Kiisan was no sure of whether he was awakened that morning by the cold or by the bright sunlight shining on his face through a cracked window, but either way he got up off the floor quickly and took another look around the shrine.
The walls truly were painted with a pattern of wisteria; it hadn't just been a hallucination or trick of the light. "Wow, this really is an amazing shrine," he marveled, taking the place in with the morning light giving everything a warm glow.
"Yes, it sure is," responded a voice from behind him.
Kiisan nearly jumped out of his boots in shock. He turned to look at the thin, pale man standing behind him. His long robes dragged on the ground covering his feet. The man was not wearing the current uniform of a priest, but something about his costume led Kiisan to assume that perhaps they dressed this way once.
"It's all right," the man's wispy, wind-like voice reassured him.
"You sure scared me," Kiisan replied, taking a deep breath. Relaxing himself, he looked back towards the hall of the shrine. Intricate candle holders hung in the corners, the floor was made of some sort of shimmering blue tile, and the ceiling was painted blue with white clouds.
"This...really is an amazing shrine," he repeated to himself.
"It was the first one to be this far from Crystal Valley," the ghastly man explained, "It will be one hundred years old at the end of the week."
"Are you the caretaker of this place?" Kiisan inquired.
"People used to visit here on their way to Tanrensho and the other southern cities. Now no one comes."
"Oh, that's too bad," the young priest said in return.
"You are the first one to come inside in many, many years. A mountain man and his wife sometimes observe from the outside," the shrine keeper continued.
"Why don't you ask them in? It sounds like you could use some company..." Kiisan noted.
"Ask them in?" the man laughed, "I cannot ask anyone in! They have to welcome themselves! The wisteria beckons to the curious!"
Kiisan shuddered. This strange man seemed a little crazy. He could not think of any logical response to his last outburst.
"Thank you, chief-priest-to-be, for your visit," the pale shrine keeper finished quietly.
Kiisan looked around in fear. The man was no where to be seen. "I couldn't see his feet..." Kiisan mused, "...Because he didn't have any! That was a ghost!"
Murasaki Fuji no Shita ni Kuni
"The Country Under the Purple Wisteria"
Chapter 45- The Bonds of Friendship and Epiphanies of Circles
Falina allowed Sasshalai to lead her from the room full of flowers where she had awoken to a musty study full of books and papers in many languages. The Wizard Matataki sat at a desk reading one of the many documents that were stacked upon the desk. The light was dim, and the veil-like cloth he used to shield his eyes from bright light was pushed slightly higher up on his head.
"Father," Sasshalai said, "You wanted to see Falina."
The old, bearded man, looked up with a smile on his face, "Yes, I did. Please take a seat," he gestured to a few wooden chairs scattered around the room. Sasshalai let go of Falina's hand to take some books off of one of the chairs and pull it over for her to sit on.
"Thank you," she told the bright-eyed boy politely.
"Miss Falina," the magician began, "I am sure you were somewhat surprised to awaken here, but do not be afraid. I can explain entirely what has summoned you to Klikk. This may just take some time."
"Father," Sasshalai whispered with a note of impatient in his voice, "It's not hard to understand. It will be easier than you expect. I can tell."
"Don't rush me, Sassha," his father laughed, "I am used to taking my time. Miss Falina, your friend unleashed the Circle Rune to protect you. The spell he cast stole the lives of a small group of Imperial soldiers to give you back yours. However, your body was too damaged for your spirit to stay with it, so you appeared to Father Kiisan to have passed away. Fortunately, Sassha recognized what had happened to you and brought you here to Klikk. We healed you here, and as you can see, you awoke only a little worse for your experience."
While his father spoke, Sasshalai had sat down on the floor beside the chair where Falina sat and put his hands on his head. "Is Sassha okay?" she asked.
"Your friend Father Kiisan is struggling with his rune. Although we are far from him, Sassha is very perceptive of these sort of things, so the tension is somewhat painful," the magician explained, "And I think he could also use some rest. Over-extension won't do anyone good."
A small hand still pressed against his forehead, Sasshalai stood up and headed towards the doorway, "I will take that suggestion. If you need me, Big Sister, don't be afraid to wake me."
After his young son had left the room, Matataki grew more pensive. Falina looked at him with concern. Something seemed to be effecting him in much the same way that Sasshalai was pained by Kiisan's struggle. "Master Matataki..."
