LITTLE MOTHER

Precursor Quest

Chapter 6: Coming Home

Tessal looked around her with very wide eyes. She felt very small with all the tall trees that went way up and up above her. A lot of the boys had scampered off ahead as they'd reached about a quarter of a day's walk into these woods. There was light to see but no real sunlight at this lower level where they walked.

Her hand was warm where it was being held gently by the man she and Korin had learned the others called Shikun. Master. It always had an odd feeling in her mouth. Like she already said it a lot, but not to this person. Not that she minded too much. He'd been very kind to her since they'd lost Blake, being nearly as sad as she was about it.

The man they'd been trying to rescue was called Sensei. Teacher. The master called him something else sometimes and they seemed sometimes like long time friends, sometimes like master and oldest servant.

Shikun wasn't like any master Tessal had ever known in her short life. He didn't yell, didn't hit - unless it was in lessons and someone really needed those lessons - and was kind generally. He was just as stand-offish as the other masters she knew. If it wasn't the right time to be talking to him, one knew it right away and left him alone.

Sometimes only Sensei or Su Dou could approach the master. He was scary at those times, but they only reassured her he was very sad at those times and to leave him alone. She felt like that sometimes, too, but Shikun would always let her come find him when she felt like that. Then he'd hold her hand, or hold her in his lap like he had the day Blake had died, until she could go run with the others again, or take Korin's hand instead.

Korin had been very quiet since he'd woken up and been told what had happened to Blake. Shikun had had a long private talk with him then, and it had seemed to help a little. Tessal was glad it hadn't sounded like a scolding. (She'd stayed close enough to listen to at least the tone of voice, worried about Korin.)

Right now, Korin was being taken by Boab, Yasuke, Kadek, Shokin, Tadesse, and Forjal to the middle aged boy's cabin to rearrange it to fit everyone who was coming newly to the shinobi wood. Boab was the leader of that age group, and Forjal didn't like being in it since his best friends were in the younger cabin. Korin didn't care.

Tessal was worried that Korin didn't care about anything anymore, since losing Blake. He did still take care of her, but not like he had before. She wished she could help him, but she didn't know how. Maybe now they were here and would learn to live this new life, he might begin to heal a little more.

She watched silently as Abedúl, called by everyone Abeh, led the oldest group of boys to another cabin set farther into the trees. He took Josey, Arin - who had decided to come for lack of anything else to do, Luka, Tanov, DongTang, and Cahyo (Kadek's older brother by blood) with him, being their leader.

The rest of the boys, the youngest like her, were led by Su Dou to the closest cabin to rearrange it to fit them. She watched as Gregor (next oldest up from her), Claus, Mattias, Samir, Adi, and Randi entered that cabin.

Sensei stayed with Shikun as they watched, looking around the place newly as well. Everyone had been surprised that Sensei had been surprised to learn where they were living, but he'd let it go after staring at Shikun for a little bit. Those two and Su Dou were the only adults.

Tessal tugged on Shikun's hand and he leaned down a little. "Shikun, why did Yasuke go with the oldest?"

He smiled at her, his laugh in his eyes. "He is small, but he's older. That's where he belongs."

Tessal's mouth made an "o". She understood that. She was small, too. She was still the youngest, though. She tugged again. "Will Su Dou sleep with the youngest, then?"

Shikun chuckled. "No. He sleeps with us adults as he should, unless someone needs him."

Her brow furrowed. "And Abeh?"

Shikun sighed as he looked after those boys. "He's a sober nineteen so can claim twenty-one if he wants. Properly he'll stay with them another year or two. Then we'll see if he'll graduate and go out into the world, or if he'll stay a while longer.

"DongTang is less than a year younger and is also the same. I think they may both stay until they're sure Arin, Josey, and Luka are settled and properly learning." He looked down into her eyes. "Like you and Korin, they haven't had any experiences learning with us until very recently."

Tessal tipped her head sideways as she thought about that, then gave a nod. It sometimes took a while to understand a place and how to be there. "And me?" she asked him.

Shikun turned, still holding Tessal's hand, and led Sensei to the largest of the buildings, set so that the long side faced the other buildings. He let go of her hand and picked her up to set her up on the porch that went across the whole front of the house and around the sides.

Then he climbed up and slid the middle wall section to the side. He kept at it until three whole sections of the wall were slid open. There was one big room there, that they looked into. In the middle of that room sat a woman, roughly the age of Shikun.

"Welcome home," she said.

Shikun just stared at her, so she looked at Tessal and smiled. "Welcome home, also, Sensei and Okäsangwä."

Tessal stared at her like Shikun was until she was running without really knowing why to fling her arms around the woman's neck, her knees in the woman's lap because she was sitting cross-legged on the floor.

