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  He scanned the room. There was a messenger, as well as his top generals. He had requested the group be as small as possible. Rumors would start fast enough as it was, and if the news was true there needed to be some honest discussions without fear of political consequences.

  “What do we know?”

  Toro glanced at the messenger, who took his cue to step forward. His nervousness radiated off him as he started to stammer out his answer. Akira raised his hand for pause.

  “Do you need a drink? Nobody likes giving bad news to a Lord, but you’re going to need to do it, and I need every detail you have. We don’t have all day.”

  The messenger shook his head. He closed his eyes, and Akira watched as he went through a calming exercise. The tension dropped from the messenger’s shoulders. When he opened his eyes he was ready to give his report. Akira nodded his permission.

  “My Lord. We’ve been invaded by the Western Kingdom. They took the bridge in a nighttime raid. Best intelligence says they’ve brought across three full-strength armies with them.”

  Akira’s breath caught in his throat. “Three entire armies?”

  “Yes, my Lord.” The messenger paused for a moment to let Akira take the news in. Three armies. Tanak only had four armies total. If the report was true, Tanak was putting everything he had into the invasion. It was a do-or-die strategy. A separate part of Akira’s mind praised his fellow Lord for his boldness. But the implications were apparent, and Akira worried they spelled disaster for his kingdom. Tanak wouldn’t bring across three armies just to gain extra land. Three armies was a bid for the entire Southern Kingdom. It was a move that risked everything.

  Akira motioned for the messenger to continue. The news wasn’t good. Once they had crossed the river, the three armies had separated, each carving their own swath through the Southern Kingdom. The armies were moving fast. They were hitting key towns and garrisons but bypassing smaller ones. The Western Kingdom’s intelligence was spot on. They knew exactly where to strike. If they maintained the same rate of advance they would sweep through the entire Southern Kingdom by the end of the season. Nothing like it had happened in the history of the Three Kingdoms.

  Akira dismissed the messenger. He looked at his three generals. “Thoughts.”

  Toro was livid. “I can’t believe they broke the treaty. This means war throughout the land. Many will die for Tanak’s treason.”

  “I agree. This is tragic for all. But we need to set our pain aside and decide how we move to protect our kingdom.”

  Mashiro replied first. “The decision is simple. Move all our armies to intercept him. With the three armies here in the pass and the Fifth coming in from the northern border, we can crush the traitor. We destroy him here at home and then move in on the Western Kingdom. His gamble will be his end. We could reunite all the kingdoms by the end of the season.”

  Akira glanced at his young general. Each general around this table had been part of helping him plan their own invasion strategy of the Western Kingdom. Mashiro was right. If they could rout Tanak’s men they could walk into Tanak’s kingdom, a thought which had some strong appeal at this particular moment.

  Makoto nodded his head in agreement. “Yes. I do not know about invading the Western Kingdom, but if we can crush his armies in our own land, he will be defenseless. And he will have broken the treaty. We could attempt to take the Western Kingdom by calling a Conclave. This invasion could become the opportunity you have been waiting for. But we need to crush them for such an undertaking. We’ll need every soldier we have to secure both kingdoms.”

  Akira moved his gaze to Toro, and he saw Toro was thinking the same thoughts he was. “I am uncertain, my Lord. This is a grave threat to our land, but if what our scout says is true, we may have an even greater threat massing to the south.”

  Mashiro exploded. “We can’t be jumping after ghosts! It’s foolish to think an army of nightblades is massing in Azaria to attack us. We have three armies resting here when there is a clear and immediate threat in our own kingdom. We need to pay attention to the threats in front of us, not the threats that might exist in the future.”

  Toro also got upset. “Don’t you think I know that? But it’s complete folly to commit everything to one undertaking. It’s the exact mistake we’re contemplating exploiting in Tanak’s decisions. Rash decisions today could destroy our kingdom forever. An opportunity isn’t always as good as you think it might be.”

