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[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
leaned back in his chair and looked at each of them, gaze settling on his old friend. "I agree; the games have gone on long
enough." He toyed with the rim of his teacup, then forced himself to hold still. "The 'game' Kin, is simply this: the royal family
only keeps its magic because of the Seal cast a long, long time ago. To keep that seal intact," he ignored the looks the
twins were giving him. "They must, every one hundred years, sacrifice a member of the royal family. That is, someone must
die so that their blood can renew the Seal. Nankyokukai is the offering this time around. That is what they have not wanted
anyone to know."
Kindan opened his mouth to speak, but Nankyo spoke first. "How? How did you know that? Taka would not have told you,
and there is no possible way for you to know! How did you know?"
Raiden stared expressionless at the pale-faced brothers. "I know more than all the royals combined could ever know. More
than you can imagine. I knew about the Seal long before any human had an inkling of it."
"How?" Taka echoed the prince. "No one but the King and the sacrifice know, and the one who must accompany the
sacrifice to ensure he does not run away."
"You would not believe me if I told you."
Nankyo stared at him with narrowed eyes, "Try me."
Raiden held his gaze, eyes dark with old pain. "Once upon a time, my name was Tsunami."
"Impossible," Nankyo breathed. "The Dragons are dead."
Chapter Seventeen
"Yes, they are." Raiden never looked away as he spoke to Nankyo. "I am all that remains of what they once were."
"How?" the prince asked.
"What kind of joke is this?" Takara asked irritably. "I don't appreciate it."
"Nor I," Kindan added.
Nankyokukai and Raiden ignored them. "Have you been planning this venture the entire time?" Nankyo asked. "And here I
thought I was so clever."
Raiden almost smiled. "I've had centuries to plan this, and a hundred years to refine and prepare it."
"A hundred years? So you have been free since the last sacrifice?"
"Yes."
Nankyo tilted his chin up. "It is quite possible this is your idea of a joke - though it does not seem your style. Then again, if
you really are Tsunami, then I really don't know your style at all do I? Prove your identity."
"Kanchou," Raiden said softly. "Was the first sacrifice. He was killed by Manchou."
All traces of humor left Nankyo's face, which went a shade paler than it had already been. "You really are& "
Takara glowered, slamming his hand down on the table. "You are not a Dragon. What in the Storms names is wrong with
you?"
"Taka& " Nankyo laid a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Kanchou was the name of Tsunami's human lover. His twin brother
was Manchou, the high priest and liaison between the Storms and their people. The only place those names are mentioned
is in my book. Which only I can read with anything close to full comprehension. Raiden's never had access to it." He looked
to the merchant. "How did Kanchou die?"
"He was stabbed in the back," Raiden said. "He'd been helping his brother prepare what he thought was a cleansing
ceremony."
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AmaSour Fiction
Nankyo nodded, "Where were you when all this happened?"
"Schatten," Raiden replied. His eyes looked haunted. "We were helping to take care of a problem there."
Silence descended on the table.
"Pretending for one moment that you're being serious," Taka said slowly. "What exactly are you planning to do?"
"To take back the power that was stolen from my brothers and me."
Kindan stood up. "I can't believe any of this." He looked at Raiden, "You're going to have a lot of explaining to do when I
can stand to look at you again." He walked angrily to the door, casting a brief glance at Nankyo before leaving.
Takara rose next, but said nothing as he followed Kindan out, merely shaking his head.
"I think you're in big trouble," Nankyo said into the silence.
"I knew I would be."
Nankyo looked at him pensively. "I still find it hard to believe I'm in the presence of a god."
"You're not," Raiden said, a trace of bitter sadness in his voice. "I haven't been a god since I was Sealed away. All that
remains of my divinity is longevity."
"Not immortality?"
"No."
Nankyo stood up and took Takara's seat, sitting closer to Raiden. "So explain everything to me. And why I should not be
angry with you, because it's obvious you've been playing with us this whole time." His eyes were hard. "Do you really care
for Taka? Or was that part of your game somehow?"
"My feelings are genuine," Raiden said emphatically. "Despite appearances, I was not out to betray anyone. It was merely
that the easiest way to see that things went accordingly was to keep my silence. I am powerless, little more than a mortal. I
could not afford to have things go wrong before everyone was on Sanhoshi. That was the only reason for my deception."
"Hmm& " Nankyo said thoughtfully. "But you must admit that it does not look good. You love Taka but did all this planning to
kill me the entire time."
"Yes," Raiden said calmly. His eyes took on a gleam, lips tilting ever so slightly in a smug smile. "But I know something you
don't, in regards to the sacrifice."
"And what is that?"
"How to bring you back to life."
For the longest time, Nankyo couldn't speak. When at last he did, his words were little more than a whisper. "That isn't
possible. Blood to make; Blood to break. There is no other way to undo the Seal."
Raiden laughed. "Your plan, Prince, does require a death. But your plan stops at taking the magic from your family. That is
only half of what I intend."
Nankyo's eyes went wide. "Storms take me& you cannot be intending what I think& "
"Oh, but I am." Raiden's expression was thunderous. "The prophecy will come to pass, no matter what Pozhar thinks or
tries."
"The prophecy?" Nankyokukai frowned in confusion. "What does that idiotic thing have to do with this?"
"Everything," said Raiden. "Without the Gods, this world will eventually be lost to the Shadow which dwells in Schatten. That
Shadow is the reason the gods were lost; and the gods must be found in order to stop it." He looked down at the tablecloth;
staring at something only he could see.
Nankyo sat back in his seat, toying with the stem of Takara's abandoned wine glass. "Tell me everything, Raiden. Or should
I call you Tsunami?"
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AmaSour Fiction
Raiden looked up at him. "Raiden, please. Tsunami is the name of someone who no longer exists. And tell me why you are
still here listening, when the others left? Considering you stand the most to lose in this situation, I expected your anger more
than even Takara's."
"On the contrary," Nankyo replied. "I was going to die, no matter what. I stood to lose nothing by listening to what you had to
say. And by listening, I have gained the chance to live again - or so you say."
"I swear it."
"Then tell me everything. I am truly growing weary of secrets."
"As am I, Prince, as am I." Raiden sighed. "The Countess was mostly correct when she said all the gods had been lost."
"Mostly correct?"
"Yes. Nine gods once ruled the world; of those nine, three are dead, one is murdered over and over again every year, one
is reborn constantly into a cursed life, three are caught in a cycle of tragedy, and the other is truly missing." Raiden tilted his
head back, looking tired. "And then there is the Shadow, whose poison is the cause of all of this."
"The Shadow?" Nankyo frowned. "You mention this shadow over and over again."
"His name is Teufel, and he is the Shadow of Licht. 1000 years ago he engineered the fall of the Gods. We do not know
why, we do not know how -- only that heis responsible, and only the return of the gods will stop him."
Nankyo let out a long sigh. "It sounds like a children's tale."
"Indeed." Raiden sat up. "Let me better explain."
Nine gods created the world.
The Dragons of the Three Storms, Sacred Zhar Ptitka, the Basilisk, the Faerie Queen and Guardians, and Holy Licht.
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