With that, everyone in the building bowed low, in simultaneous coordination, so that both Gin and Saru felt it necessary to do the same. After a brief pause, everyone sat erect once again.
“Thus, commences the one thousand eight hundred and forty-seventh full Council of Truist Elders,” she said ceremonially, before adding, “Yes, we do keep count of these things,” in a whisper to the two sitting next to her. “Let us begin with the creed,” she intoned in a loud voice.
All those who congregated there bellowed out in a monotone chorus:
We are the Children of the All-kami.
Stewards of the Truth.
Seekers of the Way,
Benefactors of Providence,
Defenders against the Blight.
We see with the Eye that is Open and the Eye that is Shut.
We toil in the barren soil of today,
For the garden that shall one day come.
All-kami, guide us,
Until eventualities cease.
With that, they all bowed low once again, and there was a lingering pause.
During the creed, Gin did not close his eyes, as all the others had done, but cautiously glanced around at this ensemble of elders. Most appeared to be aged, drowsy folk, but there were some who looked stern and proud. When they slowly opened their eyes at the end of the creed, a few cast their eyes upon him darkly. He could sense that these would be his opponents here.
“Now, can we begin the proceedings for the trial of these lawbreakers?” asked the man sitting directly across from Gin. He was the tallest of the elders by far and wore an unhappy, sleepy look, but his black eyes were clear and focused. He, as well as many others in the group, wore an indigo sash across their chests, indicating rank or authority.
“We shall,” the Sage began, who herself was the only one to wear a white sash which she had just put on for the trial. “But may I remind the council that these here are not yet lawbreakers until they are found guilty by evidence. First, they shall give their full testimony of how they came to us, and then we shall work from there. Let us begin with Saru-san,” she said, turning towards her with a stiff smile, “The judge, in this case, is Kageyama-sama, the Elder Superior of the Order of Truists. Please tell him and the other elders how you came to be here.”
Saru bowed politely, but the Elder Superior made no movement in reply. She then gave an account of their travels from the time they met Nō on the docks of Kagiminato. She told about the events from there with accuracy and tact, and as she spoke many of the elders bobbed their heads with understanding. Only Kageyama seemed unmoved. When she came to the battle with the Tengu, many appeared to be hanging on her every word, and there was utter silence in the mossy temple. At last, she came to the end of her tale, and even Gintaro was disappointed that she had finished, for he desired to know what happened after he blacked out.
“The Tengu managed to jump right ahead of us, and our horse reared back, throwing Gin and myself off,” she explained.
“Is that as far as your memory goes?” the Sage asked her.
Saru nodded. “It is.”
“Then permit me to tell the last chapter of this tale and for it to be counted as testimony.”
The Elder Superior did not seem pleased but waved his hand dismissively, signaling for her to speak.
The Sage cleared her throat and then began her tale. “Three days before this terrible event, I was alone, meditating as I am wont to do, and I heard the voice of my kami come to me. As you many here know, my kami is a thoughtful and wise creature and one who has the ability of far-sightedness. It told me of the coming of three auspicious travelers, one of which appeared to be one of ours. It told me that these three might fall into danger for they were traveling towards Mount Osoroshi and that the dark shadow was roving about, hunting once again. I immediately gathered my things and rode out in that direction. I went alone, for I did not want any others to suffer the peril that I anticipated.
The night that you faced the Tengu, I had already made camp and had fallen asleep aside a grove of high bamboo. All at once, I could hear the shouts of many voices. I was terror-stricken, and even my kami shuddered and groaned. Many shun the mountain because of strange tales, but we here know all too well the evil that prowls about it, ever seeking to devour those it can snare. Indeed, it is not for brigands alone that we keep our vigilance. The Tengu is rarely seen, remaining underground for many days at a time, but when it finally issues forth, it can destroy a great company if it has a mind.
