Mari looks ecstatic and for the first time to day gives her large grin. ¡°We can go back and save everyone now!¡± She shouts. My smile withers. ¡°This is not enough for everyone. We have barely begun.¡± Her expression falls at the prospect of scrambling over rocks and rain to locate the flowers, avoiding high points in order to not attract lightning.


    The light of dawn ends our search we have gathered 13 plants and are soaked to the bone. We are both glad we got sleep on the ship. Mari would not have lasted if we hadn¡¯t even with her training from the village. We walk back to the castle and push the door we left from. It is unlocked. We sneak through the hallways, trying to avoid the hall. I am incredibly glad that we are both well prepared for this with soft footwear and stealth training.


    It is not long before our enhanced senses lead us to the pen filled with swine. I wonder how exactly the flower will resolve the curse and try feeding some to the closest pig. It takes a few minutes before the pig begins to change form. I cover Mari¡¯s eyes. The sailor is naked. I feed pieces of the flower to various pigs and mix the rest into the trough on the side of the pen. It takes a few minutes for each sailor to readapt to being a human and a few more minutes to locate their clothing. Within the hour we are trying to be as quiet as possible. Wincing as the occasional sailor makes a loud noise. It is almost an hour in total before we are at the ship. I see the servant wave us off. He seems worried so I urge everyone to increase our pace. The storm has not died down but the screams of the enchantress drive us to work faster. A ball of green fire streaks towards us missing by a large margin. Despite all the wisdom about raising a sail in a storm we depart from the shore and sail away. Another screech comes from the island and the most obvious path is blocked by a whirlpool. I remember the warning of the turtle.


    I shout to the captain to avoid the spiral of water at all costs and look out for something in the water. I walk to the bow of the ship and sit cross legged. I have not done an illusion of this scale for a while. If there really is a sea monster we need to hide from it. Sea creatures don¡¯t rely on only sight but are able to sense vibrations in the water. It is harder to fool such a creature than to fool a human. I also can¡¯t hide the ship from the sailors or we will die from the raging wind. I mutter some words under my breath, block out the distraction of the rain and a ship appears to starboard. It separates from the location of our vessel as if dragged towards the swirling water. I am not sure it is noticed by the sailors struggling to keep the boat afloat but it is noticed by a shadow that chases it. It is a while before a thrum sounds through the water. The creature knows it has been tricked.


    Hours later the last of the storm is clear and our boat is being patched to serviceable state. The captain approaches me. Myself and Mari are dragged to the raised part of the deck and the captain makes his announcement. ¡°I would like to give thanks to these two who saved us from our own folly. From now on I will remember to heed the warnings of old men and to give any pig I encounter a scratch. I never knew rolling in mud could feel so good.¡± The crew cheers and get back to work. ¡°We have lost a few days from this but we should make it by the weeks end. How can we repay you?¡± The captain asks. ¡°Free passage on your ship on request would be nice.¡± I reply with a grin. ¡°A cheap price for such an accomplished weaver of illusion and a girl my crew seem to like.¡± He smiles back. ¡°I am happy to accept.¡±


    The rest of the journey is mostly uneventful except for a small pirate skip that tries their luck and is scared off. I will be happy to leave the ocean behind for a while. It was not quite the ideal place of beauty it seemed from the shore.

 Chapter 4~ A peaceful journey

    When autumn winds blow


    not one leaf remains


    the way it was.


    ¡ªTogyu


    Our ship limps into port. None of the crew would have recounted our short trip to the mainland as a smooth journey but we made it. The day is bright and warm, and the water is calm as if an apology from the sea for the harsh treatment it had provided for us thitherto. The city itself is a great sprawling construction surrounded by walls and tiered up two large hills that form a rough bowl shape with the well-maintained harbour at its heart.


    As we sail up to the port a few dock workers help us into land as a huge man covered in jewellery and fur lined silk wanders down the pier. A few boards groan and crackle slightly beneath his girth and each time the waves of fat on his frame jiggle in alarm as a thin man next to him writes a note in his notepad. I can guess that this is probably the main reason for such well-maintained piers.


    He calls out to the quartermaster and asks for the goods detail. The merchant grins as he reads the script between snorting chortles.  "I am afraid this particular rice you are carrying is taxed extra at the moments due to trade tensions with the province. I will take an extra 10% cut from that." He is still grinning as he continues to list off where taxes are higher or lower than usual and surprisingly does not tax any of the small stash of spiritual herbs or the books. He does buy a few among other wears which are either finer or useful for the dock. The whole process quickly bores me. There is a strange lack of currency in the heavens.


    After nearly an hour of the captain and quartermaster butting heads with the dock-master and his companion they have decided on prices for goods purchases, the amount of tax and the prices for the dock-workers services for both repairs and unloading. As I leave I can''t help but respect the proficiency in the business knowhow on both sides. I have no part in the proceedings of the ship and the free passage was more than enough thanks for the help I provided on the voyage and apology for the harshness of the trip.


