Chapter 4: Never Let Your Guard Down

Wagons burdened with heavy loads rolled out of Ishikawa, one after another. Some Ishikawans left on horseback, others carried what they could like pack mules. No matter how they fled, none of them looked back. I couldn’t blame them for abandoning the place after what happened.

Ishikawa was officially a cursed land to them. Better to get out while they had a chance.

I don’t know about curses, but something crazy was definitely in play here. Did I really hear Yamato or was I just imagining? If that bug man was him, how’d he get that way? And why’d he attack Matsuo?

As the exodus from Ishikawa continued, I kept my eyes peeled for that veggie peddler, Suro, and his family. They had better not leave without talking to me first.

Screw that. I’d better head to his place now.

“Aiden!” called Ino from my rear. “Where are you going??”

“I have business to take care of, Ino,” I insisted as patiently as possible. “I’ll be right back.”

“What business?? Matsuo is well enough to speak now. You need to come hear what he has to say!”

And just like that I was being dragged away by Ino, again! One of these days I’m going to remember to turn invisible when he’s around.

Hmm. Maybe I can still salvage this trip somehow. “Ino, uh, what do you know about this Pardoning of Sin thing?”

“Never heard of it!”

“But I read about it. It’s supposed to be a common practice around Nihon.”

“Not common enough. Now, let’s hurry to the castle!”

Oh well. I had to try.

I followed Ino to the castle infirmary where a sword wearing Isuko and a much healthier looking Matsuo were waiting. It was good to see life in his eyes once more.

“We’re here, Matsuo. Tell us what happened to Yamato.”

“The whole meeting in Obidawa was a trap,” Matsuo explained, staring at the floor. “The road there was blocked by Hajimo’s soldiers. He never wanted resolve anything.”

“That scum!” growled Ino.

“He was there too; waiting for us with one of those runes. He used it on Yamato.”

“The Beast Rebirth..” I said. It wasn’t a power I touched at all. Controlling beasts was as bad as manipulating people. But it never occurred to me that the rune could be used to transform people into creatures.

“Hajimo’s going to Hell for this!” promised Ino, knuckles cracking.

“Aiden, how do we change Yamato back?” Isuko asked.

Thanks for putting me on the spot. “I don’t know,” I shrugged. “This is all new to me.”

“There must be a way.”

“Yamato isn’t our problem right now,” Matsuo said, dismissively.

“I know you and Yamato disagreed about the best way to handle the situation,” Ino said. “But I think our first course of action should be getting our leader back.”

“Hajimo’s army is coming to raid the city. Yamato was a fool to think he could reason with him. They abandoned us during the Great Fog, now they want to wipe Ishikawa off the map.” Matsuo walked over to the exit and stopped. “I’m going to round up as many soldiers as I can find and take the fight to Hajimo. Are you coming Ino?”

“You know I am!”

“But..what about...” Isuko started, but was ignored as his father and Matsuo left the room.

Seemed like both Yamato and the city were in serious trouble. Well, I don’t know anything about this Hajimo guy or whatever’s going on with Ishikawa and its neighbors. All I knew was ( unlike last time ) this wasn’t my fight. I came here for one thing and I think I’ve put it off long enough.

And I was all ready to go when I noticed Isuko make his exit by leaping off the balcony. Why wasn’t he going with his father and Matsuo? Again, it was none of my business.

Right?

Who was I kidding? Yamato’s a good person. I can’t turn my back on him. “Wait for me, Isuko!”

“This isn’t your concern.”

“I agree with that. But I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t help.”

Isuko turned to me and smiled. “I’m glad to hear you say that. To tell you the truth, I don’t trust Matsuo.”

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“Why not?”

Isuko cut around the castle grounds and through the flower garden where he took a moment to check the dark pink flower blossoms. “These sasanqua were planted here a long time ago by Yamato’s grandmother. They only grow here and during this time of the year certain insects are attracted to their color; including these little guys.” He plucked a bug from a flower then opened his palm to me. “Look familiar?”

A beetle, like the ones that attacked the city, only normal sized. “As far as I know, these beetles only hang around these types of flowers,” Isuko continued.

Wait, I did see Matsuo in the garden, didn’t I? But, why? “Why would Matsuo betray Yamato?”

He shrugged. “They've always held conflicting ideas on what’s best for Ishikawa. When the neighboring cities started cutting us off, Matsuo favored retaliation instead of negotiation. Father told me that Matsuo felt strongly about the matter. He really wanted to have his way. Now, with Yamato out of the way, it looks like he will.”

“Shouldn't you share your concerns with your father?”

“Matsuo’s beef was with Yamato. He’s not going to do anything to father. I hope.”

And what about his rune? If Matsuo used that Beast Rebirth there would have been runic markings on his hand. I don’t remember seeing any. Was he controlling Yamato at the time of his attack or wasn’t he? “Do you have a plan to stop him?”

