The Four Wheel Saga Book 1: THE LEGACY TRIALS

Chapter 8: Fish Out of Water 2

The six canoes drifted sluggishly in the kegare creek. The famished young warriors were having a late breakfast- rice balls and boiled eggs. The warrior code of Karasuma was very particular about nutrition. It prescribed two conservative meals a day- one for energy and protein (eggs, fish, meat, along with rice) and the other to fulfil essential nutrients (nuts, vegetables, fruits).

Canoe 2: Shigeo (M,15), Akako (F, 16), Kento (M, 16)

Canoe 3: Hajime (M, 20), Megumin (F, 19), Yuuta (M, 20)

Canoe 4: Daigo (M, 20), Kafu (M, 19), Chiyo (F, 17)

Canoe 5: Nadeko (F, 15), Illumi (M, 15), Masaki (M, 15)

The waterborne vessels of the aspirants, ingrained with sailing kitsu, had been made to float abreast each other so that the group could commune with ease. The Preceptors’ canoe was coasting ahead, while Yorokobi’s vessel was trailing behind, both divorced from the rest. They had doggedly decided not to let the events of the morning be repeated.

The setting of nature and natural sounds was soothing- a motley of birds chirping away, insects buzzing in and out, frogs croaking to their mates, all in the backdrop of the babbling creek water. The young ones found a bunch of low-hanging berries. Daigo sacrificed one of his petty knives to drop a dense bunch from a vine.

During times of war, however, the warrior code was eased. The present circumstances were undoubtedly not war-like, but the danger they had escaped from, an hour back, at the least, entitled them to a late breakfast, with sweet forest berries for dessert. The only other edible things within reach were mushrooms of different colours, growing on tree trunks or rocks, on either bank. But it was difficult to tell the palatable ones from the poisonous ones. Only Kafu, being a Shibai Sharin priest, refrained

from food, as he was fasting for the day. Instead, he drank from a flask, which reeked of wild saffron and bush-lilac.

Nadeko: “Did you figure it out?“

Masaki: “Figure out what?”

Illumi: “How Keiji sensei ran on water, of course, you airhead!”

The three youngest in the group were also the most vulnerable. The recent events had put the fear of the goddess in them. Nadeko was a petite, round-faced girl who resembled a doll. Illumi was a curious, lean teenager, always brimming with energy. Masaki was an artistic but brooding kid who kept to himself most of the time. The latter was weaving a miniature basket from leaves when Nadeko disturbed him. All three of them had been strong-armed by their ambitious parents to become aspirants.

The Legacy trials had been announced suddenly, almost two years in advance, which caught many senior aspirant-warriors unawares. During the trials-recess (the gap between two consecutive trials) of three years, aspirants made productive use of their time- explored employment opportunities with wealthy clients of other villages (especially Karasuki)- as bodyguards, or became training instructors, or accepted village sanctioned long-term missions. They planned it so that they returned, just before the trials- experienced, seasoned and flush with gold. In the absence of the serious aspirants, influential parents from all kin had made efforts to volunteer their children to appear.

Nadeko: “Tell me. Tell me!”

Masaki: “It was kitsu. What else could it be?”

Megumin: “Perhaps he cast pellets of kitsu into the water and tiptoed on them?”

Megumin was a nineteen-year-old girl who frequently said ridiculous things without realising it. Hajime and Yuuta sniggered. Since school, the three had been friends. They were referred to as the bulwark- trio- due to their unbeaten record in mock-battles as a team. But Megumin was not very sharp for her age. The boys left no stone unturned, making fun of her dullness. Megumin was a robust girl, as tall as, and beefier than, the boys, who were about five feet ten tall. In her formidable strength lay her gifts. Hajime and Yuuta were both champions of kitsu. The bulwark-trio regretted not participating in the rescue earlier. But there is little that one could do in the middle of the raging Mizusashi river.

Daigo: “Does he wear any rarefied shoes that displace his weight; perhaps some rare artefact?”

Kafu: “That is not likely, Daigo-dono. The way he moved on water, it was as if he was gliding. Or more accurately, as if there was no water.”