    Ben and his companions wave as they pass us and run off. They will probably go and spend their coin or collect it from the group that is paying them. Dodging through crowds


    The city smells unpleasant up close with a strong scent of fish guts and a far weaker scent of bodily waste as is present in any mortal settlement of too large a population and too inefficient a sewer. The main streets from the harbour are wide and lined with stalls selling goods both local and exotic. Among the merchants there are beggars and performers of all kinds. I pull Mari close to avoid getting separated or pick pockets finding her to be a suitable target. It does not take long to escape the throngs of people in the markets and enter the main city.


    Most merchants from the port prefer to not stray far from their ships. The variety of the crowds have therefore decreased. The shops are far better established here as well. I search for an inn that will house Mari. After a wandering around and asking some guards for directions we book a room and sit down for dinner. Soon a bowl of hot stew arrives. We both eat. ¡°What are we going to do now.¡± Mari asks. I ponder for a second before replying ¡°I guess we have to find our next goal. I think we should keep traveling, earn money and deliver this letter.¡± I pull out the letter I got from the dying man. It is addressed to a place in the capital, which, if I remember correctly, is north-west of here.¡± Mari nods and then tilts her head. ¡°Why don¡¯t you just give it to a person that delivers letters?¡± she asks. I nod. ¡°It is because of a promise and pride. I must do it myself.¡± With a plan in mind we head to our room to sleep.


    The next morning, we head out to find a caravan to reach the capital. There is an old saying. ¡°To travel fast go alone. To travel far go together.¡± With no men chasing my tail and less fear of betrayal we have less need for speed and more for company. I first go to the quester¡¯s guild and ask for caravans going to the capital. We enter and are greeted by a cheerful atmosphere and a smiling receptionist. ¡°There are none going directly there but we do have one going to Yaolin, a large town on the way.¡± I nod and smile at the receptionist. ¡°When does this caravan leave?¡±


    ¡°In two days¡¯ time. They request that you visit the butterfly tavern near the north gate.¡± I nod, thank the receptionist and leave. We need several things for the trip, travel food and some medicinal ointment in case of injury. The second we have been without for too long. First, we go back to the market and spend almost the whole morning haggling down prices, avoiding pick pockets and weaving through crowds that show little care for us. It was an hour before I began disguising Mari¡¯s ears and tail then bought us both cloaks. It seems people here are not too kind to those that aren¡¯t human, and merchants charge more when one is present.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    Over the course of the morning we discover that there has been a kraken sighted along the cost and a few skirmishes and raids between the empire and the tribes living in the mountains to the west. It is soon time to eat and in response to Mari drooling over the scent we buy some odd but delicious kababs from a street vendor for lunch. Afterwards we agree it is a good idea to greet our new traveling companions.


    The butterfly inn is a neat inn with white walls and dark wood for support. The sign shows a tankard with a multicoloured butterfly perched on the rim. I swing open the door that makes nearly no sound due to well oiled hinges and enter. Inside there is one group that dominates the room. They have pushed together multiple tables and fill most of the seats. The group is diverse and clearly divided. The clothing identifies the divides.


    One group is wearing flamboyant dress of performers with one person having a lyre slung over their back and another scrawling on a page whilst conversing about a story they encountered. The second group is a family with wealth, probably merchants. They are the cleanest and fattest of the group with smart clothes. The last are a party of commoners each with stains, tares and patches in their clothes.


    I walk up and sit down in an empty seat on their table. ¡°Hello, I assume you are heading to Yaolin.¡± I say as I sit down. They stare at us for a short while. I must admit we do make an odd group. A woman and a young girl in strange foreign dress traveling together. The continent has a far less accurate perception on the capabilities of a woman than the island we left. The sailors¡¯ superstition probably means that there are very few like us even on a major port town. In response to their stairs I introduce myself and Mari and where we have travelled from.


    The first to return the courtesy is the entertainers, a rather strange group themselves. ¡°We are the wind whistlers.¡± the person holding the lyre states. ¡°I am Shiro, the musician of the group and the desire of many a fine lady, if I don¡¯t say so myself. The bookworm that writes our songs and plays is Yoma and the dark dancer is Yawey.¡± I shake his hand across the table. The next to answer is the merchant. ¡°I am suoh a merchant. This is my fine wife Tilda and my son Janus.¡± I nod. And turn to the last party. ¡°We are not the kind of people that need such an introduction, just humble travellers and serfs hoping that the grass is greener on the other side of the horizon.¡± I nod again. Sometimes an introduction is not necessary.


    We chat about our adventures until nightfall. Some are rather interesting. Others are simply tales of hardships and how to avoid them on the road. My two favourites are one from a serf and a second from the merchant.


    The story from the surf was simple. He talked of a time he was lost. He was deep in a wood, following a road in circles, taking the one that looked like it leads to a city. It had marks of travel. The surf said that this was how he usually found himself when lost. Finding civilisation. Eventually, exhausted and hungry he took the other road, the one less travelled by. He found a kill made by a predator and left. The meat saved him. He found a small village that needed help and had goods that were in excess as few serfs and merchants had travelled there. ¡°I now take the road less worn. I get lost more and it takes to my destination but find far more interesting places.¡± Finished the surf.


