As always, the streets of the Uzumaki Island bustled with activity. Although usually one would see torrents of people going about their life, now their lives were at a stand-still. The central alley was cleared, flanked on each side with rows of redheaded spearmen draped in hard-boiled leathers. People looked from behind their backs, whispering to each other hearsay and rumors. Every seal vendor, steel maker and tea brewer closed their shop to stand in this crowd and wait for the arrival of the Hikanushi.
With the murmur and whisper parted, the resulting alley linked the entry gates, and the party of the Uzumaki Clan. Neat and uneven rows wore the tell-tale ceremonial red-and-gold - those were the elders of the Uzumaki. Ranging from clansmen that were just visited upon by the signs of time, with their graying red locks and telling lines on their faces, to old men and women that no doubt saw their younger brethren draw their first breaths.
In front of them, Ashina moved about, inspecting each row, searching for flaws, for any minute, translucent mistakes the warriors might have missed. Sweeping one of the rows with his gaze, he suddenly stopped, focusing on a lone soldier. Edging ever closer to him, Ashina sent the man into a cold sweat with a cold, steely gaze.
The leather vest and cauldrons seemed near-identical to the man's comrades, but for one flaw. His belt seemed to have been torn, and crudely repaired with staples.
"Soldier, mind telling me why your belt is in such a shape?" Ashina said, staring into his eyes.
The warrior faltered, averting from Ashina's dark eyes. "M-my apologies, Ashina-sama, it broke this morning, and I had no time for a proper fix," stammered the spearman.
"Get into the back row, you can't be the face of this clan if you're not orderly," with a wave of Ashina's hand he and the man behind him traded places. "Do better."
Ashina then walked back to the welcoming party, taking his place in its front. By his left an elderly woman sighed. "Ashina-sama, why torture our sacred youths? The Hikannushi is not a military man, he won't pay mind to how they look."
Ashina craned his neck to meet her gaze. "With all due respect, Tamotsu-san, with all that our clan has endured so that this day would arrive, proper attire is the least we can present. The Fire Priest may not be a military man, but even he knows that the rot starts from the tail."
As he was talking, he was approached by his second-in-command. He went for a formal low bow, but Ashina waived it.
"Stop it with the bows already Shoichi," said Ashina. "Tell me without the pretense."
"Ashina-san, the elders are all gathered, but Heishuei," he reported, his back ramrod straight. As all of the assembled venerated members of the clan, he wore ceremonial crimson garments. The man's face was clean shaven, the years yet to touch his smooth skin, his hair yet not grey. However, the prominent bags beneath his eyes, and the weariness in his gaze resolved any doubt of his status as a village elder.
As he heard the Priest's name, it put on more of a scowl that Ashina already had. "What's the hermit doing?"
"His scribe met me at the temple, said that the Priest fell ill. They've closed the temple for today," rapported the man.
Stroking his beard, Ashina nodded. "That's one less worry. And the children?"
"They are under Master Ichiro's tutelage for the whole day. Should the procession's path lead to them, they are instructed to move elsewhere."
"I hope that old fool has what it takes to keep control of our youth," Ashina mused aloud, while searching for something with his eyes at the end of the alley. "If not, I'll assign him to be a lowly scribe at the temple, and you as his assistant, Shoichi."
Shoichi gave a good natured laugh. "After all we've been through? I thought I'd at least earn to have Ichiro as my assistant."
Ashina chuckled in turn. "And now that you've found mundane jest, you decide to be familiar?"
Shoichi shrugged. "At least I never threatened to slave a friend away. With some old geezer, no less."
This particular line caused some stares from the elders. Sensing the looks of disapproval, Ashina waved him away. "Alright, enough of this. We'll talk at a later time, get in line."
As he continued to stare, loud crackling of hooves on cobbles reached his ears. Surely enough, there it was: the Hikannushi's coach entered the island town. The illustrious mares that tugged it were a rare sight in these parts, even to farmers, whose mules were hardly comparable.
"Guard! Attention!" Ashina shouted, prompting the spearmen by his sides to straighten out and pound the pavement with the butts of their spears, which formed a resounding clamor across the street. The townsfolk ceased their murmur, eager to be witness to the occasion.
