Chapter 38: Struggle and Growth

Chapter 38: Struggle and Growth

Sakura

Thats it, thats the best we can do. Yus voice filled my ears and I pulled myself from cycling Chie and opened my eyes. She and the other healers and cultivators stood in a circle, their working was finished, and Yaldas nephew was breathing. Slowly, shallowly, but on his own. Which was better than when we had first arrived.

Yalda sighed and wiped sweat from his hair with a towel offered by one of the butlers. Yes. My brothers child will live. His dragon blood is the only thing that kept him alive this long.

Who did this? Yu asked, as Rayce and I both got to our feet. Who attacked you?

Who do you think? Yaldas voice was filled with venom. That fool northerner trying to gain vengeance for an act I was not responsible for.

Do you have proof of this? She asked, as she also took a dry towel from one of the butlers.

Yes. One of the assassins was cut down in the attack. Yalda motioned for one of his staff to bring something forward. The head butler who had greeted us at the door, brought something large on a plate covered in a cloth. Yalda pulled the cloth away, revealing the severed head of a young woman, whose eyes and hair matched that of the northerners I had seen. Pale with dark brown or jet black hair, with long features. Say hello to Essa. Kojas most senior daughter, and member of the Tiger Fang sect. Well known for their assassin arts.

Koja . . . Yu sounded both disappointed and saddened by what she saw. You fool.

Foolish indeed. I hope this is an isolated incident, and all I will be forced to do is remove his head for this incident, rather than execute his entire family line. But I will not know until I receive news from the emperor himself on the issue. It is tragic that -

Shut up Yalda. Do and your clan are far from guiltless in this farce. The assassins who attacked Koja, and my own children. She rounded on the ambassador as she motioned towards us. Carried Weakness Censors. Not some cheap knock off technique cobbled together from scraps, either. I know how to spot a fake from the genuine article, and those came from the central province. Hand crafted by Imperial Clan artisans and assassins. Of that I have no doubt.

Yaldas expression had turned from one of imperius judgment, to pure stone. He was hiding something.

The way I see it, Yu continued. Either the imperial clan is at fault for allowing an outside force to learn their technique and not informing the regional rulership of the potential danger. Or, the imperial clan started this assasination fiasco. Which is it ambassador?

After a long moment of tension between the two, one that nearly brought me to my knees as their auras sharpened as if they were ready for a fight, Yalda bowed stoically. It is possible that word of stolen censors has not yet reached me from the capital. In which case, bad actors have used them to trick both sides into open hostilities. Leading to this, he gestured back to the head of the young woman, still being held by the butler as if it held food. Tragic incident.

You killed his daughter.

Only after she attempted to kill my nephew. And myself.

And that because of the attempted assasination of her own father.

Yalda bowed this time less deeply. As I said, tragic. Duchess.

Let us hope he sees it the same way.

And if he does not duchess? Yalda put the cloth back, covering the gruesome visage of the woman. I will defend myself, and my household. As is my right.

Yu sighed exasperated. Her shoulders slumped slightly, and she was forced to lean on the table where the Counts young nephew still slept. Yalda, do you truly expect me to believe that you have nothing to do with the attempt on his life?

I expect you to believe it, because it is the truth. But I can understand your skepticism.

She shook her head. You know what? I do, I believe you that you had nothing to personally do with the attack.

I am grateful to hear that my lady. Perhaps you could intercede here and . . .

Stop, Yalda. The man went quiet and motioned for her to continue. I trust you and your word. But I do not trust your clans. A fire lit in his eyes as the accusation, but the ambassador stayed quiet. Your people are too pressed, too desperate to maintain control of the central province and capital. Theyre hard pressed, and they need a victory somewhere. The north threatens them, the west hides in its mountains from their problems. The west is tumultuous, has been for generations. You would find help there, sure. But also many enemies. The imperial taxes on fishing are not well liked. So you came south.

Yalda nodded, and Yu continued. In the south, there are three families that have taken the throne before. My own husbands being the chief among them in times past. With our kingdoms reliance on imperial support for the snake fortresses along our southern border, you hoped to find support here. Which you most likely have among the other two families. But ours, here on the far south-western boarder of the empire, harrassed by both the snakes and the knife ears, lacking in support and permission from the emperor enough to actually deal with these ever growing problems? Youve hit a barrier. We have attempted to negotiate with you, to beg for greater support against the knife ears and their raids and atrocities.