    The merchant¡¯s story was more fun. His father was going to meet a prince that lived to the south in a palace that never saw winter. He was a boy that followed to learn the trade. They had a waggon of fur, scales, oils and wheat from a land far to the north. When meeting the prince, he spoke of water in low temperature forming solid blocks that an elephant could stand on. He was thrown out by the prince for a false accusation of telling lies and being a fraud. ¡°I will never forget what my father said that day as we sold the wheat to prominent farmers and the furs to noble and holy men looking for exotic items. He told me that he should have known better. That the price does what we all do. He assumed that what he knows and has seen about the world can predict what he doesn¡¯t know and how the world will be beyond his sight. The prince never considered that water can be anything other than liquid or that temperature would make a difference. Know your audience. One day you may be the prince, thinking that the sun will always rise and you will live to see it rise next time it does.¡± The merchant gives us a bow and we nod to the wisdom of his father.


    After a few days of preparation and deciding on a road we depart. Mari plays with Janus in the car, a game with pieces and a board or cards. Mari is far faster and always wins games like hide and seek or tag but Janus knows the board games better. He always has the upper hand in that regard. Mari is catching up slowly though. Soon he will have to play without handicaps in order to win so decisively.


    Mari loves the games almost as much as the endless changing scenery. She has long been able to stave off boredom, but Janus still makes the voyage far more enjoyable. If I didn¡¯t know better, I might say he had a crush on her. It is almost a shame I don¡¯t share Tilda¡¯s desire to wring every last bit of gossip from life. I just find it more interesting to see the beauty of the fields without digging through the manure. The day draws to a close and the carriage trundles on. I wish this moment could last a while longer.

 Chapter 5 ~ Return of the kraken

    A small night storm blows


    Saying ¡®falling is the essence of a flower¡¯


    Preceding those who hesitate


    ¡ªYukio Mishima


    The scenery runs past slowly. Wind creates patterns in fields and forests as we pass. Occasionally we hear the call of monsters and beasts but almost none come close enough to bother us. Soon one part of dirt road seems to be the same as any other. The occasional waterfall and story seem insufficient to stave off the boredom. I am more used to travelling fast like the wind. To compete with the likes of Hermes I had to be fast.


    To break up the travel we rest for the night. I have the second watch. Shaken awake I move to beside the campfire and throw on a log. The embers rise and chase each other in spirals through the air. I listen hard and stare at the darkness a step away from the fire to build up night vision. An hour later a rustling is heard and a beast man with muscles like iron steps from the undergrowth. He is covered in scars, scratches and mattered fur. His cloths are obviously tribal, and a tattoo of a wolf is visible on his shoulder. He seems tired. "Hello." I call out to him cautiously. "What brings you this far from the plains." He stairs for a second and responds. "I am looking for the one who betrayed my clan. He is a wolf with this tattoo on his shoulder, covered in scars and with the marks of an arrow on his back with a ring on his tail." He shows me the tattoo on his shoulder. "I haven''t seen anyone like that near here. He is probably further ahead on the road."  I respond. I offer him some food and a seat, but he refuses. "I will not rest until I have killed him the wolf proclaims and disappears into the night I see a ring of white fur at the base of his tail and a white arrow on his back. "Be careful not to become your own worst enemy." I whisper to the retreating wolf.


    The next day the carriage trundles on and I have a new story to tell. It is not long before our rout takes us to the sea. The smell of salt is strong in the air and a light sea mist blows inland in patches. After an hour we are enveloped in fog for longer than usual and jagged rocks rise from top of small cliffs that drop to the sea. A disturbing sight greets us. Chained to each rock is a person. One of the surfs runs forward and shakes a young man awake. Before making an effort to free him. " Don''t save me." cries the boy in a weak voice. "The kraken will destroy the village if you do. It always takes 8 before leaving." The surf takes some wires from his pouch, bends it near the end and places it in the lock. The shackle clicks open as he turns the wire. This pattern is repeated for the rest of the people. Soon 8 people are collapsed on the wagon some begging to be put back and we continue. A short time later a small town comes into view.This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.


    The first people we see are farming. After noticing the sacrifices, they rush back to the village with scared looks on their faces. It is not long before we are met with a man in high quality attire surrounded by armed men. "You have no right to free those people." He says to Suoh. "8 of us must die to satisfy the monster. It is better that it is 8 chosen fairly and sent to the shore to avoid damage to property than 8 from the town with more dying in collapsed buildings and due to a lack of home. Take them back or try to slay the kraken yourselves and become sacrifices in the attempt." Suoh nods and we wander back up the path.


    Mari looks back on the town with a large harbour and taps me on the shoulder. "Krakens are like squid and die if not in water?" Mari asks. "Yes." I reply. I am unsure of exactly how similar or different kraken are from squid but they are somewhat similar. We continue walking but after less than a minute I get another tap on the shoulder. "I think I know how we can kill the kraken." She says. I ask for her plan and nod. "That might work but we need the mayor to agree to help." I say. Mari grins and nods her head energetically before running off. I call the rest of our group and tell them the plan. Soon we are back in the town with the mayor nodding his consent. It took us nearly an hour of hard bargaining to convince him. Some of us would play the most dangerous part of the operation as bait. Two of the surfs, a dancer, three of the sacrifices and I all stand on the harbour wall near the gate with ropes tied to our wastes. It is not long before the kraken appears and begins patrolling the coastline. A few tense minutes later it moves close to us and the sacrifices and surf take a dive off the wall with their ropes tugging them towards safety. The dancer and I dodge the first tentacles to ensure it will follow before joining them.