There was a click of the tongue from behind her. "She said I couldn't," Shikun complained. "Because I wasn't you." There was a pause, then a frown in his voice. "Is it really okay?"

"It's fine, it's fine," the woman said and it comforted Tessal so much she sighed and relaxed, putting her head on the woman's shoulder. The woman laughed a little and set Tessal to sitting on her lap so she could talk to her. "So. What should I be called, who is the wife of Shikun?"

Tessal's mouth opened, but nothing came out.

"She called me Ojisan right off," Shikun complained again. "Perhaps Obasan?" He settled down next to the woman, facing her, a scowl on his face. "Or maybe Onibaba?"

"She's not a monster!" Tessal scolded before she knew the words were going to come out. The woman and Sensei both laughed.

"So you think," Shikun grumbled at them as he wrapped his arms around the woman's shoulders to pull her into a sideways hug and to kiss the top of her head.

Tessal blinked at him. "You complain a lot for someone who loves his wife," Sensei said softly as he knelt to face Shikun from the other side of the woman. Tessal agreed wholeheartedly. Shikun was rather strange.

"Baba, or Obäsan would be fine, I think," the woman suggested to Tessal, giving her a soft look.

"Better be Obäsan or the boys won't obey, and will tease instead," Shikun said dryly.

Tessal pondered on that, then agreed. It wasn't what she wanted to call her mother, but it would be better to make the boys be respectful. The woman was old enough to be their grandmother anyway.

When Su Dou arrived at the open wall, his eyes took in the little family grouping and froze until his brain took it all in. He seemed to sigh a little, then entered the room and bowed to Shikun. "They're settling well. It'll be a bit of a squeeze, but with them mostly only sleeping in the cabins, I think it'll be fine."

Su Dou knelt in front of the woman, making it the full square, and put his hands on his thighs. He took his time studying her. "While I'm very grateful to have another man here to help with the boys when Shikun is too lazy to rise and do his work, I'm not quite sure why we've arrived to a woman in the house rather than having brought one back with us."

Tessal frowned. They'd brought her back. But Su Dou wasn't looking at her. "Are you the foxtail courtesan?"

Tessal blushed for the sake of Obäsan and missed Shikun's blush. "Wasn't Obäsan always here?" she asked Su Dou.

Su Dou looked at her briefly and shook his head at her, telling her with the motion to be quiet when adults were speaking.

"Obäsan isn't a courtesan, nor was she then," Shikun said quietly. "She is much more than that, and she's my wife. I've come home grieving. She's here to help me heal."

Su Dou sat back a little at those words and pondered them both a little more. "That would be a good thing, then," he finally allowed that much.

"I'll help with watching and teaching the children as well," Obäsan said. "Because of their contact with the demons, many of them will begin to dream and have nightmares. All of us may end up in the cabins with them frequently for a while." She was very serious as she said it. "We'll be here for you also Su Dou."

Turning her head, she said, "Sensei, for you to be able to properly help them, you must visit with the Caretaker formally again. If you have the strength, perhaps you can purify this evening and spend the night in the shrine. If not, then tomorrow. I would worry to wait too much longer than that."

Sensei bowed to her slightly. "Tonight would be fine. I've already had several visions on the way here that have added to the disturbing ones I had on my first journey. If they can be explained and placed properly, I won't be worried so much either."

"Who are you, to know such things?" Su Dou asked, still bluntly suspicious.

"The Oracle," Obäsan said calmly over Shikun's slight agitation at having it asked again.

Tessal didn't know what an oracle was, but both Sensei and Su Dou were suddenly stiff and formal. It wasn't a name Tessal wanted to call her, so she didn't worry about it too much. She was getting sleepy with all the sitting after all the walking and couldn't keep in a yawn.

As Tessal's eyes began to close, she saw Shikun's fingers slip through Obäsan's fingers to hold her hand. Sadly he said, "Obäsan, Korin has been damaged and won't speak to anyone. Perhaps you can help him?"

Tessal gave as much of a nod as she could as her eyes closed, too heavy to keep open any more. She also wanted Korin healed. He'd been the one to bring her out of her first home to here. She wanted him to be able to be happy that he'd finally reached his goal, even if he was sad to have lost his friend.

-:-:-:-:-

Purrcy smiled a sad smile at Michael as she answered his request. "Perhaps. But this is also an important lesson and learning time for him on his path to relearn the most important things to his heart and soul. It's hard. I'll watch over him and if he calls for me, you know I'll answer him."

He could only accept that answer. He knew that she would heal anyone. Each one had to be ready for the healing, or to ask for it, or there could be no real healing done. She would scold and advise if she thought Korin was walking too far away.

