A Path Through Destiny by Wolfheart (series like harry potter .TXT) đ
- Author: Wolfheart
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âFine. Commandant Hiroto Tyzokien.â The general replied crossly.
âCommandant Daichi.â The other man said quietly.
âQuite small to be a general, arenât you?â Anya teased.
âEnough.â Kasumi rebuked quickly. âI am Commandant and Ambassador Kasumi Adel.â
âCommandant Anya.â She gave no last name.
âAnd Commandant Sauna Pythia.â Sauna stated hers proudly. When there was no reaction, it only darkened the young leaderâs mood.
âFamily heritage aside, letâs get on with this.â
âYouâre the Ambassador, not the leader.â Hiroto rebuked.
âIâm not just Ambassador, Hiroto-san. Iâm the most experienced general the Japanese have seen since the Samaria. You may take pride in your strategy to use us like disposable guard dogs, but it is only as Equals that will fight. If you do not allow me to lead the armies that I was commanded to lead, I will withdraw and order the same for every legion of the GCDW. Thatâs every troop that will fight for The Union you people choice to insult daily â hourly.â
âI suggest working with them, Hiroto. Emperor Haruko will not be pleased if you mess this up because you canât be polite to somebody with more experience than you.â It was Daichi, who spoke in his usual quiet voice. Kasumi held some respect for him, and had to wonder if this mage had some common sense unusual to the human race. She nodded in thanks to him when his counterpart shut up.
âNow then...we must work together to get this right. I will give you men a list of stats of each race. It has become clear to me that humans do not bother to learn about their environment, let alone those who inhabit it. Because of this, you know nothing of our people or our ancestors â unlike yours. You will learn our culture, as we have learned yours.â She looked at Hiroto, meeting his gaze sternly. âThis is part of the briefing. We will meet tomorrow at noon for those papers. I need a list of weapons and what kind of training your soldiers have. No names are necessary. NowâŠhere are my maps and strategies.â
She placed them all on the table, and the discussion began. Maps were modified, strategies taken out and information was swapped. No new moves were decided, other than to halt an attack with a small group of elite Japanese men with a handful of Jaguar Demis. It was to protect a rice farming town. They would remain there to protect the supply. Also, Kasumi added some of her warriors to the guard on palace watch and arranged for her arms master to be a part of the Barracks to give the humans more martial arts training â Demi martial arts.
âWeâre done here.â Kasumi growled as Hiroto insulted their fighting style again. âIn the name of Gaia, walk with peace and live in prosperity.â
âGaiaâŠâ Hiroto scoffed. âRight. Iâd bless you with God, but thatâs reserved for non-pagan cultures.â
She ignored his blasphemy and walked out, Anya and Sauna on her heels.
âI would not speak to somebody who can out spar you, Hiroto.â The mage commented coolly as they shut the door, making her smile.
âIâll see you two tomorrow at noon. List those stats. Weâll be busy.â She ordered professionally. The two looked a little put off by her attitude.
âHave a problem?â She asked.
âN-no.â Sauda stepped in before Anya could say something sheâd probably regret.
âGood.â Kasumi turned away, heading for the palace door. They were allowed rights to temple any time they werenât busy, as long as the sun was above the horizon when they returned.
Akira will be there, instead of this palace. I just hope that Azoic didnât go with her, and a couple of decent guards did. Nobody that would comment about pagan godsâŠ
The temple was cool and quiet. The sound of ancient flute played gently in the background, relaxing Akira. It was the familiar scent of Demis, lavender, sage and other ceremonial herbs that loosened her muscles and soothed her nerves. Ivy and vines grew up the pure stone walls, and a giant tree grew in the templeâs center.
âWelcome, Priestess.â A Canine Priest made the Mark of Gaia on his forehead and chest. âIt is a great pleasure for you to return to us.â
She made the same gesture, feeling at home â among her own kind, who thought the same as she.
âGlorious day that Gaia has given us. There have been no deaths in the war today and the sun is strong.â
âIndeed.â
He led her to a quiet place by the roots of the tree, said the welcoming rites, set up the right cleansing herbs and left her to pray.
The Goddess of the earth, I pray to you that Kasumi finds the light in her soul and the strength in her heart to end this war alive.
She lit the sage and ate a piece of the poppy, and fell to sleep under the tree. Images of blood, both human and Demi, filled her mind. Screams, guns and the clang of metal roared in her ears. The smell of healing herbs burned her throat, and she was exhausted. A trail before mankind. A knife in the back of a man unknownâŠ
Akiraâs eyes shot open to see Kasumi standing over her, watching her sleep with an anxious look on her face. She shifted when she saw her awake, but didnât come to her.
Rising slowly, Aki came into her loverâs arms.
âThe war frightens me.â She told the strong warrior.
Kasumi looked at her, smelling her hair. Both were cats now. Aki realized sheâd Shifted in her sleep. The merchant captain and warrior of Gaia held her tightly.
