Standing the Storm

The patrons of the White Rose quickly resumed their meals after Kai's exit. Conversations blossomed, tentative at first, but soon it was difficult to tell that there had ever been an interruption.

At the table where the five nobles and outlaws sat, however, there was still silence. Malian was looking paler and sicker by the minute, and Cole knew it wouldn't be long before the former general would have to retreat to his room and lie down.

Pixal finished the last few bites of her meal, then set down her utensils and folded her hands on her lap, looking with disapproval at Jay's untouched plate. "You aren't going to bring Kai back?" she asked finally.

"What would be the point?" Jay said. "He wouldn't come. We'll see him at the keep later, and he'll be calmer."

"We?" Cole said, shooting Kaytake a glare. "Who's we? He's not coming."

Kaytake opened his mouth in protest, but Cole cut him off.

"We can't trust you. If Cyrus wanted you to know where he was, he would have told you already."

"But...what about Malian?"

"Keep him here with you. Kyle just made a run to get more antidote. He should return before the sun hits its high point."

"And you guys are going to leave?" Kaytake asked.

"No," Jay said, "we're gonna help Grayren tidy up the place. Once Kyle's got Jess, Malian, and any other sick families here in town taken care of, our group will leave."

"And then you will go protect your pregnant wife," Cole said. "I can't believe you left her alone after pulling such a foolhardy stunt. Garmadon won't forgive you for what you did in the Square. I hope you know, you've essentially declared war on the other two realms."

"Of course," Kaytake said.

"And you have a plan to somehow make it out of this situation alive?"

"Of course. I'm building and army."

"And you're just going to march into the Middle and take over?" Cole almost looked amused.

"Eh, no. It's for border protection, at least for now. I'm going to try and win this rebellion peacefully, as Cyrus requested."

Cole applauded sarcastically. "Great job. I always knew you'd make an excellent pawn for someone like Cyrus."

Kaytake stood. "I am not entirely without reason," he said. "Trust me. I know what I'm doing." He took Malian's arm and helped him to his feet. "Thank you for your time. I trust that you will stay true to your word. Send Kyle to me when he returns. I won't have my friend dead. Not after all I've sacrificed."

The others did bother replying. They did not even watch as he led Malian back down the hall behind them.

"What an idiot," Pixal said. "How did he even get here? That can't be a coincidence."

Cole looked thoughtful. "Do you know what time he got here? Today? Yesterday?"

"I...I think Grayren said he showed up fifteen minutes after Kyle left."

Jay snorted. "There's your answer, then. Kyle must have found Kaytake on the road and sent him here. That would explain why Kaytake said Kyle's name as if they'd already met."

"What are you talking about?" Pixal asked.

"Didn't you guys notice? Kaytake said to send Kyle to him when he arrived. Not send that man or anything else that would suggest they hadn't met before."

"Huh." Pixal grunted. "You're pretty observant."

"That's enough chatter," Cole said, standing and fastening his cloak. "Let's get to work. We can ask Grayren for instructions, but I call room detail."

"Room detail?" Pixal repeated, moving from her chair.

"Yeah," Jay said. "You know, cleaning the rooms? It'd be a good job for Cole because of his...disorder."

"Yep," Cole said. "The sheets in our room were wrinkled, and there was dirt in the corners. For an innkeeper, that's not a pardonable mistake."

"What a travesty," Pixal said. "All right. Like you just said, that's enough chatter. Let's get to work."

Kai trudged along the road with his hands in his pockets. The clouds had rolled in from the west a few hours ago, bringing with them snow and wind. A blizzard was brewing, of that Kai had no doubt.

But he didn't feel worried; he was almost to Cyrus' fortress. Only a few more miles, and he'd be able to see Besai. He'd be able to hold her and Ahlie tight, listen to them talk about what they'd been doing while he had been away. Ahlie was too young for school yet, so she played in a special area of the compound with at least thirty other little toddlers while Besai did chores during the day.

Kai couldn't help smiling despite his heavy heart. At the end of the day Ahlie's favorite thing to do was sit on Besai's lap and jabber in her native language about how much fun she'd had, and about how nice the caretakers were, and a hundred other random things. And then she'd crawl sleepily into Kai's arms and, after a bottle of formula, nod off.

Kai wrapped his arms around himself to protect his body from a gust of wind as he reached the outskirts of a large, fenced farm. He looked out across the clear, rolling field and saw a couple brown cows standing beside a shed. A little further off was the farmhouse, and another smaller shed with chickens all around it, scratching the snow with their claws.

