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Fire Hunter 1: Fire in Spring - Part 1 Chapter 5 - The Broken World

 

Fire Hunter Series 1: Fire in Spring
 
Hinata Rieko


Part One : Bonfires in Spring
 
Chapter 5: The Broken World

    Books. Lab specimens. New notebooks and a box full of pencils. Colored brushes. A desk, a chair, an peach-colored upholstered couch, a bed, and an amber celestial globe. Models of living things, wiring diagrams of black carts and ships...

    The room that Yuoshichi had given to Koushi was full of things he'd never seen before. All the teaching materials from the academy were available here. The room was larger than his family's house, and completely carpeted. The wallpaper was styled to look like plants. The windows were polished to a mirror shine, and simple curtains could be pulled over them all.

    "Do you like it? The room faces west and doesn't get much sunlight. There's not much to be done about that, I'm afraid," Yuoshichi said from the doorway.

    Koushi was overwhelmed by the room. The night after his mother's burial, he had come to the Okibi Estate in desperation. Hinako had come with him the day after that, arriving in a horse-drawn cart arranged by Yuoshichi. They'd brought only what would fit in the carriage.

    Yuoshichi wasn't wearing his gray embroidered outfit today. He'd changed into a long ocher inner jacket with very thin vertical stripes that appeared and disappeared depending on the lighting.

    "Um, it's really too much for me to take in," Koushi said. He felt like he didn't belong in a place like this. All he'd wanted was to give Hinako a safe place to live and access to good medical care. He'd believed that they'd be given a simple room to live in, not this ostentatious paradise. They had no blood ties here, and it was hard for Koushi not to think of them as freeloaders living on charity.

    "Of course, of course," Yuoshichi said. "Make use of this room as you see fit. If there's anything you need, just let me know. I need to go to work, so please excuse me for the moment. Any of my servants can assist you in my absence. I hope that you and your sister will treat this place like your own home. I'd be delighted if you two would dine with my wife and daughter tonight." Yuoshichi's voice rumbled through him like the echo of a deep drum.

    Is he serious? Koushi thought. How could he think otherwise? His mother wasn't even two days buried. None of this seemed remotely real.

    Outside one of the windows, Koushi spotted a dark green fir tree rising into the sky like one of the academy's spires. The tree was on fire, burning brightly.

    Koushi had left Obiki Estate late the previous evening. He'd picked his way through the city to get back home and had found Hinako awake, panicking and hugging her doll. She'd jumped on him the second he'd arrived, red-faced and crying.

    "I'm sorry I scared you," Koushi had said, patting her head and then hugging her briefly. He'd looked into her eyes, which were still wet with tears. "Hinako. I met someone who said he'd help us find a better doctor. He offered to let us live with him."

    "We're moving?" Hinako had asked. She'd seemed confused at this sudden turn of events. Koushi should have known that she would be.

    Koushi had nodded.

    Hinako had copied him, her short hair swaying under her chin with the movement. "But... I don't wanna move."

    "I know it's sad to have to leave home, Hinako. But our mother told me to take care of you and protect you. Even if she were still here, I'd have to keep that promise."

    "You promised mom?"

    Koushi had nodded solemnly, staring into Hinako's dark eyes. She'd seemed sad, somehow, and like she wanted to comfort him. The weight of all his responsibilities was reflected in her eyes.

    That night, Koushi had packed up everything that he could possibly carry. Yuoshichi had told him to leave the concealed lightning fuel where it was; someone from Obiki Estate would come to retrieve it later. Yuoshichi would also take charge of the larger furniture in their house and begin the process for withdrawing Koushi from the academy.

    Right now, Hinako was being examined by a doctor in her own room. The doctor appeared young to Koushi, but she was well-dressed and had an earnest expression. Hinako was always frightened of meeting people for the first time, but she didn't seem to fear this doctor, which was a good sign.

     Hinako's room wasn't much different from Koushi's; they each had equal space given to them. There was a doll on the windowsill in her room wearing extravagant clothing; it put Hinako's current beloved doll to shame.

    After Yuoshichi left, Koushi approached a bookshelf that was built into the wall. It was full of beautifully bound books. Koushi pulled one down and opened it. He was still stunned by how unreal all of this seemed and wasn't able to focus on the letters well enough to read them.

    The sound of a knock on the door startled Koushi.

    A girl around Koushi's age opened the door slightly and peeked in. Koushi had been expecting one of the servants and froze.

    "Um... may I come in?" the girl asked.

    Koushi, confused, closed the book and set it hastily back on the shelf.

    The girl entered the room with hesitant steps, appearing nervous. She smiled feebly. "The doctor sent me. She wants to talk to you about your sister's prognosis. Oh! I'm sorry, I haven't introduced myself yet. My name is Kira Okibi. I was going to meet you with my mother at dinner tonight, but she hasn't gotten up yet, and anyway the doctor sent me."

    Kira had an unusually low voice. She wore her hair long and was tall. Her knee-length dress was the same color as the pine trees outside the window.