The coach waddled along at leisurely pace, with the coachman sparing the horses any haste. The carriage itself was a sight to behold - the wood and leather screamed luxury and still kept to a simple design, translating a sort of humility.
Finally, the coach reigned to a stop, and the coachman sprung into action, jumping down from his seat to open the carriage door.
A middle-aged man draped in a snow-white robe came out of it, topped off with a fiery red overcoat, emblazoned on the back was the kanji for fire.He wore an easy-going smile on his face, as he looked at those assembled. He locked his eyes with Ashina, who stood at the helm of his clan. The two made their way for formal greetings. As they did, from the carriage came a timid-looking woman in an attire similar to his, only simpler, and lacking an overcoat.
As the two men came closer to each other, Ashina nodded his head ever so slightly, keeping a serious look to himself. "Machigatta-dono, it is a great pleasure to meet you. I hope that the road from the capital was safe and not too tiring."
"Far from it, Uzumaki-dono, I deeply enjoyed my travels through our country. On the way, I've visited many a temple, and making it safe here makes me think that I've managed to appease the kami that live in these lands."
"That is reassuring. On the way back I'd ask you to pray on the Daimyo's behalf, so he too would grace us with his presence," Ashina said flatly.
The Hikannushi gave out a polite small laugh. "Oh, I'm sure the kami had done their fair share of blessings on our honorable Daimyo. Such a blessing as having to govern the Fire country would hardly allow any voyages. Some gifts are bound with maintenance."
Breaking his rather cold stare, Ashina just slightly raised the ends of his mouth in an attempt at a friendly face. "I will trust you on that."
Machigatta billowed with a soft laugh, and then a realization hit him. "Oh, how unbecoming of me. Allow me to introduce my maki Yuro. She's my trusted priestess."
The comely woman by his side bowed deeply. Her short dark hair danced with the wind, covering her beautiful features. Ashina acknowledged her with a simple nod.
The chief then signaled off to the spearmen, prompting them all to turn towards him. The two lines of warriors marched into the city in a near perfect sync. "Shall we go on?"
"By all means," with that, the two made their way through the two rows of the Uzumaki elders, with Machigatta answering in turn to bowing heads.
As they ascended the uneven road through to the entrance to the main compound, people bowed deeply, saying prayers for the priest's health. Entering the compound walls, the townsfolk stayed out of the gates, still shouting prayers and exaggerated hymns.
The procession of the Priest of Fire and his priestess, the Chief of Uzumaki and his elders entered the main stronghold of the Uzumaki clan.
The elders went through the main hall by the stairs while Ashina, Machigatta, and the priestess went up. Looking back, he said. "Machigatta-dono, I am afraid your assistant cannot be present."
Nodding, the man answered. "I understand."
Priestess Yuro did a curtsy as she was waived off and went to join the elders. The two men continued to stomp through to the third floor. Looking around, the Hikannushi noted. "I must say this is one of the few three-storied buildings that I've seen on my travels. My compliments to the builders."
Shrugging, Ashina led the man to the vast and spacious room. The floor was furnished for seating, and across them was a big stone slab with etchings on it, and torches by its sides. "I'm sure they'd appreciate it. Now, I'd like to discuss with you the manner at hand."
The two took off their shoes before sitting across from each other. Ashina's heavy boots thudded on the wooden floor, while Machigatta's low shoes softly clanked. With a puff of smoke a tray with steaming hot tea appeared before the men. Clearly surprised, the Hikannushi exclaimed. "How wondrous! This must be the work of your clan's famous seals?"
The chief nodded. "It's a relatively simple trick compared to the things our masters are capable of."
Machigatta gently picked up his cup with both hands, taking a tentative sip. "I'm sure that you have plenty of things to surprise me with."
Ashina picked up his cup with one hand and took a gulp. "As I was saying, the Uzumaki clan wishes to join the fold of the Fire Church. Should you, or the Daimyo have any demands, they will be met. In accordance with this, I trust that a representative of mine will be welcome at court."
Tentatively sipping his own tea, the Hikannushi nodded. "Both the Daimyo and I deem this request reasonable. You are a respected clan, and your history runs deep. The people here seem to be avid venerators of kami. I understand that you keep to your own traditions?"
