Kata’s friend led him up the mountain, he was going to meet the gods. It wasn’t a hard climb, the night was cool, and they were both fit young men from the Kerz clan. But it had been a long day, in an exhausting week, Kata was ready to drop dead.

Violence between the Valley clans was ramping up again. A border skirmish between the Telfi clan and the Bawbes had led to call for war. The Kerz bonds with the Bawbes meant Kata’s clan would be obligated to fight if war broke out. The Elders had ordered all training efforts doubled.

The threat of war was the excuse the Elders had given for not letting Janus and Kata go on their expedition to the outside world. Among the current generation of fighters, Kata and Janus were believed to be the best. Prodigies they had been called. They found it amusing.

They argued with the elders, they had gotten permission months ago, and losing two fighters wouldn’t make much difference. The Elders refused. Janus and Kata threatened going anyway, the clan chief said if hey tried, they would be exiled. It was only after promising to bring back precious information on warfare that they got the chance to go, but with a condition.

The Elders wanted to inspire the clan, make them believe they could win. What better way to do so then having the two best fighters duke it out? Display the strength in the current generation. It was agreed, the match would take place in two weeks.

The winner would get to leave.

The loser would stay and protect the clan.

Although the point of the match was so both could show their battle prowess, so they would each have a fair chance of going, the elders were already prepping for Kata to be the one to stay. He couldn't blame them, after all, only Janus was god touched

Until now.

The two reached the mountain’s “peak”. The shift from rough, uneven rock to an unnaturally smooth platform threw Kata’ senses off for a second.  It was said a great warrior cut the top off the mountain and gifted it to the Kerz clan who carved it out to make the archive building.  The only piece of the platform not completely flat was a raised dais in the center. 

Janus tilted his head up, studying the moon and stars. “We have some time until the ceremony starts. I’ll tell you when you need to get on the dais.” He put a hand on Kata’s shoulder, his knees almost buckled. “Say what you want, and keep it in mind, then stay silent. Don’t try and talk with them. They can’t twist what you want if you state it exactly.””

Say what you want, and keep it in mind, then stay silent. Don’t try and talk with them. They can’t twist what you want if you state it exactly.”

 Kata nodded. “What did you say to get your strength?” This ceremony was sacred to Kerz people, especially Janus. Kata had never asked what Janus said to the gods, but he was desperate and needed more information.

Janus coughed, his cheeks flushing. “I asked to be strong, actually.”

“Strong like…?”

“Strong.” Janus sounded embarrassed.

Kata laughed. “And you’re telling me to be precise?”

“I wasn’t sure if I wanted to be strong physically, or mentally, so I just said strong. I didn’t see any obvious way for the gods to twist it. Besides,” he slapped Kata on the shoulder again. Kata’s knees buckled, he fell. “It worked out.” Janus smiled and they both chuckled.

“You know what my boon is, whats yours going to be?”

“Not sure yet.” Kata chuckled.

Janus wasn’t chuckling along. He looked shocked, giving Kata a withering glare. “How can you not know what you want? We spent all night climbing up this mountain, and you don’t know?”

“You didn’t know exactly what you wanted either.” Kata pointed out.

“I had a general idea, you don’t even have that. I didn’t bring you here for a laugh. You should have thought more about this, considering… the circumstances.”

Regret crossed their faces, neither said anything. They hadn’t talked to each other since the match was announced. Both had focused on training, though Kata wasn’t sure why Janus even bothered, he had his strength. Janus waking him in the night, breaking the Elders rules to get him a boon, was the first contact they’d had in weeks. With the match a few hours away, they couldn’t avoid it. 

Janus sat down next to Kata. They saw far out into the plains and mountains of the Valley, their home. 

“I’m sorry for not knowing what I want,” Kata said. “I could have asked for help on the way up, and I know you’d have helped me, but… I wasn’t thinking right. I wasn’t taking what you were doing seriously, I’m sorry. And thank you, for bringing me.” 