Daigo was a burly, broad-shouldered guy with a booming voice, while Kafu was gangly, spoke in a low voice, and addressed everyone with reverence and honorifics. Daigo’s apprenticeship in the smithery, and Kafu’s exposure to the pedagogy of Shibai Sharin temple, both had moulded their personalities accordingly.

Chiyo was a pretty, voluptuous girl who had recently come of age. She was feminine and athletic, with straight, silky hair and amaranthine-blue eyes. Even though the Mikashita boys were trained to endure, it was challenging not to pause for a moment and admire her beauty.

Chiyo: “I am very sure that it was kitsu.”

Most of the guys nodded and agreed with her. But it had little to do with her reasoning. It was also challenging to disagree with someone as attractive as Chiyo.

Kafu: “Perhaps he is blessed by the Goddess.”

Most of the guys shook their heads. It was reasonably easy to disagree with a gangly, fasting priest, who drank saffron-lilac water and had spent most of his early years inside an ancient, cryptic temple. Content protected by Nôv/el(D)rama.Org.

From the other canoe, Shigeo tch-tch-ed in dismissal.

All the clueless eyes turned to him. Realising he was the centre of attention then, Shigeo proceeded to grin ominously and prick his spectacles up his nose bridge.

Kento: “Enough grand-standing. Out with it.”

Shigeo was very dedicated to Kento and had never refused him anything. It did not have anything to do with Kento being the de-facto leader of the under-age warriors. Kento had always protected him from bullying, by the older Mikashita cousins, through his family clout, intellect, and occasionally, fighting ability.

Shigeo: “Very well. But I will scrutinize Keiji sensei’s feat later. First, let me unravel Yuuki-sensei’s attack. It was a high-level kitsu-manipulation called synthesis. There is an advanced book in the citadel library titled- Material-synthesis-kitsu, which covers this topic. Synthesis is very different from our usual manipulation. When Kafu hatches fire-shrews through kitsu- er- Kafu, could you make one, for my demonstration?”

Kafu put out his right hand and muttered a few words. A singular fire-shrew sprung from his palm; he carefully planted it into a clay bowl and handed over the bowl to Shigeo. The girls fawned over the cute, little, flaming creature. The shrew’s heat started baking the insides of the bowl.

Shigeo: “You can see- it weighs almost nothing. The fire-shrews have one-third the weight and strength of a live shrew. Because here, we have only fire-attribute. Yuuki-sensei’s kitsu lance was through synthesis- in which he fabricated physical matter, by mixing all elemental attributes. The lance was as strong as wood or metal. And as heavy.”

Everyone else, holding their breath, exhaled, thrilled by the new revelation.

Akako: “Are you suggesting that he was wielding a thirty feet wooden lance? That would weigh thirty stones at the least! More than four times my weight!”

Hajime: “And two times Megumin’s weight.”

Both Hajime and Yuuta chortled again. Daigo and Kafu frowned at them.

Megumin: “I don’t weigh that much!”

Kento: “My father, or any other kin-lord could lift that heavy a burden with ease, and then some more.”

Shigeo: “Yes, of course. And his kitsu-manipulation, even though uncommon, is second to a kin-lord’s. Do not let our minds be blown with Yuuki-sensei’s feat.”

Akako punched Shigeo on the arm.

Akako: “You- who spends most of his time in the library, can barely make a taekkyon stance, and who hid under the stern seat when the lamia attacked, are asking us to not appreciate Yuuki sensei’s extraordinary skills?”

Shigeo was acquainted with Akako’s disdain. But she had clearly misunderstood his inflexion.

Shigeo: “Oh, no. The best of us are small potatoes compared to him. Our group has people who can’t even use kitsu, like Kento; Or those my age- who haven’t been trained in it properly.”

Nadeko, Illumi and Masaki nodded in agreement, less out of shame, and more because they wanted Shigeo to come to the point.

Shigeo: “The reason I asked you to overlook Yuuki-sensei’s ability, is because what I am going to tell you about Keiji-sensei, will actually blow your mind.”