Ashina nodded. "Yes. There is an old temple at the edge of the island."
"I would wish to inspect it."
Musing for a couple of seconds in his head, the Chief replied. "That will be arranged, although for now the temple is not performing its duties. The Priest has fallen ill."
Machigatta nodded, sipping his tea. "I understand. In any case, I believe that Uzumaki are turning over a new leaf."
Smiling, Ashina nodded in turn. "I believe so as well."
Several dozen Uzumaki children stood on the serene surface of the sea, their legs wobbling occasionally as they fought to maintain balance, and tension.
Nearby was Master Ichiro, sitting on a boulder by the rocky shore. In his hand was a wooden cane, encrusted with a ruby in the handle, which he used to absently draw Kanji the dirt-colored sand. The east wind blew through his hair, flapping his black robes and long snow-white beard.
Hearing the tell-tale sound of yet another child losing their concentration, he looked up in time to see a splash of water rising into the air. After a moment, the young scrawny boy resurfaced, desperately striving to remain afloat as he spat out water.
Above the group, upon the rocky cliff were nestled Mito and Akihito. Tentatively peeking over the edge, they watched as Ichiro looked over his pupils, and returned to drawing lines in the sand. "Looks like the Old Man didn't notice the switch, sister."
"Looks that way. We're clear for now."
The pair retreated from the edge, careful not to slip. One little hop at a time, they ascended the cliff, emerging on the backside of the temple. As Akihito took a little time to catch his wind, Mito looked down once more. There, hundreds of feet below, the old master and his pupils were mere dots.
"Alright Akihito, you're ready?" Mito glanced at her brother.
The boy swept the sweat from his brow and nodded. Both of them sported white trainee kimonos now stained by mud, more so in Akihito's case. Creeping on the grassy patch, they approached the backside of the temple. Embedded in the old stone hung an almost decayed wooden door, knocking lightly as the wind battered it.
"Mito-nee-chan, are you sure Old Man Heishuei lives here? This looks like a door to a closet," he asked puzzledly.
"This is the only stone hut on the whole island, Aki. It can't be anything else. Besides, Heishuei let me inside once, and there was a bed, so I'm pretty sure he sleeps in it."
"Huh? You never told me Heishuei let you in there!"
"It was a long time ago, and it's not the time I like remembering," she said almost morbidly, looking to the side.
Looking away sheepishly, Akihito bit on his lip, before he jolted on the spot and took out several paper parchments. His smile reached from ear to ear. "Alright, let's plant these!"
Mito sighed, putting her hands on her hips. "That's why you wanted to sneak off? To plant some prank-seals in Heishuei's room?"
"C'mon, it'll be great! The Old Man's gonna reek of rotten eggs for a week at least!" with that, Akihito turned to peek in the door, before slowly entering.
Chuckling, Mito shook her head and entered the temple's inner sanctum. They found themselves in a poorly lit room that they barely fit in side-by-side. On the small table by the far wall laid some trinkets and herbs covered by cloth. The bed was made, and not even a hint of life.
"This'll be great, dattebayo!" Akihito snickered. Mito smacked him, staring him down with a judging look. "Sorry. But this will be great."
Mito looked around the room once more and stood guard by the entry to the altar. "You know how much Father dislikes this kind of language."
Akihito joyfully slapped tags of crudely made seals in every nook and cranny, rigging the bed, the table, and a wooden stool. "I know, it just slipped out."
As her brother tinkered with his prank, Mito stared at the array of tortoiseshells lining the wall above Heishuei's bed. There were dozens of them, forming a scale-like pattern. Looking closer, she noticed a shell with kanji for prosperity engraved on the bone, with the kanji next to it burnt. As she reached out to trace the lines, Akihito nudged her in the back.
"I'm done. Let's go."
Composing herself, Mito nodded, and the two slowly stepped out of the temple the way they came in. As the two were on the green hill again, Akihito locked his arms behind his head, and laughed joyfully.
"What's so funny, little prince?"
The duo jumped from surprise. Slowly, they craned their necks to look at who spoke to them. They saw two Uzumaki warriors outfitted in steel-plated armor and wearing headbands with the clan crest. On their side hung their lone blades.
