AUTHOR'S NOTES: A day late, and I apologize. Life happens. Anyhoo, Hayato joins the group, and the two main tribalists discuss various issues of great importance. Don't worry too much about the stuff between Rinkah and Fuga though. More important is the wisdom Fuga shares with our good friend Corrin, and his fans will be pleased to hear that this chapter mainly centers around him this time. Also, Corrin's last name (which is thus the same surname of the Hoshidan Royal Family). It's not some deep hidden meaningful name or anything; I just wanted a formal way to address them without having to use titles all the time. I've got the surname for Kamui and her Nohrian siblings written down as well, but it'll be revealed at a later point.
Happy Reading!
CHAPTER 53: Wisdom of the Winds
Sing with me a song of Councils and Flames…
True to Felicia's fearful prediction, she had somehow landed upside-down in the sand and had to be pulled out by her legs. A few people were dizzy, bruised, or otherwise disoriented, but overall no one on either side was terribly hurt. Kamui and Rinkah were the only ones bleeding at all, and since neither of them seemed too concerned about blood or pain, no one, not even Corrin, said much about it.
Either way, Corrin's army and the Wind Tribespeople were collecting themselves and meeting back at the Wind Tribe's palace. It was not by any means majestic the way Hoshidans and Nohrians imagined a palace or castle to be, but it was clearly the home of the tribe's leadership, which in this case was Fuga. Soon enough, Corrin and Fuga stood face to face with one another, with Hayato and a few others surrounding the Wind Chieftain; and Sakura, Azura, Kaze, and Rinkah behind Corrin.
"I am a man of my word," Fuga began, "and you and your army have proven worthy."
"Even with right near everyone but the maid taking a spill?" Rinkah raised her eyebrows.
"Winning my game, even if only by one woman, is still a victory," Fuga pointed out, "and I could see the conviction in the eyes of this young man and his entire army. You are definitely Sumeragi's son, Corrin Ikarayu. I see much of him in you."
"You knew my father?" Corrin looked surprised.
"I knew him well." Fuga sighed, "And the world was a sadder place upon his passing. He and I were troublemakers in our day, but those are stories for another time. Just know that had he been here to see what you and your soldiers did this day, he would be proud."
"Despite what…" Corrin paused, scratching the back of his scalp, "erm, happened earlier?"
"We cannot simply allow wrongdoings against our tribe be ignored," Fuga warned, "but now that we know the perpetrator, we shall make those truly responsible pay their penance in their own due time," Fuga explained, "I believe your tale, Lord Corrin. After all, the Dawn Yato would not choose just anyone to be its wielder."
Corrin nodded, before turning to Fuga again. "Chieftain Fuga… a word, if I may?"
"Very well," Fuga turned to Hayato and the others around him. "Lord Corrin and I would like a word. You are dismissed for now."
"Likewise," Corrin turned to the others. Azura had already disappeared, Kaze vanished on the spot after little more than a nod, and Rinkah stumped out to go get cleaned up.
"I… didn't mean to put it so bluntly," Corrin apologized as Sakura got up to see herself out. "It's nothing too secret; just also not things I want to discuss with so many people in the room. You can stay if you want though."
If there was anyone in Hoshido—or anywhere in Ferevs for that matter—that could keep a secret and/or be non-judgmental in nearly all cases, it was Sakura. Her presence had a soothing effect not only on Corrin, but also on anyone she was around.
With a nod, Sakura simply crossed her legs and sat down again, and Corrin continued. Fuga seemed to be anticipating the next question, and so he actually spoke first.
"I take it something personal is on your mind, young prince."
"Several things, actually," Corrin admitted, "the first one being about the Yato. Obviously you know I wield the Dawn Yato, and I'm sure you're familiar with the Dusk Yato as well."
"Ahh... " Fuga put his fingers to his chin for a moment, "you're inquiring about your sister, is it?"
"I'm not one to judge people by worthiness or anything obviously," Corrin addressed, "but she and I are so different, and yet were both found worthy. Do the blades hold different standards, or is there something I'm missing here?"
"Just as Night and Day serve different purposes, so too do the twin blades you and your sister wield." Fuga explained, "You stand as a level-headed tactician who puts safety above strength, while your sister is much fiercer and cares little for her own well-being as she fights to protect others. You display your might through tact and diplomacy, while she relies on raw strength. The Dusk Yato likely chose your sister Kamui for that reason. Is there something about this that concerns you?"
"It's not so much that," Corrin shook his head, "and more about how strong she is. People rally around me as the leader of this army, but if I'm not even the strongest one out there, why am I the one that others look to?"
"Being a leader is not always about strength, Corrin," Fuga explained, "while a certain degree of strength is paramount to maintaining one's image and reputation as a leader and an icon, you have demonstrated that prowess already. What makes a true leader, however, is someone who cares for each and every member of the group; and someone who can act in the best interests of the people involved. Those are the traits you embody the most."
Fuga noticed the still somewhat concerned look in Corrin's eyes, and so continued.
"Your sister Kamui is incredibly powerful." he warned him, "the Dusk Dragon wields many weapons with natural proficiency, and now seeks to expand her arsenal with mastery over her dragon form as well. She is a warrior that will be remembered through the ages as a symbol of power and might. But, she also seems to understand that she is no leader. She is far too brash and reckless, and she seems to know it. I'm sure that you could discuss it with her if you think she is more worthy to lead your army than you are, but from what I have seen of her, I think I know how she will respond."
"Oh?" Corrin raised an eyebrow, clearly paying attention.