He'd passed this place before, of course, but every time he saw it he got this warm, happy buzz in his chest. I could have this. I could work hard, plant crops, and take care of animals. I could sell my produce. And at the end of the day, I could go into a house like that one and find Besai waiting for me with food she prepared- from our own garden- on the table.

I wonder if Besai would like that. Or would she prefer living closer to a city? I could be a doctor- have a shop downtown, and a nice house in the suburbs a few miles away. A big house, because we're gonna have all of Besai's children there: Ahlie, and the other three still on the island. And then we'll have our own kids, of course. Kai's heart raced at the thought. Imagine that. Me, an ordinary man, with a family big enough to fill even the rooms of a mansion like Sheshin Keep.

Thinking of his father's mansion ruined the moment for him, though, and he dropped his arms, trudging in silence until the farm was out of sight.

Are you all right? Moonsong asked. You seemed so happy a moment ago. And now you're angry again.

"You really think so?" Kai said sarcastically. "Thanks so much for pointing it out."

He felt gentle telekinetic probes from Moonsong in his brain. It felt much like a blanket, dampening his emotions, giving him space to think logically.

You humans, Moonsong grumbled. Why can't you just forgive him? He's your father.

"That's exactly why I can't forgive him," Kai said. "He should have known that what he did would hurt me. He should have treated me better. I'm his son, after all. If he shows more dedication in the field of politics than with his own family, then he deserves to be alone."

And...your mother?

"I love her," Kai said. "She's got nothing to do with this mess, and I hate to think of what stupidity she puts up with every day with Kaytake. I wish she was with me instead of sandwiched between a thousand of his bad choices."

Moonsong continued to dampen his anger, thrumming comfortingly. Stupid humans, it said. You make life so complicated for yourselves.

"I beg to differ."

There you go! See? An argument, right off the bat. Why not just consider what I said from all angles and agree with me? Because I am right. It saves time.

"Maybe."

Sigh...

"Did you just say that?"

I can't actually sigh, so I went for an alternative.

"Whatever. Can you get off my emotions already? I'm calm, I promise."

Moonsong retracted its touch, and Kai's anger momentarily flared. Then he took a deep breath and quickened his pace. New topic. Don't think about today. Umm...

Mother was pregnant. New sibling. Boy or girl?

Girl, his brain said immediately. Another girl that looks just like Mother.

But...wouldn't it hurt more to watch a little child that looks just like Nya grow up? Perhaps she would love birds and inventing and teasing her big brother-

Boy. Definitely a boy. That way, the South would be in good hands after Kaytake died. A responsible young lad, possibly with raven hair and round hazel eyes, taking command and steering the South into a better direction than Kaytake ever could.

Kai fit this boy into his dream future. He imagined the little boy coming to the farmhouse in the summer and playing with Ahlie in the field, chasing chickens and petting goats together.

But that was taking it too far. Regardless of whether Kai had been disowned or not, he didn't want to be a nobleman. It would be better for everyone- including his little brother or sister- if he kept his distance.

Amidst the next gust of wind, Kai heard a hissing noise. He stopped and turned around, squinting at the thick trees. A snake? No, there weren't any snakes around this time of year. A cat, perhaps?

Kai drew Moonsong. The last thing he wanted to deal with out here was an angry, child-sized ball of claws and teeth. He held up his six-inch Blade, waiting for something to pounce out of the trees at him.

Would a wild animal hiss at you before attacking? Moonsong asked.

Kai relaxed a bit. Yeah, the Blade was right. It was just a trick of the wind. There was so much snow it was getting difficult to see the path in front of him, let alone search the woods for wild predators. Besides. Wild cats are rare. Nearly extinct. The chances of one pouncing on me are slimmer than Jay's waist.

So he broke into a jog. He wasn't sure how long he had before this storm really kicked into gear, leaving him stranded until Kyle came back this way and found him. I should have taken a horse. But that would have left Jay, Cole, and Pixal with only one between them. The guys are still too weak to travel far on foot.

Another gust of wind bucked into his left side, nearly toppling him. He brushed the snow- now smaller flakes, shattered by the wind- out of his face and ran faster.

Shhhk!

There was the noise, to his right. This time it was louder. As if there were a dozen wild cats all hissing at once.

There was no doubt now: something was following him. Kai stopped running and drew Moonsong a second time. It grew into a thick, three-foot broadsword at his command.

A blink of red in the trees, then it was gone. Kai stood still, facing it, waiting for it to reappear. Do cats have red eyes? He didn't know. He'd never actually seen a cat before: they were rare in the South.

Then something sharp poked through his cloak at the base of his neck.