The older of the two was leaning on the wall of the temple. His short blood-red hair was barely touched by ash, and he seemed tired, with dark circles under his eyes and an unshaven face. As he moved up from the wall, his armor clanked loudly. "Chief Ashina ordered for youths like yourselves to be with Master Ichiro for the day, what are you two doing up here?"
"We- we were just-" stammered Mito in surprise.
"They were helping me gather the herbs," out of nowhere appeared Heishuei, in his familiar garment, now stained by dirt. He moved up the hill with his scepter, glancing at the two warriors. "Children are full of energy. It is quite difficult to follow them as an old man."
The younger guard, who sat on the stone-laid roof, scoffed audibly. He jumped down, his armor clanking along with his blade. Pushing the mid-length hair that suddenly swarmed his forehead, he spat on the ground. "Keep out of this you hermit, or else-"
His tirade was suddenly cut off with a punch to the gut from his older peer. The younger quickly collapsed, heaving and clutching his stomach. The older stood as if aloof, bowing to the ground. "Please excuse my teammate's lack of respect, Priest Heishuei-sama. We shall leave you and the young ones to your business."
Heishuei simply nodded in response and made his way to the dumbfounded Mito and Akihito. The two warriors shunshin-ed away.
Akihito, now sweating profusely, also started bowing. "Please Priest Heishuei-sama, forgive me, please forgive me..."
He got swatted by the priest's scepter, leaving him clutching his head. "Come."
The old man moved past the children, heading for the cave down by the base of the cliff. Looking between each other, the two sighed simultaneously, and followed the old man.
The trio stumbled along the rocky and uneven terrain, which became more and more morbid and devoid of life as they approached the cave. A quiet chill tugged at the back of Mito's neck. She felt as if she once more trespassed on unearthly grounds. Looking at her brother, she noticed that he was shivering. Was it from the cold, or if he felt the way that she did, she could not tell.
As they entered the spacious cave, darkness came upon them. Flames then sprung from Heishuei's palm, illuminating their sharp surroundings with a bright glow. Akihito looked around, still shivering.
"P-priest Heishuei-sama, a-are you going to feed us to the spirits for being bad?"
The old man came upon a stubby looking rock right past the entry. He put the heavy scepter by the wall, and began shaking off the moss and the moisture. Then he sat, breathing shallowly. "That all depends, if you could help me here."
He then released a part of the flame. It floated as a form to the rocky edge up above, illuminating it clearly. "Up on that ridge grows a scarce herb. You being young, I trust you'll help an old man and gather them."
Akihito looked unsure, his eyes darting to corners.
Sighing, the priest added. "There's also supposed to be a forgotten piece of treasure hidden there."
Suddenly, the kid sprung up. "Treasure?!"
"Yes, a piece of golden ingot that was lost long ago, and it is said to make the wielder a powerful warrior."
"Wow, I got to get one of those!" He made the distance with one jump, landing easily on the ridge. Illuminated by the fire that hung in the air, he got to searching.
"It will be easier if you unearth the herbs, it may be buried under them," Heishuei added.
"You got it Old Man!" Akihito yelled excitedly, and heaps of dirt soon rained down the cave.
Watching his brother, Mito chuckled, and then switched her gaze to Heishuei, who'd met her gaze. She quickly looked away.
"Now, young princess, all around you are commonly found night-flowers. Here they bloom the best, and their potent nectar makes for a fine potion. I've already collected a fair amount, but I'm afraid my frail body is giving up on me."
Mito nodded, looking around for the scattered patches of blue flowers. "I'll help you, Heishuei-sama."
"I am much obliged."
A few minutes passed, as the children worked under the light of the fire, and the old man sat, watching them.
Stealing a glance every now and then at Heishuei, she was reluctant to speak with him. Biting her lip, she finally exclaimed. "Thank you for covering for us back at the temple. If Father would've known that we were skipping, there'd be hell to pay."
Heishuei slightly nodded, looking in Mito's general direction. "No need thanking me. We are of Blood."
Grabbing another pair of flowers, Mito stashed them in the fold of her white kimono. Now it was not only dirty, but half-wet. She felt a tug deep inside her as she continued gathering, pushing her to say something to the old man.
The old priest removed his hood, birthing a bald and scarred head. "You wish to ask something of me."
