Chapter 40: One side of the mirror
Stepping out of the gate, Araki scans his surroundings. It was the place that they wanted to visit as they arrived on top of a hill overlooking a castle. Naiki comes out after a while, getting a little bit dizzy from the trip.
"I need to sit down a bit, Lucky that I did not go with a full stomach or I will barf out on that trip." Naiki sits down on the ground, adjusting his senses.
"It was your first time traveling across universes right? Don't worry, you'll get used to it sooner or later." He crouches and pats Naiki.
"Where are we? Some kind of old medieval-era planet?" Naiki says while gazing at the castle.
"Yep, this planet has no other intelligent beings other than humans. Except for something that you did not know."
"Oh, that's why the dragon lady did not follow you here. Something that I not know?"
Araki just nods without giving him the answer. Both make their way to the city by walking there, they did not want to cause a scene using their powers just to arrive at the city. A few watchmen inspect the coming and going of people to the city. After passing the checkpoint, Araki and Naiki decided to stop at the local bar. A sign with some weird language strike Naiki's fancy and tries to read it.
"Golden moon izakaya?" Naiki inquired to Araki.
"Izakaya means bar; Naiki. These are kanji words, the same culture of people used as the place where you are recovering after you lost control." Araki replies.
Naiki nods in assent and enters the bar with Araki to gather some information. The two order some drinks while listening in to the patrons with Naiki reading the map of where they are. They blend in quietly in the crowd.
"This massive continent is controlled by the Empire of Ise? Why are they some contested grounds at the other half of the continent?"
Naiki speaks his mind. A waiter hears his words and clarifies.
"You must be a Westerner from another country if you did not know about what happened here." He looks at Naiki up and down. Naiki just shrugs.
"The other side of the continent is filled with yokai and the people controlling them, we can't unite these lands if they still exist."
He pauses and pointed to a massive wall on the map.
"The Emperor once fortified our already gained lands, but we rely too much on Western weapons, not our traditional methods. What if your people decided to stop selling us your weapons? We will be at the mercy of the yokai without any way left to fight them."
The waiter stops when a guard coughs in his direction.
"I said too much; if you wanted to know more, you better ask our local daimyo controlling this region. He is friendly towards Westerners like you…"
He quickly clears out the empty cups on Naiki's table and returned to his work.
"Araki, what are the yokais?" Clueless about what the waiter speaks of, Naiki whispered to Araki.
"They are supernatural entities of this part of the land. Monsters, demons, shapeshifters, and so many others." He answered while showing a poster he picked up beforehand.
"So this is what you meant by the things I did not know. Fascinating…" Naiki looks at the picture clearly, a human figure but all up in flames with a bounty on it.
"Don't use our powers here. We don't want them to suspect us as yokai masters since they can use their powers as same as ours." Araki noted Naiki.
Naiki quietly agrees and materializes a single weapon to use if necessary. It was his phantom blade.
"Although, I am curious what path do you want to take during this adventure?" Araki looks at Naiki.
"Direct route is the best, I suppose getting more information can work too. Maybe get some souvenirs and delicacies while at it." Naiki answers while heading out himself. Araki stops him and gives him some coins for him to buy what he needs. Naiki looks at the carving of the coins, calculating the currency that they use with Araki before leaving.
Seeing the town's hustle and bustle interests him in the townsfolk's daily activities. Eating some apple sweet he just bought from a nearby stall; a warning bell suddenly rings across the city. He takes it as his cue to go to the eastern gate and sees what the fuss is all about.
"The yokai breached our defenses! Everyone, take cover!" Yelled one of the guardsmen.
The one that heard him spring into cover. Naiki ignored the warning and went to the guardsman. He looked at the frightened soldiers desperately trying to gather courage and trying to get into action. A few pieces of debris are flung high into the air and crash to the ground. Tremors of shockwaves hit the ground, followed by the collapse of a nearby wooden house. Naiki quickly halted as the yokai lay its eyes on him. Both stared at each other without backing off.
A quick gushing air slashes straight at the yokai's head and it falls to the ground off the impact.
"You; westerner! Fight or take cover!" A voice full of courage shouted at him.
A few soldiers quickly form a barrier of an electrified spear against the yokai. Naiki unsheathes his phantom blade and slashes the Yokai's spine from afar. The yokai screams in pain and falls back to the ground motionless.
