Midnight

  Year 612 of the Divine Empire

  Ailu called out ahead of herself. “Are you really sure this is a good idea?”

  “Oh, no, this is probably the worst idea I’ve ever had. That’s why I’m acting on it before the adrenaline wears off.”

  Kanoa trekked through the dense jungle, a hastily packed bag full of rations and basic camping supplies on her back. It hadn’t been easy to sneak everything out of the one room house, but she had lived with Nohea and Ikaika long enough to have a vague idea of when they usually slept the deepest. The two of them were definitely going to be worried sick once they woke up and saw the note she left behind, but that was only a passing concern for now. It was about time they realized that she was old enough to take care of herself. The only complication was when Kanoa had gathered everything and was making her way out, realizing that this was one of the nights that Ailu was sneaking into the house. She did this quite often, preferring to sleep away from home whenever her mother was out on business. Said her mother seemed to be under the impression that she was staying with her father during these times. While Kanoa was certainly curious about that, she decided it would be best to let Ailu explain it when she felt comfortable doing so. The fact that one of these stays had begun on the same night as this impromptu divine trial was certainly a coincidence, but a welcome one for sure. Having some help on a potentially dangerous journey would always be appreciated, and there were few stronger allies to be found in āina Hānau. Besides, Kanoa was always happiest when the two of them were alone together. Ailu, on the other hand, seemed to be a bit less assured about their current situation.

  “If you know, then why-”

  “Because I need this.” Kanoa interjected. “I can’t just sit back and watch things happen. Even if this is really dangerous, I don’t know if running away would be safer. I doubt I’d be able to live with myself if I did survive, to be honest.”

  “That’s just- I don’t even-” Ailu sputtered in frustration. “Where are we even going?”

  “Ho’okahi.”

  “Isn’t that where you were born? I’ve heard enough from Nohea to know what it was like, so why do you want to go there? I can’t imagine there’s anything there that would interest Kinohi. . .”

  Kanoa looked back for a second, clearly trying to formulate her plan. “Kinohi didn’t ask me to go there, but it should be my best lead for completing this trial. There’s someone I need to find, and that village should at least be able to tell me where to start looking.”

  “Who could that even. . .” Ailu stopped as she realized who Kanoa must have been talking about. “You can’t be serious.”

  Kanoa sighed. “Afraid so.”

  “That monster. . . She really is the worst, isn’t she?”

  “Unmistakably.” Kanoa was really starting to let her exhaustion show as she plauded through the jungle. “But I need strength and influence, so I have to do as she asks.”

  —

  Earlier that Night

  Kanoa was sitting on the edge of a corridor, facing out towards the open ocean. She was hesitant to go along with Kinohi’s whims, but there weren’t exactly any other options available. Even if she wanted to resist, the goddess still had a direct link to her mind and soul. If she wanted Kanoa to listen, then there wasn’t anything that could be done about it.

  “I’ll be honest, I’m glad you finally came around. Dealing with that insufferable Anakoni was a complete bore, but it looks like it was the final kick in the teeth you needed to start being interesting again.”

  “Interesting, eh?” She didn’t even have the energy to be offended. “Even if you wanted to force my hand, why take a risk on some zealot? I’ve seen his core, and he clearly hasn’t done much training. The man barely has any more power than anyone would at his age.”

  “Oh please, what’s the harm? Worst case scenario, you still refuse and he gets himself killed in Lua Pele Nui. I might not have won, but I wouldn’t have lost anything either.”

  “How can you be so callous?” Kanoa was starting to raise her voice, a very rare occasion for one such as her. “People are putting their hope into him. Into you. If he dies in the trial, then everyone will lose direction again. Do you want the kālai to be wiped out?”

  “If I am callous, then you are faithless. Why do you think I modeled your species after crustaceans? I made you to be hardy, adaptable. If the kālai lose this war, then the survivors will be split between those in servitude and those in hiding. In other words, they would be forced into a place of resentment and regret. The perfect breeding grounds for centuries of strife.”

  “What would even be the point of that? Why are you so obsessed with war, enough to sacrifice your own creations for the sake of it?”

  “Because that is how the world grows. It is only in times of war when the greatest of innovations are formed. Why do you think the Divine Empire is so powerful? A long history of conflict has made for quite the developed nation. Besides, it’s fun to watch.”

  Kanoa didn’t really know how to respond to this. Kinohi probably wasn’t entirely wrong, but this cruel form of logic was difficult for her to accept. It was as she had originally believed: the goddess was a truly selfish being who forced the world to conform to her interests. She would be a horrific master, that was certain, but invoking her wrath would be far more foolish. Still, Kanoa would have to gather more insights if she wanted her own plan to work out. If a side needed to be picked, then understanding each side was going to be necessary.

