Kaian and the Sword of the Broken

Thunderstorms and Bad Dreams

Covered in a sickening cold sweat, Kaian woke suddenly, panting. He put his palm to his clammy forehead. Dimly lit by moonlight, his room was lonely, a gentle breeze carried the salty scent of the sea through the window. He sat up, blindly grasping for his blanket, pulling his knees close to his chest. It had been four years today since the village was attacked; four years since he had failed to protect his family. The calming ocean ambiance refused to comfort him. Tears began to well in his eyes, the dream tugging at an open wound that time refused to heal. Alone in the darkness, he wept.
The house of Clan Ito sat atop a hill overlooking the western sea. Surrounding the estate was a short wall lined with dark shingles, the only entrance an ornate archway through which a small garden of flowers, vegetables, and fruit was sheltered, as well as a small circular pond. The kitchen and living areas surrounded the inner courtyard in the shape of a square.
Kaian grabbed an apple from the kitchen and held it in his mouth while he finished putting on his shoes. Master Ito stood in the center of the courtyard with his hands resting on the hilt of a sparring sword.
'Your up late. Trouble sleeping?' He tossed Kaian another sword.
'No sir, I'm fine.' Kai said as he rubbed his eye.
He bowed and readied his weapon. Taul raised an eyebrow.
'Really? Without warning he swung at his student's head.
Kaian whipped his sword up, barely deflecting the attack, the tip grazing his head.
"Sure you're not tired?" didn't exactly block that."
"I did block it," Kaian said, rubbing his head.
"Sure you did."
Taul feinted a slash to the left then quickly jabbed right, dropping Kaian to one knee, clutching his ribs.
Anger shot through him as he gasped for air. He jumped up and aimed a hasty counterattack toward Taul's abdomen. He parried it easily and rapped Kaian's knuckles with a backhanded swing.
Kaian swung, slashed, and stabbed. Taul's relaxed demeanor had him seeing red. With a shout, Kaian brought the sword above his head and swung with all his might. Dodging to the side, Taul made a sweeping motion with his leg, landing Kaian flat on his back, bruised and sweaty.
The wooden sword pressed against his neck as his master loomed over him. Swatting away the stick he struggled over to the weapons rack and sank against the wall. His master returned his sword, rolling his right shoulder. Taul sat, searching his pupil's face.
'You have never had much patience when it comes to sparring, but that was pathetic. If you can't learn to control your emotions you lose the fight before it even starts.' There was a slight edge in his voice.
Kaian stared blankly at the floor.
'Care to explain?"
Knowing he wouldn't let it go, Kaian replied, 'I had more nightmares is all."
He paused as a lump filled his throat, quickly wiped away a small tear before his master noticed.
"About home."
'I see. It's been some time since you last fell into that dream."
Taul studied the boy's face, searching for something, anything to say.
The edge in his voice was gone, replaced by a gentle tone.
"There was nothing you could have done Kai, you were only a child.' Taul said.
'Then why do I feel like it's my fault?! I go over it again and again in my head, trying to find anything that I could have done. Why didn't I hold her hand? Why did I let her out of my sight? The unknown makes me feel sick, a disease I will never be rid of."
A pained expression crossed Taul's face, like a shadow of grief.
'Reliving the event will only prolong the pain.' We can't change what has passed. We have to move forward and find balance in between. '
"Balance between what Lord Ito?"
" Balance between yourself and the world around you."
'I don't know how to balance anything. I feel... stuck.' Kai replied, irritated with his teacher's vague words.
Taul exhaled curtly.
'Go on, take a break, get some food from Sunn.'
He stood and pulled Kaian to his feet. Before letting go he put his other hand on his shoulder.
'You should know, what happened that day was my fault, not yours. I will never be able to take your loss away from you, and for that, I am truly sorry.'
Kaian nodded without making eye contact. He bowed and headed inside. Taul shook his head and thought to himself, 'It was never your fault.'
Sunn shuffled over as Kaian took his seat on the floor at the head of a short table. She was a kind woman, lively despite her age. Her silver hair was always held in place by a small comb crafted in the shape of a butterfly, her face dominated by deep smile lines. She placed a cup of tea in front of him.
"Kai, would you like some soup?"
"No thank you, Sunn."
"Since when are you not hungry?" She thought.
He swirled his tea, hypnotized by the motion. Sunn joined him at the table, pulling a shawl over her shoulders.
"Quite the show today" She snickered as she peered over her cup.
"I already feel like a fool enough as it is, I don't need him constantly reminding me."
"That was not his intention and you know it, young one."
"Do I? He seems to enjoy every second of it.
Kaian sniffed, cold from the morning air. Sometimes I wish he had never even brought me here."
Sunn narrowed her emerald eyes.
"And where would you be if he hadn't?"
Kai stared at the distant sea, agitated.
"I've known Lord Ito longer than anyone.He was much like you at this age. He was searching for something during a difficult time in his life too." She carried a gentle tone in her raspy voice, with sharp eyes that carried countless years.
A gust of wind blew, stirring the chimes on the outer porch. Sunn pulled her shall tighter, shivering.
"Did he ever find it? Balance I mean."
"That is just a word, Kai, in truth all people are searching for the same thing in this world."
"And that would be?"
Sunn stood, gingerly holding her tea cup with shaky hands.
"Who am I."
"I already know the answer to that Sunn." Kai said.
"Oh, is that so?" She headed toward the kitchen, softly humming a tune.