    So this is Yuoshichi's daughter, Koushi thought. I should say as little as I can get away with. I don't want to embarrass myself or make her think I'm rude.

    "Um... hello," Koushi said.

    Kira nodded gracefully, then motioned for him to follow her. He nodded like some kind of simpleton and trailed after her, feeling self-conscious. He sucked in a harsh breath.

    Hinako's room was right across from Koushi's room. Kira knocked lightly on the door, then peeked into the room, just as she had in Koushi's room. "Doctor. I've fetched him," she said.

    "I see. Hello," the doctor said. She got up from her chair, which was set next to the bed where Hinako lay.

    Hinako turned to look at Koushi and grinned.

    Hinako was safe. That made Koushi breathe easier. Coming here was the right thing to do; it had to be.

    The doctor explained Hinako's symptoms and potential treatments while Koushi listened.

    "The initial diagnosis of contamination during the fetal stage is correct. Your sister's condition is quite likely to change dramatically in the future. Unfortunately, I cannot say that she will recover with any certainty. Better nutrition and hygiene will help, of course. She's been taking quite a large number of pills to manage the pain, but my recommendation is to wean her off of several. These drugs can have severe long-term effects. Right now, what Hinako needs most are rest and good food."

    The doctor was well-spoken and polite. She talked to Koushi as if he were an adult.

    Hinako's eyelids were droopy. Koushi noticed a cup and pitcher of water on a low table next to the bed and guessed that Hinako had taken medicine that made her sleepy.

    "Normally, children with your sister's same condition weaken and get sicker much earlier in life," the doctor said. "That she has made it so far and is so strong is remarkable. One potential hazard for her is infectious disease, but we are far from the factory areas here, and the wind rarely carries cross-contaminants this far. Good air prevents the spread of disease. I believe that once Hinako gets physically stronger, many of her symptoms will improve."

    Koushi took a long breath and relaxed his shoulders. He gripped his pants at the knees, hands bunching in the fabric to calm himself. Then he took off his glasses and closed his eyes. He was glad that Hinako was drifting off to sleep; she needed that.

    When unexpected blessings came, people said they were sent from the guardian gods. The guardian gods were a lifeline, connecting people to the power and wonder of the world that had existed before people had lost control over fire.

    When Koushi had been a young child, the owner of a laundry service had gathered all the children in the neighborhood up and put them to work. That man had been a true believer in the guardian gods, and he'd instilled that belief in all the children who would listen. The guardian gods were called gods, but that wasn't quite what they were. They were a divine race, there were different levels of power among them, and the highest-ranked was a young-seeming woman, called a princess.

    How could an ordinary person like Koushi express his gratitude to a princess among gods? His mother had been the one who'd done so much to raise and support Hinako, who had lived her life constantly on the edge of death. Hinako's own stubbornness and strength of will might be the only reason she was still alive.

    The doctor didn't attribute Hinako's life, or her possible improvement, to any guardian god. She looked on Koushi and Hinako kindly and said, "It must have been very difficult for you. The master of the house asked me to express his condolences about your mother. Please be at ease about your sister; we will take good care of her. I take full responsibility for her treatment going forward."

    While the doctor and Koushi were talking, Kira went out into the hallway. Koushi gritted his teeth and tried his best to hold back tears. If I cry, it won't change anything. Nothing will get better. He thought about Hinako being dead and buried in a mass grave and felt a lump rise to his throat. He didn't know what else he could do to prevent that. He looked down, red-faced with his shoulders shaking, and the doctor fell silent.


***

    "Isn't Dr. Takimi good?''

    After the doctor left, Kira returned to the room and looked at Hinako, who'd fallen asleep.

    Koushi nodded awkwardly, turning his head away from Kira as best he could so that she wouldn't be able to see any trace of his crying.

    "Thank you. Thank you, for caring about us even though we're strangers."

    Kira looked up in shock, her wavy hair fluttering gracefully. She reached out to touch the back of his hand; Koushi was so surprised that he barely felt it at first. "Let's not talk so formally," she said.

    Koushi was startled by the softness of her hands. He and Hinako were thinner, and their hands were calloused from work. Even his mother's hands had the same kind of toughness, since she'd worked in a factory for so many years. He'd never known a person's hand to be so smooth and clean.

    Kira looked at him, her eyes as blue and clear as water, then squeezed his hand gently in hers.

    All at once, Koushi felt ashamed of his own dry, cracked hands. What did Kira think of them? That they were dirty?

    "I've lived inside this house for my whole life," Kira said. "Sometimes I feel lonely. I was happy when I learned you two were coming to stay here. It'll be a little like having siblings, right?" Her speech was too familiar for use with strangers, like they were, but Koushi sensed no ill intent. Though she'd been born wealthy and privileged, Kira had an unusually kind nature.

    "While your sister is sleeping, let me show you around the house. Is that okay?" Kira asked, standing up. Her skirt, made of richly embroidered fabric, swayed with her movement.

    Koushi wondered if it was difficult for Kira to move around wearing a dress like that. Dragged by the over-eager Kira, Koushi left the sleeping Hinako behind in her own room and went out into the hallway.

