The Sword of Kaigen

by M.L. Wang

Duna’s history that all the major theonite powers—Kaigen, Yamma, Abtya, and Sizwe—were at war.

The red staining the sand was the impure blood of fonyakalu.

For the warriors of Kusanagi had fought with such fury that there were hardly any Kaigenese casualties.”

In the decades since the Keleba,

She’s convinced the Ranganese are going to come across the ocean to attack us.” “Why does she think that?” Hyori was laughing, but Misaki stilled, her grip tightening on her needle.

depending on their family, their native region of Yamma, and the koronu they served, they told vastly different histories.

two of them would sit right next to each other and tell conflicting accounts of the same event.

Mhmmm

Our job as jaseliwu is to find the one the listener needs to hear.

but the one they need to hear to do what they need to do.’

“All right,” Hyori said, clearly confused. “What does that have to do with our government?”

Yikes this one isnt the brightest is she

“Our Emperor tells us the things we need to hear.”

“So, do you think our government is right about how safe we are?” Setsuko asked. “Or do you think my dear old mother is onto something?”

“That’s only natural,” Hyori said. “Fonyakalu are just untrained peasants. Jijakalu are purer, more powerful.”

“The revolution wasn’t a success.” “Well,” Setsuko said, “they did split the Empire in half.”

“But you couldn’t really be friends, could you?” Hyori said anxiously. “I mean, she was Ranganese!”

-_-

“Everyone knows Ranganese people can’t be trusted.” Misaki didn’t respond.

I wonder if misaki is part raganeese

Personally, she suspected that Kaigen was not actually experiencing the economic paradise the TV reporters claimed.

Im misaki

“It’s laughable to think that Ranga poses any threat to us here,” Hyori said. “Any warrior will tell you that Kaigen has the strongest fighters.”

Oiii

“You realize that at least half the stuff he tells you isn’t even true.” Kwang looked around at the three Takayubi boys. “It’s propaganda.”

Thats on God

“We are the Sword of Kaigen,” Yuuta said fiercely, “the defenders of the Empire.” Kwang scoffed. “That’s a fancy way of saying ‘cannon fodder.’”

DAYUM

“You’re a good fighter,” Kwang said, somehow still smug with a blade at his throat, “and your small-town pride is cute, but it’s all based on a lie.”

You will never be a fully realized Matsuda if you continuously let your pride run away with your principles.”

He looked for a long moment at his nephew and sighed. “I’ll let your mother know when I get home.”

DAMN I AINT EVEN REALIZE ITS UNC

He had to clench his teeth to keep from blurting out ‘Please don’t tell her!’

Too fokkin bad

He dreaded his mother’s disappointment more than any man’s hard glare.

Thats sweet

“Is he your father?” Kwang repeated. Worse. “He’s my uncle.”

“How else would we settle our differences?” “I don’t know. Talking?”

Lmao

“Maybe that’s a luxury you have in the cities. Here, we keep ourselves and our convictions strong.”

????

But somehow, he couldn’t get himself to walk away. He couldn’t unseat the feeling that somehow things weren’t finished here.

It was said that the raw power of a true Tsusano was as changeable and devastating as a coastal storm.

He was a Matsuda. And Matsudas were not made of storms. They were ice—cold in their calculations and unyielding in their integrity.

They didn’t. So he dropped to his knees and put his hands on the floor before him. “Um… what are you doing?” Kwang said apprehensively.

Lmaoooo

saw you in sword class. I’m not going to fight you. You can’t make me.” “What? That’s not what I’m doing,”

Haahhahah brodie is so scared lmaooo

worried that if he looked up at Kwang he would punch the other boy again.

Lmaoooo

smallest info-com device Mamoru had ever seen. The rectangular screen was barely bigger than his palm.

Im screaming is it just a cell phone

Yammanka pilot—a woman—with her helmet resting on her hip, her long braids pulled back and her chin lifted toward the sun.

Our Empire wouldn’t have survived the Ranganese Revolution without Yammanka aid. The Yammankalu have no reason to lie about this.”

You’re the buffer between Ranga and the rest of the Empire’s eastern islands.

“I’m too young to die! I’m too young to die!” “Would you shut up!”

Hahahaha me asf

You can control blood?”

We got a blood bender in this bitch

blood manipulation was the reason Mamoru couldn’t master the Whispering Blade.

“You know how many different schools I’ve gone to? Like, twelve. And you know what? This is the worst first day of school I’ve ever had. Ever.”

lmaooo i love Kwang tbh

Among the symbols, in Yammaninke letters, was an inscription.

Now he had to look at his bloodied knuckles and wonder if the story was even true. He had never felt so empty.

Takeru married Yukino Izumi’s oldest daughter, Mitsuki,

Ayooo wtf i didnt know we were talking abokut papa and mama

Their two families have coexisted in this region for a thousand years, never without tensions, but never without respect.

Wait are we?!

Mamoru had no way of knowing that he had lived his whole life within an arm’s reach of a Zilazen glass sword.

black blade had been bundled away under the floorboards of the Matsudas’ kitchen shortly before he was born and had stayed there, untouched, ever since.

His mother, after all, did not talk about her past.

I knew it

“Yeah. And never take a job from Yaotl Texca again.”