In the garden under a blossoming apple tree, Kaian could smell the rich soil as the salty breeze ruffled his hair. The smooth stone was ice to his feet as he sat cross-legged, the babbling pond a soothing melody to his ears. Over the years he had come to enjoy the presentness of meditation. His shoulders rose and fell, inhaling the fresh garden air and exhaling the anxiety and fear from the previous night as well as the humiliating training session with each repetition. He could hear the water, rustling leaves, even the gulls near the sea. He tilted his head slightly so the sun illuminated his eyelids, enjoying the warmth.
The birds' songs started to feel more distant, trees and bushes fell silent, not a blade of grass moved.
Though it was close to noon, his eyes began to darken. Jiram's surroundings faded to nothing. Fear gripped his heart as clouds of darkness engulfed him. An eerie violet light slithered into view, a silhouette in the center. It drew closer, the fog illuminated by the amethyst light. It grew brighter as the figure drew closer. Kaian shielded his eyes, he told his body to run but he couldn't. An echo reached his ears, like a voice, though he couldn't make out the words. The voice grew louder yet remained indiscernible. He covered his ears, head splitting, his mind racing. The figure stopped right in front of him, a hand inching toward him from the darkness.
"Stop, no, get away from me!
The world fell out from under him, sending him tumbling. Light returned to his eyes. Kai whipped his head around examining his surroundings, breathing heavily.
'What did you see?'
Kai whirled around, startled by Taul's voice.
'I...I'm not sure.' Kai replied.
Taul stooped down and hoisted Kai to his feet.
"Can you walk?"
"I think so."
Kai took a tentative step, legs wobbly. Taul held his arm as they made their way to the kitchen. Sunn looked up from her steaming pot of soup.
"Sunn, can you please grab a blanket for Kai?"
"Of course." She said with a bow.
Kai was shivering uncontrollably, his breathing came in short gasps, and his arms felt like noodles. Taul retrieved the blanket from Sunn.
"Just focus on slowing your breathing down, the rest of your body will take care of itself."
Sunn handed him some tea and put her hand on his shoulder. Kai looked into her eyes. He saw concern, but also sadness and understanding?
"Master, what is this?"
Taul was sitting opposite of him.
"Your physical condition and symptoms seem akin to an illness some call the living fear. This happens when one's thoughts are overrun by fear and your body takes over. The fear consumes your every waking thought. Your body thinks there is danger but doesn't know where it is.Your senses become heightened due to the rush of adrenaline."
Sunn handed Taul a tea cup of his own. Kais body began to relax, he could feel his arms again and he wasn't as cold as before.
"Is it a sickness?"
"Not of the body, but mind."
"How can a person's mind be sick?"
"More like in pain." Taul said.
Kai let out a sigh, his fingers still numb as though encased in ice.
Sun Lee put her hand gently on his shoulder, he enjoyed the warmth from her touch.
"Someone is worried about you."
Kai felt a cold wet nose nuzzle his elbow. Ketu was the grounds keeper of the estate. Disturbingly large, even for his kind, his upturned ears reached the top of a full grown man's sternum. Another hallmark trait of the Lion wolf breed was his mane, as thick and full as a lions and white as new fallen snow.
Kai scratched behind his ears. Ketu's tail thumped rhythmically, with a smile on his face, or as much of a smile as dogs can conjure. Kai had always enjoyed the animal, and at times felt envious of the simplistic nature his life followed. The animal's eyes were orange sunsets and seemed to Kai as understanding as the gaze of any human.
Without realizing Kai found that his breathing had returned to normal and he could feel his extremities once more. He inhaled deeply through his nose and stood. He thanked his master and Sun with a small bow then exited the back door, Ketu in tow.
The banks of the Sakasama Ni river were warm in the afternoon sun. Also known as the Upside down River, it flows from South to North, bringing sea water into the mainland, and providing otherwise inaccessible resources to those that live near, such as salt and oceanic fish.
Kaian stood ankle deep with a small net bunched up in his hands. He had been at this for an hour now and had absolutely nothing to show for it. The net billowed open as Kai threw it where the current seemed strongest. Ketu stood a few yards away, eyeing the water. Kai pulled, careful to not let the rushing waters snag his net on the river rocks.
"This shouldn't be this hard." He thought to himself, nothing he hadn't done before. With one more heave the net sloshed onto the muddy bank, not a fish in sight. Irritated, Kai bunched up the tool, hurled it to the ground, and sat on a rock. He was breathing harder than normal and was a bit dizzy.
"My body must still be recovering from the episode." It was the only thing he could think of.
Ketu trotted into view, holding a sizable silver fish between his jaws. He dropped it at Kais feet and smirked.
"Easy for you and your teeth." Kai said as he pushed the dog's snout away.
Ketu rested his massive head in Kai's lap, panting slightly. Kai looked out across the landscape, eyes resting on where the Sakasama met land. "Have you ever felt the living fear Ketu? Have...you ever felt like you can't control your own fear or thoughts?"
His monolog was more thinking out loud than a serious question given to the lion wolf.
Kai glanced down. "I wouldn't think so." Again feeling a twinge of jealousy.
A sound reverberated through the air, a low, rich voice, "don't be too sure."
The voice was calm enough as to not cause him panic, Kai turned in circles, trying to locate the source. No one but his four legged companion as far as the eye could see.
"Let's go Ketu, before I really start to lose my mind.