Something you, Yalda, for all your power and influence as a Count among your people, can not provide. And so weve been talking ourselves in circles for months now. And with Kojas unexpected presence here, I am sure you assumed we were in talks to find a way to play both sides of the coming conflict.

My lady. I have thought nothing of the sort. You and your husband have dealt nothing but openly and honestly with me, and I with you. He sounded sincere to me, almost hurt at the accusation.

Yu nodded slowly, hearing the truth and hurt in his voice. Perhaps. But when you said these things in your letters back home, would your kin in the capital believe you? Or would they in their desperation, see what, in their mind, is obvious treachery on our part? Would they feel even greater pressure in the one kingdom they thought would be their greatest supporters? Would they, for instance, send assassins without your knowledge, to end the threat of division among their southern supporters? To shore up the one bastion they had political, social, and military support from?

Yalda had gone pale, well, paler then he usually was. Do you not think it possible? Even probable? Yu asked. Her aura had calmed, and taken on a distinctly tired feel to it.

I . . . Yalda looked down at his nephews still broken but healing form and shook his head. When he spoke his voice cracked with emotion. I can not say for sure. One way, or the other. Things have gotten bad back home, enough to scare me. And that was before I had left. The people are terrified and it has only gotten worse.

His voice cracked as he shook his head as if to dispel the despair he was clearing feeling. A lot has happened since our dinner on Crashs back, I thought to myself. Yu seems to like him more than back then. Then again, that wouldnt be very hard.

Yalda cleared his throat before continuing. The fear has spread through the countryside, and city streets, through every cultivation stage and social class like an infection. Even most Royals quake at what they see as a pending apocalypse. I had hoped to broker some kind of agreement before now, so that I could join the main effort in negotiating with Kadras family directly. But as you say, I have met roadblock after roadblock in our negotiations as my family has refused every proposal you or I have put forward. He shook his head and gripped the edge of the table so hard several splinters cut into his fingers without him noticing.

No more. Now, I do not entirely trust their judgment. I am willing to bind myself, and them, to an agreement without their consent, if it secures peace. So, Yu? What should we do? How do we avoid what is coming?

Yu stood to her full height, and smiled at the man. Finally a bit of your fire is pointed in the right direction. It looks good on you Yalda. I . . .

The world shook, the roof of the palace shattered like glass, and the screaming those who thought themselves already dead, filled my ears.

The wind howled, and the debris fell to the side, crushing plants and gardens but sparing as many of the people in the atrium as possible. Yu stood, glowing and arms moving, words chanting as she cast spell after spell, shields erupted around all of us, as the wind howled overhead even louder.

I squinted up from where I was crouching amidst the broken stone under my feet, and saw a single figure hovering in the air above us. He was short for a cultivator, with raven black hair grown long and braided behind him ina single braid. He wore the colors of the northern kingdom, and their insignia blazed with energy on the front of his robes.

He descended, and an edge of cold winter entered the wind whipping around us. Pushing most of the staff back and away. Yalda and his guards took several steps back, raising their auras and several shields to protect their people from the affects of whatever wrath Koja might unleash.

I was one of them. I grabbed Rayce and retreated several feet hiding behind a large piece of stone that had fallen from the ceilings collapse, and watching what I could from behind it. Rayce didnt fight me, instead he raised a thin shield over us. It wasnt particularly strong, but it did weaken the wind and winter chill enough for me to watch events unfold.

Koja examined the people in the room, his aura running over everything with a nacked invasiveness that sent shivers down my spine as it touched me. When his eyes fell on a cloth covered ball shape, on top of an abandoned silver platter, he froze and the air around him did as well. Ice crystals formed on his shoulders and arms, covering him almost like armor as Koja kneeled, lifted the cloth, and unveiled his slain daughter's severed head.

No . . . He pulled her head up onto his lap, and cradled it like he would a baby. No, no, no! He leaned down, putting his face next to hers as he shut his eyes and allowed tears to flow freely from his eyes. Essa you foolish girl.

Everyone stood, frozen, witnessing his grief. I felt like a voyeur, watching a scene unfold that was far too intimate and tragic for an outsider to witness. And yet, I eyed the man much like everyone else was. Like a predator. A lion amongst sheep, ready in a moment to devour all.

Yu started forward, silent tears having frozen to her face but Koja stood before she could reach him and let loose a wave of frozen wind that pushed everyone and everything away from him. In a flurry of power.

Bastards! Murderers! Child slayers all of you southerners are! Demand through blood, and duty, all we have. And when we begin to rebuild our home and hearth, to regain an ounce of honor and happiness, you steal it away from us! When will it be enough!?