    Koushi and Hinako both had rooms on the second floor. Kira invited Koushi downstairs. The Okibi home was very large; the ceilings were high enough for two adults to walk down them, one carrying the other on their shoulders. Rows of windows in the hallway looked out into the garden. It had been raining when they'd arrived, but now the sky was clear. The lights in the rooms they passed were off, but there was a large ceiling lamp in the hallway that was on. Koushi caught glimpses of other lamps--rows of them.

    "So your sister's name is Hinako? I like that name. It's cute as a button," Kira said. She had let go of Koushi's hand as they walked. She hummed to herself, then asked, "What should I call you?"

    "Koushi." His own responses to her questions were brief. Her lively personality made him feel dull and embarrassed by comparison.

    Kira didn't seem to care that he wasn't talkative. She turned to face him, asked questions, and kept moving briskly. Her skirt swirled dramatically as she walked.

    "Write your name down for me," Kira said.

    "What?" Koushi had nothing to write with and no paper to write on.

    Kira drew invisible letters in the air. Koushi copied her, concentrating. He needed to write the letters backward because they were facing one another.

    Kira nodded to herself, her face lighting up. "That's a great name! 'Kou' for 'blaze' or 'conflagration,' and 'shi' for 'stability' or 'perfection.'" 1

    Kira was right. Most children were given names that referenced fire in some way, and men's names often had numbers attached that were assigned different basic meanings. The numbers weren't tied to birth order at all. The number one meant "only good," two meant "peace and kindess," etc. The numbers were often combined with another letter associated with fire, or red.

    "Call me Kira," she said. 2 She wrote her name as Koushi had, backwards in the air. "I'm sixteen. How old are you?"

    "One year younger. I'm fifteen."

    At the academy, girls of the same age were usually shorter than Koushi, but she was just as tall as he was.

    Kira continued with the tour, showing Koushi the dining room, reception hall, bathrooms, and a grand hall where parties and gatherings were held. These parties could be as grand as a banquet to honor Fire Hunters or as clandestine as a trade meeting between business owners.

    Koushi looked around at the grand hall and realized that his father had been here before, possibly many times. The spacious room was empty now, filled only with chairs and a table covered by dust cloths; the furniture was stacked neatly against one wall. There were no windows in the hall and no lights were lit, so it was dark.

    "You don't attend school at the academy?" Koushi ventured as he and Kira went out of the grand hall.

    It seemed like Kira wanted to show him the garden next. She paused before a simple wooden door, hands finding one another and twisting in shyness. "I wanted to go," she said, "but my parents decided to have me taught by a private tutor instead. Since I'm an only child, I have no choice but to inherit my father's factory."

    Kira spoke more quietly as she put her hand on the door handle to open it.

    "And where do you think you're going, young lady?" a voice echoed from further down the hall. "You must think me naïve or foolish if you believe I'll let you sneak outside."

    Koushi and Kira turned around together and saw a slender woman standing at the bottom of the staircase that led to the second floor. She wore a long, flame-red dressing gown, her black hair falling loosely over it in lazy curls. The effect was elegant, if casual.

    "Mother," Kira said. Her usually bright voice came out sounding muted.

    This was Yuoshichi's wife and the mistress of the house. It was nearly noon, but she looked like she'd only just gotten out of bed. Koushi wondered if she might be sick, like his mother had been. Her face resembled Kira's, but age or some other quality made her appear sharper. She walked down the hall, staring at Koushi with her eyes slightly narrowed. Her dressing gown made her look like a flame drawing closer, and Koushi stood up straighter out of nerves.

    "So you're one of the new children, yes? I'm Yuoshichi Okibi's wife. I apologize for not coming to greet you immediately on your arrival. It's an honor to have you staying with us. Ever since I found out you were coming, there's been so much liveliness in the house." She faced her daughter. "Kira, don't be reckless. You position as the heir of the factory is far from assured, and if you keep chasing foolish notions your father can easily replace you."

    "Yes, mother. I'm sorry," Kira said. She looked down, cheeks flushed pink.

    Her mother smiled. She was unusually tall; combined with her slenderness, she looked a little like a snake staring down at Kira and Koushi. Her complexion was very pale, but the skin of her face had a peculiar shine, and there was puffiness under her cheekbones.

    "I'll be taking breakfast in my rooms. Please take your time and look around as much as you'd like," Kira's mother said to Kouchi. To her daughter, she said, "Please don't come to see me until dinner, Kira." Her white hands tucked her loose, flowing hair into a clip with practiced ease; it looked like the start of a dance. Though she was fully clothed, her movements gave the illusion that she was showing more skin than she was; the dressing gown was extremely form-fitting. She excused herself from the hallway and walked away with a lilting smile.

    "...Is she not feeling well?'' Koushi asked after Kira's mother left.

