Ghost (Buryoku Book 11), page 5
Duncan didn’t shed so much as a single tear. He had been forced to bury hundreds of family members over the centuries. At first, the pain had been mind-numbing, but over time he was forced to deaden his heart to the sensation or allow his sorrow to consume him.
Somber music floated through the hall, the smell of incense wafting up from the burning sticks placed upon the coffin. This was not a tradition of his family or clan but one of the Tonde. Their burials were a bit different, but Duncan would respect the traditions of others, especially when it came to an occasion such as this one.
Rain pounded down from the sky above and the ground continued to tremble, but despite them being outside, not so much as a drop touched them. In the sky above floated four Scions, each exerting their power and preventing the rain from touching those below.
Hana, the Scion of Tales, Mororna, Scion of Shattered Dreams, Komura the Winged, and the Scion of Warping Silver all stood, paying their respects to the woman who had impressed them in one way or another.
However, it was their two guests who had the majority of Duncan’s attention – the somber man with the burning crimson eyes, and the woman who stood at his side, wearing an expression of sorrow so profound that all those around her were openly weeping.
Duncan forced himself to look away from Hoshi, his former wife, whom he’d believed to be long dead, and focused on the end of the ceremony as the coffin was laid to rest on the bier, where it slowly lowered into the ground.
Tonde tradition did not allow for the body to be seen, so all those present would have to content themselves with the portrait painted by one of the masters of the Sora clan that had been placed by the side of the raised dais.
The portrait depicted Aika standing tall, her staff clutched in one hand and a look of determination on her face. She wore her Gold-Belt, lined with Brown, showing how far she had come for someone so young.
Everyone turned to the dais, watching as Kaeru moved to stand behind the podium that had been erected for this occasion. The music continued for a few more moments, the haunting melody singing of loss. Then it tapered off, leaving the gathering in silence.
Kaeru took a moment to gather himself, fingers wrapping around the lip of the podium in a white-knuckled grip – Duncan was happy he’d had it constructed from sturdy material – as he looked out over the crowd.
“I remember when Tonde Aika was born,” Kaeru said, his voice sounding hollow, as though the death of Aika affected him as it might losing his own daughter. “I remember what joy it brought her parents and my longtime ally and friend, her grandfather.”
Kaeru paused, clearly needing to gather himself, before he continued.
“Aika showed a remarkable aptitude for Martial Arts, even from a young age, and despite losing her father as a girl, she prospered. Aika was kind, caring, and above all, loyal to those she loved. She was fiercely protective of her family and would go to any lengths to assure they remained out of harm’s way.
“It was in this, her mission to keep her loved ones safe, that she perished. Facing down a Martial Artist so twisted by madness and the lust for power, he would give up his humanity and turn on his own family. Yes, it might be hard to believe, but one of my oldest and dearest friends, the once-proud grandfather, is the one responsible for the tragedy we have all suffered today.
“However, let us not see this as a disgusting betrayal, but rather, remember the brave and resilient woman who stood up for those she loved. The Martial Artist who, against all odds, defeated someone stronger, despite knowing the price to be paid.
“Tonde Aika is a woman to be admired and emulated. She will be missed. May her soul finally rest in peace.”
Kaeru bowed his head then and stepped off the stage.
The worst part of this all, Duncan knew, was that there was no one to aim his anger at. The man who’d caused the woman’s death had been killed in the process. Had Hate lived, Kaeru could have hunted him down and exacted vengeance. But he had not.
To Duncan, this was ideal. It meant that Aika herself had exacted that vengeance before she’d perished, assuring that her spirit could rest in peace. For those still among the living, however, there was no outlet other than acceptance and grief.
Knowing it was his turn, Duncan slowly rose. As the leader of the Herald clan, it was his duty to say something. Additionally, he owed it to Aika to speak. She had been so brave in standing up to Hate, and her selfless act had likely saved the lives of dozens of others who might have gotten in his way before he was finally stopped.