Despite the turmoil, I still held out hope that I could find the three travelers before they were caught and destroyed, and so I went out onto the path. I ventured towards the mountain for quite some time. As the night drew on, the shouts died down, and I began to fear that they had already been slain. Then, the sound of a horse galloping came from up ahead, and lo and behold, the young initiate was riding like a typhoon gale. But he was all alone. I managed to grab his attention and shake him from his stupor. He halted and told me that his companions must be right behind him. He was stricken with terror, the poor child, and at first, he refused even to look back as he must have laid eyes upon that fell beast. But the others did not come. Eventually, the initiate agreed to take me back, and he lifted me upon his horse, and we rode back together.
Not long after I did so, my kami returned to me after departing for some time. It told me to stop and to wait, so we did. Oh, how awful it was standing there in the darkness, with that violent crash growing closer and closer! But we stood firm, even the poor horse, bless him, stood his ground. At last, we saw another horse sprinting toward us from out of the woods. I could see one person at the reigns, and another behind. I could also see a great shape following them, leaping from tree to tree. When it was nearly behind them, it jumped, and landed directly in their path, cutting them off. Their horse neighed loudly and reared back, and the great yomi lunged towards them, ready to strike. It was at that moment that I knew I must do something – but I was frozen with dread.
It was my kami, in a show of great bravery, who attacked the Tengu and harried it for a few moments, while I gathered my courage and looked for an opportunity to rescue the others. After a moment or two, I came forward while the Tengu was distracted. It soon sensed my coming and turned its glowing eyes upon me. They were so full of malice that it makes me shiver to think about them, even now. I have no doubt it would have struck me down, but I was ready, speaking words of protection over myself so that it could not harm me, at least for a brief time.
As it stood there, waiting for my power to fail, the sun finally lit the horizon, turning the black night into a pale blue.
When it saw the coming light, it shrieked, for its power is diminished by sunlight, and being momentarily blinded, it staggered back into the woods. This gave me and the initiate enough time to gather the others, but just as we carried them off into the woods on the opposite side of the path, the Tengu re-emerged once again. We were just in time, for with the help of my kami, I had cast a spell to shield us from its sight, and though it thrashed and roared wildly, it could not find us. Inevitably the full morning sun came. It peaked over the horizon brazenly as it tends to do after a dark and ugly storm and lit up the sky like a fire. The yomi, realizing it had spent all its precious time chasing these three stragglers, retreated towards the mountain from which it came, shrieking loudly with great pain and frustration.
And therefore, we managed to escape the clutches of the Tengu,” the Sage concluded, “Although this I must say in front of the full Council of Elders. Many of you do not know this yet, but the truth has only been recently confirmed. The Tengu has been destroyed!”
Gin and Saru both gasped, and even Nō stood up from the ground where he knelt. There was a great commotion in the room, as the elders turned and expressed their disbelief to one another.
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“Impossible!” some said.
“Tengu cannot be killed!” murmured others.
“It is true!” the Sage cried emphatically, her voice lifting above the din. “For some of our own dared to follow the footsteps of our travelers here and found the remains of the yomi festering within a league from where I met them. It had been wounded in its battle with these outsiders, and the sunlight, having sapped its ability to heal itself, caused it to die of its wounds.”
“I'll need to see proof!” Kageyama boomed.
“So be it,” the Sage said with a subdued smile. “Bring in the armor!”
There was a clamor from outside the temple doorway, but several monks strode in carrying the great armor of the Tengu. One man also carried a sturdy wooden armor rack, and the others carefully put the cuirass, faulds, greaves, sabatons, spaulders, vambraces, and gauntlets upon it. The armor still glittered with a silver hue, and the faint runes upon it still pulsed with ethereal power. Finally, the great helm was placed at the very top, though the fearsome mask of the Tengu was noticeably absent.
When it was all set up with care, the monks retreated from whence they came, and all noise died down to a hush of awe.
“This is blasphemous!” Kageyama soon cried, piercing the quiet, “Bringing such a vile thing into this temple! You should be ashamed, Sage!”
“I am not ashamed!” she shot back, her countenance darkening. “For have you not read the old texts? The Tengu were once angelic beings, among the most powerful of all the kami in the Primordial Age! This armor was crafted by our ancestors and given as gifts to them before they were betrayed. This was forged in the Holy City, under the very light of the lamps of the All-kami!”
