Guardian of the God - God's Appearance - Part 3 Chapter 1 - Black Sheep

  Guardian of the God

-

God's Appearance

(Book 5 of the Guardian of the Spirit Series)

 

Author: Uehashi Nahoko

Translator: Ainikki the Archivist

 

  Part 3 - Invitation to a Trap

Chapter 1 - Black Sheep

 

    The late autumn weather was unseasonably—but pleasantly—warm. Pale sunlight shone over the walls of Rota's capital city. All of the clan leaders were currently together in the palace's main hall for Ramal Han, the autumn gathering of the leaders of Rota. At Ramal Han, Rota's leaders set up temporary residence in the capital to celebrate the year's harvest and collect and count the year's taxes. The three powerful and wealthy southern clan lords were in attendance, as well as their poorer cousins from the north. Supply and travel wagons lined the streets leading up to the palace for miles.

    The capital of Rota had been built in the middle of the south's rolling grasslands. It seemed to spring out of the ground out of nowhere like a mirage. The city was surrounded by strong outer walls; in its very center, the royal palace towered majestically over all the other buildings. The palace was surrounded by the magnificent villas and estates of the other lords of Rota.

    Merchants that plied their trade within the city walls paid high taxes, but received the protection of the king and his guards at no additional charge. Merchants that sold their goods outside the walls had no such protection. These tended to be poorer or lower-class merchants, but even these gave the general impression that they were thriving. They got plenty of business from people entering and leaving the city.

    On this bright, warm autumn day, the assembled clan lords of Rota gathered in the main hall of the royal palace around a large oval table in the presence of King Yosam and Prince Ihan. Eight large windows opened out into the courtyard below the hall, letting in plenty of clear sunlight. A slight breeze passed gently over the flowers decorating each corner of the room.

    King Yosam of Rota looked out at the assembled personages sitting around the table from his jeweled throne. His face was red from his repeated rebukes to the southern clan lords, who were all looking at him with resentful expressions.

    "About what you have said, King Yosam," the southern clan lord Aman said. He was incredibly fat; his low voice came out like the sound of grunting. "All taxes should be equally levied. Imposing higher taxes on the wealthy discourages people from working their hardest to achieve more for themselves. You seek to punish our people for being successful. You may think me presumptuous, but I vehemently oppose increasing taxes in the south."

    The other two southern lords nodded in agreement.

    "I have told you that the epidemic among our northern mahan sheep has caused great hardship this year," King Yosam said calmly and quietly. "I have no choice but to raise the taxes."

    Aman leaned forward. "Then you must raise them in the north as well. Don't make the south shoulder all of the north's burden. It wouldn't be fair."

    The young leader of the northern clan of Yan, whose name was Rahan, glared threateningly at Aman. "Lord Aman," he said in a clipped tone, "please consider—"

    "Be quiet," Aman snapped, cutting off Rahan. "I am addressing His Majesty King Yosam."

    The northern clan lords started whispering to one another. Rahan, enraged, leaped to his feet. Prince Ihan stood up at the same time.

    "Be silent." Ihan did not speak loudly, but his voice carried to the very edges of the hall. "Lord Aman. You are inside the main hall of the royal palace in the presence of the King. Every lord in the king's service is deserving of equal respect. You have no more authority than any other clan lord present."

    Aman nodded courteously, but his eyes showed clear contempt. "Excuse my outburst. What did you wish to say, lord Rahan?"

    Rage blazed in Rahan's eyes as he faced Aman. He took a deep breath and said, "It is as King Yosam told you. The north has suffered greatly from the epidemic of plague that killed most of our mahan sheep. You in the south can use your savings to pay increased taxes, but the north has no capital to draw on. We would be forced to choose between paying the taxes and feeding our people. We cannot do both. If our taxes increase this year, many of our people will starve. The tax's effect will not be equal."

    The other northern clan lords broke into simultaneous applause. The southern lords visibly deflated. The southern lords gathered around Aman and spoke to one another in hushed tones.

    A short while later, Aman addressed the king again. "King Yosam, please consider this matter very carefully. Do not forget the power and influence of those who support you. It would certainly be unfortunate if the north starved this winter, but what you propose still places an undue burden upon us. If you go through with this unfair increased taxation policy, do not expect us or the people of the south to forget it."