  Pretending to consider Kinohi’s logic for a bit, Kanoa responded after refining her plan slightly. “Alright, fine. I won’t pretend to agree with you, so long as we both benefit from this. I have to ask, though, why are you making me look for Makaio?”

  “Why? Does it matter? I would have thought you of all people would be eager to get revenge against that fool.”

  “I suppose?” Kanoa’s face was scrunched up as she tried to pull up some memories. “I don’t really remember much about those days. I can’t even remember what he looked like, really. I’ve heard enough from Nohea to know how horrific he was, but I was fine just forgetting about him.”

  “. . . I really wonder how interesting of a champion you would be. But whatever, so long as you can follow my lead it doesn’t really matter. All you need to do is find and kill him before the warships arrive. If you can manage that, I’ll make you the alaka’i nui and you can save your homeland or some other nonsense.”

  Kanoa stretched as she got to her feet. “Fine. I’ll get right to it.”

  —

  Kanoa continued to trek through the jungle, speaking over her back towards her companion. “It’s not as if we have to do anything overly dangerous. Just find the bastard, take his head, and I’ll have all the authority I need to start a proper defense of the archipelago. So just-”

  She was cut off as a thick tendril of water grabbed her around her stomach and slammed her back into a tree. By the time her vision refocused, Kanoa was looking Ailu dead in the eyes. For once, the sea serpent actually let her displeasure show on her face, and right now she was looking downright infuriated.

  “Alright, Kanoa. What is going on with you?”

  Kanoa turned her head away, producing an odd sort of heat that she couldn’t recognize. “I just told you-”

  “No, you didn’t.” Ailu grabbed her chin and forced her to look down at her. “Everyone else might be willing to accept this deadpanned all-serious act, but I know you. I saw what happened to you the last time you accepted Kinohi’s ‘help’ and we agreed that you would do anything to not feel like that ever again. What. Is. Going. On.”

  “. . . I don’t have a choice, Ailu. If I have to feel awful either way, then at least this way I won’t have to lose my home in the process.”

  Ailu was about to keep digging deeper until something caught her attention. It was a certain tone of voice, a shift in cadence that Kanoa took on whenever she was trying to deceive someone. At one point it had been like a signal for when Ailu was meant to play along with whatever story was being created. It hadn’t worked, obviously. Ailu was terrible at winking naturally and Kanoa made a lot of heat when she was guilty. They hadn’t used it since they were nine, when Kehlani had seen through the deception and forced them to clean the entire training arena. There was absolutely no reason to use that signal, especially now that they were both closing in on adulthood. Of course, if the one they were trying to deceive was a goddess who could only see through the eyes of her blessed, then it wouldn’t be nearly as obvious.

  Ailu narrowed her eyes. “I- Fine. Can we at least rest until morning? I can hear a river near us, so I’ll just make a sanctuary and we can start this quest of yours tomorrow without being all exhausted.”

  Kanoa was released from the water trap, rubbing the spot where Ailu had grabbed her face. Giving a small nod to her companion, she started to lead the way towards the river. They traveled in complete silence, not feeling the need to say anything until they were away from the senses of the goddess.

  Once they arrived, Ailu placed her hands under the water, sending out a request to the river spirit to create a sanctuary in its waters. A respectful gesture like that was unnecessary given the influence her family had, but she had never felt comfortable using another being’s domain without permission. Upon receiving confirmation, she created a small pocket of still water at the deepest point of the stream. This space was completely secured, both breathable by those without gills and hidden from anyone looking in. Not that most people would think to search for someone under raging currents. After hiding Kanoa’s bag in some nearby foliage, the two dived down to the bottom, finding some comfortable pockets of sand to rest in. Taking in a deep breath, Ailu could finally ask Kanoa questions without the risk of being overheard.

  “Alright, I doubt Kinohi would risk forcing her way through both my domain and a spirit’s just to eavesdrop, so we should be fine. Are you sure this was all necessary, though? Would she really be listening in on us?”

  Kanoa reclined, allowing herself to look as exhausted as she was. “Who knows? I just don’t want to risk pissing her off at a time like this.”

  “Yeah, I guess so. . .” Ailu swam to be laying next to Kanoa. “Alright, so what are you actually doing? I assume you don’t really want to be Bonded to Kinohi.”

  “Obviously not. If anything, my actual plan may be an even worse idea than that.”