"You have a Blade," a voice said. The high, warbled voice of a boy fighting puberty. "You wouldn't happen to be Cole Reddington, would you?"

"What's it to you?" Kai asked, heart beating fast in his chest.

"I was just passing through," the man said. "My master wants me further into the North. But I saw you, and I thought I might get lucky."

Kai whirled around and hit the man's sword with the flat side of his own, knocking it aside. "Don't touch me," he said. "I want nothing to do with you, or your master, whoever he is."

The young man before him was tall. Was the scarf over his face to hide his identity, or just to keep out the wind?

Something grabbed Kai from behind, pinning his arms to his sides. Kai struggled, but the grip was inhumanly forceful. It was all he could do to maintain a hold onto Moonsong.

"Let's see your face," the man said, peeling away Kai's scarf. "Green eyes? No. Black hair, strong jawline? No. All right. Gdly'yi y voryn."

The hands released Kai, and he fell forward a few steps before regaining his balance. Moonsong's gem glowed orangish-red in the swirling snow.

"Do you know Cole?" the man asked.

Kai looked over his shoulder and saw a half-dozen stone warriors sneering at him. "No," he said, swearing to himself as he realized how much trouble he was in. "Should I?"

"Of course you should. You're Kai, the nobleman. One of the other slaves I'm supposed to retrieve."

"Retrieve? I thought Overlord was done with us! I-" He snapped his mouth shut.

Had he really thought that? Had he really thought that the Overlord was done with him? I played his game, and I won.

...Didn't I?

Kai thrust his Blade at the man, screaming out his frustration and confusion. This time, Moonsong did not suppress his emotions.

The man raised his sword clumsily to block, but Moonsong went straight through the normal sword, cleaving it in two.

"Who are you, anyways?" Kai shouted, pressing forward. "What kind of sick person does this kind of work? You're in way over your head, kid."

"I-I'm Senzo," the man said, staggering back, avoiding another swing. "Listen, I'm sorry! I have no choice. You've got to come with me."

"Yeah, right." Kai thrust his Blade toward Senzo's left shoulder. "Like I'd ever go back there."

Senzo barely managed to hit the flat side of Kai's Blade, deflecting the hit. He said a quick, desperate word in the Dark Tongue, and his entourage sprang into action. All six stone warriors drew two swords from various places on their person and charged. It wasn't a clumsy, clunky stone-and-metal kind of charge, either. There was an uncanny litheness to their step. Skill.

Kai stretched Moonsong into a longer, thinner design, twisting his feet and swinging with all the control and technique that had been drilled into him since childhood. He was confident as he could ever be.

The first stone warrior hit the side of Kai's Blade with a simple flick of his own, untroubled.

These stone warriors, unlike any others Kai had encountered, were trained to fight men with Blades.

Kai was so surprised that he lost his balance. He was pushed to the ground by a gust of wind. He speedily righted himself and went for another attack, but was struck between the shoulder blades by another stone warrior who'd gotten between him and Senzo.

"Pluu'to," the soldier said, laughing.

Get up! Moonsong said. The Blade seemed to pull Kai's hand, urging him to keep going. Don't be beaten. You can do this!

Kai stood, wiping his eyes. His fingers were numb, and snow was melting, dripping inside the front of his shirt. I can't give up. Overlord can't take me back there, to his world of...of darkness and water and needles.

He moved his right foot back, bent his knees, and swung the Blade with all the power in his arm, shoulder, and torso. He was deflected, and nearly fell over again.

Surrounded on all sides now, he flung the Moonsong in a wild arc, twisting his body, hoping to hit something.

A stone warrior let out a guttural cry of pain, dropping his sword. His shoulder was bloody.

Kai smiled. So they knew how to fight a proper swordsman. But when someone with a bit of strength and spontaneity entered the arena, they didn't know what to do with themselves.

He swung again, this time hitting another's thigh. He howled in surprise, but kept a firm grasp on his weapons.

Then the five remaining men- Senzo was a safe distance off, as was the one with the wounded shoulder- took a simultaneous step forward. Then another.

"No!" Kai swung once more, but was blocked by several swords at once, some cutting his arms. His Blade slipped from his fingers and into a snowbank. He dove for it, but one stone warrior stepped on his hand.

They descended upon him with ropes and jeering insults- none of which Kai dared translate- and though he struggled, he could not stop them.

Senzo finally came forward as Kai- bound tightly- was dragged to his feet. The boy reached for Moonsong, but the Blade flashed with an angry red light, and he retracted his hand with a yelp.