Michael sat up with a deep breath and looked at Tessal. "Well, we need to show Sensei around this house so he doesn't fall into things when he wants to walk it in the dark." He rose to his feet and picked up Tessal so Purrcy could rise.

Su Dou held out his arms for Tessal. "You'll spoil her too much," he scolded lightly, although he knew that Michael had been using her to keep his grief at bay. Michael supposed Su Dou could be testing him, to see if he really considered this new woman to be his wife, but he didn't want to think that hard about it.

Once Tessal had changed arms, Michael wrapped his arm around Purrcy's shoulders. She wrapped her arm around his waist and they turned for the back wall of the room.

Michael slid back the central panel and they all went into the back hallway. He turned them right and passed the kitchen that was the next room that direction from the open meeting and eating room. He slid back the wall again and they were in another short hallway. He slid back the first panel to their left.

"Place Tessal here," he said, moving to let Su Dou enter the room that had been his until now. He placed a small futon on the floor in the middle of the room and Su Dou put Tessal on it. A light blanket appeared on top of her. Likely it was the softest bed she'd ever slept on. Like all of the boys, she'd just slept wherever she dropped the whole way home.

Su Dou showed Hizaber where the next room's sliding door was. "This is my room, and now yours as well," he said. A second rolled futon showed up against the far wall beside Su Dou's.

Hizaber raised an eyebrow. Su Dou smiled at him. "This place is magic from the beginning, when it comes to taking care of us. That has been very helpful. Half of the boys were so excited to see their new soft beds that they wanted to take naps immediately." Purrcy chuckled softly.

"I sent them out to bathe first," Su Dou said dryly, "telling them that if they wanted to itch from the same bugs that have been eating them already, then they could just go sleep, and then everyone in the whole cabin would itch just like them. That was enough motivation for them all to make sure they all went."

"Oh, that's why it's quiet then," Michael said wryly. "And how many will drown while no one is watching them?"

Su Dou shrugged. "The older ones will tell me. I sent them also."

"Ah," Michael said softly. "It's time for even Su Dou to rest." He gave a teasing look to his assistant. "And must you bathe first also, to not itch?"

Su Dou looked at Hizaber. "I think I'll take my own roommate with me so that we both can be assured that we won't."

Hizaber blinked, then bowed his head. "I must do the purifications anyway. It will be sufficient."

Su Dou took Hizaber the rest of the way down the little hallway and slid open the wall to the outside at the end of it. When the wall was closed again, Michael turned Purrcy and took her back to the back hallway, leaving the hall's wall panel open just a little for when Tessal woke up. She'd likely explore then.

He'd left the wall panel to her room slid open that inch as well. She was small for moving them, but with that much open she'd be able to heft them the rest of the way.

Michael passed the open panel to the main room and continued on to the next room. It was as deep as the main room, but one third the size. It was the master bedroom of the house from the beginning but as a single man he hadn't needed it. Su Dou had understood with Michael giving up his old room to Tessal that he was going to be moving to this one with Purrcy. He let her go to slide the wall open at the corner, then to close it again behind them.

When he turned around, in what had been an empty room was a low platform, centered in the room. On top of that was a queen-sized futon, twice as thick as any of the others in the compound. On top of that was a very fancy silk blanket in his preferred navy blue with her hunter green in accents.

On either side of the futon on the platform were two wooden pillars about three feet tall. On those were thick three-wick candles, also in the navy and green. Set on the far side of the futon from where Michael stood were matching bolster pillows. Tiredly, Michael cast the spell that got rid of the lice and other nasties. He couldn't work up to bathing today.

He led Purrcy to the bed by her fingertips and pulled her to sit on it, then lay his head in her lap. She gently ran her fingers over his forehead and into his hair. He spoke quietly to not have his words leave the room.

"When will we see Gareth again?" he asked. It came out plaintive, but he'd been wanting to ask her since she'd said she would see to the miracle.

"I set his soul to be reborn as soon as it could be. It will be at least nine months for that to happen, if he can be conceived so quickly. Be patient. I have also set it so he may come to us much sooner than the others, and hopefully also be closer as well."

Michael sighed and closed his eyes. Maybe in six years, although he'd be behind everyone else in their lessons. Still, that was better than the nearly five hundred it had been already.

"Is that it for Akatsuki's game, then?" he asked her sleepily.

"Oh, no," Purrcy said. His tired eyes flew open to stare at her. "It's barely begun." He scowled at her. "They aren't born unless the world needs them to be to prevent chaos. The markers were set that Akatsuki would begin this first round with them instead of near Shiroe."

