Traveler of the Blue Road
Part 5 - Traveler of the Blue Road
Chapter 2 - The Blue Road in the Moonlight
The setting sun turned every cloud in the sky a bright golden color. Chagum stood alone on the ship’s deck and stared at the clouds. There was an island to the left of the ship just a little farther ahead. He saw the cooking fires of fishermen on the island’s shore.
There was another island to the north of the nearest one; the ship would be stopping there the next morning to take on fresh water and resupply. That harbor would be the last stop before Choron harbor in New Yogo. Chagum would have to cross the remainder of the Tara Ucham, the Dead Sea, as his ancestor Torugal had done before him. Beyond the Tara Ucham was the Nayoro Peninsula. Chagum was almost home.
Night fell quickly, but a sliver of bright gold light lingered on the horizon. The fires of the fishermen on the island flickered in the dark. Chagum leaned over the side of the ship and gazed at the fires until they passed out of sight.
Tonight was his last chance to escape. If he waited, that island would be too far away for him to reach.
The stars twinkled as they emerged. The clouds from earlier in the day had dissipated, leaving the sky bright and clear. The moon was exceptionally bright. When the bell signaling dinner on the ship rang out, sailors milled about on the deck and called out to one another in cheerful voices.
Chagum took one last look at the island, then stood up straight and walked briskly to his cabin belowdecks. He dressed himself while the sailors were eating dinner. Ruin had brought him an ordinary sailor’s uniform in secret along with a short sword. He buckled the sword’s belt around his waist and made sure the sword was securely sheathed.
When he stood up, the sword felt heavy. He frowned; it definitely hadn’t felt so heavy before, at his adulthood ceremony. But he had no choice but to bring it with him, along with all the gold and gems he’d received from Princess Karina as a parting gift from when he’d stopped in Sangal. At the time he’d considered the gift a token of apology and had never thought to spend it, but now he saw how it might be used to make the long journey ahead easier.
Chagum took a large stack of papers that he’d recorded the Talsh invasion plan on and passed them to Ruin. Ruin bowed and stowed the papers away in his breast pocket. He was very pale; his expression was serious and intense.
“Well, then,” Ruin said, “I’m leaving, Your Majesty.”
Chagum nodded. “Thank you for your help.”
Ruin paused in Chagum’s doorway and turned around. In a voice that shook, he said, “I pray for Ten no Kami, the God of the Heavens, to protect you, Crown Prince Chagum. May you find a way to save us, so that you can return to us someday.” He bowed his head deeply as if in reverence to a god, then left the cabin.
Chagum stood still and stared at the door of his cabin for a short while. Ruin believed in Chagum, even though his chances of success were something like one in ten thousand. Chagum had saved New Yogo from drought before; perhaps Ruin was expecting another miracle.
Chagum walked out of his cabin with his heart beating like the rhythmic tolling of bells. He felt like he was walking on air as he ascended to the deck. There were some scattered sailors on duty, but it was getting dark and Chagum was dressed as an ordinary sailor, so no one gave him a second glance.
He went to the prow of the ship and looked out at the deep blue sea. The sky was perfectly clear; the moon was bright and reflected perfectly on the water’s surface. The island to his left was visible in dim outlines.
Chagum removed his shirt, then wrapped and tied the sleeves around his waist. His hakama were only half-length and very light to wear. His grandfather had taught him to swim unimpeded by his clothing--though those lessons had happened a long time ago.
The evening breeze ruffled the hair at the back of his neck. As he gazed out at the ocean, he felt powerless and small. He still wasn’t sure if this was a good idea or not.
Please tell me I’m not being an idiot here, somebody. I really hope I’m not.
He shook all over, as if he was being pricked by hundreds of cold, sharp needles.
Do I really have to jump and swim all the way to Rota--alone?
Chagum closed his eyes and took deep breaths of the sea air to compose himself. The wind was warm; he suddenly felt a bit feverish, like his body was being warmed from within. His eyes were still closed, but he thought he saw a flash of light from beneath them.
When he opened his eyes, he perceived the light clearly: it was a long trail of migrating water dwellers above him in the night sky. He prayed that what awaited him at the end of this journey would be the smiles of the people he cared for, and not their sadness and grief. Even if he never saw them again, he wanted to give his friends and his people a brighter future.
That’s why I have to jump.
The moon was beginning to set. Its light warped and lengthened on the ocean’s surface, creating an unsteady path of light.
A blue road. A path over the sea.
Someone called out loudly behind him: “Fire! The waste area is on fire!”
Sailors shouted and rushed to the rear of the ship. Ruin had tossed oily rags and cholu into the waste area and lit them on fire for a distraction. The burning herb made the air smell slightly sweet. The waste area was quite small and self-contained, so the sailors should be able to put out the fire fairly easily.
The commotion would probably draw the attention of their Sangalese escort. Before the Sangalese ship could approach, Chagum climbed over the edge of the ship. He took a deep breath, assumed the correct diving pose, and kicked off the edge of the ship.