    King Yosam's eyes flashed. "Lord Aman, is that a threat? Do you presume to lecture me about national politics?"

    Aman flinched and went pale. Yosam was calm by nature, but he was capable of intimidation when it suited his purposes. The atmosphere in the hall intensified as all the clan lords looked to Yosam.

    "No," Aman said in a voice no louder than a whisper. "I would never presume to do such a thing, Your Majesty."

    Another of the southern lords, Suan, stood up and said, "Perhaps lord Aman should consider the courteousness of his speech with more care, but that's no reason for us to get angry with one another," he said in a conciliatory tone. His voice was thin and wispy from age.

    King Yosam looked directly at lord Suan as he spoke. "The people of the north are Rotan citizens. You cannot expect me to permit them to starve. If increasing taxes in the south will save lives in the north, I have no other choice but to do so."

    Aman looked toward Suan, who hadn't finished speaking. "By making us spend so much now, you'll be limiting our ability to invest in future progress," Suan said. "Ordinarily, such a proposal would be accompanied by some form of collateral or hope of return on investment. Your Highness Prince Ihan just affirmed everyone's equal right to speak, but shouldn't those that support the financial well-being of this country have more of a say than those that don't, or can't? Am I wrong, King Yosam?"

    The hall was dead silent for a moment. Then all the lords started speaking at once. Ihan picked up his short spear and slammed its stone tip into the floor of the hall. The room fell silent once more.

    Ihan glared at Suan. "I'm not sure I understand what you're trying to imply, lord Suan," Ihan said in a tone of tightly controlled anger. "Are you suggesting that the people of the north are second-class citizens and not as valuable to our nation as the people of the south? You would put a material, monetary worth on people's lives?"

    Suan shrugged. "As you say."

    "At least consider the continued peace of our nation! The inequality between the north and the south is already severe. The south has trade routes with other nations and access to industries and trades that aren't available in the north. The north's winters are long and cold. Much of the land is completely barren. The circumstances of the north and south were unequal from the start. Saying that people who have more money should have more rights is in no way a reflection of fairness.

    "And if you and the southern clan lords try to seize more power using solely material wealth as a basis, you will tear this country in half. Your words reflect an unrepentant disregard and disrespect for our people and your King, lord Suan. What you suggest would endanger the lives and safety of the entire nation."

    Suan didn't say anything in reply. He simply looked at Ihan with a resigned and vaguely patronizing expression. After a long pause, he shook his head. "We of the south are not the ones endangering this country. I will put things in terms that the northern clan lords will understand. The north is an emaciated flock of sheep being devoured by wolves. That's all it is. That's all it's ever been. It is a threat to the larger nation of Rota. Foreign nations may seek to exploit its clear weakness to destroy us all."

    Suan fixed his faintly shining eyes on Yosam. "You say you must increase the taxes, Your Majesty. Very well. But you should give us something in return. In exchange for allowing you to weaken the economic bargaining power of the south, permit us to open Tsuram harbor to the Talsh empire for trade.

    "The kingdom of Sangal currently holds all the rights to trade directly with the southern continent and does not intend to share its monopoly. However, paying Sangal's taxes on southern goods as well as your increased taxes will bleed us dry. We need another revenue source. Establishing a direct trade route with the Talsh will also grant the entire country increased access to the wealth of the south. The north would gain a trading partner for its wool and furs. We have nothing to fear diplomatically from the Talsh, so there should be no reason to deny this request."

    The northern and southern clan lords consulted among themselves. The sound of negotiations passing back and forth echoed through the hall. Ihan slammed his stone spear point into the floor again; the lords fell silent once more.

    "You have already made this request several times, lord Suan," King Yosam said. "The proposal certainly seems attractive, at least on its surface. But what would the Talsh empire gain from trading with us? Why would they wish to trade with a comparatively poor nation that is so far away from them? I see no way that trading with us would benefit the Talsh at all."

    The hall was silent except for Yosam's voice. "The Talsh empire does not desire trade. They desire to gain a foothold on the northern continent to make it easier to invade. The southern continent is a warlike place. The Talsh empire has devoured the nations surrounding it in order to survive. I do not imagine that they will deal gently or honestly with us.