"Like I need more stress," he complained at her. "And did you find him?" She was quiet, then without speaking she nodded. "And now we know to protect them at the beginning," Michael said very sadly. Purrcy agreed with him and moved to slip down next to him to hold him as he silently cried out his grief, needing her arms to do it in.

He was also comforted as he slept to have her there so he could truly rest. He'd been shielding their whole group the entire time they'd been running back home. She had a permanent shield up over this woods. Now that she was here in it with them, nothing would enter it to harm them.

-:-:-:-:-

When Tessal woke up, she was feeling hopeful. Well..., she wasn't feeling hopeful, but someone was. She looked around without moving first. She was in a small room, lying on a thick soft blanket, with a thin one on top of her. That was very nice compared to her usual sleeping on the ground.

There was a small window in the wall above her head. At her feet, in the corner, one panel of the wall was pushed back a few inches. There was slight movement at the floor level in that space and Tessal was very surprised to see a sparkly, iridescent tiny woman peeking in through that gap.

The tiny woman - only five or six inches tall with blue hair and a red dress - looked like she was trying to hide behind the wall panel, but also was wanting to come into the room. It was her that was hopeful.

Tessal sat up and blinked at the tiny woman. The tiny woman froze as her eyes looked up to see Tessal looking at her. Then she was gone. The tiny woman's fear and insecurity faintly washed over Tessal.

She got up, curious. Quietly she walked over to the gap in the wall and tried to peek out of it. That didn't work so well since it was in the corner. She grabbed the frame with both hands and pulled on it until it had slid enough that she could turn sideways and slip through.

She looked to her left, down the little hallway, but didn't see the tiny woman. To her right was another wall panel, also left open just a few inches. Tessal couldn't see the tiny woman through that either, but perhaps she'd gone that way.

Tessal went and pulled on that panel until she could slip her head through. She looked right, then left. Right was another panel at about the distance of the back wall of her little room. Left the hallway went a very long way, it seemed to her.

There seemed to be a faint sparkle about half-way down the hallway, as if the tiny woman had escaped through the open panel just before Tessal could see her. Tessal wiggled her way through the opening she'd made, then quietly tiptoed down the hallway.

She could hear the boys' voices as she neared the open panel. It sounded like they were outside, doing things. As she passed the wall between her little hallway and the open panel, she smelled good things cooking. She almost stopped and opened a panel to see what was there, but they weren't already open. She wasn't sure she'd get them open.

So, instead, she crept on past until she was just to the open space. She hid in a shadow and looked into that room. It was the large room she'd been in with Obäsan and Shikun. It was currently empty, even of the tiny woman.

Tessal frowned, wondering where she'd gone. She also wondered what else was in this large house. She moved on down the hallway. After the large room, there was a very slight gap between two panels. Tessal put her eye to it and looked in.

It was a big room, one third the size of the central main room. There was a big fancy bed in the middle of it. She didn't look more than that. It was rude to spy on the room of the master and his wife.

She counted how many panels that room went, then counted them on the outside in the hallway. The room was half of the space that was left. Tessal counted again as she walked the hallway. There weren't any open panels for the rest of them.

Disappointed, Tessal looked at them, then she decided to try. She pushed on the closest wall panel as hard as she could, putting all her weight behind the push. It slid open slightly, but she had to do it again before she could put her eye to the crack and look in.

That room was the same size as the master's room, and was empty save for a small chest Tessal could just see the corner of, as it was close to this wall against the outside wall. It had several small drawers in it, and a few medium ones, and was about as tall as she was. Likely that was for storing things.

Disappointed again, Tessal turned to walk back down the hallway. Once again, she just caught the sparkle of the tiny woman: a glimpse of the blue hair and red of her dress as she disappeared. Tessal's brow furrowed up in thought.

If the tiny woman was curious enough to wonder about Tessal, was there a way to get her to come out? Tessal was just as curious about her, after all. The smells made Tessal's stomach rumble. Maybe food would tempt the tiny woman out?

Tessal again hid in the shadows and very silently went back to the open space. Again the tiny woman wasn't in the main room. Tessal sighed lightly and walked on through the room and out the wide-open space to stand on the porch and look around.

Boys were practicing, running and playing, or resting all over the open space in front of her. Closer to hand four were sitting around a crate of potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables, scrubbing and peeling them.

"Did you sleep well, Tessal?" Arin asked with a smile as he put the current batch of prepared vegetables on the porch. "Did your tummy wake you up, too?"

Tessal shook her head. "No. I just woke up," she said. "It smells good, though." She was sure she was looking hopeful. It was hard not to, since food offered instead of stolen was so rare.