âMeus amorâŠit frightens me as well.â
Chapter Five
Blood of the Pauper
As Kasumi left the meeting room with Anya and Sauda behind her, tail flicking in irritation, she wasnât surprised to hear a growl in Anyaâs throat as she tried to dismiss them. It wasnât exactly easy for her to treat them like war commandants instead of friends, but Aki was stressed enough without involving them.
âCome on Kasumi.â Sauda surprised her. âHave a drink with us. Weâre not underling soldiers; weâre all Commandants here.â
âAki is stressed out.â She told them quietly. âDo you think thatâs a wise idea?â
âIsnât she at temple?â
âNo. We have lunch plans. The servant is dressing her.â
They stared at me.
âWhat?â
âYouâre using the servant?â
âHe makes our lives easier, and he enjoys it. The boy is sharp and quiet â for a human, anyway. I actually worked out an agreement that he will come with us. His real masters beat the shit out of him daily to âkeep him in his placeâ. He needs a bit of coaching in the way a Demi servant behaves, butâŠâ
âWow.â Anya looked shocked.
âHeyâŠhe could make a great cabin boy when this damned war is over. And in the mean time, I donât have to prepare baths, food or clothing. I can leave a message with him that I would have had problems getting to Akira or you two before.â
âSo thatâs who the boy wasâŠâ
âTelling us that youâd be a little lateâŠâ
âNow, if youâll excuse me, I have lunch plans.â She paused in turning around. âThoughâŠI will send for you with him if I wish to sit and chat with you tonight. Perhaps Aki will join us for supper.â
They looked slightly more hopeful as their ambassador strode away with her head held high and her stride full of a warriorâs pride.
Anya sighed, shaking her head.
âWhy couldnât she be a little more sociable?â Anya wondered allowed. âShe used to be so much fun.â
âNah. She was always in it for some real reason â never fun. The goods, the experience, the mission, the honorâŠâ Sauda reminded her â again.
They were quiet again, each in their own thoughts. Anya yawned, exhausted.
âWhatâd you do that was so tiring?â Sauda laughed. âEat too much at the party?â
âNo. I was getting around the lists that you failed to provide Kasumi because you went to a party.â
Sauda rubbed the back of her tiger-stripped neck. âOops.â
The door opened to allow Hiroto and Daichi out. They paused and said something in Japanese.
âHey, asses.â Anya growled in Latin. âSpeak Latin.â
âNo, no, itâs alright, Anya.â Sauda quickly pushed her out of their way and toward the dining hall.
âWhyâd you do that?â
âFor one, weâre in Japan. We speak Japanese. For twoâŠyou donât want to know what they said.â
âI didnât really, but I sure as hell do now!â
She whirled around, only to be corrected by the far stronger Sauda.
âKeep walking. You donât want to piss them off and put Kasumi in a bad political hold.â
Anya looked back with vengeance in her gaze. Sauda grabbed her by her chest and stared her in her eyes.
âYou donât get it, do you? If we act like brutes, they will start treating us like pawns and not warriors.â
âJust tell me what they said.â
âThey said âblood of the pauperâ. In Japan, thatâs a huge insult.â
âBecause my father was born in the slums instead of the military, they have a right to say that?â She made a face, as if sheâd tasted or smelled something nasty and she was heated about it. âThatâs honorable! That we arenât of the blood and still got in!â
âIn our world, yes, it is. Unlike me, Kasumi and you had to fight just to prove yourself. Kasumi had to fight to stay alive.â She shook her head. âIt was a blessing that you two made it at all, and nothing more than Gaiaâs will that did it.â
âBut they think itâs a bad thing?â
âYes. Heritage matters a lot here.â
âThat pisses me off!â She pounded her black fists together in furry. âTo judge everybody by their forefathers gives them no room to live!â
âKeep walking.â Sauda told her. âKeep walking and fighting and weâll get through this.â
She growled furiously, but nodded and kept walking. They came to the dining hall.
âIâve worked hard for what I am today. How can I just lay down to humans now?â
âYou donât. But you pick your battles. Let Kasumi fight the Japs with words, and weâll fight the enemy with swords and guns.â
Anya growled, but said nothing else as they ordered their meals. They ate in silence.
Sauda watched the younger Commandant carefully, willing her not to do anything rash.
****
Though Akira wasnât happy that her lover was late, she was content to see the ambassador arrived alone, and in Demi clothing rather than her kimono. It was amazing how much those clothes changed the warrior merchant. From duty to personal were almost two different people.
But the look of thoughtful rage on her face didnât ease Akiraâs tense nerves. Kasumi wasnât going to come out and say it, but something happened today in the meeting. Something she didnât like.
I really hope she gets in a better mood. We havenât much time together during war, and things arenât going to get easier.
âI am pleased to see you in such fine attire.â Akira said formally, allowing Kasumi to pick the mood as she sat down on the blanket the boy had brought and set in the
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