The Blind Kingdom: Fragmented Worlds

By T.C. Elofson

Takayo with the help of Kanon and the Shinto-Kamie Order did the impossible, defeating a ruler whose brutal hold over  the land lasted hundreds of years. Now Takayo; the prophesied  Waterbringer and Kanon; the new ruler of the Empire of Hisan must build a new empire on the wreckage of the Kingdom of Daku. It soon becomes clear that defeating Daku was the easy part. The Darkness that gave Daku her power is now free and threatens to march it's armies upon the living. Now Takayo, Kanon and the Shinto-Kamie Order hope that they can rally the kingdoms in time to combat the coming Darkness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: T.C. Elofson
• Release date: Jun 28, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223562917

T.C. Elofson

T.C. Elofson is the author of three novels and lives in Edmonds, WA with his wife and two daughters.

Book preview

For Leanna

Now and always

1

Breathe, Takayo thought.

Takayo Jin breathed deeply, and the water-air filled her lungs. The pain in her chest lessened as she focused energy on the open gash in her shoulder. Outside her window of the Ashen Palace, the morning warmed to the coming sun. Yet she preferred to sit in the darkness of her chambers. Life outside her quiet bed chamber had been filled with stares and judgment from those around the palace for several days.

She had killed the Empress. And when Emperors or Empresses die in the empire, their bodies aren't burned like the common laborer's. Instead, they are encased in molten rock and placed in the center of the realm so that everyone can visit the ruler of the empire cities and pay their respects.

That couldn’t happen now. The Vale had consumed Daku. At least, Takayo thought that was what had happened. She had just left the Empress to die on the edge of life and death. That was the problem; the city was given no closure.

Even a dictator is a mother to some, and now the townsfolk looked to Takayo for answers about the Empress’ death. Takayo had nothing to say to them. All the Bushi had been burned in an honorable ritual, as were all those that died on the day of the great attack to kill the Empress. They became smoke on the day Takayo returned from the Vale. To the Da-eti, they become a floating blackness that lifts high over the city.

But those Reflections that died were given no honor, no burning ritual. It was still officially a crime to be a Reflection in the empire, and no Reflection would be granted an honorable death within the kingdom no matter the situation.

Every morning Takayo opened those shutters, she was reminded of what she was and how the city viewed her. The ashes of the dead still decorated her windowsill every morning, and every evening she brushed them clean only to find that the black ash returned the following day—a constant reminder of what she had brought to this place. Wherever she went, death and destruction followed, first of the deck of the Black Dog and now in the capital city.

When Takayo caught glimpses of her likeness in the reflections of windows and mirrors around her small room, she saw nothing of that timid little girl hiding in the crow’s nest of her ship so long ago. She wasn’t like Kanon. She didn’t need answers to why she was the way she was. She didn’t need logical explanations of it all. For Takayo, it was enough that she was a Waterbringer and that the Da-eti had chosen her for this.

She knew that she didn’t have the look of the Da-eti. Not the look that one would think of, anyway. She was sure that if she weren’t the Waterbringer, she wouldn’t even be that noticeable to most. She was thin, just over five feet tall, with hair as black as ravens and skin like a pearl. She knew she had a fragile look about her, and she preferred it that way.

She stood up and opened her eyes to the tiny light barbs bleeding between the wooden shutters over her window. Takayo didn’t want to see what awaited her outside that window. She didn’t like the looks from the people living in those homes down her street, and most of all, Takayo didn’t want to hear the Senators talk about what they would do about the Shinto-Kamie problem in the Ashen Palace. She turned to face her door and almost didn’t open it. And then she did.

The door opened to the welcoming expression of Master Mika.

Master, Takayo greeted him with what she hoped didn’t look like a false smile. Good morning.

How are you feeling? The shoulder still bothering you? Mika asked her, stepping aside and letting Takayo move past.

A bit. How is Roa? Any more news?

Nothing yet, but he is a strong boy. I have faith in his stubbornness.

I hope you're right, Takayo said as she walked down the hallway with Master Mika. That same guilt filled her again—the guilt of what she had done to Roa and what the Empress had also done to him.

I see that look in your eyes again, Takayo. You need to let this go.

I don’t know if I can, she said, stopping by an open window that faced the Ashen Tower.

So much destruction, she thought. All caused by a single act. My act.

She could see the massive holes in the tower from where the cannonballs had hit. Evidence of the Shinto-Kamie attack looked back at Takayo, finding her hiding from nearly everyone who might seek to blame her for what happened to their innocent city. Yet, Takayo knew the Ashen Palace was not innocent, far from it. But the people who lived in the town were innocent and did not harm her or Roa.

You see this? Takayo said, indicating the damage. All this is because of me. I caused everything that is happening, and everyone here knows it.

You don’t know that, Mika said, turning to her.

I do. You know what the Senate is getting ready to do... You’ve heard the talk?

I have.

They want us out. And honestly, I don’t blame them. We took this place by force, Takayo said sadly.

We liberated them from a dictator.

They don’t see it that way, Takayo responded as they walked away from the window and headed down to the meeting room where the Shinto-Kamie had set up.

Everywhere you look in this city, you see evidence of what happened. We brought this war of ours to their front door. The ports were nearly destroyed. And how long were the ports shut down after? They still are not open, not to commercial fishermen yet. The people are going hungry, and they blame us... They blame me.

You are taking this too personally, Mika said as they approached the open large oak door, inviting whoever wished to enter.

I understand how she feels, Master Ossoka said, coming around the corner to meet them. Takayo, how are you feeling this morning? he said with outstretched arms.