"Not bad…for a westerner…" A man clad in grey armor speaks to Naiki.
He taps his elbow with his glove, only to look into his eyes. Naiki remains speechless as the man backs away from him. The other soldiers quickly return to the clad man's side in wait for orders.
"Red eyes…with a cold gaze and you must have seen a lot of battle with it…" He speaks to Naiki again with a cautious voice.
Acting calm as always, Naiki only bowed to the question. A retainer with the same clad of armor interrupted him to deliver some news.
"My lord, the yokais from the eastern gate have been vanquished." He speaks from the line to the figure standing in front of Naiki. He turns to the soldier and nods.
"Capture him." He speaks again to his soldiers.
"Wha-…" Naiki state in shock.
The nearby soldier takes his sword from his hand. The phantom blade oddly shuts down, behaving like its master in shock at what happened. Araki who went out to stretch his legs sees Naiki being escorted into the castle with guards in tow.
"Naiki, what did you do this time?" Araki telepathically speaks to him. Naiki sees him at the corner of a building and returns the answer.
"I dunno. Go with the flow I guess?" Naiki raised his elbows while answering. Araki just shakes his head while seeing Naiki being detained in the castle.
A few hours later after standing in the castle while being closely guarded, he is joined by the same men with a few other retainers. A scroll decorated with a gold finish is seen held in his hand. The six men accompanying him wait for him to speak. Naiki's eyes dart across the castle to see weak points for him to prepare for his escape.
"Westerner…try to read these symbols…" The lord of the castle speaks to him.
Naiki did not understand his intentions as he unravels the scroll. At first, Naiki was not able to decipher the weird-looking scribble far more complex than the kanji words as others watch him like a hawk. But after having a decent look at it for a few minutes, everything becomes clear as day and he reads it aloud.
"A land of islands reunited as a whole, a land of peace and prosperity…" Naiki reads it.
The retainers stand firm even from the shock of what he just speaks of. They wait for the castle lord to speak further.
"What about the last word on the far bottom right?" He says to Naiki.
Naiki reads the last bit of the scroll.
"Unity?" He says it aloud again with doubt.
The retainers exhale sharply, some grumbled in at the back.
"So you can read it, the last wishes of our past emperor." The lord rolls up the scroll and passes it to his retainer.
"Yes, it takes some time for me to understand it. Why with all the security and measures?" Naiki questions his motives.
"Well, we can't. Except for the last bottom right which says unity." He honestly speaks to Naiki while some of the retainers put a fake cough.
Naiki's mouth gaps a little hearing from the lord of the castle. He did not believe all that just for reading the single piece of scroll.
"My retainers and guards, now you may leave us…" The lord of the castle dismisses everyone.
One of the retainers asks him to reconsider with the support of the other retainers.
"But my lord, with a Westerner. That is also a stranger?" The female retainer voiced her opinion.
He glared at his retainers who bows and leave with the guards. Naiki sees the gesture of bowing differently from his nation and noted it in himself. With a fresh gale of wind, the lord looks into the sky. He then turns his attention back to Naiki.
"Now that is put behind me, I can properly introduce myself to you. I am lord Oda of this land. What is your name westerner?" He speaks out to Naiki.
"I am simply known as Naiki," Naiki answers him as Oda gives a weird look at the name.
"Na-iki?" Oda tries to pronounce it.
Naiki nods as if it was the correct way to say his name. Oda further signals him to follow him while asking him to take off his shoes. Naiki reluctantly does it and both make their way to the main keep. He sees the well-designed wooden structure which surprises him with its elegant design. Tatami made of rice straws eases the pressure of wood from his feet. They were further greeted with a flight of stairs to the upper keep where Oda wanted to go.
On top there is a balcony overlooking the town, Oda rests his hand on the wooden balcony railing. Naiki follows suit.
"Isn't this beautiful and peaceful?" Oda says it to Naiki while looking at the city.
Naiki just nods while watching the scene, it reminds him of his capital planet and the amount of hard work including sacrifices that they have done. It must feel the same as what have Oda achieved.
"How many years it took you to achieve this Lord Oda?" Naiki asked him.
He looks at Naiki who understands what he was thinking.
"Three generations; Naiki. I am the third to maintain this peace after the warring state with the other lords and yokais." Answers Oda to Naiki.
Oda stands in silence for a while, searching for an answer to the scroll. Naiki enjoys the view very much that a smile carves out of him. He directs it to Naiki after the long silence.
