A Dragon's Curse: An Epic Progression Fantasy

By Erynn Lehtonen

They can hide from the demons hunting them… but not from the demons inside themselves.

Striking a deal with the White Warlock will be the best or the worst decision Genshu Hidekazu has ever made. The warlock, Naoji, lives in his head, torturing Hidekazu from the inside out. But with his help, Hidekazu can grow strong enough to defeat Lacotl and destroy his immortal spirit.

So long as he survives Naoji long enough to see his new plan through.

And only if Aihi and Masanori don’t turn against Hidekazu—and each other—first.

The Nightmare twists their memories and fears against them, giving the Kuro Hana and Lacotl free reign. Although imprisoned, his disturbing game continues unimpeded, bringing rise to the creatures of myth who want Seiryuu destroyed and the Dragon Goddess dead.

They are already returning.

One stalks Hidekazu from the depths of the Tsukiko Academy. Another awaits Masanori on the edge of his newfound haven.

And the third waits inside the Nightmare in anticipation of Aihi’s next mistake.

Jump into the world of Yumihari, a land filled with spirits, dragons, monsters, and stunning characters wielding elemental magic to save their homeland. If you love epic fight scenes, mystery and political intrigue, mythology, monsters, and mayhem, all with a touch of progression fantasy, you will love A Dragon’s Sight and the Yokai Calling series.

Pick up your copy today!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Erynn Lehtonen
• Release date: Dec 22, 2020

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A Dragon's Curse

An Epic Progression Fantasy

Erynn Lehtonen

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White Raven Chronicles

Copyright © 2020 by Erynn Lehtonen

A DRAGON'S CURSE, 2nd Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law.

To request permissions, please contact the publisher at [e-mail]

Hardcover: 978-1-990602-05-4

Paperback: 978-1-7778497-4-0

Ebook: 978-1-7778497-5-7

Layout Design by White Raven Chronicles via Atticus

Cover Design by Erynn Lehtonen

Published by Dragon's Hoard

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A White Raven Chronicles imprint

Cawston, BC

Contents

Free Short Story

Dedication

A Quick Refresher

1. Aihi

2. Hidekazu

3. Hidekazu

4. Masanori

5. Hidekazu

6. Aihi

7. Masanori

8. Hidekazu

9. Masanori

10. Aihi

11. Lacotl

12. Hidekazu

13. Masanori

14. Hidekazu

15. Aihi

16. Hidekazu

17. Masanori

18. Aihi

19. Hidekazu

20. Hidekazu

21. Masanori

22. Masanori

23. Aihi

24. Hidekazu

25. Masanori

26. Aihi

27. Hidekazu

28. Lacotl

29. Aihi

30. Masanori

31. Hidekazu

32. Aihi

33. Masanori

34. Hidekazu

35. Aihi

36. Masanori

37. Aihi

38. Hidekazu

39. Aihi

40. Aihi

41. Masanori

42. Lacotl

43. Hidekazu

44. Aihi

Glossary

Author's Note

Acknowledgments

Blood of Dragons Preview

Free Short Story

About the Author

Free Short Story

Join Erynn's reader list to claim the subscriber-exclusive The Boy and the Dragon short story!

https://erynnlehtonenwriting.com/sotd-freestory/

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For Mom

Because even though you wanted me to do something else, you’ve always supported me anyway.

A Quick Refresher

MAIN CHARACTERS

Genshu Hidekazu (AKA: Hide) – Gen-shoo / (Hee-deh)-kah-zu

The former scion of the Genshu family and Masanori’s twin brother.

Hidekazu has mastery and understanding of ki beyond his years, but though considered lucky by most, he’s grappled with the responsibility and meaning of his power his whole life. For him, it has meant struggling with his parents’ high expectations for his future and securing more honour for the Genshu family name. His father overturned his initial decision to prevent Hidekazu from studying as a bushi, but this was before Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi disappeared for an entire month to unlock the secrets of the Dragon’s Eye. When they returned, Hidekazu was exiled from the Genshu clan.

Although he still studies at the Tsukiko Academy under the mentorship of Meki Barame, the stakes are higher than before. If he does not become a bushi, he will remained exiled from the clan. Not only that, the spirit of a warlock now haunts him, trying to convince Hidekazu to perform a task of much greater importance than going to school.