Janus gave a dismissive wave of his hand, “It’s nothing. I just didn’t want to win too easily tomorrow.” It sounded like arrogance, but they both knew Janus was stating a fact. His natural skill, boosted by his strength, made him formidable. Kata would need a boon, and a good one to even sand a chance.

He wouldn’t have this chance without Janus taking him. He wouldn’t have access to the mountain if it wasn’t for Janus. Kata couldn’t do a lot of things If he didn’t have Janus. “Do I take advantage of you?” Kata asked. 

Janus tilted his head, thinking. “No. I know my own limits and yours, I wouldn’t tolerate you slacking off.”

“Maybe.” Kata said. “But, when we planned to leave the clan, I gave the brunt of the preparation to you? You can tell the time by the stars, for example. I can’t do that, its a liability.”

“Are we each supposed to know everything about survival then?” Janus asked.

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“No, that’s unrealistic.”

Right. Besides, you know how to hunt and cook food. You can live off the land, and I can navigate. We have our specializations, cover each other’s weaknesses. That was the point of us going as a team.” Janus frowned. “Bit pointless now.”

They went silent again. Janus is better than me, Kata thought. He’s just being humble so I don’t feel as bad. When he leaves the clan, he’d do better than me.

Janus perked up. “I can teach you to tell the time by the stars on the way down. Enough to understand the basics, and there are scrolls in the archive that I can get you.”

Kata thanked him, and hastily rubbed at his watering eyes. Change the subject or you’re going to cry, dammit.

“Hey, if you leave, are you sticking to the plan we made.” Kata asked.

Janus tapped his hands, “I suppose I’ll have to. Our clan has its strengths, our heritage, our connection to the gods. We have the best sword fighters of all the clans.” he said with a smile. “But we still have so much more to learn. The societies outside the valley, the kingdoms and the empires from the stories. We can learn from them, their warfare and knowledge. Without you, I’ll still go to the capitals, learn what I can, and bring that information home. I’ll try to be back in a year.” Janus seemed lost in thought, revising what he would have to do, without Kata to back him up.

He perked up suddenly, “Oh, what are you going to do, if you leave?” 

“Same as you.”

“Good.” 

“But I wouldn’t be in as much of a hurry to get back.”

“Why?”

“Because they’ll have you. If war does break out between the clans, you’d be able to protect the Kerz better than I could. I trust you’d protect the clan, keep it alive only I get back.”

“Well, of course. You’ll do the same if I go, right?”

“Yes, but not as effectively. You’d do it better than me.”

“So, you think its better if I stay instead of you?” There was a hint of accusation in his voice.

“I-” 

“Wait, don’t answer, it wasn’t a fair question to ask you. Go on with what you were saying.”

“Alright.” Kata said, uneasy. It was easy to forget his friend also wanted to go into the outside world, and had been planning to do so for the better part of a year after Kata suggested it. The thought he wouldn’t go was as worrying to him as it was to Kata.

“I would take things slower. Spend more time in the capitals and cities, even small towns probably, if I found something interesting. Learn the lay of the land and form bonds with new people.” He paused, wondering if he should say the next part. “And I want to bring them here.”

“What?” Janus asked.

“I can’t make friends and then just say goodbye to them. If I’m going to their cultures to learn about culture and strategies, its only fair I bring them to the Valley so they can do the same. Plus, I could have them educate the clan, who’ll learn from faster from having the concepts explained to them firsthand. Like, I’ll learn more about how to read the stars from you explaining it to me than by reading the scrolls in the archive.”

Janus glanced up, “Right.” 

“I want them to meet you. I’m going to be telling stories about you to them, don’t worry I’ll be flattering.” They grinned. “I want to see what you think of each other. You’ve played a huge part in my life and happiness, and I know that any friends I make will do the same. 

But, I won’t be screwing around. I promise you this, whatever I do when I leave, its going to be to for the ultimate betterment of the clan.”