Koja pointed towards Yalda, arms sheathed in pure ice, and chest now covered in a black obsidian stone that somehow radiated death and emptiness of the void. Yalda had already activated his own aura, and green dragon scales had begun growing on his body, as wicked looking claws grew on his hands. Small strands of almost delicate lightning leapt between the claws as he prepared to meet his infuriated counterpart.

Yalda! Kojas voice boomed over the scene. Face me and die for your crimes!

***

The two clashed in a flurry of ice and lightning, as Yu and our family guards did their best to contain the damage. Lightning lept from Yaldas fully dragon form in seemingly random directions, though most seared into Kojas chest following the furrows that Yaldas claws dug into his stone and ice like armor.

Ice blossomed on Yaldas green scales, cracking them and burning the flesh underneath each palm strike that Koja landed. Even as his blackened armor absorbed most of the magical and chie infused blows from the fully grown dragon that he now wrestled with.

In seconds the palace around us was leveled. Planks splintered like kindling, stone ground to dust in the stretch of a heartbeat, and metal bent and misshapen at their very passing. Lightning and ice spread out around them, as they clashed over and over again so fast I could barely tell what was going on. Once they reached the edge of the building, they shot up and into the sky, taking the battle away from the innocents on the ground.

Not a single stone was left standing on another, as their fight ran first the length of the building, and then darted into the sky. I expected to find a scene of complete devastation with few survivors as the wind stilled, and Rayce and I stood to see who or how we might help.

Instead, I found nearly a hundred men and women protected by powerful shield bubbles, some floating in the sky where the floor they had been on disintegrated around them, while others had their feet on the ground looking up in awe at the fight still taking place over the outskirts of the city.

Yu and our guards stood maintaining the spells with great concentration. A moment later everyone was firmly safe on the ground and Yu glared up into the sky.

Your father is going to hate this.

***

Momma not momma? Momma sister?

Yes. Exactly.

Why?

That's difficult to explain. But I'm like your older sister. Ill take care of you, and you can take care of me. Is that okay?

King thought about it for a long moment, before bobbing his head in acceptance, and trundling off a few feet towards a fresh flower bed with blooming roses. He dropped down to the ground, reached his now much longer neck out towards the plants and bit off several of the bulbs, then began chewing happily.

Hungry.

Oh. Is that alright mother?

Yu looked annoyed for a moment, but she shrugged and gave a defeated sigh. I planted those several years ago. It's about time we get something new in that bed anyhow. If hes hungry enough to start eating my roses without permission, it's probably best you stay here and guard the familial palace, while Rayce and I go to the fortress.

I gave a slight bow. I understand. Thank you.

Several sharp, happy barks came from King's direction and I turned to see what was happening. Rayces three spirit companions were running up King's shell, and then jumping off. While the largest Rex, was at his head barking madly, his but sticking in the air and his front end lowered to the ground asking to play.

Annoying dogs. Go away dogs. Hungry.

Rex, Max, Dag, get away from the fire turtle, Rayce said, calling his three companions back towards him. The two smaller ones, Max and Dag came happily running back to him. But Rex, the largest of the three, kept barking directly into King's face.

Go away dog. Shew, go.

King turned his attention to the large glowing white spirit, opened his now serrated beak, and hissed angrily. A light dusting of volcanic ash spewed from King's mouth involuntarily and the dog woofed all the happier, its tail swishing back and forth as it attacked the dancing motes of fire.

Does that not hurt him? I asked, concerned.

Nah. Rex can let physical matter through him. Unless your turtle meant the attack, and imbued that ash with actual mana and intent to harm, Rex can let it pass right through him with no trouble.

Oh. That's interesting. Can all spirits do that?

Rayce, Yu interrupted. Get Rex, she turned and with a flick of her wrist as if she were pulling something out of her sleeve, her giant frost bird appeared out of her spirit vault. We have to go.

A few moments later they were gone, the chilled air beating down on me scattered pink and yellow petals into the air. Several landed on Kings back, where they instantly turned to ash, smoldering without him giving so much as a cursory glance to the snow bird.

What is happening?

What do you mean? I asked as I sat next to him, and watched as he slowly ate entire mouth fulls of bush with each grinding bite.

Ground shakes, and air smells like fighting. What is happening?

Oh. That. I motioned towards where the two high level cultivators were still dueling high above the city. I explained what was happening, but I wasnt entirely sure how much of it he understood. He gave one syllable responses, and mainly focused on filling his belly. Several times as I explained, he got up, and toddled off to another bush to begin eating fresh.