Genshu Masanori (AKA: Masa) – Gen-shoo / (Mah-sah)-noo-ree

A talented ki-engineer who used to work at the Jyutsu Laboratory within the Cedar Palace, in Nagasou, designing and building devices for the emperor and Shōgun. Unlike his brother, however, Masanori has no ki to speak of, a reality he’s struggled to accept his whole life between the constant ridicule of his peers and his personal disappointment. With the tapper, however—one of his most recent inventions—Masanori has gained some minor use of ki.

Though a prodigy engineer, he never wanted to become one. Instead, he dreamed of following his parents’ footsteps and becoming a bushi. Although Hidekazu was granted the opportunity to join their ranks, Masanori was not. He, too, was banished from the Genshu clan, but his requirement isn’t that he will become a bushi… but give up on that dream forever.

After falling into the Nightmare during the trip to unlock the secrets of the Dragon’s Eye, Masanori started seeing corruption and demons everywhere he looked. When it felt like everyone he cared about had turned against him, he ran from his family, and Hidekazu, and didn’t look back. Now he’s on his own, and unravelling the Nightmare isn’t just about finding himself again, but a matter of survival.

Furahau Aihi (AKA: Exalted Dragon Princess) – Foo-rah-ha-uw / Aye-hee

As the sole heir to the Warlock Throne, Furahau Aihi is the Exalted Dragon Princess of Seiryuu and tackles the responsibility of one day ruling the nation in her parents’ stead. She is both a skilled swordswoman and majyu, one who commands respect, to most, with her mere presence.

Many believe she is on the way to becoming one of the greatest rulers Seiryuu has ever known, but those close to her know she must still tame her temper and impatience. She was raised as a sibling to Hidekazu and Masanori, although they are not blood-related.

After failing to heal her dying mother with the Dragon’s Eye, Aihi returns to Nagasou to take Mika’s place as Shōgun. Her new position is overwhelming, not just because its suddenly thrust upon her, but because while she is still trying to figure out Lacotl’s game and find a way to kill him, she must also navigate a tremulous alliance with a nation that was once Seiryuu’s ally.

Other Noteworthy Characters

Meki Barame (AKA: Headmaster Meki) – Meh-key / Bah-lah-meh

The Headmaster of the Tsukiko Academy, a former bushi, and consultant of Governor Benri. Barame is the only survivor of the Meki warlock clan, theorized to have survived because he never manifested any warlock ki. Though he has retired as a bushi, he uses his expertise to guide young majyu and warriors toward bushido, and to serve Seiryuu, through Tsukiko Academy.

He was held partially responsible for the inaction of Tsukiko authorities during Lacotl’s attacks, although he ultimately contributed a tremendous amount to the kan’thir eventual discovery and capture.

He shares an en bond with his student, Hidekazu, and intends to turn him into a suitable bushi fit to guide Aihi when she becomes empress. He also had a failed mentor-student relationship with Aihi, which ended after some event resulting in someone’s death—details which both have remained tight-lipped about.

Lacotl – Lah-koh-lue

The kan’thir majyu who terrorized Tsukiko, kidnapping and murdering over two dozen noblewomen. He uses a corrupted variation of ki and perverts the Goddess’ power for his own gains. What those gains might be, however, are unknown.

Currently, he rots in the cells beneath the Cedar Palace, where he still manages to manipulate Aihi and the game of life and death that they’re both playing.

Genshu Dano – Gen-shoo / Da-no

The head of the long-lived Genshu family, and a former bushi who believes it is time for Seiryuu to prepare for peace, and not war. Thus, he urged his sons, Masanori and Hidekazu, to seek a path in life beyond bushido. The Genshu family has always been close to the Furahaus, and Dano grew up with Furahau Takeha, the current emperor. Now Dano advises the emperor directly as the Daijō-daijin. He is husband to Genshu Sachi, and father of Hidekazu and Masanori. It was his idea to banish Hidekazu and Masanori from the Genshu clan in a desperate effort to teach them lessons on humility, respect, and obedience.

Ijichi Kira

A promising student formerly of the Tsukiko Academy. Although she doesn’t seem to like Hidekazu, she helped train him a bit and gave him information that went against Meki Barame’s orders so that Hidekazu could help save Mezan Taniya, one of Kira’s few friends.

Despite this, she betrayed Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi to Barame when she found out that they planned to leave for Najadu in search of more information about the Dragon’s Eye.