"She has little interest in leadership," Fuga explained.
"How do you know so much about her?" Corrin couldn't help but wonder, considering that he doubted Kamui had ever been to the Wind Tribe before, and also doubted that Fuga had ventured terribly far into Nohr or to wherever Kamui's fortress had been.
"I have lived long enough to be able to learn a lot about how people are simply from how they move when faced with the wind," Fuga explained, "part of the reason I challenged you and your army to my game was to learn for myself how they operated. For example: your retainer Zenzi moves with a certain elegance and wariness to her steps, showing signs of reservation and shyness. By contrast, even if I didn't know her very well, Princess Rinkah's movements showed her ferocity and recklessness, mixed with the fiery passion that one would expect from the Flame Tribe. Even if you look at my apprentice Hayato and how he moved, you can see his drive to prove himself and his abilities."
"Are you like a sage or something?" Corrin was skeptical as Fuga explained more of the deductions he had made about Corrin's army during the fight, "because we could use that kind of power to help save Ferevs."
"I am no sage," Fuga shook his head, "Just an old man who has lived long enough to know the tells. Although that does remind me that I must converse with Princess Rinkah after this about certain beer sages—but I digress. I can tell you what you need to know, particularly about wielding that blade you hold in your hand The Yato is the key to what's known as the Seal of Flames."
"How much do you know about that then?" Corrin raised his eyebrow.
"Not enough to be able to say much more on the matter, admittedly," Fuga confessed, "but I do know this: It is the key to unlocking the full power of the Yato—and if the legends are true, contains the might to topple even a god."
Corrin was speechless for a moment as he took that in. Perhaps Anankos and the Valla threat could be ended after all.
"Archduke Izana in Izumo would know more than what this old man can tell you though," Fuga continued, "I suggest you seek him out. Our tribe will also provide aid, both in terms of a small contingent of soldiers, as well as our friend Hayato."
As if this was his cue (which, it actually was), the short, red-haired boy appeared in the room again. He briefly made eye-contact with Sakura, who was quietly sitting behind Corrin and taking everything in, but then looked down at the ground.
"Don't worry about me," he assured Corrin, "I can fend for myself and will do what I can to prove to be a valuable asset to your army and your cause. You have my word as a Wind Tribe Apprentice, and I won't let you down."
"I trust you as much as I trust Fuga's judgment," Corrin reasoned, "did you think I was going to roll my eyes at the idea of you joining us because you look young?"
"Actually…" Hayato tapped his toes against the floor, "that's kind of exactly what I thought. It's relieving to not hear you say that, as a matter of fact."
"Sakura here is a swift lesson in not judging people by their size." Corrin smiled and offered his hand to bring Sakura to her feet, since they were getting ready to leave, "welcome aboard, Hayato Miyazaki."
"Y-yes," Sakura added, a little nervous for Corrin's unintentional putting her on the spot, "welcome! I hope you like it with us…"
Kamui was one of the first ones waiting outside of Fuga's council room when they finally stepped out. Corrin introduced Hayato to generally positive reactions, and Kamui was one of the first people to step forward.
"So what's the word, brother?" she asked. Sakura glanced at her as if wondering if she should share what Fuga had said about her or not.
"We head to Izumo," Corrin declared, "We seek Archduke Izana and his knowledge of the Seal of Flames. Our end goal is now known."
"I take it there will be an explanation for us normal folks as to what that 'Seal of Flames' is,yeh?" Mozu piped up, "I mean, I don't wanna be rude or nothin'; I just kinda wanna know what we're going after, y'know?"
"Of course," Corrin chuckled. "Anything I feel this army should know, I will not hesitate to share with you. This is by no means a personal quest of mine. This is about everyone, for everyone."
"Aye then," Rinkah nodded, now dressed back in most of her normal attire apart from her boots, "Then let's get going! Well… first I need a word with the Chief. I don't think he'll be joining us just yet, but I might be able to give him a nudge in the right direction."
Corrin obliged and Rinkah slipped back into Fuga's council room, where the old man had begun to meditate. He opened an eye as he heard the door open, however, and opened his other one upon seeing that it was Rinkah.
"I was wondering when you would return, princess." Fuga grinned.
"Well, I don't have all the details yet, but this is what I got regarding the alcohol sages." Rinkah smirked, pulling a piece of parchment out from under the mask she wore on the back of her head. "There's a reason I almost never take it off, you know."
"Ah…" Fuga nodded as he took the small scroll and read it, "this is wonderful news. Thank you, Rinkah. I will consider your offer as more information unfolds."
"Perfect," Rinkah smirked again, flashing her not-quite-pearly-white teeth. "I'm certain we'll cross paths sooner rather than later…"
With that, she left the room, returning to the army with a rather loud kick to the door. "Tribal business," she muttered to Corrin before turning to the others. "Alright," she announced to the crowd that was already making the final preparations to begin their travels, "Let's get moving!"
No one needed to be told twice, and within less than 10 minutes, the army was moving southward out from the Wind Tribe's territory, and south towards Izumo—where their next challenge was already awaiting them...
CHARACTERS RECRUITED:
Hayato: An orphan from the Wind Tribe raised by their chief, Fuga. He is a magical prodigy, but baby-faced and overcompensates with high-handed speech. He is very sensitive about his height, and gets defensive any time someone brings it up. Being from the Wind Tribe, his steps, movements, and magical attacks are often backed with the natural powers and abilities blessed to those of his tribe. The easiest to startle. Born on 19 September (Age 17)
Class: Onmyoji