He stood at the podium, staring out over the crowd and doing his best not to look at Hoshi for too long. It wasn’t easy, given how many questions he had, but he was able to keep his composure as was expected of someone at his level of advancement.
“Tonde Aika was as brave as they come,” Duncan began, his voice echoing out to reach all parts of Mountain Moore. “Her sacrifice assured that no one else would die at the hands of a traitor, and her bravery will live on in the hearts of those who remember her. For her bravery and in honor of her memory, I will be lending my support to those of the Tonde clan. They will be allies to our own and always have a place within these walls. Aika was an example for all, and let all who have known her carry on some small part of her legacy and Ideal in their hearts and spirits.”
Duncan bowed his head, then stepped down from the podium and went back to his previous position. Several others rose to speak, though seeing as there weren’t really any members of the Tonde clan present and almost everyone who knew her well were somewhere else, the remaining speeches were brief.
Finally, when the time came, Kaeru stepped up to the open grave, using his Reiki to seal the hole. Everyone stood in silence as the man carved the grave marker himself, the characters smooth and flowing. Once he was done, Kaeru stepped back, his entire body still trembling. Then he turned and left, disappearing swiftly into the storm.
The rest of the crowd dispersed pretty quickly after that, all going about their business and returning to their posts. After all, just because the greatest demon threat had been eliminated and there was a storm raging around them didn’t mean the demons wouldn’t try something. They needed to keep shoring up their defenses to ensure that the fortress remained strong against the demonic onslaught.
“I’ll catch up with you in a moment,” Duncan said, motioning for Amber to take Marrie back to their personal quarters. “Don’t worry,” he said when she looked between him and Hoshi. By now, everyone knew who she was. “I am a man of my word.”
Amber nodded, then took Marrie by the arm and steered her away, leaving Duncan alone with Hoshi and Doragon. Of course, the remaining Scions had now all gathered above them, clearly intending to listen in, but there was nothing Duncan could do about that. If Doragon didn’t want to be overheard, he could stop them from listening.
Just as eye-catching as Hoshi herself was, Doragon was the one the others were paying attention to. With his brilliant Black-Belt, shining with a twisting pattern of blue, he had very obviously reached the Ideal Black stage in his advancement. Seeing as he had been a Scion before, he would now be a Demiurge.
Of course, Duncan didn’t have a good idea of how powerful that was but witnessing the Fiend’s destruction told him all he needed to know about the man’s power. It was strange seeing a man he’d adopted into his clan – a man he’d assumed to be far weaker – looking like this.
In every way, he appeared to be the same, and yet, he was very obviously a different man. The way he carried himself, the air he gave off, the subtle downturn of his lips and the stiffness of his shoulders were just slightly foreign. Duncan would need to find out more about this man at a later time. For now, he just wanted to speak with Hoshi.
“I don’t know what to say,” Duncan said as he approached his former wife.
“We have much to talk about, my darling Duncan,” Hoshi said, giving him a sad smile. “But I’m afraid we don’t have much time in which to do so.”
“Are you leaving?” Duncan asked, feeling a small bit of alarm flare in his chest.
“I can sense a disturbance near our fortress on Garasu,” Doragon said, cutting into the conversation. “We need to head back immediately.”
Duncan had no doubts that this man had vision where he was almost blind. After all, Demiurges had a far deeper connection to the chaos than Scions. Duncan could spread his senses out for several miles in all directions, but the further he went, the muggier it became due to the storm’s interference.
“Do not worry,” Hoshi said. “We will not abandon our allies or our family. If there is truly a need for our intervention, one of us will come to help. I would not abandon my former husband, nor the father of my only son.”
“So, you understand?” Duncan said, feeling a lump in his throat.
“You thought I was gone, and you had a duty to your clan. Of course I understand. I will always love you, my darling Duncan. I always have.”
It had been a very long time since Duncan had had to fight back tears – not since he’d thought Hoshi and Leroy to be gone for good. But now, he found emotion threatening to crack his indomitable shell.