DongTang stepped out of the next room over to pick up the basket of vegetables. He gave a nod to Arin and turned to smile at Tessal. "It surely will be," he said, and walked the vegetables into the space between her little hallway and the big room.

Arin walked back to his place with Josey, Cahyo, and Luka. Tessal had to assume the oldest boys were on duty for cooking help tonight. She walked down the porch and looked through the open panel space. She was right. Abedúl and Tanov were in there with DongTang.

It was the kitchen. Not surprising the smells came from there, then. She was surprised to see that both Obäsan and Shikun were in there, too, doing the main cooking. She wouldn't have thought they would have done menial work like that, being the master and mistress of the house.

Tessal watched for a while, then decided that they liked to cook. They were having fun gently teasing each other and the boys as they worked. As Obäsan turned in her work, her eye caught Tessal. She continued to turn until she was smiling at Tessal.

"Good morning, Okäsangwä. We'll have you help in the kitchen with the young boys on their turns. Tonight, that means you'll help set up the eating tables and set out the dishes. Do you need to know where the toilet facilities are?"

"Yes, please," Tessal said humbly, only just then realizing that would be a very good idea, particularly since it looked like her turn to work would be very soon.

"Very good. When you're done with that, please wash up very good and then bring the boys back with you." Obäsan looked down at Tessal's feet and smiled.

Tessal looked down and froze in surprise. The tiny woman was standing at her feet, looking into the room just like she was. "Tessal, that sprite is Kishi-Mujin. It looks like she likes you."

Kishi-Mujin looked up at Tessal quickly, unsure at suddenly being exposed. Tessal looked at her soberly for a bit, then gave a small smile. "Hello, Kishi-Mujin. I won't hurt you. Will you come with me and show me where to go?"

Kishi-Mujin relaxed a little, then gave a nod and tugged on Tessal's ragged pant leg, pointing out to the left. Tessal didn't go just yet. Instead she looked for where the youngest boys were. Mattias had always seemed to hear people whenever they talked, so she said, "Mattias, Obäsan says it's time to get washed up to set the places out."

"Thanks. I'll let them know," Mattias' voice came as if he was standing right next to her.

Tessal gave a satisfied nod and followed Kishi-Mujin's pointed direction. She watched as Kishi-Mujin flitted in and out of sight ahead of her. She didn't quite fly. It was more how like Tessal herself moved when she was "flying" to escape without people seeing her.

They "flew" back together once Tessal was done and washed up. Kishi-Mujin was happy to fly with her, smiling when Tessal arrived where she was each time.

When Tessal joined the young boys to take a set of dishes in hand, Kishi-Mujin disappeared, but a sparkle appeared near Tessal's head. Tessal blinked and turned her head to look. Kishi-Mujin was sitting on her shoulder, holding on to a bit of her black hair.

"Okay," Tessal agreed, liking that Kishi-Mujin wanted to stay with her. She didn't know what a sprite did, but it was fun to have one as a companion right away in this place.

After the meal, the middle age boys did clean-up, washing dishes. Everyone put their own little tables away and carried their own dishes out to the washing tubs - one warm water tub with soap to wash and one hot water one to rinse.

Tessal was just as happy to run around outside in the woods with the little sprite. Claus called to her and waved her over to the trees at the outskirts of the compound. "The way you moved to escape the village, and then in the city. Have you tried it in the trees yet?" Claus asked.

He gave her a teasing grin, then disappeared. Tessal looked around and found Claus in the closer tree, a few branches up. He was still grinning at her. Tessal set herself and walked to be up on the branch next to his.

The balance was a little different, but her body did it fairly easily. It just took a little bit for her mind to grasp hold of the balance. "Catch me if you can!" Claus said, then was gone again.

Tessal followed him from branch to branch among the trees, with Kishi-Mujin playing with them, until a bell rang at about the time it was beginning to be hard to see under the trees. Claus appeared on the branch next to Tessal. "That's the signal to come in. It only rings at end of day, and in emergencies. We'll stay up in the trees until we get back." Tessal gave a nod and followed Claus back.

Everyone was gathering outside the main house, lined up like they'd been at the meal. The adults were on the porch, Obäsan and Shikun in the middle, Sensei on one side and Su Dou on the other. The boys were lining up facing them within their age groups.

Tessal and Claus added themselves to the youngest group. Tadesse, the oldest, pushed Tessal up to the front corner of their group so she could see. It was quiet until everyone was present.

"Tomorrow we'll begin lessons," Shikun said. "Sensei will teach the youngest. Su Dou will be the teacher for the middle ages. I will be instructing the seniors from this time on." The oldest shifted into more strict attention. Tessal glanced at them. It seemed perhaps Shikun didn't often teach, like Su Dou had complained earlier.