    "Lord Suan proposes a trade agreement so that when the Talsh empire comes with their warships, we will be unguarded and undefended. He wants us to fall to them without a fight. Isn't that right? Isn't this agreement all just some scheme contrived by the Talsh empire to deceive us? You must consider not just how this proposal would affect our nation, but the entire northern continent.

    "Consider Sangal. A trade agreement between us and the Talsh would strain our diplomatic relationship with Sangal as well as weaken Sangal's economic power and influence. Sangal is the bridge between the northern and southern continents. It is essential that we maintain our alliance with them and keep their nation strong in our defense against the warlike south.

    "If the Talsh empire managed to drive a wedge between Rota and Sangal, that would weaken Sangal—perhaps enough for them to conquer it. In one stroke, the Talsh empire would have built their bridge to the north. Have you considered any of this at all, lord Suan?"

    Yosam wasn't angry; he appeared tired and vaguely disappointed. "I expect that the Talsh empire won't give up. They'll offer us increasingly favorable terms. If I may borrow your previous analogy, lord Suan, I would liken the Talsh empire to a pack of ravening wolves intent on devouring the entire nation whole. Their trade deal is an attempt to fatten us up before they slaughter us. If our country is going to be strong enough to stand against them, we must stand united."

    King Yosam's voice remained measured and quiet. "I do not believe I owe the south any form of collateral or payment in exchange for raising taxes. I will not place unequal burdens on anyone. The south will pay its increased taxes to help the north survive the winter. That is the only fair outcome."

    The faces of the southern lords clouded over, but the northern clan lords all looked toward Yosam with expressions of hope.

    "One more thing," Yosam said. "I have been considering ways to make the wealth shared between the north and the south more equal. To that end, it is my royal decree that the northern clan lords shall immediately increase their populations of shahan sheep in order to better protect against further outbreaks of the plague that devastated their flocks of mahan sheep this year."

    The smiles on the faces of the northern lords stiffened. "Shahan? You want us to increase the numbers of such dirty, useless sheep?"

    The southern lords smiled coldly at one another as they took in this new development. The northern clan lords, especially the older ones, looked at Prince Ihan and King Yosam with clear expressions of consternation.

    The oldest of the northern lords, Nigiri, rasped out, "First of all, when Prince Ihan brought this proposal to us for the first time many years ago, we were all quite clear on our opinion of such a policy. Shahan are easy to breed. If we go through with this decree, the dirty sheep will be the dominant breed in Rota."

    Rahan looked toward Nigiri and said, "Lord Nigiri, you say that shahan are dirty, but they still represent increased wealth in Rota. If we stay as we are, the north will continue to be terribly poor. I, for one, support the royal decree."

    The northern lords began arguing. The southern lords watched them with gleeful, condescending smiles. King Yosam, still seated on his throne, felt hateful eyes glaring at him. The lords continued fighting about rights, greed, prejudice and selfishness, flinging accusations back and forth across the hall. Ihan became well and truly angry—almost angry enough to yell at his brother to do something about this mess.

    It was traditional for the clan lords to show a great deal more respect for the king of Rota than they were showing now. Ihan knew that Yosam would have the last word here, but he grew impatient waiting to hear his opinion. He was sure that Yosam would be able to quell this chaos with a single word; he could be intimidating and even threatening when he needed to be. He wished that he'd use his wisdom and authority to directly improve the country more often.

 

 

    That night, Ihan was summoned to Yosam's private study. The study was far removed from the chaos and noise of the main palace. It was situated along the rear wall in a corner that was not much frequented by people.

    Yosam lifted his eyes from the book he was reading as Ihan entered. He smiled.

    Yosam sat before a fireplace with a richly carved mantelpiece. The chair was large and plush enough for Yosam to sit cross-legged in it if he so desired. The book he was reading was open in his lap. Seeing Yosam like this was familiar and comforting to Ihan; Yosam had done most of his reading in this room since he and Ihan were children.

    Reading was usually restorative to Yosam, but today he appeared unusually weary.