Furahau Mika (AKA: The Shōgun) – Foo-lah-ha-oo / Mee-kah

Mika is the Shōgun of Seiryuu, a positioned gained by marriage to Furahau Takeha, the emperor. Formerly of the Aochi merchant clan. As the military leader of the nation, she manages the distribution of bushi and Nagasou's defence. Mother of Aihi, but Hidekazu and Masanori look up to her as a second mother, as well. Unfortunately, she was attacked by the corrupted aki. Aihi severed Mika’s arm in an attempt to stop the corruption from spreading, but it wasn’t enough. She has been unconscious ever since, and is slowly dying as her ki mysteriously drains away.

Furahau Takeha – Foo-lah-ha-oo / Tah-keh-ha

The current emperor of Seiryuu, a position he fought for during the civil war. Though he rules Seiryuu with an iron fist, his reign instituted order and peace to the nation after thirty years of civil war, and decades of war beforehand. He wishes to repair relations with Kairo, their southern neighbour, but with no success so far. Husband to Mika, and father of Aihi.

Mezan Taniya

The former librarian from the Tsukiko Academy who helped Hidekazu find the book he needed to turn his staff into an artifact (and therefore summon Sayuri’s spirit). She is the only survivor of Lacotl’s attacks and, upon her rescue, Hidekazu and Masanori learned that she already knew Aihi, even though the twins had never met Taniya before. After she helped Aihi, Hidekazu, and Masanori learn more about the Dragon’s Eye, she also helped them escape Barame after Kira sold them out.

Because Taniya is yōkai-kin, she can shapeshift into a perfect appearance of any other person. She used this ability to take Aihi’s place in Nagasou while the others went on their adventure, and she has remained in Nagasou helping Aihi ever since.

Ryuu Naoji (AKA: The White Warlock or The Keeper)

The White Dragon or White Warlock, one of the original Three warlocks. He has a younger brother and sister referred to as the Black and the White respectively. Naoji both torments and rescues Hidekazu within the Nightmare. He also requests a favour from Hidekazu—something that will, hopefully, result in Lacotl’s death. As a result of this favour, however, now he follows Hidekazu around everywhere, and he’s determined to get what he wants from the young majyu.

Sayuri

She is the shishajya who possesses Hidekazu’s staff in the form of a tsukumogami. She claims to be named after the lilies in the Goddess’ pool. Not much is known about her, save for how she’s helped Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi a bit in their travels. The longer she’s with Hidekazu, though, the more she becomes present in his life—more like a friend.

ESSENTIAL TERMS & PLACES

Seiryuu – Seh-ii-riuu – The homeland of Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi, in the northwestern corner of Shimensoka continent. The Seiryan people worship the Dragon Goddess Shirashi, dragons, warlocks, and often ki itself. Kairo used to be a part of Seiryuu and was called Aoryuu long before the fall of the Warlock Empire.

Tsukiko – A city two days north of Nagasou, not far from the Kin Sea. Home of Tsukiko Academy, the Benri Clan, and Torra.

Tsukiko Academy - A renowned school for majyu and warriors, famed for producing master majyu, bushi, and warriors. It is operated by Headmaster Meki Barame, the former bushi.

Dragon Eye - A powerful artifact once exclusively used by warlocks. Supposedly, they are made from the eye of a dragon after a dragon passes away. The warlocks protected their Dragon Eyes so well that none have been found since the fall of the Warlock Empire until now.

Kan’thir - A race of goat-men who live on the Yaotlan Isles far from Seiryuu, east of Tajida. They are humanoid, completely covered in fur coloured anywhere from black to creamy white. Kan’thir do not grow their horns until between thirty and fifty years old and often wear the skulls of their ancestors until theirs are fully grown.

Bushi - Bushi are warriors and majyu of unparalleled skill and finesse; they are the elite forces charged with defending the Seiryan royal family and their interest. Some teams of bushi are assigned to specific duties or people, which are identified by a prefix, i.e. Shōgun-bushi.

Ki - Literally energy. Ki is the material that makes up all things, and majyu can use it to manipulate the elements to their will. It can also be used in its raw form, which is not associated with a specific element. It is also said that some majyu can use ki to manipulate much more than the elements…

Ki-Engineer - A relatively new discipline, having surfaced within the last two decades, devoted to merging and utilizing the power of mechanical parts enhanced with ki. Previously, ki-engineers used to also refer to constructionalists, but now it is used exclusively for mechanical engineers. Masanori has been training as a ki-engineer for most of his life.

Kigou - Literally symbol. They are written characters that, when drawn with ki, can compel the energy to action. They are the fragmented remains of the Old Language.