Off I go.
After planting the oily rags and cholu in the waste area, Ruin dashed belowdecks to find Chagum’s guard, Jin. When Jin saw Ruin’s face, he knew that something must have happened.
“What’s wrong?” Jin asked.
“Crown Prince Chagum told me to deliver a letter,” Ruin said. “He wants you to read it immediately.”
Jin accepted two sealed letters, one addressed to him, the other to Shuga. He passed over Shuga’s letter, opened his and read it with a frown of deep concentration.
Crown Prince Chagum began his letter by expressing his thanks. Then he explained everything that had happened to him since they’d been separated in considerable detail. Jin took in this information with great interest. His eyes devoured the contents of the letter impatiently as he tried to discover the reason for its urgent delivery.
Jin had read all the way to the point where Crown Prince Chagum had met Second Prince Raul of the Talsh empire when he heard a commotion coming from the deck above.
Jin’s eyes widened; he was about to set aside the letter to investigate when Ruin said, “His Majesty wants you to read that letter all the way to the end.” His tone was severe. “You are ordered not to leave this spot until you’ve read it all.”
Jin frowned at Ruin. The boy stood in the doorway, preventing him from leaving. Jin could easily push him aside, but he couldn’t defy a direct order from the Crown Prince. He went back to reading the letter.
As he neared the end of the scroll, Jin broke into a cold sweat. The commotion on the deck started to quiet down. Jin knew that Crown Prince Chagum probably wasn’t on the ship any longer.
Jin turned toward Ruin. “What is the meaning of this? Why didn’t you stop him?”
Ruin flinched, but he looked Jin in the eyes as he answered, “I believe in His Majesty Crown Prince Chagum. He’s going to save us all.”
Jin saw the strong light of conviction in Ruin’s eyes. They were just like Crown Prince Chagum’s.
Save us all? That’s nothing but a child’s dream.
Jin suddenly felt almost inexpressibly sad. He passed by Ruin, who was no longer blocking the door, and left his cabin to check on the situation on the deck. Crown Prince Chagum’s words echoed in his mind as he walked.
I’ve decided to die.
That’s what he had written.
As long as I take nothing with me, it will seem to Prince Raul that I am dead. It must be convincing, or Prince Raul and his spies will see right through it. If he believes I am dead, I may be able to escape his notice.
Crown Prince Chagum had thrown away everything for the slim chance of outmaneuvering his unimaginably powerful enemy.
Tell the Mikado that you have killed me by pushing me into the ocean. I’m sure he’ll reward you when he hears the news. I hope the sailors don’t give you too much trouble when I disappear. Ruin may be able to help you smooth things over.
Please deliver my letter to Shuga as soon as possible.
Jin understood that Crown Prince Chagum sincerely believed in what he was doing. His letter was the product of weeks or months of careful thinking and planning.
He saw all of Crown Prince Chagum’s doubts and concerns buried in the details of his long letter. He clearly hadn’t wanted to cause problems for Jin, Ruin, or the other sailors on board, but some harm was unavoidable: his plan was too reckless.
Reckless and impossible. Crown Prince Chagum’s chances of success were one in a million.
A child’s dream…and Crown Prince Chagum is chasing it.
When he reached the deck, the air still smelled like smoke. The sailors reassured Jin that the fire had been put out.
“Some idiot put cholu in the waste area,” a sailor said. “We discovered the fire immediately and put it out, so there’s no damage to the ship.”
Jin nodded, then faced the ship’s prow. His thoughts were so oppressive that he couldn’t breathe. In the far distance, he thought he saw something small and white in the ocean: a person swimming.
The swimmer was fast and determined, but still within easy range of recovery. If Jin called out now, the ship could certainly catch up to Crown Prince Chagum, but Jin didn’t move. All he did was stare.
Unlike Ruin, Jin didn't believe that Crown Prince Chagum would succeed in his plans. He hoped it, but he didn't believe it. Still, this was Chagum's chance to escape both the Mikado's grip and the plotting of his enemies. He wouldn't be forced to play a role in his father's death--and it was better for him to chase his dream, no matter how impossible it seemed, than it would be for him to die a slower death by Talsh oppression.
Jin stared at Chagum as he receded into the distance and remembered his face as he'd wept and told Balsa just how much he didn't want to be the Crown Prince. He'd been so young then. Jin understood how awful it must have been for him to be shut up in that cold, dark palace while his father shunned him. His future life would have been more of the same if he'd stayed. Jin considered the Mikado's long-standing feud with Chagum even more unfortunate than he usually did, since the threat of war with Talsh was looming on the horizon. The country needed to be united now.
Jin had spent a long time in captivity. He'd gradually earned the trust of the Sangalese guards and his jailors; consequently, he knew quite a bit about how Sangal had come to be subjugated by the Talsh empire. New Yogo was on the verge of ruin: that was entirely obvious to Jin. If Talsh military forces attacked, all of New Yogo's defenders would be wiped out. Unless the Mikado or the Holy Sage worked some kind of miracle, Jin didn't know how the nation could avoid the coming disaster.