He looked back up at her, with a strained smile returned to his wrinkled face. "Please, call me, "Sensei," Miss Falina, I prefer it."
"Sensei, what's wrong now?" she inquired anxiously.
"It's reaching a critical point. They, the leaders in Rupanda, are considering awakening the Beast Rune. They don't understand the suffering it will cause... It does not take orders easily, and it might very well tear them all apart. They are collecting blood to summon it."
She cringed at the thought. The Beast Rune was something she had heard of. It was very easily the ultimate weapon of the Aronian Emperor, said to be sealed in the capital.
"You may confront it..." Matataki mused, "...And it will certainly be dangerous, but I think you know someone who could overcome it...Miss Falina, do not be afraid. Soon I will send Sassha to bring this news to Father Kiisan. For now, just rest. Thank you for listening so patiently to this old man..."
Falina stood up and bowed slightly, "Thank you, Sensei."
**********
Even with Han Li's concoction, Mitsu's illness seemed to be irritated horribly by the low temperature. The fragile strategist himself appeared to express hope only to live to see the revolution's end. It had been deemed best to move forward. If they stayed in their current location much longer, they risked the return of the snow as the season advanced.
Much to Louis Abdul's surprise, Yuzumi and Nolan insisted on accompanying the rebels at least until they were out of the mountains. "I know the paths and passes here better then any of you," Nolan stated, "We'll be helpful. Just give us a chance."
The captain, who in Kiisan's absence had appointed himself temporary leader, with little resistance from even Han Li, accepted them thankfully. Any help for the cause was always appreciated. The revolutionaries had gotten together what little they had, helped Yuzumi and Nolan close up the little house, and set out towards the state of Naco to the north.
**********
Kiisan had broken a heavy branch off of a dead tree near the shrine. He was worn down from his recent ordeal and upset by his meeting with the ghost of the shrine keeper. He limped along, having tripped in an unseen hole and injured his ankle, supporting himself with the stick.
It was growing dark and he could see no where to take shelter for the night. He had resolved to go north by himself. If he found his companions again, that was fine, and if he walked all the way to the citadel by himself, although that would be more difficult, that was also fine.
"A fire," he said to himself, in surprise and somewhat in relief. He could see the reflection of its flames on the shallow snow. A campfire meant warmth, it meant food, and it meant people. As he drew nearer, Kiisan could hear voices.
"You're such a fool, Ignatius!" complained a woman's voice.
"I'm so sorry, Lady Anamaria! Please forgive me!" responded a nervous-sounding man, who Kiisan assumed must be Ignatius.
He turned the corner and could see the two plainly. The young woman, Anamaria, had shiny brown hair, while the man, Ignatius, had blond hair with sideburns tied back in a short ponytail. He was dressed in what looked somewhat like a military uniform, but it was, confusingly enough, not one of the Imperial Army, or any of the state armies that Kiisan knew of. The girl seemed pretty, but the most noticeable feature of her companion was his nose. Kiisan would not have been able to describe it more accurately than saying it was, "of an unusual size."
The two travelers seemed thoroughly distracted with a slipped pot of something. Kiisan approached the fire, and dropping his stick, sat down close to them. He was too tired to be worried, "Nice to meet you," he said, "I'm Kiisan."
Both Ignatius and Anamaria turned to look at him in surprise. While the blond man gaped, Anamaria asked him, "Are you really that Kiisan?!"
He nodded, feeling his eyelids droop, "Yes, I am. ...And, I'm sorry to impose, but do you have anything that I could eat?"
**********
Another day had passed by the rebels hurrying through the mountains. Louis Abdul, having regained much of his strength after their forced rest, pushed everyone to keep up a quick pace. Hai-Yong carried Mitsu, who often breathed heavily and coughed painfully. The speed of their travel was most difficult for Carlos and Mio who did not have as much stamina. They trailed behind their companions, trying not to fall too far behind.
Carlos was used to traveling more slowly than the others and so being left a little behind did not bother him much. Mio, however, was much more anxious about his speed. "Come on, Carlos, let's rush a little, and we'll be able to catch the others!" he urged.
"We'll just fall behind again, though," Carlos said with a sigh. Mio was not going to be convinced otherwise. The orange-haired strategist began to pick up his pace, and Carlos, although he did not rush like Mio, began to take larger steps, when a call stopped him in his tracks.
"Carlos? Carlos?! Is that you?"