Chapter 9 - Sing for the Day

Allendrie let out a grunt as he hit the ground. "Get up! Let's go through it again." Toriban extended his hand and helped Allendrie up. Allendrie retrieved his sword and the two of them ran through the form again, to the same result. "You're not reacting quick enough!" Toriban let out a great sigh. "Damn, it will have to do. Rest up, we move tomorrow."

"Do you really think we can pull this off, Toriban?"

"No. I think we'll die within five minutes of entering the palace. I think I was a fool to think that a month would help you. But to not even try would be a worse failure than dying. Just give it your all, and don't give up unless you're dead."

"That is probably the least inspirational speech I've ever heard. Though I suppose a bitter, vengeful ex-nobleman is the last place I should look for inspiration."

"Hmph. We should get some rest. Tomorrow we start moving."

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The normally rowdy tavern instantly quieted the instant Toriban and Allendrie walked through the door. Allendrie coughed uncomfortably as he scanned the room. "Why did we come here?"

Troiban moved to the bar and ordered a drink. "To build up courage. I haven't had a drink in almost fifteen years." He took a sip of what the bartender gave him. A somewhat disgusted expression came to his face. "And it seems I have to wait even longer for a good drink."

He sat at the nearest table and motioned for Allendrie to do the same. Allendrie scanned the room and found that it was surprisingly full considering the time of day. Three of the other tables held patrons. Allendrie's eyes finally landed on a dusty old piano in the corner. The owner seemed to notice where Allendrie's gaze landed and moved out from behind the bar. Pulling some sheet music from the compartment inside the bench, the man sat down and began to play.

The bar was soon filled with sweet music, a slow tune that both of the companions had heard before, but neither knew the name to. Allendrie even began singing along with the parts he knew, much to the amusement of the other patrons. Toriban just smiled and shook his head. His first true smile in a long time, he realized. Before the end of the song, half the room had joined him. As soon as the song ended the owner started again with a more lively tune called "Ring of Fire."

This led to "Shining Star," then to the ever-popular "I Left my Heart in San Francisco," though no one knew of the place the song referred to. At the end of each one, the owner took a few moments to serve drinks, then returned to the piano. The songs continued, and with each, more people joined in. Within the hour even Toriban was singing along to the mellow tune of "Behind Blue Eyes." The session finally ended in a great peal of laughter as most of the group left, still smiling over the greatest time they'd had in months.

Allendrie noted the thankful look in Toriban's eyes and took it as a good sign. The owner, still grinning (as the sing-along had been rather good for his business), brought them each a drink, telling them it was free of charge. Allendrie looked outside to the position of the sun and saw that it was well past three o'clock. "It's still a two days journey to the capital. When will we set out?"

Toribans smile wavered, then grew even brighter. "Once I find the anger you just stole from me." He sighed and put his head down for a moment, and when it came back up, the smile was gone completely. "Now, as soon as this drink is finished."

Toriban somehow made that drink last a full hour. His nervousness and uncertainty seemed painfully obvious to Allendrie. Toriban had about two sips left when a new arrival entered the bar. The entire room reacted to the sound of the door, and everyone glanced at the person entering. Most of them did a double-take as the young girl in white robes walked directly towards the bar. From there, she turned to addresss the crowd. "Are there any persons here who will be travelling to the capital soon? I seek traveling companions." Her accent was hardly noticable, but her face marked her of Tershan decent. The words "foreigner" and "witch" quickly spread throughout the room.

Allendrie opened his mouth as if to answer her question, but a shake of Toriban's head stopped him. Toriban's sixth sense, his spiritual awareness, revealed a glowing aura of white light surrounding the girl. He leaned towards Allendrie and whispered, "Ki user."

Allendrie looked puzzled. "Like you?" he whispered back.

Toriban chuckled softly. "No, nothing like me. It's obvious that she can't tell what I am, or else she would have screamed bloody murder by now. I'm sure my aura isn't the prettiest thing in the world."

Just as the girl seemed ready to give up and leave, Toriban waved his hand to her. "Come traveller, speak with us a few moments." The girl seemed delighted at this and practically ran to the table.