"Naiki, how do you think of us to approach this matter? Of unifying this land as the emperor's last wish?"
Naiki is surprised by the question, he was just an outsider who knows nothing of this civilization. He answers the best he can from his point of view.
"A diplomatic solution is always an option, sure there are some monsters out there that are hostile toward this city. But some peaceful ones are out there, who have grown tired of what has happened. Other lords might not agree with this but it cannot last forever in a stalemate…" Naiki speaks his mind.
Oda watched him during his explanation as Naiki delved deep into the adaptation tactics he learned during his academic days.
"I know not about this part of the land but what one of your people has said before, the balance must be kept. In terms of old knowledge and new, if one side leans too heavily it might topple down and the progress will be for nothing. Also, a reserve plan must always be kept if things did not turn out the way you wanted." Naiki further expands his answer.
"I think you might be another ruler but not from here based on you easily answering my questions. Am I correct?" Oda questions him while scratching his chin.
Naiki tries to dodge the question without looking at him.
"I don't know what you are talking about, I have no ruling land here." He returns the answer.
"Don't lie to me, you answered the question like a ruler with a lot of experience. If not from here maybe in another world." Oda pushed the topic.
Naiki sighed and look at him as if he wanted the truth out of him. He is surprised Oda knows about other worlds out there.
"Yes, I am…" Naiki answered with hesitation.
"I knew it; you are not of this world. Especially your dialect and that weapon, the sword with a blade no one can see but only its wielder. I know the other Westerners from their countries but not the way you mingled in the situation with calm and collective thinking." Oda solidifies his beliefs.
Naiki just nods, another ruler of this world knows what he is.
"How did you know about other worlds?" Naiki asked away.
"Yokais are not of this world, they lived in their plane of existence but come to this world because of something that we did not know. Must be a threat that we cannot see… Yours must be the same but different worlds…" Oda leaned forward at the railing, answering Naiki's question.
"Can you help me? My retainers know nothing about diplomacy with the yokais." Oda asked for his assistance straightforwardly.
Naiki is willing to accept the risk and nods. Both continue their conversation during the small feast Oda has prepared till the night has come. Naiki left the castle and sees Araki waiting for him outside.
"I was just about to burst through the front gate to get you. What happened?" Araki speaks out.
"Lord Oda needs my help with the yokais," Naiki answers him while stretching out.
Araki shakes his head in disbelief.
"Your wife says not to do something stupid, yet you involved yourself in someone else errands." The warning Araki says to Naiki did not shake his resolve.
"This is something that we must do, the first step to unify this patch of land, Araki." Naiki is determined with his wish to see it happen.
"All right, then you take the lead and I will follow. Got any clue of where we are going?"
Naiki just pointed at the eastern gate where the yokai have come before. Both walked outside the gate in the distance, only to see a blue willow wisp appearing in front of them in the night.
"This is a textbook trap Naiki." Araki telepathically says to him.
"Yeah I know; it means we are on the right spot." Naiki just replied normally.
They followed it into the forest. A pair of white eyes stalks them inside the tree line. Their stripes look like tree barks and are well camouflaged as it moves with them. What emerges out did not startle either of them even if the size is as tall as the tree. The yokai white tiger dashes and stop in front of them while another with blue eyes appears out of nowhere blocking out the exit, putting the both of them in a corner.
"Humans, you know it was a trap yet you follow it?" The white-eyed one speaks to both of them.
"Oh cool! A white tiger!" Araki is hyped to see one.
"Yes I am; in fact, our kind is rare amongst the yokais." The white-eyed boast in front of him.
The white tiger poses majestically in front of Araki, Naiki just wanted to touch that fur. The blue-eyed one coughed at him.
"What are you doing here? You know it is dangerous as other yokais are active at night." The blue-eyed asked while still blocking the road.
"Lord Oda wanted to come to a peaceful solution with some of the yokais. I am here as a delegation." Naiki speaks boldly.
The two tigers looked at each other as they are whispering their thoughts. Araki just watched them in amazement while Naiki waits for the answer.
"How can we trust you? You are not of this land." The blue-eyed one says its response.
"Because if I am ordered to kill you here, I already did. I am here to offer a peaceful solution because too much has already been lost on both sides." Naiki gives a sharp answer to it.