    A few seconds later the great monster has found the open harbour door and given chase. We are moving fast but it is catching up Suddenly the great chains used for docking ships are raised up by a group of villagers. This slows the kraken down and it roars in annoyance and expands, drawing in water. It then sends a mighty jet of water out the gate to propel itself forward and over the chain. The harbour gates close due to the inflow of water leaving the harbour shallower than usual. The rest of the docking chains raze up with the cries of exertion from the villagers and I place a spell on the kraken to convince it that everything is fine so it doesn¡¯t struggle too much for a few seconds until the chains have been secured. A moment later the spell breaks and two small volleys of arrows and short spears tied to ropes sink into the sides of the kraken before being tied down. The spell is broken and the kraken flails breaking some of the ropes. I try to distract it and oil is poured into the harbour and lit after it flows beneath the kraken. It¡¯s flails become more frantic and one of the chains break but it quickly weakens before going still. The villagers cheer and as the sun drops below the horizon and we are escorted away from the charred harbour.


    Everything went well in the end. I grin and take the hand of one of the ex-sacrifices. We are assured that work to repair the harbour will begin tomorrow but that a party is in order. I doubt we will be allowed to sleep tonight.

 chapter 6~ Free will.

    Sun and wind and beat of sea,


    Great lands stretching endlessly¡­


    Where be bonds to bind the free?


    All the world was made for me!


    Adelaide Crapsey.


    "We celebrate the greatest heroes of our generation! Those to slay the kraken and return my daughter!" Shouted the mayor. This place was beautiful. The crowd was filled with laughter and merriment with almost none of the visible corruption I had learned to expect from a society. The people are a mixture of races holding no resentment. My companions are happily mingling with the crowds. There was a small feeling that I might be deceived but I ignore it. The feeling made this feel like home.


    I grin as musicians start up again and pick up the pace to accommodate energetic dancers. I drain my pitcher of beer and slip into the throng of people weaving illusions as I move to the simple rhythms flowing from the musicians. I am sure I was the star of the celebrations in more ways than one. Drunk and slightly exhausted I am guided to a cabin where I collapse into the best night''s sleep I have ever had. It is strange the hut is so clean for one supposedly abandoned.


    I wake up the next morning to a cacophony of bird call they are nice sounds but one or two seem out of place for the region. I ignore it, get dressed and walk out my cabin. The sight that greets me reaffirms my observations that this is a beautiful place. From the hillside where my abode is located I see a calm sea that stretches endlessly into the distance and glitters gold with the light of dawn. It is a scene that would not be out of place in the nicer heavens.


    A group of villagers have just started the construction of something on the edge of the village. After the sun has finally risen leaving an indigo sea I wander down to the site of construction. It seems odd that they are building a house when no one seems to be homeless and there are already several spare homes around. As I reach the group an old human calls out to me. "Hero! We could use your help if you can handle a saw or axe." I nod and am directed alongside a number of villagers to move beams to the house. It is the end of the day when we stop. The house''s basic structure is complete, and the wall is partly complete.


    I wander back to my hut exhausted and notice that everyone is heading towards somewhere. I don''t ask where as I collapse into my bed and heal my aching limbs with food and qi. The next day is spent finishing the wall. The old man running the project before is nowhere to be seen instead a middle-aged woman is organising everyone. At one point I ask where the old man had gone. They just say he left. They had gathered to see him off.


    As I enquire more it seems that almost all the people here were once travellers or adventurers. It was not uncommon for those desiring the road to leave. The day ended with the walls constructed and left to set. It is a few days before the house is complete. I feel I have made a few friends among those working on the house including a young dwarf by the name of Martha. We spend some evenings at a tavern known as the rusty boar. We play the drinking games and make merry over the good fortune of those who have had them. Most often it is a hunter with good game or a livestock giving birth as it typical of the season. I lose the drinking games to larger folk much of the time. I would have to cheat with Qi or magic to win.


    On the same day a new group of travellers appear. They are a family. We greet them with a party smaller than the one held for me with good food and drink in the local tavern. The mayor personally greets them and they tell their story. They are going to visit their uncle and grandparents who live in a town to the north in order to survive the small famine in their home caused by a crop failure.


    The next day there is a gathering. I visit and see a group I don''t recognise standing at the front with a ghostly pail man. We are in a stone building I never noticed before. The man raises his hands and energy seems to flow into the alter before him. He mutters something and a mist covers the crowd. The group stumble forth and are bid farewell by various people. Something feels off.


    I go out the next day and wander about doing odd jobs and talking to people. I can''t seem to remember any specifics of the gathering. Only that a group of people were leaving, and the mayor saw them off. This place makes me feel too relaxed and compliant. It is starting to bug me. I wash in the area of a nearby river reserved for that purpose go back to my cabin for the night. Away from prying eyes I generate my fox fire and clear my mind. The haze on my mind clears. I am being watched.