    "Yosam, you did it!" Ihan said in an encouraging tone. "I'm sorry my proposal to increase the shahan sheep population dragged the meeting out for so long, though..."

    Yosam shook his head. "You know as well as I that there are always disagreements of that sort during Ramal Han. There's no need for you to apologize. I am troubled by...something else, which I've just heard."

    "What is it? Something from the southern lords?"

    "Nothing so predictable." Yosam offered Ihan the seat across from him. Ihan sat, then watched Yosam pour him a cup of wine and place it on a side table.

    "News has reached me of the terrible massacre at Shintadan."

    "Ah! You've had news from Sufar and the Kashal?"

    "No. Sufar has not yet sent word. The Tal Kumada took it upon themselves to investigate the peculiar deaths. All the victims had their throats slit or ripped out, if you recall. It is the Tal Kumada's report that concerns me."

    Ihan remained silent and waited for Yosam to go on.

    "The Tal Kumada report that the Hasal Ma Talhamaya—the river that flows out of the other world, which can carry Talhamaya into ours—started flowing again just before the Shintadan massacre. The Tal Kumada are able to see the other world, so they immediately sensed that the river was flowing again. They meant to send word as soon as they'd made this discovery, but then Shintadan happened. They wished to be sure of the full scope of the situation before submitting their report.

    "And now they have," Yosam said with a sigh. "It's a warning."

    "A warning? About what?"

    "They believe that Talhamaya has entered our world."

    Ihan blinked. "Talhamaya... Daughter of the goddess Afal? A demonic goddess that is constantly hungry for blood?" Ihan understood where people's fear of such a god came from, but he also had a fair amount of skepticism when it came to gods.

    Yosam nodded at Ihan. "I recognize that look. I didn't believe it when I first heard it, either."

    Yosam put on his calm, composed manner and began speaking as if he were addressing the assembled clan lords. "One of the walls of Shintadan fortress has a deep, carved gash that cut through it most of the way. The walls are made of stone, as you know—and inside the carved-out hollow of the gash was a strange substance, like butter or another fat. The people who died there were cut down in a radial pattern from a central point. That central point was an executed Tal woman."

    Yosam noticed Ihan frowning and paused. Ihan nodded at him to continue.

    "That woman went secretly to the grave of Sada Talhamaya inside the ancient Tal capital city. She invited the god to use her as a vessel in our world. It was a grave crime that she committed."

    Ihan's eyebrows drew together. He had a bad feeling about what was coming next.

    "So, here are the matters that are weighing on my mind. One: The river that can bring a terrifying god into our world is flowing again. Two: A woman violated an ancient prohibition and disturbed Sada Talhamaya's grave, and was sentenced to death. Three: The corpses at Shintadan surrounded that woman's body, almost like she was the cause of the tragedy."

    Ihan stared at Yosam with his mouth hanging open slightly.

    Yosam nodded. "I see you understand me. I believe that woman was successful when when she invited Talhamaya into our world. It seems impossible, but the more I think about it, the more I think that it explains everything."

    A shiver went up Yosam's spine. Ihan seemed as shocked as he was—and as convinced. But there was still a chance that they were mistaken.

    "It won't do anything to restore the lives that have been lost," Yosam said, "but the Tal Kumada did honor our ancient agreement, at least. They sent the Kashal after the woman as soon as they learned of her crime. They caught her and handed her over to the executioners. It is possible that with her dead, Talhamaya no longer has the ability to exert her bloodthirsty power in our world.

    "If so, we are fortunate to have put an end to the situation so quickly, despite how horrific Shintadan was. We must never let something so terrible happen ever again." Yosam's expression became difficult to read. He looked Ihan in the eyes and said, "But we don't know for sure yet if Talhamaya is gone."

    Ihan nodded and didn't speak.

    Yosam sighed. "We preserve records and legends of the past for the purpose of guiding Rota through hardships such as this. Our family's problems don't end with politics and trade." The corners of Yosam's lips twitched upward. "We must convey our thanks to the Tal Kumada and the Kashal. They have preserved many records of Talhamaya and worked tirelessly to ensure that she would never return. It is entirely thanks to them that I was able to deduce what must have happened at Shintadan. I understand that they pass their traditions down from parent to child and have done so in an unbroken line for hundreds of years. They have demonstrated their good faith in honoring our old agreements, and in maintaining their vigilance for so long."