    Kira's hand was still on the door handle. She looked up at him in surprise and offered him a quicksilver smile. "No, she's all right. She didn't give you her name, though. It's Hibana." She spelled her mother's name with her finger, tracing it in the air. "She's not sick or anything, but she suffered a lot when she was young," Kira said apologetically. "So she gets depressed sometimes. Most of the time, she's perfectly fine. I'm sorry you had to see her like that on your first day here, Koushi."

    Koushi blinked. He still wasn't used to her referring to him so familiarly. Kira seemed just like her usual self, but there was a shadow on her usual expression, caused by her mother's visit. Koushi couldn't entirely shake that shadow from his mind.

    Kira opened the door to the garden. The scent of flowers washed over them, along with the clean smell of yesterday's rain.

    "Thanks for telling me," Koushi said. "I'm glad she's not sick. You may have heard this already, but Hinako and I lost our mother to factory poisoning just the other day. So I'm very glad your mother is well." He also expressed thanks for revealing Hibana's name, though he understood why she might not give it.

    Kira drifted off into the flower-filled garden; if Koushi didn't rush after her, he'd be left behind. He called out her name to slow her down; she turned and smiled at him, her expression reflecting the bright colorfulness of the garden. He apologized for being slow. It felt like he couldn't stop apologizing.

    Hinako woke up around noon, and the three of them decided to have a meal together in her room. Kira called out to the kitchen while she was passing by; house servants brought food to Hinako's room, much to Koushi's surprise. In town, it was common for people to prepare their meals in a communal kitchen or to eat at inexpensive food stalls, and most homes did not have large-scale kitchens. There was a risk of fire spreading in kitchens.

    We come from completely different worlds, Koushi thought.

    Hinako gasped as warm food was carried to her on a silver platter. Her cheeks were apple-red. Perhaps because she'd slept, her complexion was much improved. She sat up in bed with her short hair sticking out in all directions. She seemed comfortable here, and that relieved Koushi.

    Hinako and Kira were fast friends; they were talking like real sisters in no time. Kira asked about what they should do together once Hinako's health improved, which made Hinako smile. Kira laughed, loud and carefree, as she and Hinako talked. They ate their soup, bread, processed fake meat, and steamed vegetables in a spicy broth.

    Koushi watched Hinako and Kira trading laughs back and forth and smiled himself a few times. Having a hot meal in the middle of the day was a calming, centering experience. Koushi wondered if there was something in the food itself that made him feel better.

    After eating about half of her lunch, Hinako burst into tears. Koushi tensed in alarm, and Kira's eyebrows arched. Hinako had been smiling just a moment ago.

    "Mom," Hinako said quietly. "Why couldn't we eat this with you, too?"

    Kira hugged Hinako to her chest. Koushi was deeply moved.

    Hinako's face scrunched up as she started to cry. Kira kept holding her, trying to comfort her with kind words. "I know it's painful. It's okay to cry," Kira said. "If you feel like crying, cry as much as you want."

    They'd only just buried their mother. It was obvious why Hinako was so upset.

    Kira stroked Hinako's hair tenderly as she held her. Hinako trembled all over, but she didn't pull away even though she'd only just met Kira that morning. Koushi felt helpless to comfort Hinako in comparison. He was grateful that Kira seemed to want to treat them like her actual siblings.

    Near dusk, one of the servants came for Koushi. "The master of the house has returned. He would like to talk to you at your earliest convenience."

    All the servants in the house were dressed well, but modestly. He hadn't noticed any one of them in particular; they all looked quite ordinary. Only the short old man who'd led him into the house on his first night here really stood out from the others.

    Guided by the servant, Koushi headed to the first floor. Yuoshichi was waiting for him at the bottom of the stairs.

    "Hello, Koushi," Yuoshichi said. "I'm sorry if I kept you waiting. I asked my daughter to show you around. How did that go?" The scent of his cologne radiated from him, along with the acrid odor of factory smoke.

    "Yes," Koushi said. "I'm still a little stunned by all this, to be honest. This is completely different from living in a normal house in the city."

    Yuoshichi laughed hugely, his beard stretching around a wide-open mouth. Then he started walking, the hem of his long overcoat fluttering behind him. "Come this way. Follow me."

    Koushi walked after Yuoshichi. He was dressed differently than he'd been that morning. The overcoat he'd worn in the morning was ocher: red-brown, but now his overcoat was a deep forest green embroidered with silver thread.

    They passed the doorway that led to the garden, then went all the way to the end of the hall. Yuoshichi entered the room there ahead of Koushi and shut the door. There was no one else inside the room, but one of the house lamps was lit.

    "This is my study," Yuoshichi said.

    Four bookshelves of varying heights stood against the wall. A small writing desk sat next to a window, and facing the door was another much larger desk.

    Beyond the large desk was another door--not the same one that Yuoshichi and Koushi had come through. Yuoshichi rifled through the key ring strapped to his belt and unlocked this new door.

    The open door revealed stone steps leading to a basement. Yuoshichi turned a knob attached to the wall, causing lights to flash on above the stairs.

    "I brought the lightning fuel from your house down here," Yuoshichi said. He took the stairs down, seeming relaxed and at ease.

