The Lotus War - Kinslayer Part 49

-NO. WILL NOT FIGHT FOR YOU.- Buruu bowed his head, breathed deep, tasted defeat on his tongue. Nothing he could do. Nothing he could say. He could feel the ache in Kaiah's heart. The ache that drove her to this razored sh.o.r.e. A sorrow too vast to see the edges. Little ones. Precious ones. Loved ones.

Gone.

Taken.

Kaiah padded over to Yukiko, knelt on the stone before her. The girl looked up, swollen, trembling lips and frightened, blackened eyes. An age pa.s.sed, there in the howling storm, the clawing wind, the driving rain, until at last, the thunder tiger leaned in close, pressed her head against Yukiko's belly, and listened.

The sun slipped out from behind the clouds.

Just for a moment.

-BUT I WILL FIGHT FOR THEM.- And the rain about them turned to falling diamonds.

42.

PULSE.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

The rhythm of the tracks matched the one in his chest, the spectral pulse of the mechabacus inside his head. Kin watched the countryside spin by beyond the beach-gla.s.s windows, miles upon miles of lotus fields, the towering six-legged figures of harvestermen cutting through the plants like they were made of smoke, drifting up into a scarlet sky.

The train was filled to bursting, mostly sararmen and their families; mothers, fathers, children, all crammed together in their little metal sh.e.l.ls and speeding down the lines toward the great capital of the s.h.i.+ma Shgunate. The news that Kigen had reopened her rail yards to admit well-wishers for the Daimyo's wedding was received with buzzing excitement, and people from all over the country were descending on the Tiger capital to celebrate the holiday and catch a glimpse of the man who would be their new Shgun.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

So handsome, were the whispers. So brave. A man who gave his sword arm in defense of Yoritomo-no-miya, who crushed the Inochi Riots almost single-handedly. A man who stepped forward at the hour his people needed him most and wrought order from chaos. A man worthy to marry the last daughter of Kazumitsu and usher in a new, golden age for this mighty nation.

Or so the wireless said.

Kin scowled, stared at the countryside beyond the gla.s.s, tried to block out the tinny voice piping in through the speakers. He wondered how many of the people around him actually believed the Guild broadcast. Packed in so tight they could hardly move, the smell and sweat and noise enough to make a person sick. And yet, still they came. To witness history. To be part of something. To escape the drudgery of their little lives for a heartbeat, pressing their faces against the gla.s.s, looking in at perfection they would never have.

At least there was one benefit to the cabins being so full-Kin didn't have to talk to the other Kage. They were spread out along the train's length so as not to draw attention. Daichi and Kaori and two dozen others; as many fighters as they could spare without stripping the village of its defenses. Kin knew Isao was amongst them, Takes.h.i.+ and Atsus.h.i.+ too. But the boys kept their distance, and their stares and insults to themselves.

Ayane had spoken to him as they trekked through the forest to Yama city, his arm about her shoulders. Her voice had been no more than a whisper.

"You did not tell Daichi-sama what happened, did you?" Anguish in her eyes.

"He won't care. But don't worry, Ayane. It's going to be good."

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

"It's going to be perfect."

He looked at the girl now as she stared out of the window beside him, wide, dark eyes reflecting the rolling green beyond, the gray wash of storm clouds above. She was pressed into the groove between seat and wall. A heavy cloak and a large straw hat strapped around her shoulders covered the swell of the silver arms at her back.

He recalled his meeting with Daichi, the hushed voices over the chessboard as he outlined the plan that would spell an end to everything. Kin almost felt pity when he looked into the old man's eyes, when he considered what was coming. He almost felt afraid of what it would mean. Where it would lead.

Almost.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

But he pictured Ayane curled b.l.o.o.d.y and beaten in the corner, the way she'd trembled for hours after the earthquake ended. The way she woke screaming in the night and stared at nothing at all until dawn lit the sky. And he realized that he'd known all along how this would end. The Inquisitors had shown him after all.

Thirteen years old. Breathing in sweet blue-black, the What Will Be laid out before him. A future that, try as he might, he now knew he could never escape. No matter how fast he ran. No matter how deep he dug. No matter how hard he prayed.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

Ka-chunk. Ka-chunk.

Ayane refused to let go of his hand.

The Shadows stepped off the train at Kigen station, Kin among them, fading amidst the crowd and wreaths of fumes. The rail yard was a series of broad concrete platforms, stained beneath black rain, encircled by razor-wire fences and corroding boxcar skeletons. The majestic figure of the Phoenix's Floating Palace loomed over Kigen like a second sun, the Dragon tall s.h.i.+ps swaying in the blackened bay. The refinery could be heard in the distance; steam whistles and hissing smoke, boiling into the sunset sky.