“Is…Is Roy okay?” he asked.
He was sure his son was fine. After all, if Doragon and Hoshi could sense their homeland from here, they could surely sense Roy. If he’d needed their help, he was sure they’d have gone after him.
“Our son is prospering, thanks to the guidance of those who deemed him worthy of teaching,” Hoshi said. “I am greatly saddened that I cannot see him yet, but duty demands I return home with my brother to neutralize whatever threatens our home.”
Hoshi leaned in then and kissed him on the cheek, before slowly drifting into the air. Duncan watched her go, feeling a pang of loss in his chest. She looked as beautiful as she had on the day she’d left him to go into hiding with their son.
Her features were delicate, her skin an almost alabaster white. Slitted pupils sat within bright, silver eyes, which stood out like beacons due to her sclera that matched her pupils in color. Seven bushy tails waved behind her, her long, white hair – which gave off a silvery sheen – drifting about her face as though it were alive. From the top of her head poked two small horns.
There were slight differences, such as the number of tails she’d had when she’d left, as well as the color of her Belt, which was now a shifting Black and Orange, with ten lines of purest blue on one end. She had grown so strong in their time apart, and while he had advanced as well, it hadn’t been nearly this much.
Hoshi continued to maintain eye contact, up until the point where they’d flown high enough. Then she vanished in a blur of motion, disappearing into the raging storm.
7
“Just for the record, I am not enjoying this!” Violet yelled, her voice barely audible over the screaming winds and pounding rain.
“I don’t think any of us are,” Geon said sarcastically.
“You don’t have to deal with the storm, so quit complaining,” Roy said, his spirit flaring to repel a particularly violent wind current.
They were currently running down the side of a mountain, Movement techniques blazing around their bodies and Armorer techniques layered over their skin. Despite that, they were continuously forced to extend their auras past their bodies to keep the raging Chakra storms at bay.
Ferry had it the worst, seeing as she was unable to use Reiki yet and was relying on Hermit to shield her from the worst of it. She could, of course, have done it herself, but it would have exhausted her far faster than the others, who could use Reiki to fight back the inferior energy type.
Roy ran near the head of their small group, Snarl matching his speed some ten yards away as they wove through a twisting game trail down the side of the mountain. Roy leaped a twenty-foot drop, landing easily, his Immortal Body soaking up the fall as though it were nothing. He didn’t break his stride, his bare feet slapping rhythmically against the soaked and muddied stone as he moved.
A massive tree was suddenly uprooted, whipping toward them frighteningly fast. Roy sped up slightly, outpacing Snarl and leaping into their air. His Demon’s Hammer connected with the center of the trunk and his shouted commandment shattered the tree into splinters, which were immediately whipped away by the howling winds.
Roy was thrown off his landing as a gust of wind caught him, but he recovered quickly, continuing their run down the mountainside.
Violet appeared at his side, blade held at the ready as a boulder flew at them. Her blade cleaved the massive stone in two and deflected both halves around them. Roy could have handled it himself, but they were taking turns destroying obstacles to reserve power.
Of course, Roy could have obliterated everything between here and Tero and still had plenty of Chakra and Reiki left, but letting others handle some of the load gave him time to suck in the plentiful Power Chakra that was being kicked up by the raging storm. His Core drank it in, like a sponge that could not be saturated. Even so, the speed at which he cultivated allowed for such vast amounts of power to be pulled in at once that Roy had no doubts that he would no longer be trailing behind due to his massive capacity.
He would focus on condensing the Chakra later. For now, he was only focusing on pulling it in.
The biting wind increased as they made it to the bottom of the mountain, now finding themselves walking through ankle-deep water. The ground bogged them down and without the cover of the trees, they were forced to take the brunt of the storm’s fury head-on.
Like this, they traveled for the remainder of the day, until Hermit finally called a rest. Together, they built a makeshift shelter to protect them from the rain, the Sages of the group pulling debris together and sealing it into a dome shape.