Taking a seat, she smiled and nodded gratefully to the to companions. "You two gentlemen will be going to the capital?"

Toriban nodded. "Yes, but our reasons for going may be conflicted. Please tell us why you wish to go there."

The young girl pulled a folded piece of parchment from within her robes and handed it to Toriban. "I am an initiate priestess on my exodus. I seek permission from the Emperor to freely travel these lands."

The paper that Toriban now held was covered with the intricate symbols of Yamato language. "You realize that the average person would not be able to read this, don't you?" The girl opened her mouth as if to speak, then lowered her head, embarrassed. Toriban, fluent in the language, read the paper. "You come from Sudin?"

"Yes, you know of it?"

Toriban smiled, reminiscing. "I trained there once. That means you are trained in Heiho-ki, correct?"

Allendrie, who up till now had been unable to get a word in edgewise, now spoke up. "What's that? And how does ki work?"

The girl and Toriban both began to answer at the same time. They stopped and looked at each other, then laughed. Toriban motioned for the girl to explain. She cleared her throat and began. "Ki is the energy of the spirit, mind, and soul. Properly focused, it can be channeled through the body to combine with the chi and be used to a variety of ends. Since the two forces are combined within the body, chi is expended during the use of ki, making the use of ki very tiring to those who are unable to properly balance the rate that their life forces intertwine."

Allendrie looked puzzled. "Chi?"

"Yes, chi is the energy of the body, the force that controls strength, balance, and vitality. If a person's chi were to be expended, death would occur almost immediately." Allendrie nodded his understanding.

Toriban picked up from there. "Heiho-ki is an art of ki that is taught by the temples of Shinto and dabbled in by those who practice Buddhism. It is a series of defensive and healing techniques. Heiho-ki masters who follow the Shinto faith believe that it is a power granted by God."

The girl seemed impressed. "You're knowledge of such obscure things is impressive. Oh, my. We haven't even been introduced yet. My name is Zara Ayane."

"Toriban Fangora"

"Allendrie Merdoon"

Zara looked at Allendrie curiously. "Merdoon? Isn't that the surname of the current Emperor?"

Allendrie's eyes widened. Nervously, he tried to think of an explaination. "I..."

Toriban jumped in. "We have not yet told you why we are travelling to the capital. In truth, it is not for a good reason. Will you let us each tell you our story, then you can decide whether you wish to travel with us?"

Zara nodded. "Of course."

Toriban began his story with the death of his mother, and told it faithfully until the point of his departure from the Sudin Temple. At that point, Allendrie noted that it became a great deal different from the version that Toriban had told him. Toriban made no mention of Master Niso or his training in the dark arts. All of this was covered up with mindless wanderings throughout Tershan. When the tale reached his return home, it became more truthful, but still omitted all use of his dark powers. The tale finally ended at his meeting with Allendrie.

Zara sat in silence the whole time, never interrupting, even at points when she desperately wanted to. She could tell that Toriban was hiding something, but could not tell what. Likely, she figured, it was something insignificant, a minor embarrassing detail at most. When Toriban finished his story, she turned to Allendrie and he started his own.

Allendrie began with the death of his mother five years previous and the effect it seemed to have on his brother Selphrin. It took all of Zara's will not to interrupt at this point. Allendrie went into great detail when he reached the death of his father, and tears began to form at his eyes. After that point, Allendrie quickly skimmed over the years of his training and poverty.

When both tales were finished, Zara was quiet for a long time. Allendrie shifted uncomfortably the whole time she was lost in thought. Toriban simply went back to his drink, which he quickly finished the last of.

Zara finally looked at each of them again, very carefully. After a deep sigh, she said, "I'll go with you."

Allendrie looked surprised. "Really? It will be dangerous."

Zara nodded. "I will help you. It is my duty to help good and preserve order. This will simply be a much bigger test than I thought I would have."

Toriban snorted. "'To help good?' How do you know for sure that we are 'good?' We could be lying to you."

Allendrie, shocked, let out a yelp of protest. "What are you doing?"

Zara smiled and focused her attention on Toriban. "Because it is said that one with a dark heart will show it in his voice. I believe the both of you."

"And that is the correct answer. Welcome to the group, priestess."