"Yes."
"I presume, it is about the spirits' forecast."
"It is, I want to know what frightened you in that message," Mito said, looking at Heishuei.
The old man sighed deeply, nodding. "I'm afraid it is not something you would want to know, young princess."
Mito wilted noticeably. "So, there'll be another war..."
"Perhaps. The spirits work in mysterious ways. In all of my life they've led me into the dark many times. At times I thought I would get lost in that darkness."
Mito glanced back at the priest. "And then? The spirits led you to light?"
He scoffed in response, shaking his head. '"Not quite, little princess. What they did, was show me the way to climb out of it."
"But why do the spirits choose to lead us through darkness, why can't there be another way, without pain, without war?"
Heishuei then bent down and plucked one of the flowers by his rock. "Sometimes darkness can birth beauty and strength, instead of ending it."
Then, he raised to meet the fire in his other hand, and the flower promptly burnt it in a blink of an eye. "Sometimes light can scorch it away. Spirits don't choose to lead us into darkness any more than these night-flowers choose to live in it. It is merely what is supposed to happen."
Mito scoffed, annoyed. "So we are always going to be in this cycle, war and peace, one after another?"
Heishuei shrugged, looking away. "Nothing is permanent, and only time can show us what is in store for us."
A somber silence came upon them, as quiet roars of fires echoed, accompanied by occasional drippings. Up above them, the hole in their mountain made for a window to the skies. The sun hid under the clouds, seagulls rang with their squeals, and the western wind blew passionately over it all.
The sky was now draped in darkness, tiny beads of stars twinkling far above. Mito stood on the balcony of the main castle, thoughts swirling in her head. Winds now settled down, only gently caressing her skin and hair, billowing her cloth.
Her father's call echoed from within the room. "Mito-chan! Dinner's served!"
"I'm coming, Father!" answered Mito. Softly sighing, she took one last look on the horizon, before entering back into the dining room.
Sitting cross-legged by the wide and short table, Ashina held his hands on his knees. Now, in his home, he wore a grey robe with short sleeves. The material was, as always, silk. Akihito sat by his right-hand side, draped in an almost identical attire, looking quite deflated, struggling to hold his head upright.
Mito approached the dining table by Ashina's left hand, and gently plumped down. After that, Ashina clicked his fingers, and dishes of fine roasted fish with a side of rice and vegetables appeared before each of the family members with a puff of smoke. Akihito immediately perked up, his bright-violet eyes lit up, as he eyed his plate with a predatory smile. As he was about to dig in, Ashina lightly flicked him on his ear.
"Ow!"
"First a prayer," calmly said the father.
The son sighed in response, closing his eyes and straightening his back. Mito straightened as well, shy a sigh.
"May the spirits bless us, and these gifts, which we are about to receive, from their bounty, through their will," flatly recited Ashina, as if a chore. Picking up their chopsticks, the family dug in their dinner.
Their supper was void of much sound, save for clicking of chopsticks, Akihito's munching and the gentle hissing of candles. After a short while, the boy laid down his sticks on a cleaned out plate. Heaving with a full stomach, he excused himself from the table. Mito, however, simply picked at the almost untouched fish.
Ashina noticed this, and laid down his chopsticks on his almost finished dish. "Daughter, are you unwell?"
"No, Father."
"Then do tell me your worry."
Mito sighed, laying down her chopsticks in turn. "The recent divination..."
Ashina chuckled softly, placing his hand on her shoulder. "Sweet girl, you concern yourself too much over nonsensical traditions. Just like a mealtime prayer, it's just a token of respect to our ancestors."
Mito looked at him, defiantly. "Heishuei-sama's never been wrong before."
"Heishuei's just an old trickster. These 'divinations' of his can be read from a myriad of angles, and still applicable. Do yourself a favour child, drift your mind off of premonitions and focus on what you can actually make happen. This way, it will be plenty easier."
She sighed, looking away. "As you wish, Father. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll retire for the night."
Ashina simply nodded, watching her walk away from the dining room. Looking at the now empty table, the chief caressed his beard in a seedless thought. Then, with another snap of his fingers, the table was cleared. He rose from his sitting position, and walked to the balcony to watch the silent night.