  “And sometimes it is,” Mashiro spat back.

  Akira raised his hands for silence. “We can disagree, but we can’t argue here. Toro is right about one thing, and that is that we need to keep our heads about us. This will be a defining moment in our history. Our people come first. I too am worried about the unknown threat to the south.”

  Mashiro looked like he was about to start another tirade, but Akira held up his hand to silence further outbursts. “Let’s start with the obvious decision first. Do we call up the Fifth and send them west to meet the invaders, or do we keep them on the northern border?”

  Mashiro scoffed. “They’ll be torn apart.”

  Makoto growled at his friend. “Don’t underestimate them. They are soldiers, the same as the rest of us.”

  Akira raised his voice. “Makoto is right. They may not have the training or experience of the other armies, but our success in defending the kingdom may lie in their hands. If we commit them, they will be in the fight long before we will.”

  There was silence around the table as the commanders thought about their next moves. There wasn’t any obvious answer to Akira’s question. It all depended upon their larger strategy. Akira needed to focus their efforts. He knew he had the best military minds in the Three Kingdoms with him at this table.

  Akira paused, collecting his thoughts. “I want different battle plans drawn up. Mashiro, I want you to assume we have to repel the invasion with only the Fifth and the Second.”

  Mashiro couldn’t hide his bewilderment. “Why?”

  “I haven’t decided how many men we’re going to commit to this. No, stop.” Akira calmed Mashiro before he could explode again. “I know you want to commit everyone, but I’m not sure that’s wise. If there is any one of us here who can draw up a defense with only two armies, it will be you. You’re my worst case scenario. Impress me.”

  Akira met Mashiro’s steely gaze with one of his own. Akira didn’t want to send only two armies in defense of his kingdom, but it was a real possibility. He needed brilliance, and he hadn’t lied to Mashiro. If any of them could come up with a plan to defeat three invading armies with only two defending, it would be him.

  Mashiro nodded his acquiescence.

  “Good. Makoto, I want you to do the same, but with four armies. Assume the First, Second, Third and Fifth.”

  “Not the Fourth?”

  The Fourth was the army tasked with defending the border to the Western Kingdom. “We can’t assume the Fourth is a functioning unit. You’re my best case, smash-them-to-bits scenario.”

  Makoto nodded. Akira turned to Toro. “Toro, three armies. Assume the Second, Third, and Fifth.”

  Toro asked no questions. He read deeper into Akira’s orders than the other two did. “Yes, my Lord.”

  “That’s it for now. I want orders for all armies to pack up. Prepare to move light, much lighter than they did for this campaign. They’ll need to move fast, essential supplies only.”

  Makoto spoke up. “When do we leave?”

  “I don’t know. I would like the scouts to be back from Azaria before we make final decisions, but I won’t wait more than a day or two. Every day we lose will be harder to recover from. It’ll take that long for the armies to prepare properly anyway. I want more drilling everywhere, gentlemen. Make it happen.”

  The three generals left the tent, orders to give and plans to create. Akira savored the small moment of silence. He still couldn’t believe his kingdom was being invaded. The truth of it hadn’t set in. There hadn’t been a major invasion betwee
n the Three Kingdoms since the truce had originally been signed, hundreds of cycles ago. Whatever the next few cycles would bring, the Three Kingdoms would never be the same.

  The sun rose, and again Akira was on the tower, looking to the south. Again, there wasn’t any sign of life. The eeriness of it was not lost on him. He had been to this tower in previous cycles. Every time it had been at the height of war. The plains below had been flooded with soldiers fighting, dying, and dead. Today it seemed much like the graveyard it had always been.

  He shook his head over the morbid thoughts. There was nothing for it. His father had been a pragmatic man. Akira had always been thoughtful, prone to allowing his thoughts to wander over all sorts of scenarios. He remembered his father talking with him over a game of go. Akira spent so much time thinking about possibilities that he sometimes forgot to move. He recalled the words his father spoke as though it was yesterday.