With this, another burst of awestruck reverence was emitted from the group of elders, all except Kageyama and those loyal to him.
“So the legends say,” he barked back. “But can you not read those runes etched upon it? That is the evil script of the Abomination, the Akuma, and the Great Foe of our people and all who draw breath upon this earth! Such a thing is corrupt and should be destroyed!”
At this, the crowd seemed to turn, and the howls and angry ejaculations from the elders could not be restrained.
“I might agree with you!” the Sage contested, lifting her voice above the others, and repeating it until they had quieted. “I might. But this armor belongs to those who defeated it.” She then extended her arm out to Saru and Gintaro. “If we took it from them, it would be theft and forbidden for members of the Truist Order.”
A protracted silence followed this clever stroke, and the eyes of the people gradually shifted towards the outsiders. At length, Gin finally spoke. “It was not I who slew it. It was Saru-san. She threw her spear, and it struck the yomi in the undefended region near its neck. She should be the one to decide.”
There were whispers of Saru’s name that followed this, but she would not have any of it. “It was a lucky throw,” she said bashfully. “I couldn’t see anything in that mist.”
“And what about these here,” the Sage interrupted. She pointed to three gashes in the side of the cuirass, near the flank. “Only a Kaijin’s blade could pierce this armor.”
“It did nothing but enrage it,” Gin replied. “And was it not you who came to our aid in our moment of need? Should you not have a say in who keeps it?”
“I came to rescue you, and rescue was all I could manage. I had nothing to do with destroying this thing. A Tengu can regularly survive the sunlight on its own, but not with such grievous wounds. This dreadful armor belongs to both of you, and you shall both decide what to do with it later. For now, do as Kageyama-san says and remove it from the temple.”
The elders appeared content with this as the monks returned and dismantled the armor and carried it off. But the Elder Superior was still not pleased.
“So, they managed to mistakenly kill the Tengu,” he said, his dark eyes roving from Gintaro to Saru. “As impressive as that is, it still does not absolve them of their crimes.”
“Let us begin with Saru-san then,” the Sage offered, turning towards her. “She indeed came to our camp unbidden; I will not contest that. When all was over, I brought Gin-san here for he was on the brink of death, but we laid her aside for she was unconscious, but unharmed, and would revive in time. But this woman is made of sterner stuff, as should now be evident, and managed to track us back to the camp, unwilling to leave her companion behind while she knew his life was in peril. Like Gin-san, she had come to assist one of our initiates on an urgent mission. She saved his life, and that should count for something.”
This seemed to get a collective nod from the group of elders, though the Elder Superior remained still.
“Very well,” he finally said. “To satisfy the virtue of mercy, I hereby absolve this woman of the punishments of imprisonment and servitude, for that is what is usually due to trespassers without leave. But she must swear to keep our location a secret and suffer the Penance of Water to remind her of her oath. By this, the virtue of justice is also satisfied.”
“Justice and mercy,” the Sage intoned.
“Mercy and justice,” replied the collective of elders.
Saru looked angry and shifted as if she were going to say something, but the Sage stopped her before she could speak.
“Worry not child,” she whispered, leaning over towards Saru. “The Penance of Water is not so bad. Just a few days of sitting under a local waterfall. In the heat of summer, it can feel quite... refreshing.”
“I…” Saru started, before finally relenting. She knew that she was in no place to argue. “Thank you for your mercy,” she forced herself to say.
This seemed to please the Elder Superior, but it did not last long. He slowly turned his angry countenance toward Gintaro. “Now for the deserter. And please spare me the same defense, Sage. I know he aided our novice, but that does not excuse him from apostatizing! The penalty for such is death!”
The Sage nodded, and it felt as if this trial was going to be much more difficult. “Truly,” she began, “Desertion is a grievous crime, one that indeed deserves swift retribution. But tell me, wise men, how can one punish one for leaving who never first belonged? Gin-san has never taken the rites of a Kaijin, not to my knowledge.”