“I need your help finding Yamato. You have to change him back. I know you can.”

Yeah. Don’t get your hopes up.

I’m a rune bearer not a miracle worker. I wasn’t even half as familiar with the Beast rune as I should be.

But, after several minutes of trying I was able to get that beetle to do some pretty surprising dance moves; that was it. How Matsuo managed to change Yamato into a giant bug was beyond the rune’s power.

Maybe he was more advanced with it than me? Nah, something else was at work here. He could be an enchanter or a magician; people with unnatural abilities like the ones in the story books I once read. Isuko hadn’t heard of such a person living in Nihon, but he was as eager as me to find out if there was a connection.

He knew of an elder named Bara that lived a mile or two beyond the city’s gates. One hundred years? Two hundred years? No one knew her exact age but, according to Ino’s son, there was years of wisdom in her wrinkles.

With someone her age I sure hoped she could spin some wisdom and not yarn.

As we were leaving Ishikawa was more active than I had ever seen it. Armored swordsmen on horseback were gathering in the center of the city, towering over the mass exodus of Ishikawa’s people as they left their homes and businesses.

“You’re not going to tell your father about Matsuo before we go?”

“Nah. He wouldn’t believe it. He and Matsuo have been friends long before I was born. It’s going to take more than circumstantial evidence for father to question his agenda.”

***

On our way to Bara’s house, Isuko and I happened across a supply ladened, horseless wagon; its wheels were stuck in a muddy creek. “I recognize that wagon,” Isuko said, dismounting. Before we could investigate further the sound of an approaching mount divided our attention.

A young woman riding a rust colored mare and guiding a pack mule mare came down a path. “Hey, Ramla,” Isuko waved.

Looks like his voice brought some life to her eyes. “Oh, Isuko. I’m glad to see you! Please, could you help me with the wagon?”

“You don’t even have to ask,” Isuko said, already in position to push the wagon from behind. It was obvious to a blind man that he wanted to impress her. But no matter how hard he strained himself, that wagon wasn’t going anywhere.

Not until I intervened by levitating it out of the mud hole and setting it down on dry land. Hope I didn’t steal his thunder.

“Oh wow!” Ramla reacted joyfully at my actions.

“Uh, thanks Aiden,’ Isuko said, but I don’t think he meant it. “This is my friend Aiden, by the way.”

‘The good spirit that saved Ishikawa?”

“That’s me.”

“Oh, it’s such an honor to meet you.”

I wouldn’t consider meeting me an honor, especially when what happened back then was my fault. But...”Thanks.”

“Is all of this for Bara?” inquired Isuko, curiously looking over the loaded wagon.

Ramla nodded and dismounted. “I’m afraid she’s in one of her moods now that I got the wagon stuck. I misjudged how bad the creek was and have been regretting it ever since.”

“Let me hitch up your horse then Aiden and I will accompany you to her place,” Isuko offered.

“Are you sure?”

“Of course. Aiden and I were headed there, anyway.”

“Okay. Thank you very much.”

“Glad to be of service!” said Isuko.

It was interesting to watch Isuko go from serious to smitten the moment he laid eyes on Ramla. He’d better appreciate me sitting on the back of the wagon, enduring some of the worst kept roads ( ever! ), just so those two love birds could have a chance to sing.

Listening to them carry on reminded me of that dream I had. I still wasn’t sure if it was a dream because I hardly ever remember them. Plus, the last time I experienced a dream that vivid and real, it turned out to be a vision of the future.

It couldn’t be, though. I knew that meddling with time was a colossal no-no.There was no way I’d --- “We’re here!” Isuko announced, interrupting my thoughts.

The wagon stopped in front of a wooden house with a steeply slanted roof twice its size. A few sheep chewing on grass shavings took notice of our arrival, but where was the elder?

“Bara is probably shearing sheep right now,” Ramla said as Isuko assisted her off the wagon. “I’d better get this stuff inside.”

“I can do that,” Isuko insisted. “I mean, Aiden and I will help with unloading the wagon. Some of that stuff looks heavy.”

“It’s a few months worth of provisions just in case we need them,” said Ramla.

“Oh, that’s right. Bara didn’t leave during the Great Storm like everyone else, did she?”

“No, she didn’t. I tried to get her to evacuate, but she can be pig headed sometimes. This was her...” Ramla put one hand firmly on her hip, pointed with the other one, hunched over, and made a frown. “I was born here and I’m going to die here!” she said, with a change of voice.

“Ohohohoo!” Isuko laughed. “That sounded just like her!” Isuko was enjoying being around Ramla so much, I was starting to wonder if he had forgotten why we came. And, after a while I noticed that I was the only one doing the heavy lifting.

That’s fine. Levitating everything to where Ramla wanted them was much easier and quicker, anyway.

“Sanskrit!” exclaimed an unfamiliar voice out of the blue. The next thing I knew I was hitting the ground with a piercing pain in my chest.

...And then....

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