But then, Shikun had been very quiet and sober since they'd been at the port. That had been a very serious thing, to lose one of them, and to have it be big demons as the cause. Surely he would want to make sure that didn't happen again. She didn't want it to. She intended to study hard.

"Kneel," Shikun instructed. Tessal did as the boys, Su Dou, and Sensei did and knelt, but was curious as to why. Those who had already lived here seemed familiar with it.

Shikun took Obäsan's hand in his and closed his eyes. Obäsan looked at Shikun, watching him. Tessal wasn't sure what it was she was feeling, but it seemed very warm and tender.

"Caretaker, Mother of Theldesia; Nyanta, Father of Theldesia; God our Father: thank you for bringing us home safely so no more of your Sons were lost. We're sorrowful that we lost Blake, but you've promised we'll see him again soon. Please bless his mother-to-be and help us to find him when he's ready to join us again.

"Please help us as we study and work hard to learn what we need to know to overcome the demon king that has begun to grow strong on the face of the land. He is bringing evil to Theldesia that needs to be prevented. Help us to be strong to play our part in that effort.

"Bless the Master Strategist, that he will be kept hidden safely until he also has grown into the lessons and strength that he needs to have to play his part. We promise to do as he requires so that the evil will be removed as quickly as possible, in the best way.

"Bless each of these our children. I'm very grateful to have them here with me. Comfort them when things become difficult, when they begin to learn the things that are hidden to them until now. Let them remember the good times along with the difficult ones.

"Let this be a time of peace for them, under the busy-ness and trials. A time they can look back on and remember with fondness. Let their bonds of companionship and family become strong ties for them. We'll do our best, like we always have. Amen."

The boys who had been there before all said, "Amen." Tessal didn't that night, since it was new and strange. She did stand up again when they did.

Obäsan said to them all, "You are the forefront of the Caretaker's Army. Please, learn your lessons well. We'll be here to see that you stand in strength."

There was motion in the older boys and that boy was given permission to speak. It was Josey. "What does the Caretaker desire as the outcome in any war, to make us into an army?" He wasn't being obstinate. It sounded like he wanted to know if he could be that kind of person.

Obäsan bowed her head slightly. "As the Mother of Theldesia, the Caretaker desires to see that as many of the creatures who live on the face of the planet can live in peace, living out the lives they were born into as best they can. It's been missing for a generation or two now.

"And now we know the cause. The demons have been in hiding until now. It will take specially prepared soldiers who understand how to kill them without harming the innocent. Soldiers who also wish for the innocent to be able to live in peace."

"And will more people be added to this army, to make it effective?" DongTang asked.

Obäsan and Shikun both smiled knowing smiles. "There are others who may be called in to assist," Obäsan answered, "but only all twenty-four of you are needful. It will be sufficient, when you're led by the Master Strategist.

"Remember that strength you felt as only young children when you faced the demons. When that strength is shown in men who are even more certain in their capabilities, nothing will stand in your way."

Obäsan's eyes turned to Tessal. "And our one young woman will be no less strong and certain. Even she has that same strength and courage."

The boys around Tessal nodded. They'd seen her move to be the closest to the greater demon in order to free Sensei and Yasuke so they could reach the ship.

Tessal blinked, then drew in a breath and stood straight and as tall as she could. She would also do her best to learn her own strength for the time of that battle.

-:-:-:-:-

That night, Hizaber went to the shrine set away from the other buildings of the compound in a secluded place. There he learned what had been done to nearly destroy the entirety of the planet and all life on it when the Adventurers had been newly brought to Theldesia, and of the dark deities now forgotten. An abomination so great that the Inari, creator gods of Theldesia, had made knowing of them forbidden knowledge, save for a very select few who would never be able to speak of it to anyone.

He saw what the Sons of the Caretaker had done to win against those deities and the Adventurers they'd won to their cause. With that knowledge, he understood what the master's wife had meant by they would be sufficient. It wasn't necessary for him to be told that he'd led the Sons in those battles. It was obvious from the position that Michael, the Guardian had been in. He'd always followed at Michael's back.

When Hizaber sorrowed at the end of those lessons, Michael came to comfort him. But there was a sorrow included that Michael couldn't comfort. When Michael withdrew, Hizaber cried in his heart to Inari, grieving and asking why they'd made it so he'd been the betrayer.

Then the Father of Theldesia came to him in the shrine, briefly interrupting his rest during this generation, to sit and comfort Hizaber. "Only mew, I, and two of those mew're teaching know when it happened. Mew, as the Guardian's High Priest, have one deacon, and one priest.