Majyu - Short for majyutsushi, which literally means conjuror. Majyu are people who can use ki to control the elements of water, earth, fire, and wind.

Warlock - A powerful majyu—male or female—with the blood of dragons running through their veins. All the warlocks died out almost fifty years ago for unknown reasons during a war between Seiryuu and Kairo.

Irezumi - Literally inserting ink. A tattoo traditional to Seiryuu where ink of pure ki is threaded into the skin, usually along the forearms. Only bushi and some exceptionally skilled healers receive irezumi; they cannot be removed. There are five different ranks of irezumi: green (for new bushi and healers), blue (skilled), white (masters), red (royalty), and purple (warlocks).

Tapper - A round, metallic device made by Masanori. He keeps it in a leather pouch draped around his neck.

Anti-tapper - A device similar to Masanori’s tapper, but instead of drawing unusable ki from the body to form spells, it takes ki from within and stores it in the device, making it inaccessible.

Dragons - The children of the goddess Shirashi, gone from Seiryuu for centuries. They are associated with water, wind, and storms—not fire. These dragons are long and serpentine, usually with no wings, and flowing manes. Some have only front legs, others have four.

Shishajya - Literally messenger serpent. They are the messengers of the Dragon Goddess Shirashi, the dragons, and the warlocks. There is only one left in all of Seiryuu.

Yōkai - An umbrella term for supernatural creatures, ghosts, spirits, and unexplainable occurrences. There are yōkai specific to certain regions

Shirashi - The Goddess of thunder and storms, mother of yōkai and dragons. Centuries ago, she came to Seiryuu with her dragons to teach them how to use ki. She is the deity of Seiryuu, said to be both benevolent and cruel. Sister of the Wyvern God, Ozeki.

For more characters and information about individual terms, please visit the glossary at the back of the book!

1

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Aihi

If any game in existence was meant to shed blood, that game would be Go.

Aihi scanned the large board, avoiding the gaze of her opponent, Li Fengge, whose bright, curious eyes observed her every movement. With him sat two other Sānlóngguón diplomats, the refined Hou Nianzu, and their counterbalance, Xiong Zixin, who stared at Aihi with unbidden contempt. Genshu Dano remained neutral at Aihi’s side.

Seiryuu grows ever more beautiful as its princess blossoms.—Fengge nodded with approval when Aihi placed her Go piece and surrounded one of his black stones—Before long, I believe most will find visiting these shores an irresistible adventure.

Simple minds oft forget the danger beauty hides, dear Li, Aihi said. Next to her, Ei, her father’s precious hō-ō, was preening her long amber feathers. The bird was at ease, and so was Aihi, but she could only go so long without directly addressing Sānlóngguó’s destroyed ships and dead diplomats. 

Fengge gave an amused smile. He was feminine in his appearance, moving and speaking with the grace of a puma. Yet he held an unparalleled authoritative confidence, reminding Aihi more of a tiger. He was too skilled for the show of emotion to be anything but intentional. Please, call me Fengge, Your Exaltation. I do hope we might become friends.

As you wish, dear Fengge.

Though Aihi accepted his display of familiarity, she would not extend the gesture until she had a better understanding of the man.

While Zixin and Nianzu had attended regular meetings with Shōgun Mika and presented themselves at significant events in Seiryuu, Aihi had never met Li Fengge before today. He replaced the third member of Zixin and Nianzu’s party, Guo Jing, who had been an unfortunate causality in one of the earliest attacks on Sānlóngguón ships. One of four dead diplomats.

Considering the severe circumstances, Aihi did not yet understand why Fengge—a fledging diplomat with no prior relationship with Seiryuu—would replace an esteemed woman such as Jing.

Shadows do not erase beauty outright, Your Exaltation. Fengge set his next piece, capturing a vacant square adjacent to one of Aihi’s. What misfortune, it is, for all this unpleasantness to overshadow your home in the years she should shine brightest. Alas, shadows might always disappear when obstructions are removed.

Not all shadows are of equal merit, Aihi said.

The advantage of a simple mind is, I believe, to be blind to the shadows which plague others.

Aihi parsed the game board, seeking her next move. My cousin, Aochi Raidon, is such an example of simplicity. For all his travel, it is a marvel he has survived so long in this treacherous world. I hear he is currently in Sānlóngguó, enduring yet another adventure of his own making. 

Adventure is, of course, defined by the adventurer.

