Kiisan awoke during the night at what seemed like the urging of the True Rune in his hand. It was glowing faintly with a yellow light. He dragged himself out of the tent past Carlos, Rizu, and Junsuke rather uncomfortably. "I want to go to sleep..." he mumbled drowsily to himself. He tiptoed around the back of the round tent to keep out of Yuber's sight and turned his focus to figuring out what was causing him so much trouble. He rubbed his temples, feeling his head beginning to throb with a headache on the horizon. Taking his hand from his face Kiisan stared out at the waving grass ahead of him. It flickered with an unearthly light, swaying in the wind like the ocean. Small specks of glowing phosphoresce floated low in the air like fireflies. At first he thought they were insects, but then as one brushed against his face first feeling warm and then dissipating like smoke, he doubted that they were living things at all. The whole field, as far as he could see, was glimmering with the tiny balls of light. "What is this? ...It's so beautiful..."
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 9- Glimmers Below the Night
The peace of the moment faltered for a moment as Kiisan heard the sound of footsteps that crushed the grass beneath them. However, he dared not turn away, afraid that what lay before him would disappear forever if he averted his gaze. The next watcher put their hand on his shoulder. It was Han Li. "Do you know what that is, Kiisan?" he asked. "No... I have no idea. Well, since you see it too at least I know I'm not hallucinating...or dreaming. Do you know what it is?" the younger man said in return. Han Li nodded sagely, "Of course. It's a remainder of the Cyndar." "Cyndar? What's that?" The black-haired man ran a hand through his loose hair, "I knew you'd ask that. The Cyndar are a race of amazing people who lived here at one time. They're nomads, so they never stay any place too long, but they leave ruins behind everywhere they go. There used to be a Cyndarin city here. Can you see that pillar standing by the road? There're some other lower to the ground ruins over there too. They have a great civilization and wonderful technology like no other people." Kiisan turned to face him curiously, "What do these lights have to do with the Cyndar?" Han Li mused silently for a moment, studying the lights; "They are also a remnant of the Cyndar. They are spirits, Kiisan." Kiisan shook his head, "You don't mean to tell me you believe in spirits and other such things, do you?" His friend smiled, "I'm sorry. I'm part of the Old World, pal, and I do believe in such things. Always have. Always will." Kiisan scratched in the dirt with the toe of his boot, and not looking at Han Li, asked, "Why do you know so much about the Cyndar? It's not like you're one of them." Incredulously he paused and stared Han Li straight in the eye; "You are a Cyndar, aren't you?" Han Li shrugged nonchalantly, "Oh, you don't know that Kiisan. You don't know what they look like, so how can you tell? Besides, they speak their own language." Kiisan eyes him warily, "Hey, hey, there. How do I know you're not trying to throw me off your trail, you "old World-er?" The man winked at the young priest; "You are entitled to your own opinion. I'm not saying anything...nope, nothing. Not one way or another."
That morning Kiisan chose to keep his discussion with Han Li to himself and ponder what the older man had said a little longer. The more he thought about it the stranger it seemed. As the bearer of the True Wind Rune, Han Li could very much be older than the thirty-something he appeared to be. He was still as shrouded in mystery and the sky in stars. While Sonoa and Louis Adbul went back into Crona City to pick up any more possible supporters to join their entourage Kiisan, Falina, and the others dawdled. They had packed up their campsite and waited for their companions to return. Rizu, Junsuke, and Lucien played a card game that looked something like "Go Fish" while Russ and the other soldiers saddled up the horses. Falina, Han Li, and Carlos sat down in the dust of the road and waited in boredom. They scuttled off of the highroad as a lone merchant struggled to lead his donkey down the path. The donkey was putting up quite a stubborn fight, but the muscular man was nearly his match. Kiisan came closer to the road to watch too. The battle between the merchant and his animal was an odd affair in which neither one seemed to gain against the other any significant amount until after about ten minutes the donkey finally gave in and walked docilely along behind the now sweating and straining man.
The fog was beginning to roll in again when Sonoa and Louis Abdul returned with several young people from the city who seemed bright-eyed and excited, speaking of how much better the revolution would make their lives. Lucien sighed, he was still somewhat unsure of this 'revolution' deal. Han Li shook his head. As Kiisan had thought, the seemingly young man had seen many more days than he cared to recall. He knew how the world worked. Even if this revolution did succeed in toppling Leo Maximillian and the government centered in Rupanda these young people from Crona were unlikely to benefit. More likely they would die in a faraway part of the country, never to be seen or heard of again by their families and friends. People like this were the fodder of war. The brave unsung masses. He felt their enthusiasm and could picture their betrayal when even those who lived through their experiences found no change in their situation. One tyrannical government is just like another. Still, there was always the hope that Kiisan would change things. He wouldn't mind settling down in a nice country without press censorship or heavy taxation.