  Ailu let out a deep sigh. “If you’re willing to admit that, then it must be really risky. . . But don’t you still need authority to get the villagers to listen to you?”

  Kanoa laughed out loud. “What? Oh, no, that was never part of the plan.”

  “. . . Huh?”

  “Listen, it’s a three month journey between here and the mainland. The empire can’t afford to send too many troops, and the ones they do send will be cut off from any kind of rapid communication. Combine that with the human factions on the other islands, and they’ll probably be stuck on Moku Waena. I imagine that the situation will be the same as it is right now, if a bit more tense than before.”

  Ailu was now floating upside down, clearly in deep thought. “But what about that other Pomaika? Anakoli or something? Won’t a lot of people die in his plan?”

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  “No, probably not.” Kanoa flipped herself as well to match. “The trial to become an alaka’i nui is infamously difficult. Kinohi admitted she can’t stand him, so she probably won’t make it any easier for him. He will either die or give up, and whatever mass rebellion he had been planning will end there.”

  “So. . . You don’t think your home will be destroyed.”

  “Oh it absolutely will be.”

  Ailu threw up her hands. (Or down? Kind of hard to tell now) “What does that mean?”

  Kanoa stopped spinning herself around to look at Ailu directly. “Kālepa will be destroyed the same way it has been destroyed these past few years. Bit by bit, our privileges and ways will be stripped away until it’s all become unrecognizable. The genocide of the traditional kālai will happen. It is happening right now. But it will happen in fits and starts, each island being conquered one by one. It may take a few decades, it may take a few centuries, but so long as things continue as they are it will be inevitable.

  “Just because I don’t intend to stay here doesn’t mean I don’t feel anything about it. People I care about live here, and I’d like to be able to return to them at some point. Besides that, I refuse to let a culture be whittled down without doing anything to stop it.

  Ailu couldn’t even respond to this. How could she? Even when the day came that she would be forced to leave this land behind forever, it had still been a home away from home for most of her life. Kanoa would likely not live long enough to see her people be stomped out, but the process would likely be just a small portion of a higher being’s long life. The two floated in silence for several minutes, just taking in the future that had been laid out before them. Ailu was the one to break the silence, remembering that she still hadn’t heard the plan that Kanoa supposedly had.

  “You said you have a plan, right? So what is it?”

  “Ah, yes, that.” Kanoa scratched the back of her head, realizing what this was going to sound like when spoken out loud. “I’m going to kill the emperor.”

  Ailu’s mouth hung agape. “. . .What?”

  “The empire is too large to properly fight, especially by a nation so small that most people don’t know its real name. But I’ve been paying attention, Ailu. No one knows a country better than its merchants, and the gossip they exchange tells an interesting story.” Kanoa took in a deep breath, having gotten a bit too excited. “The empire is a mess of different kingdoms and territories, all fighting for control. The power struggle after the end of the imperial line would pull support away from āina Hānau enough for the kālai to regain control. Isolating any presence there will be the only chance our people have of gaining a foothold.”

  Ailu was completely taken off guard. As eccentric as Kanoa could be, this had to have been the last thing she was expecting to hear from her. Even someone as separated from the empire as she had heard the legends of the imperial family. They were descended from the hero who slew Eon, the god of time and creator of the human race. The strength of that bloodline was legendary, with every emperor being renowned for their incredible skill in combat. Even if that wasn’t the case, he had to be the most well defended mortal on the planet. For a sixteen year old girl to bring up assassinating him was so idiotic it bordered on comical.

  “I-I’m sorry, but. . .”

  “I know it’s a terrible idea, alright? I saw what happened to Kehlani, I know what kind of things the empire is capable of. That’s why I need to get stronger, Ailu.”

  Ailu was pacing, or at least drifting back and forth. “And how long do you think that will take? How strong would you need to become?”

  “Yes, it will take some time. Years, if not decades. But I was already planning to go on a journey, right? I’ll find more exemplars on the way. More magi, as well. I’ll learn to be stronger, find other people with the same ambitions.” Kanoa did her best to hide her nervousness. “I won’t even have to change my dream! Just, you know, add a few steps.”

  “Gathering a band of assassins to kill the emperor is not a few extra steps, Kanoa!” Ailu couldn’t decide whether she wanted to cry or laugh. “What does this even have to do with playing along with Kinohi’s divine trial?”

  Kanoa stopped, being reminded that this was indeed what they were supposed to be talking about. “Right, yes. Well, as you can imagine, this plan of mine is going to take a lot of commitment. I’ve come to realize that Kinohi is never going to just let me do what I want. So long as I’m tied to her, I’ll never really be able to do as I wish. Before I do anything, I need to be free of her.”