Kin and the Kage fighters moved swift through the streets, shadows within the throng. Kigen's citizens were already caught up in the festivities, the sounds of drunken revelry spilling from every sake bar, bedhouse and brothel in Downside. A royal wedding-even a hastily arranged one-would last several days. Tradition held that bride and groom would gather with family and friends to bid a ceremonial good-bye the eve before the ritual. Vows would be exchanged the following morning, just as the Sun G.o.ddess crested the horizon.

Presuming, of course, nothing interrupted the occasion.

"You are well, Kin-san?" Daichi asked over his shoulder, his new walking stick clicking upon the cobbles.

"We're fine, Daichi-sama."

"Stay close," he rasped. "The local Kage may not look on you kindly."

Kin glanced into Ayane's wide and frightened eyes.

"That will be a switch," he muttered.

They doubled back several times to ensure n.o.body followed them, Kaori and the other Kage splitting off on different routes. But eventually, they came to a grubby house in Downside's western slums, close to the pipeline. Daichi knocked four times, coughing, lifting his kerchief and spitting black on the cobbles, rubbing at his ribs. Kin watched the street around them, every beggar, every corner courtesan, every drunkard stumbling from a tavern or bar. Iron b.u.t.terflies in his belly. Sweat on his palms, fingers entwined with Ayane's, her hand trembling.

The door opened, and a small, wiry woman motioned them inside. She was dressed in dark cloth, hair tied in a single braid. She had no eyebrows, and the skin on her face was pink and s.h.i.+ny, as if she'd been recently scalded.

"Daichi-sama." A low bow. "You honor this house with your presence."

"Gray Wolf." Daichi covered his fist and bowed. "This is Kin-san and Ayane-san."

Kin felt like the old woman looked right through him.

"The Guildsmen..."

"I vouch for them," Daichi said. "They have risked more than most to be here tonight."

The woman chewed at the inside of her cheek, turned and walked down a narrow hallway. The trio followed, Daichi limping hard, past a cluttered kitchen, corpse-rats strung up and bleeding over a cast-iron sink, descending twisting wooden stairs into the cellar. A broad oaken table dominated the s.p.a.ce, spread with a map of Kigen city, the pieces from three or four different chess sets arranged across the labyrinthine streets. Kaori stood near the stairwell, speaking with a man the size of a small house. They were surrounded by dozens more people; young and old, men and women and children. As Daichi entered the room, everyone stopped and stared, placed palms over fists, eyes filled with unveiled adoration and relief.

"My friends," the old man smiled. "My brothers and sisters."

"Father." Kaori motioned to the big man beside her. "This is Yukiko's friend, Akihito-san."

"Daichi-sama." The big man limped forward and bowed low. "We heard you were wounded. It gladdens us all to have you with us."

"Akihito-san." Daichi clapped him on the shoulder, a fragile tremor in his voice. "Yukiko-chan spoke of you often."

"How is she? I'm surprised she's not here."

Murmurs around the room. Nods of agreement.

"The Stormdancer is entangled in business to the north." Kin noted Daichi phrased the statement so it wouldn't be an outright lie. "I am certain we are in her thoughts. But it is not for her alone to pull this country back from the brink.

"When you place too much faith in one person, in me, in the Stormdancer, whomever, you lose sight of the power within yourself, my friends. Each of us must risk all. For each of us has as much to lose if we fail." He coughed, wiped his knuckles across his lips. "Everything."

Daichi looked around the room, caught the eye of each man, woman and child. Kin saw uncertainty in them to match his own. Desperation. Even fear. They saw the old man's weakness. The new frailty. The walking stick. The hand pressed to battered ribs.

"Take heart, brothers and sisters," Daichi said. "You will tell your children you were here. Tonight, as we take one step closer to throwing off the chi-monger's yoke and freeing this nation once and for all. We bring the dawn after blackest night. We bring fire to all the dark places of the world. They say the lotus must bloom. We say it must burn."

"Burn," came the scattered reply, a soft murmur from a few uncertain voices.

Daichi licked his lips. Eyes like cold stone roaming the Kage members.

"Say it again," he said, his voice growing louder. "The lotus must burn."

More voices now. Stronger.

"Burn."