Fengge’s expression revealed no hint of Raidon’s status. Ever since things went sour between Seiryuu and Sānlóngguó, Aihi had expected Raidon to become a hostage under the title of a much-honoured guest. Without knowing whether the thread to Raidon’s life via the Magician’s guild was implied or explicit, Aihi had to tread with care. The discussion about the destroyed ships might determine whether he remained a captive or went free. Months had passed since her last contact with Raidon, but that was not unusual when he spent most of his time away from civilization.

Shadows, if left too long, choke the life from the flowers they hide, Nianzu said, either content to refocus the topic or oblivious of Raidon’s significance. No gardener would stand to let his precious creations wither and die under a watchful eye.

He drew Aihi’s attention, and not for the first time, she glanced over the ruby and jade hair clasps denoting an esteemed magician. Every garden must be tended with care, she said. Yet shade is not the only—nor is it the worst—force to trouble a budding beauty. Rodents require swift dispatching, lest they leave nothing but waste behind, and little worth recovering from the darkness.

And? Have your pests met their end?

Aihi positioned a stone farther from her and Fengge’s main army. She could do better, but her strategy demanded patience. Some rats require a special poison. Time.

Fengge focused on the Go board and Aihi on him. He wore no magician’s mark, yet he would not attend a meeting between Seiryan officials and Sānlóngguón magicians were he not favoured by the Magician’s Guild. His hanfu was simple, the robes a mix of subdued greens and reds, while Nianzu and Zixin boasted magnificent scarlet and emerald silk with gold embroidery. Fengge’s adornments were plain silver clasps, too, as though he went through a special effort to appear unintimidating.

Time is perhaps the most valuable resource of all, Your Exaltation. One we are currently quite limited in unless we are eager to wait for another tragedy—Fengge placed his stone and captured three of Aihi’s—like your previous move in our game.

The pieces she left vulnerable to lure Fengge into her trap.

Tragedy is but what we make of it. She attacked his unprotected flank, capturing five pieces. I choose not to linger on despair, but the bonds it might create—and reforge.

Fengge raised his eyebrows and moved to less populated squares.

An easy, and equally empty, claim made by one who has little understanding of national responsibility. Zixin’s glare travelled to the disastrous state of Fengge’s side of the Go board. "It is time to cut the pleasantries and pretty words and speak plainly, child. Seiryuu has long been prosperous. What pest could justify neglecting your closest ally, allowing the mutilation of Sānlóngguón trade ships and magicians in Seiryan waters?"

Aihi took her time making her next move. For a diplomat, Zixin had no tact. The severe angles of her jaw and frame matched her attitude. It was easy to see why she had been Mika’s favourite diplomat to deal with: Zixin had no patience for the court's exhausting language, where most peoples’ preferred form of diplomacy involved avoiding a topic while simultaneously delving into intimate details.

Perhaps you forgot, Xiong Zixin, about the state of our Honourable Shōgun’s health, Dano said, breaking his silence for the first time. I will caution you only once to refer to the Exalted Dragon Princess with the respect due an Acting Shōgun.

Yes, the enigmatic ailing constitution of Furahau Mika. Zixin stood, holding one hand behind her back, the other loose at her side as she circled Fengge, Aihi, and their game of Go. I heard you butchered her.

Aihi rolled the Go piece between her fingers. It was plain black, not one of Lacotl’s with a human face painted on one side, yet a memory flickered behind her eyes. A dreamy playing field with Go and Shōgi and hundreds of unrecognizable game pieces.

The true game had begun. Aihi found her place amongst the sea of white, and now it was her turn to play. To win. She placed another piece, prepared to launch another attack.

You will not spea— Dano started, silenced by Aihi’s raised hand.

You wish for me to continue without pretty words and fanfare, Xiong Zixin? She brushed a hand over Ei’s molten feathers and gestured for Fengge to continue playing. "Then please, tell me when to stop.

A corrupted aki, made by a malicious kan’thir sworn to Ozeki’s service, attacked our Honourable Shōgun. Indeed, I was in the room when the crystal’s vile energy latched on to our Shōgun’s spirit, and, indeed, I severed her arm to control the contamination. I recall, quite clearly, the gush of her blood across my hands as she lay in my lap, in the seconds before—

Zixin’s powdered cheeks managed to whiten to complete ivory. Enough. You make your point. We do not need graphic details, only the information which might further our understanding of the situation.

Apologies, dear Xiong. I forgot that you have never wielded a sword, that blood might make one queasy.