  Ailu sat back down on the river bed. “How?”

  “Think about it, Ailu. Why would Kinohi want me to look for Makaio?”

  “. . . Because it would be amusing?”

  “No, she likes to pretend that all she wants is amusement, but she does have her own interests.” Kanoa drifted down to sit cross legged in front of her friend. “She wants strife to improve the kālai and she wants to get one over on her nemesis. This trial probably doesn’t help with the first one, so it’s about the second. Do you see where I’m going here?”

  “. . . You want to make a bond with Pō’ele Hakahaka.” Somehow, Ailu was starting to get even more worried. “And you think going along with this will get his attention?”

  “Ah, yes, well you see. . .”

  Ailu was now realizing that, despite her having created a place for the two to rest, they would not be getting much sleep that night. She had no idea how Kanoa had formulated this plan in so little time, but it had clearly been thought through enough to make some semblance of sense. As much as she hated to admit it, this was probably the only way that the pressure on āina Hānau was going to be reduced enough that a counterattack would be viable. Additionally, Kanoa was at least aware enough of how difficult this would be. She was probably one of the only people bullheaded enough to dedicate however much time would be needed to gather the strength and information required to take down such a dangerous foe. Most importantly of all, however, was the fact that Kanoa would still be able to travel the world. She was the most like herself when she was making some new discovery or going off on some bizarre little adventure that only she understood the purpose of. Ailu couldn’t bear the thought of her friend being stuck with the responsibility of ruling some island in the middle of nowhere, never seeing the wider world that she loved so dearly. At least now one of them would be able to do as they wished, even if the other would soon be trapped at the bottom of the ocean. Smiling to herself, Ailu sat back and listened closely. This was definitely going to be a memory worth hanging on to.

  —

  The Following Morning

  Surendra woke up to the sight of a longsword pointing directly into his neck. This wasn’t the first time he had received such a rude awakening, but it had been a couple of decades since then. Groggily, he pinched the tip of the blade and moved it away from his arteries. He took a moment to analyze the figure before him, who was possibly one of the last things he was expecting to see on a tropical island in the middle of nowhere. The man was clad in full plate armor, with the only visible body part being a pair of striking blue eyes. The armor looked expensive yet practical, clearly made for a knight of common birth rather than some noble brat who wanted to look impressive. Even without the Erudite Eyes, Surendra could feel the pressure of this man’s core power. This was clearly a threat to be taken seriously.

  Surendra attempted to rub the exhaustion out of his head. “Listen, whoever you are. I don’t know what bounty you think you’re following, but I know for sure that I’ve already cleared all of those so-”

  “I am not here for such craven purposes, fool.” The man’s voice was stern and without emotion. “My allegiance lies with the first regent, and his will has guided me to you.”

  “The first regent?” Surendra squinted his eyes. “So what, you’re some new faith or whatever?”

  The knight tilted his head. “So you are unaware? That’s quite surprising, coming from someone as experienced as the wielder of Kunshu’s Black Staff.”

  Surendra slid himself back, allowing his back to be forced to the wall while getting room to stand. This man knew far too much. Knowing his backstory was one thing; there were probably plenty of mercenaries who still shuddered with fear upon hearing his name. His staff, on the other hand, was a secret that he hadn’t even told Kanoa. The artifact’s true nature could not be seen even with the Erudite Eyes, as its power came directly from Celestia. Surendra had never been able to even use the damn thing, choosy as it was, so the knight couldn’t be basing his assumption on any legends. . . No, the only way he could have recognized it is if this master of his, the first regent or whatever, had knowledge of the realm it was tied to. He let out a deep sigh, knowing that this was going to be a real pain in the ass.

  “Are you a damn idiot? For the love of the gods watch your words!”

  For his credit, the knight did seem a bit taken aback. “I’m sorry.”

  “I don’t know how many of the ten names you know,” Surendra got right up into his helmeted face. “But just because you’re mortal doesn’t mean you’re beneath the higher beings’ attention. Only invoke them when you’re sure you’re going to kill everyone that hears, got it?”

  “I. . . Yes, you’re probably correct. My apologies, I was trying to get you to take me seriously.”

  Surendra backed off. “Well, it would have worked if it wasn’t gods damned stupid. But fine, you have my attention. Who are you and what do you want?”