    Koushi hesitated for only a moment, out of instinct or fear. Then he stood up straight and went after Yuoshichi.  He understood why he was here: Yuoshichi wanted him to use the lightning fuel, regardless of the danger. In exchange, he could stay here with Hinako. Hinako would be taken care of by doctors.

    The stairs turned once to the right and continued all the way to the bottom of the house. There was another door there; Yuoshichi unlocked that one as well and passed through. He ushered the lingering Koushi inside.

    This basement room, lined in stone, was stocked with everything Koushi might possibly need. In the center of the room was a large table that could serve as a workbench and a writing desk. A pile of new notebooks and a stack of paper were neatly arranged on the table. Next to those was a three-tiered toolbox, a magnifying glass, leather gloves, a leather apron, and protective eyewear.

    Along one wall, the lightning fuel that Koushi's father had secreted away was lined up in canisters. Koushi's pulse raced looking at them.

    Our mother worked herself to death to support us, he thought. I can't give up before I've even started. She wouldn't give up, no matter how scared she was.

    Koushi could see nothing lacking, but even if there had been, he was sure that Yuoshichi would provide. Yuoshichi could provide everything. All he wanted in return for was Koushi to use this lightning fuel to create something different.

    Taking a deep, steadying breath, Koushi put his thoughts in order. If he made a mistake here, even a small one, the consequences would be dire. He felt like he was at a crossroads: no turning back.

    "You'll do your research on the lightning fuel in here," Yuoshichi said. "You and my daughter will cooperate on the research, starting tomorrow morning. After that, you and she will take your lessons with a private tutor. I'll continue with your research and experiments in the afternoon. Do you understand the process? Please feel free to ask any questions."

    The lighting in this basement room was plain and utilitarian, unlike the more ostentatious lighting in the rest of the house. Four egg-shaped lanterns hung from iron cages on the ceiling, with two placed above the large desk and the workbench. The walls were unfinished, but the rest of the space was well-furnished.

    "Can I ask you something?" Koushi said, sucking in a breath.

    "Of course; I just said you could." Yuoshichi's voice echoed all around them.

    Koushi turned his head and looked up, directly at his benefactor. His light-colored eyes shone clearly even in the relative darkness of this basement room. Koushi felt like that gaze was capable of swallowing him up.

    "Yesterday, you said that this country would soon be in danger. That's probably why my father left... But why? What caused the guardian gods to be in such a compromising position? What's going to happen now?"

    Yuoshichi was unruffled; he'd expected this question. "What do you know about the Spiders?"

    Koushi reacted to the name. Yuoshichi didn't mean the common arachnid, but a group of people who'd adopted it as a symbol. Koushi had heard of Spiders; they were once a prominent faction in the capital that had strong ties to the guardian gods. But Spiders, as a faction, had vanished into obscurity long ago--at least in the capital.

    When hunting, you need to watch out for Spiders more than Fire Fiends.

    Koushi remembered his father's words and swallowed heavily. According to his father, Spiders were divine or semi-divine themselves, but they'd fallen out with the guardian gods. There was no solid evidence that they still existed, since they concealed themselves in the black forest. No one knew how they managed to eke out a life in the woods; Spiders were not Forest People. Had they built their own village or city somewhere? No one knew.

    Koushi's father had believed in the existence of the Spiders. Koushi didn't know if he'd ever seen one, but it was clear to him that Spiders and Fire Hunters were natural enemies.

    "I'm familiar with what you're going to be taught by your private instructors," Yuoshichi said. "But it won't be the whole truth." He spoke slowly, as if hand-selecting every word.

    "I... would like to know the truth."

    Yuoshichi nodded smoothly. "Some of what the academy teaches is correct. Spiders are of the same race as our guardian gods, but they are at odds with them--and the Fire Hunters, of course. They lurk in forests, hiding and gathering intelligence. Their aim is to overthrow the capital. They were expelled from the guardian gods' midst long ago and no longer possess all of their original power, but they are still very dangerous. They have long lifespans and supernatural abilities... though those abilities aren't well-known to us. We know they're different from the abilities that the guardian gods have."

    Yuoshichi folded his hands behind his back, glancing over at the canisters of lightning fuel against the wall. Each one was about waist-high on an adult and was roughly the diameter of a human arm. There were thirteen canisters in total.

    The capital's highest-ranking guardian god and many of her relatives could to control fire. After humans lost control of fire in ages past, the guardian gods with this ability created the Fire Hunters. Those guardian gods had discovered that the fire fuel harvested from Fire Fiends could be safely used. Other guardian gods in branch families of the one that ruled the capital had control over other elements: water, wood, earth, and air.

    The nation functioned cooperatively by design. Villages were scattered across the landscape, acting as a buffer to the dangerous forest. Villagers planted crops and trees, tamed rivers and dug wells. It took a long time, but villagers' work reclaimed some of the hazardous land of the forest, making it habitable.

    The danger of fire was ever-present. Even the capital had fallen victim to out-of-control fire, though that had happened long before Koushi was born. A factory in full operation had suddenly burst into flames. A Fire Fiend hadn't caused it--that might have been more manageable. It was a natural fire that had flared up and spread.