    The night is eerie in its absolute silence. With my hearing I should be able to hear a rowdy drunkard still in the tavern or the call of nocturnal wildlife. There is nothing but the odd chanting voices that I hear on occasion. I sleep lightly.Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    I greet the new day with a little less vigour than on previous days. The persistent and far too numerous screeches and calls of the dawn quickly give me a headache. I step outside and the illusion of beauty is gone. I see the ocean waves are tipped with foam and the rocky coast is jagged and dark. There is sea mist on the horizon and an ugly grey building of stone squats in the centre of the town. I remember that the building is important. Not what truly happened there.


    I walk out and try to find the group I arrived with. I don''t wish to ask for help from the people of the town as they seem far less friendly and creepier with a clear mind. I pass the rusty boar and see why it was called as such. The building is sturdy but old with rusty hinges on the battered, beer stained front door.


    Hours later, I find the carriage is sitting at the outskirts of town. It is empty of the goods that usually fill it and one wheels are gone. The merchants would not let it fall into this condition. I pull out the papers in my pocket. A travel contract and a letter. Two tasks I have resolved to complete, and two tasks left unfinished. I ask around for the merchants. My goal is to get every one of my travelling companions to leave this place. I need


    Despite shivering over the speech of the townsfolk I am able to locate most of my charges. They are scattered among different people with different professions. The surfs are helping in the fields I tell them to get there things ready to leave and they are strangely compliant. The Janus and his father are both working in a bakery they seem way too comfortable without their usual wanderlust. However, by far the easiest to find are the performers. They are wandering around performing and making merry. They are the only group that doesn¡¯t seem strange and unnatural. Mari and Tilda are both nowhere to be found.


    I had spent the whole day getting ready to go, preparing the wagon and finding the stuff from the cart without raising suspicion or a fuss. I notice something strange. People are gathering towards the centre of the village. Slowly and seemingly without purpose. They are all occupied with other things on the trip but offloading any objects they are carrying. I follow the direction of the crowd and am lead to a squat stone building.


    It is not long before I remember the building although the details are still hazy. No one leaves this village and the enchantments to keep them here are probably powered by necromancy. I need to stop it. As I head closer to the building I feel the magic becoming stronger. I burst through the door and there I see Mari and Tilda standing with two others I don¡¯t recognise at the front of the room. The Mayor is giving his speech and the strange man is standing there with his orb.


    Colours burst from the orb and suck something from the first person there. I immediately recognise the substance from the lands of death and the gods battlefields. This is life force. The man is probably a necromancer that dabbles with the mind magic or holds an artefact that has the effects I have seen. I shake my head and advance. I can now see why they were so willing to allow sacrifices to stave off the kraken. I sneak forward, weaving my own magic to hide myself and at the death of the first stranger grab the orb from the necromancer.


    ¡°Stop this!¡± I shout it seems that in the heat of the moment my not caring has gone. I am too kind sometimes. The necromancer glares at me. ¡°Who are you to interrupt my ritual?¡± The necromancer asks. ¡°I am an official magician in this town hired by the mayor. You have no right to do this!¡± He steps back and smiles. ¡°Get me the orb!¡± Shouts the mayor. ¡°They can¡¯t hear you.¡± I respond with my own smile which is wiped away by a dark one as my eyes land on Mari, just as the Necromancer starts muttering under his breath and gathering mana. I put qi into my legs and punch him with enough force to hear a crunch. He drops to the ground and stops as rumbling is heard from behind the door to the rest of the building. I notice he is still smiling. The door bursts open and skeletons and rotting corpses walk out each armed with a crude weapon. I look once more at Mari and prepare my Qi. As the fight goes on the mayor tries to scramble away but I throw a stone his way to hear a yelp of fear in response. The mayor resigns to sit and watch as I efficiently destroy the undead, foxfire blazing and moving faster than anyone can achieve without Qi. Within quarter of an hour I am tired and surrounded by long dead bodies.


    I walk up to the mayor, grab him by the collar and ask him why he was so eager to keep the town under a spell. He shivers and starts. ¡°This town was once a great port full of visitors and people not just passing through but settling. It was then that the refugees, surfs and merchants that would have settled here for the safety and better life were drafted for the war against the tribes and a good port was opened closer to the trade cities to the north. The town shrank to a village. It became filled with lazy and unproductive individuals and bandits! Everyone was miserable. I was a fourth son of a noble, given the chance to run this village as I had been trained to. Nobody listened. Nothing changed. I then discovered a ritual in an old tome sold by one of the few peddlers that still passed through. The ritual would make everyone happy. It would make them productive and kind. Visitors would not hurry though as fast as possible but stay and even settle here. Is that not good?¡±


    I shake my head. ¡°So you found a magic user who would perform the ritual and payed him with any excess life energy. I agree it is better to live in a society of nice people but in trying to provide a better life you have prevented these people from truly living. You have killed innocents and you have betrayed those you tried to help. I will not do anything to you but perhaps these people will not be as forgiving.¡±


    I drop his collar and smash the altar. Everyone begins to move as if woken from a trance. I grab Tilda and Mari before walking out of the building. I don¡¯t look back. I played the judge more than I am comfortable with already. It is up to the people here to restore order or decide what to do. After a while gathering up the group we travelled with we strike the horses and begin on our way.