"The one who is the squadron healer is one of them, but he must first learn his own lessons before mew can find comfort with him. And he doesn't know how Michael was made a god of Theldesia. Only mew and I do and ever will unless mew choose to open meowr mouth to tell others."

Nyanta stayed with Hizaber until he received enough comfort to move forward again. Hizaber was grateful. It was hard to learn that he'd betrayed his best friend, his personal hero, even if it had been necessary.

-:-:-:-:-

That night another young man also sorrowed. Korin had never formally prayed before kneeling with the other boys that night. He'd been unsure as they'd all knelt down. He'd been surprised by the words said so humbly, the three who'd been named as to who the master was talking to.

Korin didn't know any of the three named deities, but somehow the names and the prayer tugged at his heart. He'd been afraid to listen to the voice that spoke to him there, deep inside him. He couldn't figure out why that voice would have called him to the port city, only to kill the one person who'd been by his side for as long as he could remember.

He was afraid it had been the demon, temping him to come so that he could be killed. Instead it had killed Blake, who had taken the blow meant for Korin. His guilt and sorrow were excruciating.

The prayer said by the master had brought the sorrow to the surface again. But everything he'd said had brought hope to Korin as well. He still wasn't sure he'd heard right that there had been a promise made that Blake would be reborn to them again. Those words pushed against his grief and guilt.

The words of the mistress also pushed on those emotions, making hope want to blossom again. Hope had always driven Korin, even in the middle of the pain of being whipped yet again for the sake of one who couldn't bear it. When Blake and he had been most hungry, that hope had made him try to ask to have leaves turn into fruit. And it had worked.

He wanted to hope that the words he'd heard could be true words. That Blake could be reborn to walk the life he should have been able to walk. Korin wasn't sure he'd be able to face Blake, since he'd been the cause of Blake's death, but he did want his friend and companion to live again.

Not having the voice to lead him, because he was afraid to listen to it, wasn't helping Korin either. He felt alone and adrift, unsure of where he was going, what the right path to walk was. That made him depressed.

With the guilt, sorrow, and depression roiling around within him, and the hope trying to push it all out as tears, Korin finally rose from his bed, as wonderfully soft as it was, and left the middle cabin as quietly as he could.

He didn't go too far. It was dark under the trees and he still didn't know his way around very well, having only arrived that day. He only went far enough to feel like he was in proper solitude, then knelt down on the ground.

He wasn't sure who to pray to. All three deities named, or just one of them. He waffled on that for a bit, then finally said, "Please, I need to know if the voice I've been following was the voice of the demons or not. If it was, I want it to stop. It was so painful to be led to a place where my friend died." He paused as he choked up and tears started to leak from his eyes.

When Korin could speak again, he said, "But, I can't walk forward without the help. I need to hear which direction to go. I want to keep doing good things to make the lives of others better. I like what Obäsan said we could do, what the Caretaker wants from us. But is that the best thing for me to be doing?

"And, have I brought Tessal here where we were supposed to be? Or was there something else, somewhere else we were supposed to be going? If this isn't right, I don't want to have wronged her. We are getting good food, soft beds, and have people who could be companions here. But I can't tell."

He whispered, "How do I know when I can't trust? When I feel so guilty and hurt?" He slumped down around that pain, wishing with all his heart it hadn't become so difficult when it had been so easy before. Who will show me the way? his heart begged for release.

There was a lightening of the little place he'd gone to. "Korin, my beloved son," a soft voice called him. Korin looked up and saw nothing, so kept looking up.

There was a felinoid standing in the air in front of him. She had on a dark green robe with a white tree embroidered on it, the branches and the roots of it. She was black with stardust motes on her, and her eyes were a brilliant golden color. She wouldn't even be visible in this woods except for the pale light with her.

"I am the Caretaker, and you are my son. Please tell me what pains you."

Korin's tears slipped from his eyes again as he haltingly told her, the words coming whether he would or not. Somehow his soul knew her and trusted her. He wanted her words and comfort.

"Why did Blake have to die? Why did I take him there only for that?" he cried quietly.

"He didn't have to die, Korin. Just like you didn't have to take the whip for those you had compassion on." She paused long enough for him to wrap his brain around the comparison. He blinked and she continued. "He chose it, to see that you lived, the same as you chose the same for those who would have died from their injuries."

"But," Korin was having troubles wrapping his brain around the two being similar.

"Korin," the Caretaker said almost sternly, although still kindly and quietly. "Did you think about it ahead of time, that you would step in to take the whip?"

Korin was silent, then bit his lip. "No," he whispered. "It was always done without thought, other than necessity and kindness, because I could do what they couldn't."