    The fire had spread from person to person, combusting them all. People fled the city along the waterways, trying to escape, but pressing close together only made the fire spread faster, and the city's waterways became a road of corpses. A guardian god with power over water had finally stopped the fire. The guardian gods had cleared the corpses and rebuilt the city after that--no easy feat, since the fire had taken everything down to scorched earth.

    Since then, the people of the capital had relied on the guardian gods. People feared the forest and Fire Fiends; cities and villages were the only safe places to be. No one wanted to live like a mole underground. The guardian gods--and Fire Hunters--were what made life in this country possible.

    What about other countries, other places? Koushi didn't know. He didn't know anyone who knew. There might be nations where people lived without the protection of guardian gods, but Koushi had never heard of them.

    "The Fire Hunters have reported that the Spiders are getting ready for a display of power."

    "You mean they're going to attack the capital?" Koushi asked. "Why? There are guardian gods here..."

    Yuoshichi nodded gravely, silent.

    Koushi licked his dry lips and looked around the room. "I don't understand. What are you going to use the lightning fuel for? Shouldn't the guardian gods be able to quash any threat that the Spiders pose?"

    Yuoshichi snorted. "You are right, of course. The guardian gods will protect the city. But who will protect us?" He paused. "To the guardian gods, we're not people. We're just like the crops that get harvested in the fields. We have our uses, but without supernatural abilities, we're not terribly important."

    "What?" Koushi's voice trembled slightly. He'd never heard anyone speak like this about the gods before. While Koushi had no strong faith himself, it was hard to believe that a nation that relied so much on its guardian gods would treat ordinary people like so much chaff. He couldn't understand Yuoshichi's position.

    Koushi looked into Yuoshichi's face and saw some dark, deep emotion brewing in his eyes.

    "Large fires that occurred in the past decimated the capital's population," Yuoshichi said. "Almost half of the number of people who used to occupy this place died to fire in the last generation. I'm certain that the people who did survive were grateful, but that does nothing for the people who died. People who lived in the villages suffered when the capital couldn't keep up with trade and supply demands.

    "Yes, the guardian gods will stop fires--with water, or by controlling the flames. But they won't do it to save people. To save the city, yes. But what they do won't be in time to save many people. They don't care about saving people in the path of the flames." Yuoshichi's voice was thick with an emotion that Koushi had never heard him express before.

    A chill went through Koushi; he felt cold through.

    Guardian gods could live for two or three hundred years, or more. In addition to their various powers, they possessed some of the technology of the ancient world. That technology had allowed them to build the capital, and the villages as satellites, without causing large-scale outbreaks of human combustion.

    But calling the capital well-built would be a lie. Many of the people who lived there were desperately poor. Everyone relied on the Fire Hunters to bring back fuel and the guardian gods to distribute it--usually unfairly. There were many people living on the fringes of the capital who had no choice but to steal or run away to the wild forest. Those who worked in the city fell sick and died from the pollution generated by factories.

    Koushi's mother had died from her work, and Hinako would always be sick because the air in the capital was poison.

    If the guardian gods really do have great power and can use past technology, why would there be people who are poisoned by the factories in the first place? And is it true that they didn't put out the fire fast enough to prevent so many deaths?

    Koushi had never heard anything like this from the academy or from other adults in the city. Koushi guessed that Yuoshichi was a survivor of the last great fire that had torn through the capital, though he couldn't have been very old at the time that it happened.

    While Koushi had never heard Yuoshichi's opinions expressed in so many words, he still believed him.

    "To the guardian gods, we're not people. We're just like the crops that get harvested in the fields. We have our uses, but without supernatural abilities, we're not terribly important."

    Was that what Koushi believed? No. But it was clear that Yuoshichi did.

    "The factory district is nicknamed the Garden of the Gods," Yuoshichi said. "It generates products and revenue and secures the guardian gods' economic position. We are, all of us, a controllable and replaceable resource. A commodity, no different from gemstones or plants."

    "The Garden of the Gods," Koushi echoed.

    "If a Spider attacks the capital, there is no guarantee that the guardian gods will protect us. We will have to protect ourselves, and to do that, we need power. Weapons."

    Koushi felt as if the scales were falling from his eyes. If what Yuoshichi said was true, then what he'd been taught for his entire life was a lie. His mother had died ignorant that the capital that might become a battlefield where no one was safe. His father probably knew this, but he hadn't told his family anything. He'd fled the capital, taking the dog and never coming back.

    Had Koushi's father left because he was angry, or afraid? Brave? Ashamed? Koushi wished he knew.

    Angry. Koushi remembered that his father had been angry. "Damn it, this one never fucking listens." His father's voice came back to him out of the distance of time. 

    How many years had it been?

    Koushi's father had been talking about Kanata. Fire Hunters spent days or weeks on end in the black forest, killing Fire Fiends and harvesting fuel, accompanied only by their dogs. Hinako felt safe with Kanata with them and cried when he and their father were gone. She worried about what would happen if they died in the forest.