Ferry and Violet worked on clearing the area of water before the dome was dropped over the whole group, plunging them into darkness. A moment later, a bright light flashed, illuminating the interior of their shelter.
“It’s so quiet in here,” Violet said, staring at the hardened walls of mud.
While they may have appeared flimsy, they had been called together by the power of Sages and a Scion. Their willpower held the structure together, but Roy knew that that would quickly erode in a storm like this. They had perhaps five hours before it collapsed, leaving them at the mercy of the tearing winds and pounding rain once more.
“Yes, it’s quite unnerving, isn’t it?” Hermit said, dropping to the ground and folding his legs beneath him.
Steam rose off his body as he quickly dried, warming the chilly shelter in an instant. Roy didn’t follow a Fire Path, so he was forced to purge the water using a commandment, as did Snarl. Violet and Ferry, on the other hand, were forced to change, leading Hermit to raise a bubble of privacy around them.
“So,” he said, turning to Roy and Snarl. “What do you make of our first day out in the end of the world?”
“It’s exhilarating,” Snarl said, though he wasn’t smiling as he would in battle. “The constant struggle against the elements and landscape forces me to remain focused at all times, to continually repel the ambient Chakra. It’s mentally draining but excellent training for endurance.
“There is also an abundance of Darkness Chakra, which can be easily harvested. In fact, I think that is what I will go do now.”
With that said, Snarl walked to an unoccupied section of their shelter and dropped into a cycling position. Within moments, he was in a deep trance, the world around him all but forgotten.
“And how about you?” Hermit asked.
“It’s mentally draining,” Roy said. “Despite being dry for the first time all day, I still feel chilled to the bone. The constant wash of Water Chakra doesn’t help either. That being said, Snarl is right. It’s demanding, takes a great deal of concentration, and is overall perfect for endurance training.
“But I also know that this is just the beginning. The obstacles we’ve faced so far pale in comparison to what is to come.”
Hermit raised an eyebrow at that.
“Don’t pretend not to know,” Roy sighed, dropping to the mercifully dry ground. “To reach Tero, we’re going to have to cross over the collision point. The closer we get, the worse the storm will become. I’ve dealt with my fair share of the outdoors, so I know what to expect. Once we clear that hurdle, things will become easier as we move farther from the epicenter. I just hope we’re all strong enough to weather the onslaught at the impact point.”
“I’m sure we’ll do fine,” Hermit said. “Just don’t mention how much worse this is going to get to the others. I wouldn’t want to discourage them before we’ve even started facing the really dangerous obstacles.”
“So you would have them be ignorant,” Roy said, frowning. “Why would I keep something like this from them?”
“Like I said, we wouldn’t want to discourage them.”
Roy’s frown deepened.
“I won’t lie to my friends.”
“You’re not lying,” Hermit said. “Just omitting certain information.”
“I’m not you,” Roy said, then turned his back on the man and headed to the far side of the small shelter.
He would be keeping his mouth shut for now, but that was only because he was planning on getting some sleep. Once he was awake, he would be telling everyone what they were in for.
Roy awoke sometime later – it was hard to tell what time it was in here as no outside light came through their shelter – to the low murmur of voices. Sitting up, he saw Ferry and Violet whispering quietly amongst themselves while eating steaming bowls of hot broth.
The smell hit him a moment later, and following his nose, he soon found the source. A small pot of bubbling liquid sat before Hermit, who was looking at Roy pointedly and smiling.
“Are you really going to let him silence you with a bowl of hot water mixed with some flavoring?” Geon asked.
“I’m debating it,” Roy replied, pushing himself up into a sitting position.
His stomach growled and the sound of the howling wind was growing noticeably louder. By his estimate, they had maybe thirty minutes before the shelter collapsed and their travel would continue. The only question was if he would do so with a few bowls of hot broth warming his stomach or not.