When Zixin turned her face away in a show of defeat, Aihi put another stone in place for her finale. Might you require a reminder of our spiritual practices in Seiryuu? We do not look favourably upon those who follow Ozeki, not when such visits often leave strings of violence in their wake.

Nianzu twisted his teacup. So that is what this is. You keep us at a distance, ignoring our predicament, believing us responsible for the monster ravaging your garden. All because we accept the energies of God, Goddess, and the Balance between the two? I thought us generations past this dispute, Your Exaltation. What has our Glorious Teacher done to reverse your opinion?

Unlike Seiryuu, Sānlóngguó worshipped not only the Dragon Goddess Shirashi but also her brother and rival, the Wyvern God Ozeki. The Balance between them, for Sānlóngguó, was their third deity, a winged serpent of both masculine and feminine energies. The creature was not too dissimilar from the sacred shishajya who were beloved by Seiryans, but Aihi’s instincts were to reject this philosophy. No concrete evidence existed of a third being anywhere near as powerful as Shirashi and Ozeki.

Still, she restrained her thoughts from straying too far from a path of acceptance. The previous Warlock Empress’ failed their duty to Aoryuu—as Seiryuu was named before—in part, due to their strict monotheistic beliefs. They went to war with many civilizations to prove Shirashi’s superiority. They seeded hate and intolerance, and, in the end, that became a weapon that turned against Aoryuu. Shōgun Mika insisted that Aihi would surpass all previous Warlock Empresses. She would rewrite Seiryuu’s history apart from the Warlock Empire’s failings and right their wrongs even if not a warlock herself. Aihi struggled, every day, to prove Mika right.

You mistake our meaning, Dano said. "We do not suspect Sānlóngguón involvement; our nations have cooperated peacefully for many long years. However, you must understand our priority has been unravelling the mysteries surrounding the sorcerer responsible for our Shōgun’s ill health.

The lost ships and magicians are a true tragedy. We are conducting a thorough investigation with all of the resources at our disposal. While we review the evidence, we cannot jump to conclusions. It is our responsibility to reach a satisfactory outcome for both parties.

Fengge moved to circle Aihi’s growing formation. If you believe our bond of nations as strong as ever, then I wish to understand why our offer to assist in the investigation continues to go unanswered.

In light of our budding friendship, dear Fengge, I will honour you with an explanation. Aihi sipped her tea, and the warm liquid steadied her nerves. I forgive your ignorance. You have spent little time in Seiryuu, and less, I am sure, debating the devastation of your ships.

It is contextual information that I lack, it seems.

Aihi lifted a stone. Xiong Zixin, Hou Nianzu, and your predecessor, Guo Jing, were quick to approach our Honourable Shōgun after the first incident early in the month of the dragon.

We had a strong relationship with Furahau Mika, Zixin said, we wished to collaborate, not sit idle while we might bring the culprit to justice. You misunderestimate Li Fengge by assuming his new appointment makes him ignorant.

No, Xiong, you misunderestimate him by assuming his youth makes him a pawn, as you likewise discount me. Aihi claimed her final point before Fengge could stop her, surrounding another four of his pieces. I apologize for putting you in this position, my dear Fengge, but sweet Xiong requested I speak plainly, and I must oblige her request for fear that, otherwise, we might never find a resolution.

Fengge rubbed his thumb and forefinger against his chin. If you believe your demonstration increases our likeliness of coming to an understanding, then I am more than happy to receive it at my expense.

This is unnecessary, Nianzu said, when we might have a civil discussion instead.

Aihi did not miss the warning in his tone, the implication that, by revealing Nianzu and Xiong’s deception, she might make things worse, not better. And though, a month ago, she would not have wavered, a thousand things had changed.

Games and strategy were supposed to be Aihi’s strength, but ever since her first face-off with the kan’thir, Lacotl, she had become less confident in her skills. She would find a way to beat him, as she would beat these diplomats. Mika never lost control of the situation. Neither would Aihi.

She still did not understand Fengge’s role in the Magician’s Guild’s scheme to antagonize Seiryuu, but only a fool would trust him. Though Seiryuu’s philosophical differences with the Magician’s Guild were immense, they had once united over their shared reverence of Shirashi. They could do so again.

Our Honourable Shōgun had every intention of asking Sānlóngguó to support her inquiry into the loss of magicians and valuable trade goods, Aihi said. "Their first meeting was one of joint horror, formulating swift plans to root out the criminals claiming Sānlóngguón lives. That cooperation should have continued. That is, had Hou and Xiong been more interested in maintaining an alliance than flinging accusations.