    Once, their father and Kanata had gotten separated in the forest, and Kanata hadn't returned home for many days. Hinako had been inconsolable. Their father had taken over Hinako's care to give their mother a break while he was home: he took her to the doctor and prepared meals. Hinako was so upset that she caught a fever.

    One of the other Fire Hunters offered to lend their father another dog, but their father didn't accept that offer. He patted Hinako on the head, told her to pray for the dog and that  he'd return soon.

    Just as their father had said, Kanata returned on the fourth day after going missing. On his own four paws, he'd made it through the black forest and back through the tunnel into the capital all by himself. He was badly injured. His nose was swollen to about twice its usual size, and he walked with his hind legs dragging behind him. He hadn't eaten in days and was pitifully thin. He carried the torn-off leg of a Fire Fiend in his mouth; when their mother saw it she shrieked in alarm.

    Kanata had chased a Fire Fiend down into the valley after it had fled. All he'd brought back was the Fire Fiend's severed leg and himself in more or less one piece.

    "Idiot dog," his father had said gruffly as he pet the battered hunting dog. "We can't go out for another two weeks at least, with your legs like that."

    Hinako was overjoyed, and Koushi... well, he was a little jealous of Kanata. The dog had been reckless and everyone had been worried, but he was welcomed home as if he'd done nothing wrong. It was hard for Koushi to understand.

    Koushi always kept a little of himself back in reserve, so that he'd never risk being pushed past his limits. His father was a Fire Hunter; his mother, a factory worker; if either of them were out of commission, his sister's care and the care of the house fell to him.

    Kanata never kept any of himself back. His recklessness made him a strong runner and fighter. Even injured, he radiated power and confidence.

    Koushi wished that he could be more like that.

    "You haven't given me a clear answer," Koushi said. "What are we using the lightning fuel for? You say protection and weapons, but... how?" He looked under the workbench. There were empty glass bottles arranged in wooden boxes on the floor. Some of the bottles came in standard cylindrical shapes, but there were others formed much more peculiarly. Still, the material that the bottles were made of was familiar; Koushi had a few guesses about how they could be used.

    One particular shape looked right for a handheld lantern--or a grenade.

    Yuoshichi's eyebrows arched; he seemed about to smile. "Yes. I see you understand. We're going to protect the capital from the Spiders, Koushi. We can't rely on the guardian gods. We never could."

    The factory area is the Garden of the Gods... If the gods are really ruling this country without considering people as human beings, then my mother died and my sister is sick because they don't care.

    But even if they didn't care, no one could stand against the guardian gods. Even the Fire Hunters who routinely battled monsters for a living were under their direct control. Were the Spiders even strong enough to strike a blow? They had the same kind of powers as the guardian gods, but surely time and distance had weakened them? Koushi didn't think it would be possible to successfully defy the guardian gods if they put up a united front.

    "I understand why protecting ourselves is important," Koushi said, "but do we really need weapons as powerful as those powered by lightning fuel?" If weapons were all that was required, why wouldn't a club or a dagger like the ones used by police officers be enough? Factory machinery could be used as weaponry with a few tweaks.

    Lightning fuel wasn't safe enough to be worth the risk, was it?

    Yuoshichi nodded. "That's right, we do. Spiders have divine bodies, like the guardian gods do. They are different from us humans. Ordinary weapons won't harm them." He bit his lip. "There are too many things I don't know. What knowledge I have is a fraction of what we need. A Spider will ignite near fire, as we do, but even that might not kill them--divine bodies recover quickly. If the guardian gods and the Spiders went to war, what would become of us ordinary people? We must avoid situations where civilians will be put in danger. Several trusted Fire Hunters are secretly investigating the movements of the Spiders. Much of the information we have of them is unconfirmed, however.

    "Here's what we've learned. Once the conflict begins, it is certain that the capital will fall into chaos. I don't think we can trust the gods, who think of people as little more than weeds. It is my assumption that humans will have to protect humans."

    Humans will have to protect humans...

    Koushi's lower lip trembled. Like Yuoshichi, there was far too much that he didn't know. He didn't even know much about the Okibi family, and he and Hinako had landed in their laps. But he'd decided to come here, and to cooperate; none of his circumstances had changed.

    "All right," Koushi said. His hands sought one another, grasping. "I'll try it. I'll try making weapons here."

    Yuoshichi's expression twisted into a strange sort of smile on his fleshy face. It took Koushi a few moments to understand that he was pleased because of the room's relative dimness.

    "Thank you. I look forward to seeing your progress. I probably don't have to say this, but you shouldn't discuss this work with anyone else."

    "Not even my sister?" Koushi asked.

    Koushi knew the answer before asking the question and wasn't in the least surprised when Yuoshichi nodded. He felt light-headed all of a sudden, like his body was floating. Koushi dug his fingernails into his own palms to ground himself.

    "I understand," Koushi said. "I won't tell her. Or anyone."

    The smile that Yuoshichi gave him this time was that of a beast that had cornered its prey.

