((A short one today because the weather's so nice recently. I can't be bothered to stay inside and write somehow. Sorry if anyone's waiting for me to start typing already))

Class, Rank and Memories (2)

History Class. I had never considered the possibility that classes might help me understand what was flowing through my mind every night. But five was an age when schooling really began – 4 hours a day of standard subjects, like history.

There were 16 of us, all in our white dresses, sitting on soft pillows. Each of us had a low table in front of us, chalk in a pretty wooden holder and several plates for our notes. When we grew older, we were told, we would be writing on wood with nice brushes and ink. But not yet.

White Ash sat next to me, her posture elegant and upright though I could see her legs quivering after half an hour of sitting properly, as the educators called it. We were old enough for Manners and as young Ladies with great hopes for the future we were to be an example.

My own legs had grown numb and I was afraid when I tried to stand again I’d stumble and draw the critical eye of out educators. But it was still half an hour until it was time for that. Maybe this Chi manipulation I would start learning in the afternoon would help me in the future. I had heard many things, but nothing from anyone who could really say they practiced Chi themselves yet.

Oh, yes. We were not the only ones with mirrors, but White Ash and me were two of only ten who already had clear mirrors of all the girls between 5 and 6. One in ten thousand was what they said we were. I did wonder why it wasn’t one in a thousand, since there were ten of us and roughly ten thousand girls our age. Maybe it was our clan that had more talent than others.

But I forgot. The Milky Mirrors, like Yaupon, were not very common either. Only roughly two hundred and fifty with that sign, those who had not matured yet. Since Yaupon could already do the practice we all guessed that she would soon become a clear mirror, like White Ash and me. At least we hoped that would be the case.

But, again, I have gone off topic.

What I wanted to talk about was History.

Finally I had some insight into this world that puzzled me so much.

It turned out that once upon a time the world was ruled by Sword Saints. Great, powerful men capable of incredible feats. They rerouted rivers and remodeled mountains to grow rice on them. They taught their disciples and protected their wives and daughters in great castles.

But after many years of peace a ship arrived from a different shore and people learned of the other continents. At first there was great wealth and the exchange of techniques helped improve training methods and living conditions on both sides.

But men began to live for centuries and the spirits and demons they had been fighting to protect all settlements could not withstand the might of the Sword Saints anymore. They were driven into the corners of the world until they did not dare show themselves anymore.

And the Sword Saints, eager for battle, fought each other for sport.

But Sport could not satisfy their thirst for blood and the friendly fights turned into bitter competitions. Humans began to hate their neighbors. There were too many people and too little land to produce food after the demons could no longer harm them. Many lived for a long time, gathered much power and could not stand to see their descendants starve.

Cities fought over land to feed their people.

Need became enmity and the powerful men went out to fight each other, many times.

Eventually the Great Warlord rose up and conquered all the cities, but people still starved and suffered.

Thus his eye turned towards the other continent. The armies of men went out and the age of great battles between the continents began.

To fight the war and keep the population from growing too much rules were written down.

Fifty out of a hundred men must go to war for the protection of the great Empire. Every man who survived the war for ten years gained the right to marry and have children within the great clans. Every man who survived the war for a hundred years could gain a government position and did not have to return to the war, though must did.

And the clans were ruled by the women who defended the borders when the enemy overwhelmed the men and broke through to the shores.

My clan was one of several hundred like it.

Our duty, the educator said, was to oversee the economy, to ensure there was grain and cattle, to fight the demons who preyed on the traders and towns, to watch the borders and to give birth to a new generation of warriors for the Empire and leaders for the clan.

There was only one question that bothered me. “What about the men who don’t go to war? And all those people who aren’t part of a clan?”