Careful. This is the last one on this side of the palace. King gave a sad grumble of acknowledgement before plopping himself down in front of the prickly barry bush and began chomping down. So, long story short, the two ambassadors are the ones fighting.

Would be good to be that strong. To shake the world.

Would it? I dont know. The power I saw on display, even this far from the fight, was dramatic. Awe inspiring to be sure, but I couldnt imagine what might happen if say, I lost my temper, or worse, was forced to cut loose. Theyre both holding back. They have to be, otherwise the entire cavern would be destroyed. And Gamera might be even worse off than he is now.

Cousin could squash them. Theyre too small to hurt him. Was his only reply. I tried to ask him what he meant, but his mind became even more consumed by food the moment he tasted the fresh berries.

I laid down in the soot covered grass next to him, watching the fight far away, while simply enjoying his company. King's presence, even when he was as tiny as an actual turtle, had been something of a comfort for me.

The barriers are gone. Are there any more?

Sorry, there arent any more. Wed have to go somewhere else. Not until the bushs regrow.

Re-grow? Plants grow. And they can regrow?

Yes. Barries, leaves, twigs, bark. It all grows back usually. If given enough time, and the right nutrients. My thoughts dwelled on a memory then, my hands in the rich soil. The satisfaction of working with living and growing things. Tending to crops, even though I would not likely be the one to eat them, had been one of the few simple joys I had in my previous life as Genji. I let that thought, that memory wash over me as I closed my eyes for a moment.

Hmmm. Re-grow. Plant, regrow.

I opened an eye and looked over at King. He was staring intently at the barron and nearly dead barry bush. What are you doing?

Grow back plant. Grow back, now! King snorted on the plant, and a small stream of white hot ash dusted its already barren limbs.

Thats not really how

Regrow!

A subtle pulse of green energy ran through Little King's scales, down his legs, and into the ground in a wave of natural energy. I felt my own body rejuvenated slightly.My knees and arms felt lighter, and my mind clearer, as if I had woken from a restful sleep.

But the effect on the plants in the area was far more dramatic. Grass which had been buried under hot almost molten ash sprant to life in thick green stalks that shot up almost as tall as my knees. The bushes he had practically devoured, leaving behind little else but dead twigs quickly sprouted fresh and healthy new growth that sprouted int flowers, and then fresh berries.

The entire garden, what was left of it, bloomed almost instantly. Everything natural seemed to react to whatever Little King had done, and grew healthier, thicker, and almost instantly back to full health and bloom.

King sniffed at the now fully stocked barry bush.

More barriers! He happily began chowing down.

Interesting. He has two mana types. Gameras voice came from behind me. I turned and found him strolling up behind us. Ren taking up position next to him, offering the avatar a steadying hand when he needed it.

Why?

The old looking tortious man smiled. I believe I mentioned it earlier. King Gamera rarely enjoy even a single affinity. This is even less common when they are raised in captivity. Rarely you will find one with one. Even rarer do they have an affinity for two types of mana. They usually focus on chie, and growing their physical bodies so they can be the shield for their families when in the wild.

So . . . I looked at little king with new appreciation. What is his second one then?

Wood mana, if were going by the imperial tables. But more commonly called nature mana. Growth, regrowth, rejuvenation. Ren bent down next to me and ran a finger across Little Kings still cooling shell. The fire didnt burn him in the slightest. His Fire mana affinity has attuned itself to destruction. In my sight, he reads like a volcano that spews death, and ash that makes the ground rich and fertile.

A volcano. Maybe I misnamed you.

No. King is good name. I am King. Little king, now. But big king some day. He said with pride and ambition that he fed through our connection. I make flowers grow, to eat. I like eating flowers.

I smiled and patted his shell. It was odd, seeing my hand touch molten fire without so much as a tingle. It felt more like touching a stone that had been out in the sun all day.

A boom filled the air above us, and I looked up. The fight had drifted our way, the two ambassadors, one fully a dragon wreathed in lightning and storms now, and the other surrounded and protected by a bitter winter storm and coated in black stone armor, threw themselves at one another.

Neither of you are taking that, I pointed towards the fight. Very seriously.

Gameras expression darkened. Ive had about enough of those welps.

What are you going to do? I asked, but the two adults ignored me as they stood and faced the fight that was slowly drifting our way.

Theyre close enough now. Are you going to intervene? Ren asked.

Yes.