    It is not long before we are stopped by a small group with sacks of cloth, fur and food. They pass it up to us as thanks and as compensation for the still missing goods we were transporting. With a wave we leave back onto the open road.

 Chapter 7~ thieves and merchants.

    Wakaishu ya,????????????? Oh young folk ¡ª


    shinu ga iya nara,?????? if you fear death,


    ima shiniyare!????????????? die now!


    hito-tabi shineba,??????? Having died once


    m¨­ shinanu zo ya.?????? you won''t die again.


    Hakuin Ekaku (°×ëL »ÛúQ; 1685-1768)


    The road seems far more interesting after a break from it. Maybe the mayor was right that forcing people to be nice to each other was the best way to make a peaceful society, but I still feel freedom is important for progress. Suoh is complaining about his wears and especially the staining on his cloth. ¡°When people see stained cloth, they think it is old worn and cheap. It doesn¡¯t matter what the actual quality is.¡± He tells me.


    The next day he is still mopey, and I notice we pass thorn bushes and smaller pants laden with berries. I walk up and make a bet with Suoh. I bet that if you let me sell half of these cloths I could sell them for far more than you. He looks quizzical but then smiles and we barter over the terms. If I win I get to keep 20% of the proceeds and if he wins I have to pay back half the difference between our sales. He states that he will help me with finding my buyers but does say he will not use any special connections to help me. ¡°Half of being a merchant is finding the right person to sell to.¡± He argues. I am inclined to agree.


    Over the next few days I pick berries and wrap them in cloths from my half of the set. I think I am deeply annoying Suoh by eating berries near the cloth so flippantly, but he never mentions it. With the wagon jumping I am sure my berries will be crushed but that is the plan.


    The caravan continues until we arrive at our destination with no more setbacks greater than the wagon getting stuck in some mud. The gates of Yaolin city are rusted open and travellers move through almost freely after paying the guards a small tax or showing a document. With hugs and smiles our travelling companions leave. Yoma asks if we want to continue traveling together when they leave. ¡°All things come to an end.¡± I say. ¡°Better to let it end now or we may want it to last forever.¡± Suoh proposes our meeting point for the morrow and we go our separate ways.


    The city itself is not especially prosperous with beggars, thieves and shady merchants in the alleyways off the main road. However, advancing further into the city to nicer quarters gives us a peek of the luxury enjoyed by the city elite.


    After asking directions from a baker we walk to a nearby inn. The main room is plain but nice. We are greeted by an old man and a middle-aged woman at the counter. ¡°If you are staying for a while we are prepared to give a discount, but it is 10 coppers per room per night if not¡± The rooms are cheap, and it doesn¡¯t seem like this is a bad place, so we book for a week and take the small discount.


    For the rest of the afternoon we wander the city and gain a small familiarity with the place. Surprisingly we don¡¯t encounter any hoodlums when we visit the edge of the slums and the day is peaceful and we sleep deeply as it comes to a close. Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!


    Still in the haze of sleep, Mari and I wander downstairs for a quick breakfast and then off to the merchant¡¯s guild Suoh is waiting there for us and hands me my crate of cloths. I am introduced to the head of the guild branch and given permission to look at requests for cloth. I scan through and one in particular catches my eye. It is a request from a minor noble for large pieces of cloth suitable for crafting light robes. I grin, take a mental note of the place and walk out towards the inn. We stop at a washerwoman¡¯s building and I unravel the cloth. The berries have stained it through. But there are lines and patterns of white and various shades of purple due to the different berries used and the folds which the berries never reached. The best part is that it no longer appears to be stained.


    I rinse the cloths of the skins and seeds of the berries and walk towards the nobles¡¯ quarter. Near the wall of the quarter on the outside is the entrance to the home of the one who requested suitable material for robes. I knock on the door and am greeted by a young man. ¡°I am from the merchant¡¯s guild, responding to a request from this address¡± I say. ¡°That would mean you are looking for my father¡± he says. He seems flustered, but I nod. I am lead down the hall to an office. Inside is a grand chair behind a solid oak desk. The room is small but decorated in such a way that it must be more expensive than every other part of the house I have seen. The noble seems dismissive of me but then notices the young man¡¯s nervousness and glares. I am quickly introduced before silence settles in. ¡°You are dismissed for now.¡± He finally speaks. The young man nods and walks out closing the door behind him.


    ¡°So, what is this cloth you have?¡± He questions, and I open my crate. I unravel a piece of my oddly patterned purple cloth and begin to describe it. ¡°This is a fine cloth from my homeland.¡± I say, intentionally thickening my accent. ¡°It was spun from the finest mix of silks and cotton.¡± I present him my sample to feel. ¡°It was died by artists.¡± I consider myself somewhat of an artist. ¡°and would make robes that seem alive if made well. I have enough here for 7 cloaks, or 6 if you use the material for the last on extra decorations and ties to hold the robe.¡± He is nodding appreciatively. Little does he know that the cloth is still slightly damp at the centre of the cloth and freshly washed; that is what is giving it the softness he feels. The lord nods thoughtfully with a slight frown. ¡°I see your doubts may lie with the colour. However, I must point out that a group in cloaks may cause a misunderstanding about the integrity of said group. This colour would remove the suspicion of fowl play.¡± I can see he is sold. ¡°All this for no more than 7 gold. I did travel across the ocean to provide after all.¡± We haggle over the price for a few hours before we finally settle on 4 gold 2 silver and 6 coppers. I am certainly satisfied with the result. I thought the status of women would have stopped the deal but he seems to be reasonable in that sense.