  “Life is always full of limitless possibilities. You cannot prepare for them all. See what is in front of you and make the best decisions you can. It is all we can do.”

  Akira had lived by his father’s advice, never more so than today. He had made his decision. It would be unpopular with his generals, but it felt right. He didn’t have even a bit of the sense in him, but he did have a premonition the world would never be the same. It wasn’t just the invasion of his kingdom. It was deeper and more menacing, and it was all tied together with the nightblades. They were elemental forces of change. They were so powerful that they changed the world just by passing through it.

  Akira didn’t need the sense to hear Toro climbing the steps up the tower. In the stillness of the early morning, sounds carried forever. He had asked the general to join him up here. Toro reached his side, gave a little bow, and looked out upon the plains with Akira.

  He waited patiently. Akira was grateful. Toro was the longest serving general alive in all the Three Kingdoms. He had been general of the Second for many cycles, until the death of Nori. Akira had promoted him to general of the First and hadn’t regretted the decision for even a moment. Toro had no desire for power, but had always been a stalwart defender of the Southern Kingdom. Akira and Toro understood their relationship. Not quite Lord and general, but not quite friends.

  Akira broke the silence. “My father fought for a lifetime to see this exact sight.”

  “And yet you don’t trust it.”

  “I don’t. I don’t think it’s a trap, but something is brewing to the south.”

  Toro didn’t respond. He continued watching thoughtfully to the south.

  Akira let out a sigh. The sun wasn’t even fully over the horizon and he was exhausted.

  Toro spoke. “He’d be proud of you, you know. You’ve led this kingdom well.”

  “Thank you.” Akira straightened his back, catching the corner of Toro’s mouth turn up at the movement. He often wondered what was going on in the old man’s head. Toro had served under Akira’s father. They’d been friends, and in some ways, Toro saw himself as Akira’s guide in life since Lord Azuma had been killed in this very pass.

  “I would like you to keep the First here.”

  To his credit, Toro didn’t hesitate. “Very well. My orders?”

  “Defend the pass, on this side. Prepare for a siege lasting multiple cycles. I’m not sure we’re going to be able to get supplies back to you. You may need to be on your own for a while, even if we take care of the invasion.”

  Akira watched Toro carefully. He saw the slight slump in the older man’s shoulders, but he was a man willing to sacrifice everything. With a deep breath he straightened back up. “Very well.”

  Akira couldn’t imagine what Toro was thinking. Toro was a proud man, proud of his realm. He would want to fight against the invasion in front of him. Not the invasion that hadn’t materialized.

  “Toro.”

  He looked up at Akira. “Yes, my Lord.”

  “Something is coming. I don’t know what it is. Tanak we can handle. He’s an enemy we know, an enemy we’ve studied for cycles. But there is something down there we’re not ready for. Toro, I need you to use your best discretion here. When the hammer falls, I know I can trust your judgment. Do whatever you think is best or necessary to protect the realm, at all costs.”

  Akira let the weight of that slip onto Toro’s shoulders. He needed Toro to understand he felt the true threat was here, not the invasion to the north. He wasn’t being left behind, he was the point of the second front. Hell, he was the entire spear. If Akira’s intuition was correct, the First wouldn’t be enough to hold the pass, but it had to be. Akira hadn’t lied to Toro. Toro was the only general he could trust to make the right decisions if bad became worse.

  Toro simply nodded. “I understand.”

  Akira grinned. That at least, was taken care of. “Good, now we just need to go convince everyone else.”

  The tent was in an uproar, just as Akira had predicted. He sat in the middle of it, silent as curses and arguments were thrown around him. He trusted his generals, and they had developed a camaraderie that gave his command a powerful weight when he exercised it. But it also meant he had to endure the verbal disagreements. He wondered idly if it was too late to rule by fear. He imagined Tanak didn’t have to listen to these types of arguments.

