Deserving a Future

Things shifted gears quickly after that. The news had spread about the updated time line and everyone buckled down to get everything done as soon as possible. It took a few days for me to recover from the poison, during which I got to observe everyone’s frantic pace. Still, I couldn’t rest forever and I was soon back on my grueling training schedule.

“So, do we know who shot me?” I asked Daisuke as we stretched. When I asked Vris the same question, she told me she didn’t know anything about it.

Daisuke stepped into a low lunge. “It was a man from a distant village. The arrow didn’t kill him, but the fall certainly did. After some investigation, it was determined he worked alone.” He shook his head. “The man had a wife and two children at home. His wife couldn’t give us any reason why he might have wanted to kill you, but not all husbands are forthcoming.”

Anger burned in my gut. I could only hope, for my own guilt, that this man wasn’t as innocent as he appeared.

“Also, who fired the arrow that killed him?” The question had been gnawing at me for some time.

Daisuke rose up from the lunge and began to stretch his hamstrings. “Why, the palace guards of course. They’re stationed all along our hiking paths and near the training ground.”

The back of my neck prickled. My gaze swept the area around us. I saw no guards.

“Are they here now?” I asked, my voice low.

“Naturally,” he said. “Now, are you ready to begin?”

I sighed and nodded. Much as this revelation was disquieting, it made a lot of sense. People with a lot of responsibility tended to have enemies; I wouldn’t have been the first to be targeted. I couldn’t help but wonder at those people that were against the world being saved. Perhaps a doomsday cult was lurking in the shadows.

My body managed to bounce back fairly quickly, though I needed to favour my left arm to avoid aggravating my arrow wound. On the last day of the month, I was called into a meeting with Seeker Len.

I hadn’t been back to his tower in a long time. The stairs were much easier. His space was identical to when I last saw it: overly warm, choked with incense, and decked out with lavish furniture.

Seeker Len was scribbling away at something. He was surrounded by so many pieces of paper, you couldn’t see the wood of his desk.

“Need another piece of paper?” I asked, raising a brow.

Seeker Len started, then let out a weak chuckle. “Ah, no thank you. Please, sit.”

I sat. It had been over a month since I’d last sat here, and in that time so much had happened. Yet the crux of it all remained the same: I had to prevent the End of Days.

He set his brush down and took a deep breath. “The time has come for you to venture to Mount Ezara. You will leave tomorrow morning at first light.”

Part of me was relieved. At least I would be away from the palace and Sparrow Hall doing something different.

“Am I going alone?” I asked.

“No no,” he said with a shake of his head. “You will be accompanied by a guide. And Vris, of course. She and the guide will assist you until you reach Zenbo. Zenbo lies at the foot of the mountain. From there, you’ll have a new guide familiar with the mountain who will take you to the peak. Or as close as they can manage. It’s often the case that the last leg of the journey must be completed by the Seer alone.”

“How long will it take to get there?” I asked, glancing over all the papers on his desk. They looked like maps, charts, and scrolls written in Surei. The edge of something caught my eye. I saw the word “rain” written in English.

“About a week and a half, depending on the weather,” he said. His gaze was fixed on his brass telescope, lying against the wall.

“Something going on with the telescope?” I asked.

He blinked, then returned his attention to me. “No, why?”

I fought back a scoff. “You were staring at it like it held the secrets of the universe.”

“Ah,” he said, ducking his head. Had I embarrassed him? That’s a first.

“Would you like to see how it works?” he asked. He stood up and shuffled over to it before I could respond.

“Uh, sure,” I said. With his back turned, I gently eased the paper with the English writing out from the pile. It was small, maybe the length of my hand. I shoved it in my pocket as I wandered over to the telescope.

Seeker Len popped the window open. A merciful rush of cool air filled the room. With care, he set up the telescope so it pointed out the window.

“It’s most often used for star gazing,” he said as he peered into the eye piece. “But there are things to see during the day as well. Here, you can see Mount Ezara quite clearly.”

He stood back and gestured for me to look. I leaned down and closed one eye. The image of a mountain came into focus. I realized this was the mountain I could see from my room. Up close, you could see the snow more distinctly and appreciate the dark blue of the rock. The surrounding pine trees made it impossible to see the whole mountain.

“That’s quite neat,” I said after I’d pulled away. I’d once seen Saturn on a telescope as big as a person, so I could internally admit to being a bit underwhelmed.

Seeker Len nodded. A cry echoed from somewhere below us. Seeker Len adjusted the telescope, moving it around as if he were looking for something. He stopped, and smiled.

“Here, look now,” he said.

I looked again. I could see Princess Akiko and Princess Kaede standing in the courtyard below. Akiko wore a bright orange outer robe while her sister wore a more subdued blue. They were tossing something up in the air. It took a moment for me to realize they were bamboo dragonflies. The tops would soar into the air, to the great delight of the girls, then drift to the ground.

I smiled. Kids will be kids, no matter where they’re from.

“Very sweet,” I said, straightening up.

“Yes,” Seeker Len agreed. We were quiet for a moment, then he said, “They deserve a future.”

Ah, so that was it. The time honoured technique known as the guilt trip. “Do I not deserve a future too?” I snapped. “You’re the ones who took all that from me. I’m allowed to be resistant.” I thought of Duncan and Arthur, how their lives were lived on puppet strings, forever at the mercy of Wosurei.

“It’s not easy,” he said wearily. “Taking you from your world is our only recourse.”

“I understand. Believe me I do,” I said. “I have no doubt that my people would do the same as yours. Being the one to give up everything gives you a bit of a different perspective, though. What I think you need to remember is that I’m not your enemy. Whatever caused the End of Days is to blame for all of this.”

I spoke the truth. Much as I disliked the man, this whole thing wasn’t his call. He was just following orders. The gods were the ones running the show.

Seeker Len rubbed his face. “I suppose you’re right.”

Silence stretched between us as he gazed out the window. I shivered at the mounting cold.

“Is there anything else?” I asked.

“Mm. No, not at this time. Just be sure you are ready to leave.”

I turned and started walking towards the door.

“Seer Rin?”

I turned back to him. Framed by the cool, autumn light, he seemed like nothing more than a frail old man.

He bowed to me. “Best of luck.”

I didn’t respond and left.