She let herself fall into the arms of her old master. His kind features glowed as he wrapped his arms around her thin body.

Better.

Physically better, Mika said, But her guilt is getting the best of her.

Takayo shot Mika a look that said, You are not helping me.

I really do understand how you feel. Never regret yesterday, Takayo. Life is now, and now is giving birth to tomorrow.

"It’s a very nice sentiment, Master... However, it is the now that concerns me. Our future is uncertain. My future is uncertain. The Shinto-Kamie need a place to call home."

As do you, Master Ossoka said, walking her into the brightly lit room of long wooden tables covered in papers and dripping candles. You never had a home.

No, I never had a home. And when I came to the Order, I thought that was all behind me, Takayo said, sitting on a long bench just past the door. She was oddly aware of Mika moving out to the balcony, away from Master Ossoka and Takayo, letting them talk.

Not everyone here blames you for what happened. In fact, one person in the palace I know for a fact wants you around.

Prince Kanon, you mean, Takayo said.

Yes. He’s not really the prince now, you know. He’s the rightful leader of the empire.

He doesn’t want it.

Did he tell you that? Master Ossoka asked.

Everybody knows that... He never did. Kanon pushed into her mind for a moment. And again, guilt spilled into her thoughts.

I can see the guilt in you again. You are just riddled with it.

No... Well, yes. Master Kon left Kanon to come to me. Master Kon was his mentor, sort of his father too, and he left Kanon to come find me. We all know how that worked out.

Yes, we do. He made the right choice. You were too important for him not to. Master Kon would make the same choice again. And by the way, Takayo, Master Kon left Kanon to help Roa, but you distracted him. When he came across you, he saw right away how amazing your Reflection was and chose to stay with you. To guide you. And I’m so very grateful that he did. Aren’t you?

Of course I am. I would be dead right now if not for Master Kon. He risked everything for me. But at the same time, he left Kanon to do it. And I feel that guilt when I look upon Kanon now.

He feels none of that when he looks at you. And do you know why?

I think so, Takayo admitted. She didn’t know what she felt when she looked at Kanon. But there was something about him. He was friendly, and she enjoyed his company, maybe more than she should. He was rather nice to look at in a sort of admiring sort of way.

Good. Because that is just what you need to get your mind off of all this. A solid distraction. Distraction? She would certainly welcome that distraction, she thought. He was very handsome, and his muscles were delightful to look at.

I don’t know about that, Master, she said, running her fingers through her colorful hair. He can’t even see me.

Oh, I think he sees you better than most.

Takayo thought about Kanon for a moment. For a blind man, he did have an uncanny way of moving flawlessly around Takayo. She knew his Reflection worked well with his blindness and that he ‘saw’ much like she could see through the elemental vision. But how much could Kanon see?

It seems to me, Takayo, Ossoka brought her back, that these are things you can talk to Kanon about. But I know you. You won’t, will you?

Maybe. I have more important things to worry about right now.

More than the future of the Order? Or Kanon?

Don’t you feel it, Master? she asked, looking over at him and then at the others in the room. Takayo could see that some others were close enough to hear her. Don’t you feel the odd feeling in this place? Like there is something wrong with the world?

The world is out of balance. Daku’s death sent the world out of sync.

You think she was like a counterweight?

I do. The world is off-kilter, and it must be set right.

That thought made Takayo uneasy, and she didn’t know what to say next.

You didn’t see what I saw at the Vale. The look in her eyes when I took her life. One minute she was this evil thing; the next, she was... a scared old woman.

Master Ossoka was about to say something when a figure appeared close to him in the doorway. Elements appeared out of a glow of shimmering light, and flesh formed before Takayo. Master Chi’en came into focus before her.

She was a scared old woman in the end, Master Chi’en said.

Master Chi’en, Takayo stood up to bow to him.

I’m not your master, my dear. Not anymore. I’m no one's master now. Just call me Kyou now. The name I was born with.

Okay, Takayo agreed hesitantly.

The Darkness that had a hold on the Empress lost its grip on her once you killed her. But the power of the Death God is working hard now, and soon we will have to deal with this.

Deal with what? Takayo asked.

The Vale is loaded with the Darkness. All the souls in the Vale died in the Slave Wars. Ancient enslaved people and lost soldiers who were never given rest in life. The Darkness bleeds through all of them. I felt it in the Vale. I move through the Vale, and I’m exposed to the Darkness every time I do. Before the death of Daku, the sensation of the Darkness in the Vale was like something far off in the distance that couldn’t touch you. But now... now the Darkness infects everything in the elemental world. Soon nothing will be safe.

"And I feel it because?" Takayo asked nervously.

You broke the world once, and then you tore a rift in the world when you killed the Empress. And in doing so, you got close to the Darkness—very close to the Darkness—and you got close to the Vale.

Takayo fell silent as a cold sensation overcame her. For several minutes Takayo didn’t speak. She didn’t talk again until Master Ossoka asked if she was okay.

Takayo, is your mind weighing you down again?

Well, I suppose it is.

Takayo stood up and looked at Master Mika out on the balcony. He hadn’t moved since the last time she had looked at him. Please excuse me, she said to Kyou and Master Ossoka.

Of course, my dear.

Takayo moved across the room to the open balcony, where red silk curtains blew gently in the breeze of the balcony doorway. She moved between them and stepped over the threshold to where Mika stood. He didn’t turn to greet her, but Takayo knew he was aware of her arrival. He stooped with his elbows resting on the brass