They'll leave me here, Moonsong said as Senzo turned away. Don't worry. I'll make sure the others find me when they come this way. Please…stay strong, Kai. We'll come for you.

"Continue we North," Senzo said haltingly in the Dark Tongue. "We soon find the more prisoners."

Up, up, up Jay went. The wind and snow whipped at his cheeks, stinging them like cold strips of leather. Eyes closed, he spread his arms, drinking in the thrill of the height he was reaching. The air was thin, and he struggled to breathe; something about the pressure up here seemed to mess with his ears, making them ring and pop.

When he could take it no longer, Jay stopped his ascent. Immediately the gusty wind tugged at his jacket from all sides, pulling him into a free-fall, spinning wildly, cloak twisting and flapping in protest of this abuse.

The ground approached at a dizzying speed. Jay did nothing to slow his descent. He simply spun; headfirst, then feet down, then on his back, then his belly. It was sporadic, dizzying, and terrifying.

But above all, it was thrilling. The surge of panic as the town below him grew larger made his heart pound and his blood run hot. It cleared his head, allowing him to, for once, think of nothing. Absolutely nothing. He didn't think about his parents, or Nya, or even his throbbing leg. He wasn't any of that right now; the wind didn't care how many loved ones he'd lost, or what kind of scars he'd accumulated, or how emotionally ravaged he was. It simply was. And so was he.

Stormstrider. Doing things like this gave the name a whole new meaning. Jay walked the storms. He conquered them. The skies were his domain, and not even the Overlord could take that from him.

After all, the Overlord couldn't fly. No one could. Which made this a wonderful place for Jay. The only place in the world that he truly felt safe. Invincible, even.

Jay wiped snow from his face with a gloved hand and tapped into his Blade's powers. With a powerful surge of strength and energy, he slowed his fall, then dropped into a snowbank outside the White Rose.

Not bad, eh? Jay said, whacking the side of his head to help his ears pop. I landed exactly where I wanted, even with all this unpredictable wind.

Sure, Stormstrider replied. I guess you're getting a little better. Though, is this really the best way to practice flying? The sudden altitude changes don't seem very healthy for your ears...

Like you'd know. You're not a healing Blade. Jay climbed the steps, shaking snow from his hood as he walked.

But I can feel everything that goes on in your body, Stormstrider said. And I know that it does hurt you. Every time you do it, there is pain. Don't go up so high anymore.

Fine. Jay pushed the door open, stamping his left boot as he shut it behind him. Then he bent down and brushed the white powder from his right boot, not foolhardy enough to try stomping with his prosthetic leg.

"Did you have fun?" Pixal asked. She was wiping the tables, which had long since been cleared of people. The room was empty.

"As much fun as I could," Jay said. He pulled off his mittens and cloak, then crossed the large room and draped them over a chair beside the fire. "After all, you guys aren't letting me help with anything."

"Cole isn't letting you help with anything. I couldn't care less if you damaged your leg beyond repair, but he seems to mind some." She tucked her wet rag into her apron and centered a shiny metal candlestick on the table. "We're almost done, anyway. I mean, you finished all of those potatoes, which was an impressive feat all on its own. Grayren's been able to spend most of the morning with his wife, knowing that we've taken care of everything. I'd say this has been a success: one that you definitely helped make happen."

"Thanks," Jay sighed, dropping into a chair. He shook snow out of his hair. "You don't have to sugar coat it, though. Be honest. You guys did most of the work."

"Yep." Pixal picked up her broom and swept up some crumbs from under another table. "We did. And you just chopped potatoes. And then you went outside. What did you do out there, anyways?"

Jay shrugged. "Flew around a bit."

"You're gonna give someone a heart attack."

"I doubt anyone saw me. It's getting pretty blustery out there. Everyone was indoors. After I got past a hundred feet, I couldn't even see the-"

"You flew how high?"

"Er...I'm not sure. Four-thousand feet? Maybe higher-"

Pixal gave him a frustrated glare. "You're going to kill yourself."

"Now, that's a bit-"

"Am I interrupting anything?" Cole came down the stairs from the second level, breathless. He held a huge bundle of blankets that presumably needed washing. He dropped them on the floor.

"I feel bad leaving Grayren with this much stuff to do," he said, wiping his brow. "But we need to go. This storm's not gonna wait for us. And is Kyle here yet?"

"No," Pixal said.

"Hmm. Maybe he was delayed by the weather. All right, come on, guys. Let's get moving."

With a low groan, Jay put on his cloak- dark and full of water from the melted snow- over his shoulders, grabbed his fur mittens, and followed his two companions out the door.