Daichi shook his head, his voice harder still, steel ringing in his tone. "Speak it as if your lives depended on it."

Every voice in the room now, raised in unison. All save Kin and Ayane.

"Burn."

Daichi was shouting now, drawing strength from them, they from him, a perfect circle of flame and will and rage. "Say it as if you and you alone stood between this nation and utter ruin!"

"Burn!"

"The slavery of your children!"

"Burn!"

"The end of everything you know and love!"

"BURN!" they cried, roaring from the bottom of their bellies, fists clenched, teeth bared, spit flying. "BURN!"

"And that is exactly what we will do." The old man nodded, surveyed the chess pieces on the map. Picking up a black empress, he placed it in the chi refinery. "Burn it all. Right into the ground."

Kin watched silently as the old man split the Kage into groups; street ambushers, palace a.s.sault, bridge gangs. He watched the locals issue weapons; kusarigama sickles, iron tetsubo, staves, crude knives, even an old katana in a battered sheath for Daichi. Kerchiefs tied over faces, hats pulled low over narrowed eyes. Embraces and kisses of farewell, hands clasped, hollow bravado ringing in their laughter. He looked at the people around him, folk from every walk of life, united in their hatred of the thing he used to be.

The thing he could still try to run from.

Ayane pressed against him, hand still clasped in his.

Too late for that. Too late for all of it. The pieces were in place, moving toward confrontation, homemade chi-bombs clutched in their hands. To think they believed they had a chance. To think anyone here believed there could be a way out of this. To stand against the colossus of iron and smoke that even now would be stretching its limbs, gunning its motors, chainblades blotting out the moon.

There was no fighting it. Not this way. Against the Earthcrusher, this rabble had no chance at all ...

"You're Yukiko's Guildsman."

Kin blinked his way free of his reverie, focusing on the big man now standing in front of him. Akihito looked him up and down; a mountain carved in flesh, impa.s.sive face, ma.s.sive arms folded across a barrel-broad chest.

"You were on the Thunder Child," he said.

"I was," Kin replied.

"They say you helped her escape. Built metal wings so the aras.h.i.+tora could fly her free."

"I did."

The big man stared hard, eyes as cold and black as flint. Kin felt other stares upon him, sweat tickling the back of his neck. Slowly, deliberately, Akihito extended one ma.s.sive paw.

"Then you have my thanks. And I would call you friend."

Kin glanced around the room, at the sharp stares and pursed lips, distrust hanging so thick in the air he could sc.r.a.pe it away with his fingernails. He looked back at the giant, down at the extended hand, tongue cleaving to his teeth.

"I'm not so sure you want a friend like me, Akihito-san."

Daichi was standing near the map table, caught Kin's eye and motioned him closer, asking him to outline the refinery layout to the strike team one last time. Kin stepped away from the giant with an apologetic bow and looked at the a.s.sembled Kage-the Shadow crew that would slip between the cracks and light a conflagration in the Guild's innards. Kaori would lead them, taking a dozen men into the refinery core and reducing it to cinders. The rest of the Kage would disperse in the city, drawing out forces from chapterhouse and palace, making the Shgun and Guild denude their stronghold defenses to protect their streets.

Daichi would oversee the Shadow strike into the Tiger palace-just a swift handful, light as knives, stealing through the chaos and wresting the Lady Aisha from her wedding bed. Kin stared at the Kage who would guard their general on the back lines, young and fierce as tigers. The faces of the boys who had tried to kill him. Who had hurt Ayane.

Isao. Atsus.h.i.+. Takes.h.i.+.

Their distrust was palpable, stares drifting to the input jacks at his wrists, the pale slip of a girl behind. The legacy of her a.s.sault was still carved on their arms. Their vengeance written in her hollow, haunted eyes.

Daichi patted Kin's back; a show of endors.e.m.e.nt, of faith despite it all. The way his father used to do in the workshop, in days before he dreamed of dissent or betrayal or revolution. Before he even knew what those words meant.

Kin unrolled a hand-drawn map of the refinery sewage system, took a dozen chess pieces and began to speak. He outlined approach. Breach. Security. Contingencies. Every nuance, every possible outcome. He took Kaori over the homemade chi explosives again and again, explaining in minute detail how to arm the devices and where they should be placed for optimum results.

"The explosion will be large enough to damage the refinery core and draw out their troops," he said. "But you need to place the charges in the catalyst tanks on level two. Anywhere further along the line, you risk setting off a reaction that could ignite the chi stores."

"So?" Kaori said. "The more damage we do, the better."