  Nevertheless, he kept his head and tried to follow the points his commanders were making. Each of them was a brilliant strategist, and their opinions were valuable, even if they were being shouted as if they were arrows hurled at the hearts of their opponents.

  Even when Akira rose his hand the commotion continued. They didn’t notice him until he stood. That quieted the room.

  “You each have one point to make, then the decision is final.”

  Mashiro spoke first. He was always the quickest. “Sir, this is a terrible mistake. We should bring everyone in to destroy Tanak. He’s left himself more vulnerable than ever before. There’s no threat here. Commit the First and we can take the Western Kingdom.” He looked like there was more he wanted to say, but he caught Akira’s warning glance and sat down.

  Makoto spoke next. “I also think we should commit the First. They are our best troops, and our kingdom deserves their service at its defense. Leave the Third here, if you must, but the First will be vital.”

  Toro spoke last. “I do not know if I follow your logic. I admit I would want to bring my best troops in to defend my kingdom. But I trust your judgment, my Lord.”

  Akira nodded. He would miss Toro dearly during the campaign. Toro was always trying to act as a role model to the younger generals, showing them the proper way to disagree with a Lord. He would miss him, but it also reaffirmed his decision. The Three Sisters was vital to the continued defense of the land. He trusted Toro with it more than he could anyone else.

  “I understand all your concerns. I know there will be a lot of complaints and questions about the First remaining here. But the fact of the matter is that I still believe the defense of the Three Sisters is vital to the survival of our land, and if we can’t station several armies, at the least we can station our best army. It will make our job to the north more challenging, but I wouldn’t make this decision if I didn’t think we could do it.”

  That was the part he was less certain about. He had looked at the battle plans and there was no doubt in his mind they faced a tremendous battle. They were almost evenly matched in terms of strength, but Akira’s troops had the advantage of defending their homeland. However, Tanak was moving fast, which would make it almost impossible to fight him on ideal terms. He could see the war going different ways, and not all of them led to victory. Akira wanted the invasion crushed by fall. Any later and Akira worried about Sen’s actions. Sen was not an impulsive man, but if the other two kingdoms were over-committed, he might make a move.

  Akira’s orders were final. His generals didn’t have to agree with him in the command tent, but as soon as they stepped outside, they would be his greatest supporters. Orders were arranged, and Akira shared on
e last bow with each of his generals. It would probably be the last time they would all be together for quite some time, if not forever.

  Akira pushed the thought out of his mind. He needed to be the confident lord, now more than ever. Even internally he couldn’t allow himself to doubt the success of their endeavor.

  Akira climbed the watchtower and looked out to the south one last time. There wasn’t the slightest sign the scouts, or anyone, was returning from that direction. It was as quiet as the grave. He turned to the north to watch his armies begin their trip back through the Three Sisters. He imagined he could feel the earth trembling under the power of his armies as they moved to defend their homeland against invasion.

  The Southern Kingdom marched to war.

  Chapter 6

  Ryuu ran until he thought his heart would burst, but he wouldn’t slow down. He couldn’t slow down. The old woods flew past him as he sprinted, putting everything he had into his legs. He’d never run so far, so fast in his life. He felt as if he was drawing energy from all the living things around him. Nothing would stop him.

  He burst into the clearing surrounding the hut. He threw out his sense, desperate for Moriko’s presence, but he couldn’t focus his mind and couldn’t sense a thing. He burst into the hut and drew his sword, drawing a surprised eyebrow from Moriko. She would have sensed him coming, but she hadn’t predicted him crashing through the door with a blade drawn.

  “Yes?” Her voice held a hint of mirth.

  He didn’t answer her, instead dropping to his knees and throwing out his sense, focusing his attention and his breath. He searched far and wide around the hut, but he couldn’t find any shadows. Nothing that indicated they were in danger. The only disturbance was the wake he had caused in his own haste. Beyond his actions, the world continued to go on as it always had.