Janus seemed to contemplate this. He seemed worried, though Kata couldn’t understand why.

“I’ve never thought about bringing anyone besides myself and you home. I wanted to teach the clan myself, but that would have been flawed, because I might not have even understood a concept as well as I thought I did. But you” he shook his head, “You want to bring experts back. Have them be the teachers.”

“Yeah, am I wrong to want that?” Kata asked.

 He sat back. “I thought my plan was efficient, but yours could help the clan more in a month than I could in a year.”

“Well it might not, I might not find anyone I trust enough tot bring back to the clan, and I can’t guarantee any of them will be good teachers. You can’t say which method would be better.”

“Perhaps.” Janus said. “You know, its really weird we’re friends.”

“Because you’re the chief’s nephew?”

“Yeah but, more because we’re so different in how we approach things. I’ve thought about this for a while now. I’m like a club. I try to go about things as efficiently as I can, but I’m blunt. You’re like a knife. You have a knack for cutting to the heart of things, like finding the best way to teach the clan. And when you do, you understand things better than I ever could. Does that make you better than me?”

Kata grimaced. “What are you talking about? I’ve had hours to come up with a boon and I still can’t think of shit. How is that me cutting to the heart of things. I don’t know anything, I’m not better than you.”

“Well I meant, generally. In most situations that's what were like.”

“How am I not the club, I’m dumb as fuck?”

“That’s not what the club represents.”

“And wouldn’t someone who was the knife understand that?” Kata spread his arms wide, like his retort had instantly killed his friend. There was a dumb smile on his face.

Janus grinned. “Okay, sometimes we switch. I just meant, sometimes I wish I could be like you, or we could be more like the other.” He glanced up again.

“Yeah. It’s time for the ceremony isn’t it.”

“How-”

“You keep sneaking looks at the stars. I can’t read them, but I can read you.”

“Ah. You have an idea of what boon you want?” Janus stood.

“Nope.” Kata rose as well.

“Get one. Go sit on the dais, count for,” he looked up, “Sixty seconds, roughly and then you’ll meet the gods. If don’t have a boon clear in mind, they won’t let you leave with nothing. They’ll use whatever stray thoughts are in your mind when you’re trying to decide, and they’ll twist that and change you in a way you don’t expect. Men and women have come down this mountain like monsters, don’t be one of them.”

Kata nodded, then went and sat at the dais. No pressure, he thought.

As he sat, he heard Janus call, “It’ll feel longer than it is, keep what you want in mind for as long as you can.” Then silence.

Kata racked his mind coming up with a power. He needed something simple to keep in mind,  but strong enough to beat Janus. Speed? No. Janus was like a boulder, speed would be useless. Shoot fire from his hands? There was a women in the clan who did that, but from what Kata heard it was more complicated and dangerous than he could handle. Flight? That won’t help, idiot.”

Kata groaned. He wanted to explore the world, he did. He wanted to walk the plains of a new land, to hike up snow tipped mountains. Dive deep into oceans and crawl through dungeons filled with wild beasts. But all his wants were fleeting If he couldn’t beat Janus. Kata had a good grasp of what his limits were.

He couldn’t win.

But he would never get the chance if he couldn't come up with a good boon. And he only had… his eyes snapped open in anger. He hadn’t been counting! Fuck. Kata slammed a fist onto the dais. He waited for the gods to strike him down in retaliation but they didn't. He still had time.

He sighed. Janus wished he could be more like Kata, wished he could better understand things. Cut to the heart of a matter like a knife. Kata wished he could be like Janus right now. Janus thought he was stupid, like a club, but at least he’d been able to ask for something. Kata found himself echoing Janus’s thought. He wanted to switch places too.

Knives and clubs. Knives and clubs. Sometimes sharp and sometimes dull. Wait, what if-

Kata felt an immense pull on his senses. At the edge o his awareness, something was approaching. The gods were here. Kata knew what he wanted.