Mountain of The Suns • Book 2

Chapter 34

I was laid on my back under a wisteria tree. I was looking up at its pink and white tinted leaves and I could see the bright blue sky above it. I was warm where I laid and I couldn't quite pin point it but there was a familiar beat in the distance like someone was playing music. I sat up and saw the river than ran through the wisteria forest near Ebisu.

It looked different than I remembered it and I was rather confused. I stood up and walked over to the waterfront and looked down at myself. I saw long white hair frame my face as I bent down. However where my face should have been; it was another's. It was someone I didnt recognize. Someone I'd never seen but she had similar features to me. My hand reached out and I went to touch the water as if to test if what I was seeing was real.

Just as I did instead of a ripple in the water I saw flashes of images. Snow, fire, forests, caves, water; all of it. I saw flashes of Takamagahara and the gods and golden lakes around us. I saw flashes of Temples and three hands joined together.

Just as I gasped for air I came back to reality and saw the others across from me at the table looking at me in horror. I jumped to my feet and snapped around to see Luna pulling her hand back. She wore a soft smile as he stood beside my chair.

"What was that? Who was that?" I asked frantically.

"I was hoping you knew." She said with a soft smile. "That scene was what was given to me when I was put through my Meishu ceremony. Given recent findings I believe it to be the Founder of this temple."

"What makes you say that? Just because she looks like me?" I asked still breathing pretty heavily.

"Well she looks like me too. Despite my distaste we share a lot of similarities my dear." She said. "More than I'd like to admit."

"I don't understand." I said not making sense of any of this.

"You don't understand a lot. If you plan to spearhead this war I suggest you stop admitting to that especially when your tactic is to out smart the enemy." She said and I knew she was just poking at me for fun now.

"What is the relevance of that? All it is, is an image of a woman. That's it." I said throwing up my arms.

"Every Meishu sees the same thing when they connect to the gods. Like clock work they see the elements, the temples, and the gods. What you saw is something no one has ever recorded seeing anything else." She said clasping her hands in front of her. "What I showed you is something I've kept quiet about to even my closest of companions."

"Why do you think you saw something different?" I asked her as I sat down being the only one on my feet.

"Until now, I guess I didn't know. But the talk of this Qia family makes sense." She said and she let out a heavy sigh.

"How so?" Chunami asked seeming like even she was tired of these games she was playing as she deflected getting to her point.

"Your mark isn't as rare as you think it is." She said and she pulled back the neck of her dress and I saw a white sun just under her collar bone. "My mother had one just like it. She told me to keep it secret and so I did."

"You're a pure blood." I said in a small voice.

"I suppose I am. I supposed that makes us distant relatives." She said walking back around to her seat but I was frozen in place. "I suggest we survey my people and yours to see if we have others. My mother warned me that my mark though beautiful, was dangerous. I see why that is now."

"If we make everyone aware of those marks it is only going to put them in danger." Riku said. "They could be targeted."

"No she has a point." I said hating that I was agreeing with her. "They should know. They could be targeted anyways and they'd have no idea why. They should know."