When Akisane looked into the air serpent's eyes, intelligence was the only word that came to mind. The serpent swam closer, casting a large shadow even though no water existed above the arena.
This gave Akisane a chance to survive. The creature blocked the sun enough for him to enter the shadow realm and travel a short distance. He stepped in, but the air serpent didn’t recede like all the other forms. The sky became a dim dome of racing clouds, and the crowd turned into faceless forms, but the serpent became ivory, and its gaze never left him.
Then the ground left his feet, and he tumbled back into the noonday of the real world. He picked himself up and meant to defend himself, but the serpent hadn’t moved.
Kichi stood in the audience when everyone else sat, captivated by the nobleman's coming death. Her voice rang clear as though amplified, and she looked absently ahead. “I have traveled far to be here.”
Akisane looked between the serpent and her. He responded to the former. “My father captured you and brought you here.”
“Nonsense, little man. I took a free ride, and they fed me fish the whole way.”
“Then why are you here?”
“You are the Shinlemune if you survive this tournament.”
“What does that mean?”
“I’ll be watching.” The serpent swam away and slithered around a huge statue behind his family's seating area.
The matches paused as the Duke sent knights to retrieve the air snake, but after they became lunch, he called it off. Surprisingly, he returned a half-drawn sword and indicated that the tournament would continue. It seemed the creature would be a permanent fixture above the arena, coiled around some old forgotten hero.
“Excuse me, Lord Akisane,” said a short man in a brown cloak. “His Grace asks that you join me into Dunaguad and speak with the rebels.”
Akisane moved his head to get a look at the match below. “I’d rather drink pitch and set myself on fire.”
“Duke Akitomo doesn’t require self-immolation. He’s decided it’s time to start bringing you into the weeds of running the dukedom.”
Shank rose to leave, but when Akisane caught him, he smiled. “I don’t think you’ll be needing a goon. I’ll keep an eye on things here.”
There was no way that was going to happen. If Akisane had to go to the cesspool of a city and deal with politics, then Shank would too. “Bring the gang. I’m not going alone with this old scholar.” He squinted at the short man. “Do I know you?”
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“My name‘s Hawk and I’ve been promoted. You’ve probably seen me around a lot lately. I’m the one who dug up Sada’s past and brought it to your father’s attention.”
“Never mind, I don’t recognize you. If we’re doing this right, we’ll need horses and a cart to carry a barrel of wine.”
The man cupped his chin, and a black ring adorned his index finger. “Interesting. You’re bringing the wine to get the leaders lubricated for negotiation?”
“No, we’re getting drunk.”
Hawk made it happen, and soon, they headed out of the main gate and over the bridge to Dunaguard.
The stain on the bridge didn’t escape Akisane’s attention, and his eyelid fluttered. He took a swill and chuckled at the jeweled goblets from which they drank as they rode into the dilapidated city. Whoever retrieved the vessels must have had a sense of humor.
Shank rode up beside Akisane and held a serious set to his face. “It’s not a good look riding into the squalor like this.”
“I didn’t create any of this mess.”
Bahram yanked at his carpet, trying to ride with it on his back. “One does not tease a starving bear.”
“No one’s teasing Amat,” Shank said and slapped the big man on the shoulder.
Hawk raised a hand as they entered a narrow market. He glanced at rotting produce and at a cobbler sweeping his doorstep. “Beware, there’s an ambush ahead.”
Akisane dismounted, drained his wine, handed the goblet out to the cart driver, and walked ahead. “How many?”
“I don’t know,” Hawk said.
Akisane had no business being so confident, but with Thailoc’s creation at his hip, he felt like he could do anything. “We’re on to you. Come out.” Silence met him.
Then, a blacksmith showed himself. He had one enormous arm and gripped a war mallet the size of a man. “The Duke doesn’t negotiate in good faith.”
A face receded from a window, and someone made a scuffing sound from a roof. Akisane didn’t put a hand on Darksun, though he felt the urge. “I’ve been sent without an agenda. I’ve come to drink and listen to what the rebels have to say.”
“We’re not rebels. We’re men and women of Dunaguard who have nothing left to give, and we’re sick of it. And we’re not going to let the tax inquiries continue.”
Hawk whispered, “They’ve cut heads off.”
Akisane nodded that he understood. “Do you want to sit down and talk or not?”
The mallet shifted on a muscled shoulder. The blacksmith looked to the side and made a subtle signal. “We’ve talked and talked, and it’s got us nowhere.”
Akisane shared the man’s sentiment, but he decided to try one more thing. “Why aren’t you watching the tournament? Dunaguard is funding the sport, and the citizens are happy to watch it.”
“Those of us who have been victims of your inquiries won’t be distracted by blood.”
Words would go nowhere it seemed, so Akisane put forth an offer. “You’re a large man. How about we do this the way it was done centuries past; You against Amat, giant against giant. If you win, I will do everything I can to ease your burden.”
“No, we have the Duke’s son. Why would we let this opportunity slip through our fingers?”
Henry (Akisane)
Level: 13
Focus: Telekinesis
Secondary focus: Shadow walker, fire walker
Weapons: Darksun Sword - 85% corrupt, decay+12