    I walk out with a satisfied smile. I would bet the merchant had less luck. I meet with Mari and we move to the merchant guild. After half an hour of waiting a young merchant with a confident smile and caped dress walks up to me and introduces himself as Oliver with a splendid bow. He is annoying and Mari refuses to speak to him but he is smart and polite enough that the conversation is a good distraction from boredom.


    Late that evening Suoh appears with a smile on his face and a blush on his cheeks indicative of having done more exercise than usual. He waves to me and walks up with a confident grin. "I have sold the cloaks for 2 gold and 8 silvers." He states. I am impressed but I did better. " 4 gold, 2 silvers and 6 coppers." I reply. "And I was done almost before lunch." Just from looking at him you would have thought there was an invisible brick wall in the middle of the path. He looks to the guild master who nods. He hangs his head and hands me 3 silver as I give him a gold coin and 3 coppers. Even if his wallet is not harmed his pride is shattered. Oliver walks up and asks what happened. "I won a bet." I reply. A second later we were saying farewell and myself and Mari were wandering off into the night. I immediately heard Oliver giving Suoh an earful for letting girls walk alone at night. As I said, he is annoying.


    On our walk I notice some people in simple, oddly patterned, purple cloaks wandering through a door off an alleyway. One of the men is cursing someone and commenting that he looks ridiculous. I wonder what my costumer is doing with his cloaks.

 Chapter 8 ~ Stairway to heaven

    For all the open sky I see,


    Nothing more appeared,


    Nothing heaven sent.


    I question where heaven may be,


    It seems to me so weird,


    That no mater where I went,


    The choice of mine was key,


    To walk away or cry a tear,


    To find a heaven for myself.


    Author


    ..................Column Break..................Over the next week myself and Mari take some odd jobs around the town. It seems that Oliver and a group of men in purple cloaks are everywhere. One constantly avoids us and the other seems to be trying to hinder us in the name of chivalry and love. Unfortunately, Oliver is well connected and popular. Mari and I are either being asked to accept his advances or harassed by jealous and starry-eyed women. Our room has been pre-payed for the foreseeable future and no-one seems willing to let us leave the city walls. We could just sneak out, but I don''t want to break any laws and risk being hunted again. I also want to know what is going on with the men in cloaks.


    We have taken to delivery quests as they not only give us a reason to leave suddenly but also allows us to find information on Oliver and our mysterious lord. Suoh seems to find the whole situation hilarious. "A prodigious merchant in love seems more dangerous than a kraken!" He says grinning on the day he leaves.


    It turns out Oliver got rich because he had a friend who became a mage and discovered a cheaper way to make magical preservation devices. He bought up as much of the materials required for the device as possible and when the discovery went public he made a huge amount selling the materials. He now owns several warehouses in the city with the devices and sells out of season or exotic goods that became unavailable months ago. He sells spare space in the devices to various merchants. Due to being born and based in this area and having come from a poor but respectable background he has become a folk hero for the people here.


    As the week ends I try to pay our innkeeper for the extension on our stay but we are vehemently refused. "Oliver has more than payed for any extension." She states. The next day Mari runs off to play with a young girl who I remember is the daughter of a blacksmith as I go off to look for something to do. I scan over the request board and see a strange one that requests fresh meat, nightshade and a number of other equally strange and suspicious things. Even though the request is given by an anonymous person I recognise the address as the same one that gave the cloaks request.


    Within hours I have all the requested items thanks to Suoh and indirectly Oliver and am standing at the door of the mansion. I knock thrice, and the lord''s son opens the door. "I have the delivery." I tell him and he nods. "My father said I am not allowed to disturb him but that your delivery should go straight to him, so I guess you should go alone. I will go back to my books." He sighs gesturing to a door as he walks away and disappears around a corner. This family is strange.


    I approach the door and hear voices through it. "You idiot. You posted the request on the board. How is that discreet?" The voice is whispered but too filled with anger to be quiet. The noble I talked to replies. "The request was anonymous, and I do plenty of strange things anyway. This will not affect the ritual." I don''t risk waiting any longer as the box in my arms is heavy. I knock on the door and announce the delivery.


    I feel like the noble I mentioned is the best chance of getting to the bottom of the group''s activities. I have the perfect excuse for him lined up already. "I am sorry to interrupt," I say as I walk into the room "but it seems your friend here is preparing for a dark themed feast for the upcoming full moon and this high quality beef must get to the freezer''s as soon as possible. I ensured it was stored separately from the nightshade decorations for you my lord." He seems slightly bewildered as his companion''s nod to verify the story. I am given the cost of the request and directions to the larder. As I leave I hear them let out a collective sigh. I finally reach the larder, put down the box and notice a strange door. I walk up to the door and step through it. I may as well explore a little.