A stir of confusion rose from the table.
“How then does he carry a consecrated sword!” Kageyama-san growled.
“I am afraid that in this matter I am also responsible. Gin-san does indeed possess the consecrated blade of a Kaijin, and it was I who consecrated it long ago. The swords were presented to me by his master, whom you should all remember.”
“The Ken-Tenshi…” whispered a few.
“Yes,” she continued somberly. “Gin-san was only a boy at that time, and his master was a dear friend of mine. He asked me to consecrate the swords ahead of the rites, for he believed that his disciples should be old enough to choose their own path, before taking the rite. But in order to properly defend themselves from the evils that they would soon encounter, blades were needed, those that are blessed by the Sage and the kami. Though it strayed from tradition, I was awed by his faith in his pupils. I did as was asked but I was wrong to do so. Such a deed has caused many subsequent evils.” She looked at Gin for a moment, and there was true pain in her eyes.
The admission created an angry murmur amongst the elders.
“So, you admit to giving a consecrated sword to one who did not have true faith?” Kageyama asked, intrigued.
“I do,” the Sage said firmly.
“Such a thing could be punishable,” the Elder Superior threatened, his voice hanging in the air.
“I accept it.”
At this, the Elder Superior hardened. “You would take his punishment?”
Gin could not hold back any longer. “I will not accept this!” he shouted and slammed his fist onto the table. “I used the blade, for good and for evil, and if there is any blame it lies on me. And if not on me, upon my master, who gave us these swords. Yet I also defend my master’s decision. He was a good man. He was different and strayed far from tradition, but he was in many ways better than you. He went out into the world and fought and bled for others. At a time, I wanted to be a Kaijin because of him, a Truist even. But you…you sit here like feeble lords of domains long extinct and brood over punishments while the entire world is burning. No wonder you have fallen so far! What have you done for these islands as of late when they so desperately need you?”
“We have survived!” Kageyama shot back, his sleepy face coming alive with wrath. “But what would a deserter know about such things? You have not shared our sufferings! You have not fought for the salvation of souls! You have not even attempted to fulfill your divine calling, for which your master so long prepared you! Nay, you deserted him as well, is that not so? Yes, I know who you are, Gin-taro! You are not only a deserter but a murderer as well. And a great many other things no doubt!”
“Enough!” the Sage cried, her voice lifting above all the commotion. “Too long has the Order fought one another instead of the real enemy! By doing so we are no better than the demons we swear to oppose.” Her voice was stunningly powerful, and at this, all other words ceased. After several moments of tense silence, the room, as if having held its breath, began to breathe once again.
The Sage continued this time in a much gentler tone. “Look around. It took this awful persecution for us to finally come together after years of division. When was the last full Council of Elders before the persecution started? In the days of the Emperors? That is too long, far too long! The All-kami is teaching us something, as he always is. We must listen,” she urged. “I will confess to consecrating the swords of an unbeliever, which is my fault. For this crime, I will step down from my position on the Council of Elders and serve a Penance of Solitude. But because Gin-san was an unbeliever then, he cannot be considered a deserter now, for he has not truly been bound to our Order. Therefore, I beg you to rescind your punishment and let him go free.”
Kageyama looked at the Sage for quite some time before speaking. “This will be a grievous loss. We are in need of a Sage in this dark hour.”
“You shall find one,” she said with a soft smile. “The All-kami always provides.”
At this, Kageyama nodded and spoke with a few of the elders on his right and then left. “Thus, the virtue of justice is satisfied. You, Mahagane Akiko, the Truist Sage, are hereby removed from the Council of Elders, and asked to serve a Penance of Solitude from now until your life’s end.” He then turned to face Gintaro. “Thus, the virtue of mercy is also satisfied. For you were never one of us, neither shall you be judged as one of us. Go now, a free man. But do not ever use the title of Kaijin again.”
He raised a closed hand to his lips and coughed. “Justice and mercy?”
The rest of the elders answered, but there were tears in the eyes of many, and the voices were quiet and quivering. “Mercy and justice.”