    Members of Rota's royal family learned many secrets when they came of age, among them the secret of the ancient pact between the royal family, the Tal Kumada, and the Kashal. The Kashal had preserved the most information about Talhamaya, since they'd passed down firsthand accounts of Sada Talhamaya's reign to their children. The royal family of Rota deferred to the Kashal in all matters pertaining to Talhamaya.

    The Kashal were a very strange people. They lived on the banks of a large river in small huts and worked mainly as farmers and fishermen. They were for the most part a quiet and peaceful people, much like the Tal. But whenever one of their children was discovered to have a talent for magic weaving, that child was sent away to receive a strict education in the ancient arts of their people.

    Most Rota commoners believed that all of the Kashal were magic weavers. They thought the Kashal went around saving people from curses and evil spirits—but this wasn't entirely true. For one thing, most of the Kashal people were entirely ordinary; for another, they had other duties to attend to aside from magic weaving. In part because of their ancient agreements with the royal family of Rota, the Kashal people often lived in greater poverty and isolation than even the Tal.

    It was King Kiran that originally called these people "Kashal." He had used them to investigate unrest and disturbance inside and outside the country. The Kashal were uniquely suited to this task because they could see Noyook as well as the ordinary world. King Kiran had laid down the precepts that were still used when the Rota royal family called upon the Kashal for assistance. The Rota royal family and the priests that served them deferred to the Kashal in all matters involving Noyook and magic weaving, while the Kashal supported the royal family by investigating political and social unrest.

    "The memory of the terrifying god is a distant one for most of our people," Yosam said. "Up until now, whenever the Hasal Ma Talhamaya began to flow into our world, the Tal Kumada have given us clear warning and have prevented the god from returning. The basis for all of our current internal alliances are rooted in the legend of Sada Talhamaya."

    Ihan nodded. "I think the immediate danger may be past, but I'd like to know more about this Hasal Ma Talhamaya river. Is it still flowing into our world, or did it stop after the woman was executed?"

    "It is still flowing," Yosam said. "It brings the blessings of Afal into our world as well. The god can only be invited to come to our world by a specific person, so from our perspective the river is largely beneficial.

    "To the Tal people, the river holds an additional layer of significance. If they could invite Talhamaya back into our world, they would be able to overthrow the current government and return to influence and power."

    Fear suddenly seized Ihan's heart. He understood just how close Rota had been to such a terrifying possibility—and so recently. The shadow of the Tal woman he still loved rose up in his memories. He couldn't fear or hate the Tal in a pure, uncomplicated way; all of this feelings toward them would always be softened by love. Ihan wanted the country to be at peace, not only for the Rotan people, but for the Tal people as well.

    "Yosam, we have to be careful here. We must increase our vigilance over the Tal people so that we can make sure one faction doesn't stage a rebellion. We must also do all we can to protect the Tal people from any rumors of insurrection or uprising, through Talhamaya or otherwise. If the people of Rota believe that the Tal people are planning a rebellion on such a vast scale, they may start killing them indiscriminately.

    "I don't know how the Tal Kumada feel about all this, but I don't think that all of the Tal people want to use Talhamaya to restore their people to their former glory. I refuse to believe that."

    "This isn't something you need to explain to me," Yosam said. "You know I agree with you. I've given strict orders to our high priests and the Tal Kumada not to release any information about what happened at Shintadan to the common people."

    Yosam reached out and rested his hand on Ihan's shoulder. "I know that you are genuinely concerned for the Tal people wish to aid them as much as possible. I have always valued that part of you. The Tal people cannot remain as they are, impoverished and scorned, without destabilizing the country. I have been thinking of ways to ease their social burden and increase their wealth.

    "But, Ihan—my little brother. We are balancing on a tightrope, the two of us. Doing anything to help the Tal people will frustrate and anger the other people of Rota, making our position even more precarious. We must maintain the balance between all the factions in our nation, or we will fall off the tightrope into the abyss. Do you understand?"

    Ihan placed his hand on top of Yosam's on his shoulder and nodded deeply.  

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