You wonder why we do not accept your assistance? She lifted her chin to the man and woman to Fengge’s sides. Ask them what they told Furahau Mika in their second meeting, after Guo Jing’s tragic death. I implore you to demand the exact wording, too—perhaps you will find it as amusing as I did.

Thank you for your counsel, Your Exaltation. Perhaps it is time for us to take our leave and resume our game another day, Fengge said, ending his turn with a neutral placement to the side. I will consult my comrades on this matter before our next conference.

Seiryuu must take responsibility for its crimes. Nianzu stood to join Zixin several steps closer to Aihi. Might I remind you of your cousin, stranded so far from home?

Ki flared in Dano’s palms, solidifying into calm spirals of water. A warning. You err in assuming Seiryuu will bend to threats of violence or that she will accept your groundless accusations without recourse.

Unless your plan is to sever ties with Seiryuu, Aihi said, I recommend reconsidering your negotiation strategy. Aochi Raidon is, after all, more than capable of taking care of himself. And if not, well...

Nianzu and Zixin swept out of the room, a flurry of reds and greens, like a pair of exotic birds. Fengge’s expression was still unreadable up until the moment he lowered himself into a bow and backed out of the chamber.

As he left, Aihi noticed the slender jian at his waist. Fengge was the first Sānlóngguón diplomat to favour carrying a sword. There was some significance to this, but she could not summon the reason through the unsteady thrum thrumming in her veins.

When the fusuma slid shut, and the clamour of footsteps in the hall faded, Dano grunted and puffed out his sleeves. Your Exaltation, I am not sure this meeting could have gone any worse.

Aihi looked at the dragon patterns adorning the cloth doors, and then at the game board, an indiscriminate battlefield which might yet topple for or against her. I feel like we won something.

Her shoulders rolled forward, jerky with the knowledge that she might have very well sentenced her cousin Raidon to death.

2

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Hidekazu

The master flicked a bolt of scorching ki at Hidekazu, sending him flying into the opposite wall. Hidekazu stifled a yelp when he collided with the wood and collapsed to the floor. He struggled into a bow, pressing his forehead to the tatami, daring not to raise his eyes again.

You forget who you are, what you made yourself. Barame loomed, hands folded as though he hadn’t struck his student across the room. What is your new name?

Shi... Shizu Hidekazu.

Why?

I am dishonourable, unworthy of my father’s respected name.

Electric energy hovered like a halo around Barame’s head. You disappeared for over a month. My best Shadows could not find you.

Dishonour. The consequence of trying to do good. But the mission that had sent Hidekazu, Masanori, and Aihi beyond the reaches of Seiryuu was not one Hidekazu could recount without sounding insane. He settled for sharing their goals before their journey went wrong, before his father exiled Hidekazu from the Genshu clan. Before he swore to redeem himself and reclaim his family name no matter the cost.

We were investigating the Dragons Eye on Aihi’s behalf, travelling to Najadu.

"I uncovered as much with Ijichi Kira’s testimony. And yet, you never made it that far. Where did you go?"

The library had, at first, seemed whimsical, filled with more books than Hidekazu could imagine. A library filled with lost warlock knowledge. It wasn’t supposed to exist. They, a group of oblivious humans, should have been the last to uncover its treasures. In the end, they deserved their punishment

The creatures of the dark had tried to eat him and his companions alive. 

We got lost.

Energy rippled around Barame, and his razor-like hair flashed. The sting of ki whipped across Hidekazu’s back. He gritted his teeth. He forfeited his right to argue when he disobeyed not only his family but also Barame, to whom Hidekazu had sold his independence.

Genshu Dano’s terms to rejoin the Genshu clan were fair. Until Hidekazu proved his discipline by passing the Majyutsushi Exams and becoming a bushi, he was on his own. He was no one, nameless, worthless.

The whip of bladed hair came again, cutting Hidekazu’s shoulders. Leaving to unlock the secrets of the Dragon Eyes was the last time Shizu Hidekazu would disobey.

I do not tolerate liars, Barame said.

I’m n-not lying. Not entirely.

We had an agreement, you and I. Instead of striking Hidekazu again, Barame retrieved a bean-sized gold and green ball from his desk. But Genshu Hidekazu does not exist anymore. Your own father believes you an undisciplined dog and sent you off for re-education.