    The door leads down some stairs to a secret passage and I realise how I have been evaded all this time. I walk down the dusty corridor until I reach a large room with a complex pentagram on the floor and passages leaving in all directions. This may have been the hub of an old sewer system. A small hole can be seen in the celling and directly above an alter. Light would only hit the alter on the solstice. I shake my head. There is another time the light would strike it. In two nights time the moon will be at its highest. The ritual will occur an hour after sunset two days hence. Did you know this text is from a different site? Read the official version to support the creator.


    I may have also used the time it took to walk here and the incredibly specific deadline on the quest to come to the same conclusion. I need to find another way here and the best I can think of is to look down another passage. I pick the one that I estimate heads in the direction of the inn and start walking. The passage ends up in a small shop in the slums. The sleepy accountant doesn''t even react as I walk out of the wrong door and fixes me with an annoyed glare. "If you don''t want a loan from the shark gang, leave." I am surprised they have any customers but with the interest they charge I don''t think it matters that no-one who isn''t desperate comes here. I apply for the smallest possible loan of five coppers. I need an excuse to come back.


    The next two days are relatively lazy although Oliver seems to be trying harder than before. Mari has been enjoying her time playing with the blacksmiths daughter I have also enjoyed relaxing during the day and conversing with various people. At the end of the days I walk down to the loan shark and pay back my silver. I leave through the other door and stroll down the corridor. I cover myself in illusion to hide. I am late for the start of the ritual but only by a little bit. The large room is filled with chanting. 5 people stand on the corners of the pentagon as a 6th stands over the alter. Blood from the meat flows along the ritual circle. The sluggish liquid seems to glow slightly like lava as it fills the indents. The chanting raises in volume. The purple cloaks look surprisingly earie despite them appearing comical in any other situation.


    Slowly the moonlight creeps from the wall of the room to it¡¯s centre. Eventually it hits the very edge of the alter. A swirling maelstrom of magical energy condenses in the centre of the room and everything shakes slightly. The chanting raises to a crescendo and instantly is cut off. The cultists around the edge of the circle collapse simultaneously and a portal is ripped open to reveal a plain of ash and fire covered with pieces of mist and bordered by a wide, slow moving river. Strange creatures wander the plains. ¡°Behold the daemon realm!¡± cries the cultist to the silent room. Tears of blood fall from his face. I recognise the place. It is no realm of daemons but of Apophis a serpent god of chaos and death. That is a doorway to the heavens. A way back home.


    A creature approaches the portal. This is bad. I can¡¯t let Apophis or any from that domain into the world of the mortals. It would cause death and pain even if it doesn¡¯t call its brothers. I step into the room and the cultist turns. ¡°You are my first sacrifice. Take her my daemon.¡± He cries. The creature crushes him to the ground as it comes through. ¡°Those fallen to Apophis will not pass by me.¡± I cry. Foxfire flows through the room and the beast screams on contact with the flames. It jumps towards me but is tossed back through the portal and left broken on the other side. I stand in a cocoon of blue flames.


    I don¡¯t have long to make the choice I have left unmade for centuries should I stay within the world of the gods or the mortals. I think back to my family with their playful kindness and Inari who helps countless people. I also think of those I befriended there. The sleepy god of sheep and the rivalry with Hermes and the silent spirits that flow through the place. I also picture the bad. The arrogance of the gods. The bitter rivalry and constant conflicts. The friends and family killed by the whims of gods.


    I then think of the mortal realm: The little villages I watched over before they burned in the war, the captain, the merchants and travellers that shared stories on the road, the dwarfs that I drank with in the rusty boar and Mari. In either case I am not needed and in both I am wanted. I do have the letter. However, that is no more than an arbitrary goal to be dropped or delayed at my convenience. None would be the wiser. I almost think it is funny that the last words of a dying man to his brother has become no more than an arbitrary goal. I shake my head. I guess I should read the letter. I had only not out of professional courtesy.


    Another beast of bone and scales jumps at the portal. I casually stop it mid stride with one hand and turn it to ash with blue fire. I unfold the letter from my pocket.


    Dear brother,


    I hear you are doing well in the pursuit of the magical arts and will soon become strong. You have made your family proud. Please remember us always but don¡¯t sacrifice anything on our account. Know that we respect any decision you make. I heard you were homesick but ask that you stay where you have the greatest potential for happiness.


    I regret to inform you that Gosu died due to a blow to the head a few weeks ago. I know you didn¡¯t like him much but please try to respect him in death.


    I hear you plan to become a journeyman after your education is complete. Wandering the world sounds like fun. Watch out for goblins though. There are countless people out there with countless stories. I hope you tell me the best of them and make many friends on the way.


    It would be awesome if you become a famous mage so I can brag about my little brother. Don¡¯t worry if you can¡¯t.


    The letter isn¡¯t signed and was probably never finished.


    I think back to the captains parting words ¡°The wind may blow but the set of the sails and the fire in the heart chooses where you go.¡± I also recall the departure from the caravan.


    ¡°¡°All things come to an end.¡± I say. ¡°Better to let it end now or we may want it to last forever.¡±¡± I have made my choice.


    Get out of my head.