Jin smiled bitterly to himself. He should believe that the Mikado was capable of miracles, but he didn't. He saw no outcome for his homeland but the destructive flames of war.
Wherever Crown Prince Chagum is going, it's probably safer than New Yogo.
He wanted Chagum to survive. He'd had so much put on him from such a young age. As Jin watched him swim away from the ship, he felt proud. He would slap Chagum's back in encouragement if he were still here.
Jin closed his eyes. If Chagum intended to go to Rota, the distance was considerable. It would be difficult for him to live and travel on his own. Finding the King of Rota and forging an alliance was so inconceivable that Jin despaired of it ever happening.
But even so...
If there were miracles in this world, they weren't caused by any gods or rulers. They were caused by people like Chagum, who had made the decision to risk his life to save everything.
Ten no Kami, watch over your brave descendant.
Jin opened his eyes and looked out at the sea. Chagum was no longer visible. Jin's face set into solemn lines. He had prayed to Ten no Kami: the rest was up to Crown Prince Chagum. His odds of success were staggeringly low, but Jin knew that wouldn't stop him from trying. Jin looked out at the sea once more, then finally turned his back on it.
Chagum swam across the ocean alone. He’d already realized that his swimming practice with Senna and the sailors would only take him so far here. The water was dark and felt cold and heavy as it splashed over his shoulders. If a large wave overtook him out here, he was at risk of sinking to the ocean floor.
The island in front of him loomed large in his field of vision, but it didn’t seem to be getting any closer. Anxiety turned to fear as the muscles of his stomach clenched. His arms felt as heavy as lead. He swallowed seawater and started coughing violently; he stopped swimming, sank under the waves and swallowed even more water.
The island still wasn’t getting any closer.
Chagum floundered and couldn’t get his bearings. There was nothing under his feet but darkness. Fear numbed his muscles and his mind. Before he could calm himself, he felt himself sinking like a stone. He understood what was happening, but he couldn’t move.
There was water in his ears; he heard its low rumble as he neared the ocean floor. He couldn’t see anything and couldn’t breathe.
Suddenly, right before his eyes, a sheet of tiny, faintly shining bubbles appeared, accompanied by the sound of a familiar voice:
Swimming in that lake and swimming in the ocean are entirely different. If you ever do fall in, focus on floating. If you flounder around too much, you’ll sink.
His grandfather, Tosa, had told him that.
Other voices, innumerable voices, joined his grandfather’s in a sort of song. He thought that maybe he’d heard it before.
Chagum tried to make himself lighter by letting go of the tension in his limbs. Struggling too hard against the water was what was making him sink. He remembered how Senna had floated on the ocean’s surface with her limbs and hair fanning out wide in all directions.
Chagum let himself go limp and worked on calming his fear. He felt himself rise up slowly through the water until his face broke the surface. The air tasted sweet; he took in deep gulping breaths and felt relief spread to his whole body. Remembering Senna’s advice and posture while swimming had helped him remember how to float.
Maybe her blessing really is protecting me.
The thought made Chagum want to smile. He could rest and float for a while, then keep swimming when he felt a little stronger. There was no one to save him here if he drowned.
But even swimming alone in the darkness, Chagum didn’t feel alone. The sound of the innumerable singing voices was still with him as he kept swimming toward the island.
Suddenly, the sky above him grew bright with stars--only they weren’t stars. They were spirits floating in the warm, bright blue water of Nayugu. Here and there, scattered in the water, Chagum saw vividly colored flowers floating, illuminated by the spirits migrating from the south to the north. Schools of golden fish darted in and out of the line of spirits and gathered around the flowers.
Countless Yona Ro Gai danced and swam in the bright blue waves, leaving orange-tinged bubbles in their wake. Chagum felt that their swimming was like an invitation to dance; the sea and the sky seemed perfectly blended together into a single realm, as if there was no separation between Nayugu and Sagu at all.
As the sound of the singing voices faded, Chagum heard the Yona Ro Gai speaking to him.
“It’s spring,” one of the Yona Ro Gai whispered in his ear. “Keep swimming.”
Chagum saw and felt the dark, cold sea of Sagu and the warm, bright blue ocean of Nayugu simultaneously. When he left the water, he’d be in Sagu again: the world of blood and fire and human beings. He would have to live and travel in that world, probably for a long time.
“Keep swimming.”
He could do that. He was strong enough.
Chagum spread out his arms and faced the sky, gazing up at the river of light formed by countless spirits as bright as stars. There was a light coming from Chagum as well. Maybe the other spirits could see it: one light among countless others in the vastness of the world.
Chagum smiled and waved at the spirits above him. Then he took a deep breath and swam slowly but steadily in the in-between space of Nayugu and Sagu’s oceans.
He was almost to the island now. He could see moonlight shining on the beach.
This is the end of Traveler of the Blue Road. The story continues in Guardian of Heaven and Earth - Rota.
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