Hidekazu eyed the strange sphere. He’d never seen anything like it before, yet he understood that it was the manifestation of his and Barame’s en-bond. With the orb, the spiritual link between student and master came into focus. It didn’t appear, not quite, but the weight of their agreement hung between them like a physical presence, reverberating between them like the strings of an invisible lute.

I will pay for my mistakes however I must, Hidekazu said.

You will. Barame held the ball out. You know what this is, do you not?

It is an en-maru. Proof that I—sold himself—agreed to the terms of our bond. It is both mediator and punisher. This was a guess, at least, based on what he little knew of en-bonds.

Correct. Take it.

Translucent ki floated around the sphere, hot and dangerous, but Barame touched it without burning. Hidekazu would not be so fortunate. This device would enact whatever cruel will its master demanded. Yet, Barame waited for Hidekazu to claim the en-maru of his own free will. And, in doing so, intentionally harming himself in his obedience. He had no power to act against Meki Barame, not as a nameless person with no clan or status to protect him.

He mimicked Barame’s hands, and the ball glowed green. It zapped into Hidekazu’s palm, and he gasped with the sudden, immense pressure pushing on his fingers. The heat of ki lingered there, waiting for Barame’s command.

The three rings on the en-maru indicate the status of our agreement. Once you accomplish your part, all of the gold will turn verdant, and you will be freed from my service.

The rings were solid gold.

You are now nameless, a consequence of your frequent disobedience, Barame continued, and by right, I may do with you what I please. What makes you deserving of my mentorship?

I... I am...

No. You are nothing.

The ball flared, and a slight burning crept into Hidekazu’s palm. Nausea rose inside him, alongside a spinning white at the edge of his vision. I will survive.

Recite page four hundred and sixteen, paragraph eight.

Knocking sounded in Hidekazu’s head, but he pushed it aside and searched his garbled memories for the correct text from Osoreru: Warlock Mythologies to appease Barame. The White Warlock granted no mercy, for there was no mercy for the fallen. In his hand, he took the cobalt scale of his Divine Mother and delivered her justice, a curse of madness to cure insolence.

Now in Ryuugo, Barame said.

Hidekazu deflated. He’d memorized the section in Seiryan, but not in Ryuugo—the dragon’s tongue, or the Old Language once used by warlocks.

At his silence, the en-maru’s ki bled into his skin, his tendons, his bones. Burning. He lurched, unable to make a sound through the thickness of his shock. The orb wouldn’t fall from his hand, no matter how hard he tried to fling the ball away.

You cannot toss away what you gave to me. 

White fog pressed in on Hidekazu from all sides, but though the sphere’s ki subsided, the white remained. An unnatural chill slithered in his head, the coiling dragon that kept his mind imprisoned. Naoji, the White Warlock, was Hidekazu’s warden in all places Barame could not monitor. Without Sayuri’s presence—Hidekazu’s tsukumogami companion—nothing held Naoji’s intrusion at bay.

"Aw, and here I was, overjoyed at Meki Barame sharing a story about me," Naoji said. In Hidekazu’s mind, the words were difficult to distinguish from his own thoughts. "They always get the bit about madness wrong; they should meet my beloved brother and sister. At least I’ve made no one mad but myself."

Barame circled. Did I misjudge your ability?

No, Headmaster, Hidekazu said.

And yet you fail me, one time after another. Why?

Hidekazu’s last words to his brother, you better not come back, made him suck in a breath. He held it, afraid that, if he let go, he would lose the hot air that kept him buoyed above the Nightmare’s terrors, and he would descend into that pit and never return.

Look at me.

Hidekazu hesitated, and then lifted his gaze to Barame’s. The older man scrutinized him as if the secret to Hidekazu’s dispassion would be hidden in plain sight. Perhaps Genshu Dano himself instilled a faulty belief that left Hidekazu defective.

If only it were so simple. Hidekazu’s deficiencies ran much deeper than that.

Beside the shoji leading to the terrace, the white collected into an ivory cloud. As soon as the vapour caught Hidekazu’s attention, and his pupils flicked away, the en-maru released a shock of searing energy. Needles jabbed his nerves, methodical in their path up his arm. A low whine resonated in his throat when, this time, the sensation didn’t subside.

Your vision falters. Do you still wish to become a bushi? Did you ever?

Hidekazu spluttered, and the calligraphy scrolls on the wall warped into wicked grins. His mind betrayed him. When the white smoke circled nearby, Naoji stepped from it and into the room. Bells jingled in his silver hair, and his matching haori billowed as he moved. He peered at Hidekazu