V2 1 – The Runaway

Life went on in Tsukio. Only weeks ago the village had been menaced by a horde of demons, the distant mountain overlooking it ravished into a cratered hill, but still life went on.

I was taking the time to learn more Tsukian from Mikan and her father these days. Twice a week I’d set my Babel stone aside and spend some hours with either of them, talking through the basics of the Tsukian language.

Learning their alphabet, the strange characters that made up their words and how they functioned... even reading books from the right page to the left page, as the easterners did. The whole thing was tough, particularly since I’d never been all that smart to begin with.

I got into these lessons not because I particularly wanted to learn any of this, but because I had to. A little bit of bad luck and my Babel stone could be destroyed, and I’d have to rush up to Low Moon or High Moon to buy a new one... which would hardly be cheap, and there was no way of knowing where to even buy one of the things. And in the meantime I wouldn’t want to be totally unable to communicate with people.

And, ultimately, Mikan and her father were the only folks in the village who could speak my language, even if it was only a modest amount. Damn if it wasn’t a difficult language to learn.

“I think you’re doing pretty well,” Mikan said as we walked up the winding path that led to the outskirts of Tiode. “It’s a big undertaking, learning a new language. And you should take pride in learning what you have at this point.”

I sighed, rubbing at my neck. “I appreciate the praise, Mikan. But you’ll forgive me if I don’t plan on discarding my stone any time soon.” Or, ever, if I could help it.

All around us came the sound of hammering and banging, new houses and stores being built on the edges of the village. A slow and steady process that had been going on for the last few weeks. Ever since Sha’s death there had been an influx of interest in Tiode. Partially from people making a religious pilgrimage to Mount Gruai, and partially from people deciding it would be a nice, isolated place to set up shop away from the chaos of the bigger cities, where crime was apparently a growing concern.

And, as a result, some of the new acres I had bought now sported the recently finished structure of a roadside inn. A spot for the pilgrims to stop and spend a few nights. Already it was seeing a decent stream of customers, but some aspiring businessmen were also placing their own bed and breakfasts in Tiode, and it seemed the village was becoming a popular spot for wealthy tourists.

I was still wary about being an innkeep, even if Yomi did much of the daily work. Still, the steady income of it was nice.

We walked through the gate, and through my fields rich with grain and potatoes. Smoke wasn’t around, nor could I see Haita or Yamato... mildly concerning, but they were likely busy somewhere else. Probably at the inn itself, same with Yomi.

“Well, I’d still like to thank you. And your father did quite like my scrumpy when I gave him a sample. So, think of it as payment.”

“You really don’t have to pay me,” Mikan said, managing a small smile. “We’re friends, and helping each other is what friends do.”

“Friends, huh?” I asked, letting out a small and bitter huff of laughter. “Then... giving you a gift is me being a friend to the two of you.” It felt strange, having anyone I would consider a friend. Stranger still that I genuinely believed it. “Come on, I‘ve got the jugs here.”

Emperor Novos was seated on the couch in my living room.

The sight of him sent a terrible chill racing through my body, as if someone had dunked a bucket of icy water on my head. I stood rooted to the spot like a statue, unable to budge an inch. His eyes, dispassionate voids of crimson, slithered toward me.

“So, this is where you’ve been hiding out. How entirely underwhelming.”

Mikan blinked at the emperor in confusion. She didn’t know who he was, hadn’t a clue, but clearly every nerve in her body was alight with terror just at the sight of him. His aura filled the room, a subtle whispering chant of murderous violence. “M-Master Amon, who-”

He gestured toward her. One instant Mikan was standing there, and in the next... she was gone, her silhouette flash-fried onto the wall. My jaw dropped, and it felt as if an unseen hand was gripping my throat like a vice. I couldn’t breathe, couldn’t make a sound.

More than that... I couldn’t move at all.

Novos rose from his chair, folding is hands into the sleeves of his robes. “Oh, Tarion. Is this really what you’ve been doing? Run across the world to play pretend at being a farmer? Come now...” His voice was soft, almost sympathetic.

The emperor drew nearer, looming larger and larger with every step. The world around me melted away, a field of impenetrable blackness. It was just he and I, in that dark void that spread out unto infinity.

I felt my armour creeping up my body, ice cold despite the flames that flicked along the edges of the plate. And as it encased me I was paralysed even further, locked in by the unyielding joints of the plate. The armour wasn’t something there to protect me. It was a coffin. My coffin. The only thing I would ever deserve.

“There there,” Novos said in that soft, comforting tone. “You don’t have to pretend anymore. This, all of it, is just an unfortunate lapse. A blip in your immortal life. We’ll make you all better.”

I awoke with a start, my eyes shooting wide. A cold sweat covered me, and my chest rose and fell with ragged, gasping breaths. All was silent, a cold night breeze wafting in through my window. I grimaced, grinding my teeth together.

“Father?”

I blinked into the dark. The shadows beside me took shape, distinguished by a pair of luminous yellow eyes. Smoke rose into view beside me, a concerned look on his face. Or, at least, as concerned as a cat could look. His ears were flat against the sides of his head, and he leaned into my touch as I stroked the top of his head.

“Just a nightmare,” I murmured. “Don’t worry about it.”

“I do worry, Father. You are hurt, clearly. I see no wounds, smell no blood, but you are hurt.”

I let out a sigh. “Yeah. Just a bit,” I said. It did hurt. I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had a nightmare so vivid, and some stupid part of me wanted to rush to Mikan’s house just make sure the girl was alright.

No, if Novos did come to Tiode... he would be far less subtle in his arrival. He’d hit the village like a damn meteor.

Unlike Rhonde, which he had aspirations to rule and profit from after he’d enacted the worst of the Murder March, he would have no incentive to hold back if he chose to attack here. But, best I could tell, I really was safe out here. From Novos, at least.

I stared down at Smoke, took some comfort in the low rumbling of his purrs. I hadn’t told him the truth about my past. I hadn’t told anyone.

Maybe it was only fair to, for all the trust they had given me... and for the danger my mere presence brought to them. But, really, how would you even begin to start that conversation?

‘Hello everyone, I want to thank you all for welcoming me and supporting me. Also I’m one of the most reviled butchers from across the sea and my master will murder you all in horrible agony if he ever comes here. Would anyone care for a potato?’

I shifted my jaw slightly. No, that wouldn’t go over well.

Smoke landed atop me and got comfortable, his weight immaterial to me. I resumed petting him and stared silently up at the ceiling. Somehow I doubted I’d be sleeping again tonight. That was the risk, I supposed. Choosing to indulge in sleep left my mind vulnerable to all my fears, and all my memories. They’d been coming back more and more lately, after years without dreams or nightmares.

That, in and of itself, worried me immensely.

“Do you wish to speak about it?” Smoke asked. “Your nightmare, I mean. It must be something very fierce, if the mightiest man under the heavens fears it so.”

I gave a small scoff. Little guy thought the world of me. If only he knew.

“No,” I told him. “Not... at the moment.”

I glanced out the window again and saw faint streaks of golden light on the horizon. The sun, very slowly, starting its climb into the sky. And, come morning, I’d have plenty of work to do around the farm and the inn.

Well, it would keep my mind clear at least.

“Come on,” I said, giving Smoke another scratch behind the ears. “Let’s just try and get more sleep in before morning.”