She waited for him a little longer until he looked down at his hands. "Yes, Korin. You knew that Blake didn't like to step in. He didn't like to make a scene, or get into trouble. But like you, even he knew there were things he could do that others couldn't. He knew he could kill the demon and prevent it from having you and Sensei. Both of you were the strength of that battle, and he used his to the best of his ability, the same as you did yours."

"I couldn't save him," Korin cried.

"You saved Sensei and Yasuke, and thus Theldesia. He saved you, also saving Theldesia. Forgive yourself for a thing he chose for himself. Don't take his sacrifice and blessing away from him by making it unrightfully yours."

Korin was pulled up sharply by the last. He had to take a hard look at himself and what had been done. The Caretaker waited patiently.

Korin finally took a deep breath and let it out. He let out his guilt with it, saying a little prayer in his heart to Blake that he was sorry he'd put him in the position of having to make that choice, but that he was grateful that he'd given his life so Korin could live and Theldesia as well.

When Korin was able to do that, he looked up at the Caretaker again and besought her. "Can I listen to the voice inside that I've followed until now? How can I know it wasn't a demon?"

"By their fruits you will know them." It sounded like she was quoting someone else. "While the voice might have led you to the port, and you have lost a friend, was the end result good or bad? What was really done because you were there?"

Korin pondered on that seriously. The master had told them that they were essential to fight against the demons, that Theldesia would die if the demon took over the teacher. Perhaps they had done more good, done something important. It was hard to see it, but he was given a little more hope.

"None of the things I've been urged to do have been bad," he finally said quietly. "When I do feel something like that, I already immediately reject it myself."

The Caretaker nodded. "That is how you choose and know. That is your right, to make that choice to serve and help others, or to not. We cannot choose the consequence of those choices. The consequence is already tied to the choice before you even choose it.

"Sometimes we can't know what that consequence is until it happens, but for the simple things we understand it, or we learn it as we grow. An infant doesn't know that touching the fire will burn it, but if it chooses to experiment, it will learn it.

"If it chooses to believe its mother, it won't have to learn it painfully. Instead it has received the blessing of not being burned because the infant chose to have faith in its mother's warning, believed her, and chose to act on that faith and belief."

A weight was lifted off of Korin's shoulders and back. He looked at her as he thought of nothing for a bit. "Are you the voice I hear?" he asked.

The Caretaker shook her head. "Some day you may hear my voice, but that voice is not mine."

"Who is it, then?" he asked.

The Caretaker smiled a small warm smile. "That is the voice of your Father and mine, the Father of All Creations. He has an even greater love for you than I do, and desires to bless you also. Even more so because you wish to be a blessing in the lives of others of His creations."

"Was that one of the names that Shikun prayed to tonight?" Korin asked.

"Yes, it was," the Caretaker answered.

"Why did he pray to three?"

"God the Father has asked Nyanta and I to be the Father and Mother of Theldesia for his own purposes, and we have been obedient. Shikun prays to all three for his own reasons." She wasn't going to tell him any more than that, Korin could tell.

He wanted to ask so many more questions, but he was getting tired. He asked one more. "I want to learn more. How can I learn more?"

"You can ask those who know of the three. When you've learned all you can, you can ask me again and I'll point you to where you can learn even more. We each must learn line upon line, little by little, as we're ready to hear it and to practice it.

"From tonight, practice forgiving yourself and allowing yourself to grieve softly when the grief comes, remembering that your friend made his own choice understanding from the beginning the consequence of it. Practice obedience to your teachers here like you practice obedience to the voice that leads you. Learn little by little until you know everything you need to know.

"I love you, Korin, my son," she ended gently, then faded from his view.

Korin stayed there until he was calm and could see in the dark again to find his way back to the cabin.

When he reached the cabin and had slid the door closed behind him, he was stopped by a hand on his arm. Boab was looking at him in the faint light of a candle that had been set behind a shade to not wake anyone. "Is everything alright?" Boab asked quietly.

"Yes, it is now," Korin answered. "The Caretaker came and spoke to me and helped me."

Boab's eyes went wide. "She came herself?"

Korin gave a nod. "She herself called me her son, like they've been saying we are, and she spoke to me as if she were my mother who loved me."

Boab relaxed. "That's good, then. They warned us after they sent the rest of you to bed that many may have visions from this time on, like Sensei and Josey do. Others may have nightmares. If that happens to you, please wake me and I'll do what I can to help you."

Korin looked at Boab silently for a few seconds, then said softly, "And if it's you that has them, please, come wake me. I'll sit with you until you can sleep again."

After a moment's consideration, Boab gave a single nod. "I'd be grateful," he answered.