    "Excellent, excellent. Let's get the registration certificate for the Central Archives arranged immediately. You shall be granted viewing rights."

    Shortly after that, Koushi and Yuoshichi vacated the basement so that they wouldn't be late for dinner. The garden outside the window was shrouded in shadows. A kind of flower that Koushi didn't know the name of glowed gold in the dark, lending the hallway a bit of light. The flower petals shimmered like dragon scales as they walked past.

    "I'll be holding onto the key for this room," Yuoshichi said. "You can only access this place when I am present in the manor."

    "Yes, sir."

    Koushi was collecting secrets. There were many things that he wasn't permitted to tell anyone. He wondered if, one day, he would have secrets that he couldn't even tell Yuoshichi.

    Koushi answered Yuoshichi's questions very briefly to hide his unease.

    Hinako was his first concern, so he separated from Yuoshichi and headed to the second floor on his own. When he paused at the top of the staircase and opened his palms, he saw the red marks where his nails had dug in.

    He missed his father. No one had ever ruffled his hair, patted him on the head and called him an idiot--or brave. It seemed stupid now, but he felt very strongly that his father and Kanata were gone, and maybe not coming back.

***

 

    Koushi heard voices spilling out of Hinako's room before he reached it.

    "See, this color suits her after all." The voice belonged to Hibana, Kira's mother. Koushi was so surprised that he missed a step and stood still. He knocked on the door and announced his arrival.

    "Please come in," Kira said from the other side of the door. "You should take a look at this, too."

    Koushi wondered what was going on. He opened the door.

    Hinako clambered out of bed when she saw him. Her cheeks were dusted with a fine and shiny powder like sugar. "Koushi!"

    Koushi stood in the doorway, wide-eyed. Hibana and Kira giggled behind their hands.

    Hinako was no longer wearing her white clothes from the morning, but a pale honey-colored robe layered underneath one of a slightly brighter color. The wide skirt tapered at the bottom, making Hinako look like a little bird with its feathers puffed out. Her hair was done up with a pearl-encrusted hairpin; shoes of the same style poked out from under her skirt.

    "This is Kira's evening gown from when she was a child," Hibana said. "I'm quite glad that I kept it now." She was sitting at the edge of Hinako's bed and stood up. Like Hinako, she'd changed clothes, wearing a different flame-colored dress. Her hair was done up neatly; large red-jeweled earrings adorned her ears.

    Hinako ran over and took Koushi's hand in hers.

    "Kira and Miss Hibana asked me to change my clothes before dinner," she said.

    "Oh, uh," Koushi said, stumbling over his words. "I see." He tried to pat Hinako's head as he usually would, but the hair ornament would interfere with that. If he wasn't careful, he'd ruin her hairstyle.

    "Isn't she darling? I'm glad mom decided to help with the clothes," Kira said. "She's very knowledgeable about this sort of thing." Kira tilted her head, looking happy.

    Koushi looked more closely at Hinako's bed and noticed that there were more clothes and dresses in various colors arranged in a neat pile. Blue, pink, mauve and white items peeked out of the pile. While Koushi had spent time with Yuoshichi getting a tour of the basement, Hinako had stayed up here trying clothes on.

    "Shall we go to dinner?" Hibana asked. "We should take our seats before your father arrives. He said he has some paperwork to take care of. Koushi, would you mind passing the time with us with some pleasant conversation?" She turned to Kira. "Let's go downstairs."

    "Yes, mother."

    In one smooth motion, Hibana slid past Koushi and into the hallway. She glanced at him in passing; Koushi thought she was studying him. She didn't seem quite as intimidating as she'd been earlier in the day,

    Kira followed swiftly after her mother.

    Koushi still didn't understand the relationship between Kira and Hibana. Kira had always been obedient that he'd seen, but Hibana was always a little distant with her. There were times when Kira appeared frightened of her mother.

    "Koushi!" Hinako reached out to him, intertwining their fingers.

    Koushi squeezed his little sister's hand. She didn't have a fever. "You look very nice, Hinako." He meant it.

    Hinako offered him a warm smile, then walked in front of him, pulling him by the hand.

    As Hinako and Koushi walked down the hall behind Kira and Hibana, Koushi wondered if he'd have time to get so used to this house that he wouldn't remember the way to his own. His dad and Kanata would come back at some point, right? Hinako wanted and expected that as much as he did.

    Koushi didn't let go of Hinako's hand, even when they went down the stairs.


1 煌四, or "Koushi," is how the character's name is written. The first kanji is more commonly translated as "sparkle, glitter," and the second just means "four." Name kanji can have different meanings in Japanese, though "Koushi" with this spelling is not a standard Japanese name.


2 綺羅, "Kira," is also spelled in a non-standard way. Her name has nothing to do with fire; the first kanji means "beautiful" (more specifically, "beautiful silk thread") and the second kanji means "gauze," though it's common in use of proper names and names of concepts like 修羅, "shura," meaning "violence" or "carnage," and is a kanji in the name of the Rashoumon Gate.

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