  The knight sheathed his sword, realizing that further aggression wouldn’t be doing him any favors. “Very well. I am Sir Gabriel, and since you clearly did not recognize my master, I will not compromise his anonymity further. As for what I want, I was hoping you could help me track down your apprentice.”

  “What? She lives in the same village, how would you need my-” Suredra’s face dropped as he realized what must have happened. “I see. So she’s run off, and you need my help to kill her.”

  “Well, that’s-”

  “That’s what, you damned fool?” Surendra lunged for his staff, attempting a strike that would have taken Gabriel’s head off if not for a well timed block. “I’ve put six damn years into that brat. If you think you can intimidate me into giving her up, then you’re more of a fool than I could of imagined."

  “You misunderstand me, Sir Surendra.” As capable as he was, Gabriel was struggling under the strength of his opponent’s power. “While your assumption of my allegiance is correct, I consider myself to be a moderate. The child will not be harmed unjustly.”

  Surendra lessened his strength, if only by a little “. . . Explain.”

  “My order is only concerned with the balance of power in the empire. The inquisitor, who killed that other magus, is a mad fool who will only weaken that balance if he gets his way. The child was born with her magic. It is unfortunate, but there is a place for people like her. Help me find her before Inquisitor Balor does, and I can guarantee a fair trial.”

  Surendra thought for a moment, though still kept his stance rigid and alert. Looking at things logically, it would be best to at least pretend to go along with this. There was no way this man could have come here officially without being noticed, and if he planned to bring Kanoa back with him then he probably had his own transportation. That meant a small, stealthy boat that would be perfect for breaking past the imperial warships. There was no way in any world that a fair trial would be awaiting them on the mainland, whether Gabriel really believed that nonsense or not. The knight seemed like a manageable fight regardless, especially with Kanoa and Ailu lending a hand. Escaping him might be tricky if he had backup, but it felt like a risk worth taking. The merchant vessels had all refused to take refugees, so this would probably be his best bet. Looking at it this way, this might actually be a golden opportunity. Any other agent of the empire might have been tough to deceive, but knights could be remarkably gullible so long as you can pretend to be honorable. Straining his face to keep it from smirking, Surendra reached out his hand as if to shake Gabriel’s.

  “Fine. So long as you keep your end of the bargain, I can help you track her down. There’s only so many places she could have gone, anyways.”

  Gabriel reciprocated with a strong handshake. “I’m glad to hear it. It will be an honor to work alongside a warrior as famed as yourself.”

  As the two of them concluded their agreement and began preparing for a search, Balor slipped away from his hiding spot under the window of Surendra’s hut. It seemed to him that neither of them had any abilities for detecting the presence of others, thank the emperor. They were going to be a pain enough as it was without having the only real counter to his abilities. Still, he hadn’t expected that idiot knight to make an offer like that. It sounded like the order’s magician core wasn’t a rumor after all, and that this Kanoa was being considered as a new member. Balor gritted his teeth in the first genuine anger he had felt in a very long time. How dare that fool claim to be a servant of the first regent while blatantly ignoring one of his most fundamental commandments? All influences of the higher beings must be excised from mortal cores. The magus’ or blessed one’s choice in the matter was never meant to be a consideration, for their tainted nature was sin enough. No, this would not pass.

  As much as his instincts were screaming at him to go back and butcher those two fools, killing a knight of the order without proper evidence would not be looked kindly upon. So long as Gabriel acted within the confines of his orders, the pair would be difficult to assault without consequence. His best bet was to find that damned child before they could, then drag Gabriel back to the mainland by his ear. They would get their punishments soon enough, this was certain enough, but he should probably do his actual job for once. At least being forced to do a rush job would make things a little more interesting. . . Still, he would need to make sure and take his time with that blessed child. With how much of a pain tracking her through the jungle would be, some old fashioned stress relief would be just. . . wonderful.

  —

  Present Day

  “Pfft. . . Ahahaha!”

  “Heh. I had a feeling you were going to like this part.”

  “And you were right as always, my friend. I can’t even imagine how this all is going to end, but it will be some beautiful chaos one way or another.”

  “. . . Just remember the point of all this. You need to-”

  “Yes, Yes, I need to judge the prospective god and decide her worth. In that regard, I definitely understand why you said she had the potential to become a celestial. Seeking the help of one god to sever a connection to another so she can go and dismantle the largest nation in history. . . That’s the kind of drive that can warp reality.”

  “Indeed. Her worth is undeniable. The only concern is the upheaval she may bring to the courts with that kind of attitude.”

  “Oh, you don’t need to worry about that. The powers of that inquisitor fellow are giving me some ideas. . .”