The newly enlarged group altered course, decided to take a different route and head back to Serif to receive new instructions from the turan. With more people on foot their progress grew slower and the thick fog did little to help. Kiisan quickly became sick and tired of not being able to see more than two feet in front of him and dismounted, leaving Falina to ride the horse. He walked along in irritation; the bell hanging from his sun staff jingling as it swung back and forth. He gained so much ground that soon only Yuber and Han Li, who were swifter than their companions, could still see him marching along. Falina sighed at his pace, "Just a few months as a soldier did that much to him. He thinks we're not making good time." Sonoa was not so sure of the reason; "The other soldiers don't have that problem. He must be angzious to get back." Falina thought about this statement and quickly agreed, "Maybe he hopes we'll see our families back there. I have been thinking about my father lately. And Kiisan will have a lot to tell his mother. She'll be surprised to see her son's become a priest." Lucien laughed, "You think she'll be mad?" The girl shook her head, "No, I just don't think she'd expect anything like that so suddenly. It is a big change, you know." Father Carlos had his own opinion on the subject, "I think his mother should be proud that her son made such an admirable choice. I'm proud that he went through with it." Rizu tossed a pebble at him, skillfully knocking the priest's hat off, "Of course you think that, Father. You're biased to think so." Junsuke rolled his eyes at his partner, "We're all biased to think what we think, Rizu, so stop talking about it and keep walking." Although he said nothing further, Carlos was somewhat pleased that Junsuke had supported his side of the debate.
A rather clever recruit, who wore his dark hair in a tight ponytail on top of his head, dug up some vegetables from a nearby field and began to slice them up with his sword. As the group rested for lunch he attempted to make some soup with what he had found. Louis Abdul saw purpose and some skill in the young man so he asked his name. "Jirobane, Sir," the young man responded briskly, not looking up from the task at hand, but sniffing the soup attentively. "You see, Sir, I'm not from Crona, but I like the look of this. Actually, I'm looking for someone. Have you run into a young woman, with pale hair, wearing a red dress? She runs fast and carries a staff. I need to drag her back to my father's business you see..." The captain shrugged, "No, sorry, I can't say I've seen anyone around who matches your description." Jirobane let it slide, "Well, I'm going this way anyways so I think I'll stick around at least a little while longer. Besides, she might've come this way on her own. I hope you don't mind." "No, we don't mind at all. Your aid will be appreciated for the time being, and perhaps later you'll see fit to stick it out with us and not leave."
As everyone had settled in to have some lunch and a bit of rest, since it was growing colder and more and more difficult to see the road, the fact that Kiisan had not stopped with them was not observed at first. However, when Falina began to look for him, she soon became aware of his disappearance and left her lunch to see if she could find her old friend.
Kiisan had continued to walk down the road a distance before realizing he was alone. He stared back down the way he had come, wondering if he should turn back and find them or if he should wait where he was for them to catch up. Perhaps he could walk back just a small way and wait for them to show up there in a slight compromise. None of it really felt like it mattered much. The sky grew darker as rain clouds sailed in front of the sun. It was going to be a wet night. "Why can't I here them? Did they decide to change course again? Are they just going to forget about me?" He stood still as an icy breeze blew his hair, ruffled his robes, and jingled the bell on his staff. Darker thoughts were seeping through the clouds to him. They felt like a burden. The revolution felt like a curse. In a moment it passed and he felt tears in his eyes as he wondered what had come over him. A large drop of rain splashed down to the dusty road before him, making a dark patch on the even colored earth. Another droplet followed it, and another, and another, until the sky was mourning an unknown loss. "They're probably not going to try and go further in the rain," he concluded and using his staff like a pole vaulter, although much more slowly and carefully, he swung down into the ditch and strode through the wheat in what he believed was a shortcut to the direction he had come from. The rain grew harder, pounding its tortured fists onto the straining earth and his fragile figure. His robes began to cling closer to his body, and his hat, although it was keeping his head dry, was starting to feel heavy. With no shelter to protect him from the storm Kiisan kept his pace up and as panic attempted to clench its icy fingers around his mind he murmured a short prayer to keep his spirits up and his mind distracted. The sun, or what little of it he could sense, was dropping lower and lower in the sky. The temperature was steadily dropping; it was still only early spring. The small, glowing spheres began to rise from the ground to float around him and light his way through the green grain. He could here voices calling in the distance, foreign voices, in words he could not understand. The sound of the unfamiliar language was disconcerting and he felt his heart race. No longer able to hold himself together he bolted away from the voices. After a few feet he tripped on his robe and fell in the mud, leaving his vestments stained looking. He scrambled to his feet, now soaked completely through, running in fear, with his eyes closed tight until he ran straight into someone else.