They laughed hard. Araki just backs away knowing what Naiki is about to do. The white tigers stop laughing and look at him.
"You, a measly human trying to kill us? You should be our dinner in the first place but you entertain us with your silver tongue." The white-eyed jaws moved to speak to him with a small grin.
Naiki discharged some of his power and the energy is enough to put silence in the forest. Both yokai tigers stand in silence and notice the power this human is capable of.
"Does that satisfy your curiosity?" Naiki answers while glaring directly at the eyes of the white tiger. Its fur stands up watching the murderous gaze Naiki gives to it.
Another tiger pops out of nowhere and blocked in front of Naiki. It bares its fang to him in response to feeling his energy. The size is smaller than the other two.
"Don't hurt my father or I will bite you!" It says to him, growling in response.
Naiki sighed and shuts down his power. Araki just watched how Naiki handle the situation. The fourth one appeared near Araki and he just pet it. The tiger just sits silently while being stroked by him. Naiki sees this and turned his attention to Araki.
"Hey, no fair! I wanted to do that first!" Naiki shouted at Araki, he gives a faint laugh at him.
The Yokai tigers laughed seeing Naiki's reaction.
"So you do come here for a solution with this Lord. I will comply, but if they break our trust we will burn their city." The white-eyed speaks to Naiki with the blue-eyed standing at his side.
"Why the sudden change of heart?" Araki asked while Naiki still being jealous about it.
"You, red-eyed." The white-eyed pointed to Naiki to get his attention.
Naiki turns to him only to see the massive face smelling him out.
"You reek of another yokai, a cunning nine-tailed fox to be precise. Are you acquainted with the kitsune yokais?" He says to him.
"You mean the mythical nine-tailed arctic fox? Yeah…" Naiki answers.
The Yokai tigers nod at him in approval.
"It must be the smell of Vexis who rubbed her face at me…" Naiki says in her thoughts.
In another universe, the mentioned Arctic fox sneezed while doing her work. She rubs her nose as the Sakhalin fox watched it, fearing she might have a cold.
"We will move out tomorrow including the forest." The blue-eyed tiger speaks to Naiki.
"Wait, the forest?" Naiki responded.
The Yokai tigers snickered. Naiki is clueless about it and Araki just plays along with the tigers.
"Silly human, the forest is our home. Where we go, the forest will follow." The white-eyed tiger responded to Naiki.
Both departed back to the city while Naiki is still fuming not being able to at least stroke one of the big cats. Surprisingly, Oda waits for their return at the gate.
"Naiki, you have returned. How did it go?" Oda greets him with his concern.
Naiki explained every single detail to Oda, but Araki just slides over and disappeared to get some sleep. As Naiki accompanied Oda to scout where the suitable ground the yokais can live, they were personally greeted by some of the friendly yokais. Oda flinched a little but Naiki reassure him that the tiger yokais are on his side.
Both continues to scout until the mentioned forest appeared near the southern part of the city. The mentioned tigers appeared in front of him. Oda stands firm just like Naiki did when they are approached.
"Naiki, these are the guardians of the forest yokais. The two tigers of Owari. How did you manage to do it?" Oda curiously asked him.
"Sheer luck I guess?" Naiki shrugs.
Oda only returns a short chuckle at Naiki's response. The four of them discuss the matter of agreement and come to an equal conclusion. Naiki smiles that it is done and wanted to leave.
"Naiki wait!" Oda calls out to him.
Naiki responded to it. Oda reached out his hand and handed him a catalyst-like crystal. Naiki sees it, a contrail of dark mist inside the catalyst spins around.
"This is from me, I cannot handle that much power and it rejected me. I know you can wield it much better than me." Oda says to him while pointing at the crystal.
The tiger Yokais sees it and interrupted them.
"That is a dark power, the one that can control it will yield its dark powers. Be careful…" He says to Naiki.
Naiki looked at the crystal in his hand, a few seconds before he wanted to put it away it disappeared.
"Ah, seems like your body absorbed it for you. Don't worry, it means you are suitable for using it." The blue-eyed tiger says to Naiki.
Naiki nods but shows some concern. He noted to Oda he can keep his sword that his soldiers forget to return to him. Oda shakes his head after hearing the news and bows in gratitude. Naiki quickly finds Araki and tells him that is enough adventure for the time being. Both departed to where they first arrived and Araki uses his ability to return to Naiki's universe.