17th day of the 3rd month 650th year of the 8th era

Araki awoke to the sound of whispering. He opened his eyes and saw Moogera sitting on the other side of the fire pit, seasoning the pot that hung off the tripod. Jage sat behind her, a bowl in her hands as she shovelled food into her mouth. Stella sat next to Jage and tried to talk to her.

“What’s your favourite food?” Stella asked.

Jage turned her head and looked at Stella tilted her head to one side and then placed more food into her mouth.

Stella waited patiently, as Jage chewed and swallowed.

“Jage,” Moogera warned.

Jage shrugged and shoved more food into her mouth.

Moogera sighed. Araki stretched and sat up. Stella looked up at him and smiled.

“Good morning,” Moogera beamed. “Did you sleep well?”

“Yeah, bad dreams, but I slept well.”

Moogera nodded.

“Do you always have bad dreams?” Jage asked.

Stella glanced down at Jage, her mouth widening in shock.

A cough at the door prevented Araki from answering.

“Enter. We are all awake,” Moogera called.

First walked stepped in, dressed in a blue robe and carrying a small bundle. He glanced around the tent set his bundle down on a chest near the door and kicked off his shoes. He then collected his bundle and stepped up to the fire and sat next to Araki.

“As our new chief, we have brought you a new robe more fitting for your position,” First stated.

“Thank you,” Araki replied.

“We do have a little something we would like you to do for us. Consider it your first act as chief.”

Araki nodded. “What do you need me to do?”

“As you are aware, Clan Lawn is preparing for war.”

Araki nodded again.

“I know it is a lot to ask of you considering they were your clan, and still are … If you could get them to stand down, we would really appreciate it.”

“Do you have any idea as to how I would do that?”

“Not really. Second and Third thought that maybe you would know who is pushing for the fight and thought you might know how you could talk them down.”

“Sorry I have only been with Clan Lawn for the past five days.” Araki smiled. “I didn’t even know who they were a seven days ago.”

First nodded. “That is what I feared.”

“I can try … Maybe Irrawella and Aquillia will be able to help me.”

First let out a heavy breath and his face lit up. “Even if you can’t get them to stand down, please bring your family from them over to us.”

Araki nodded. First smiled and stood. He went back to the tent flap and stepped into his shoes and stepped out of the tent.

“Well I had better get going then,” Araki declared and stood.

“If you go before, I have given you breakfast I will be very upset,” Moogera said.

“I really must get going,” Araki protested.

“Not before you have eaten,” Moogera insisted. “I know how these clan moots go and I will not let you leave my tent without at least eating breakfast.” She ladled some of the contents of the pot into a bowl and stood, hand outstretched.

Araki took the bowl and sat. Stella sat next to him and took a bowl. Breakfast was a hearty vegetable and beef stew. They polished it off and cleaned the bowl. Araki stood and Stella helped him into his ceremonial clothes—a garment made from a light linen dyed in a light pale green. It had beautiful gold trimming along the sleeves. Once dressed, he helped Stella into her garment. Together, they stepped into their shoes and stepped out of the tent. Moogera followed to the door and handed Araki his sword and belt. Dropping the tent flap, they headed back to the meeting tent. The clan was beginning to stir, and some people were out about their normal routine looking after the animals. A few were out in pairs with swords and were duelling, suggesting last minute practice for the impending battle.

“I hope we are able to prevent this war,” Araki muttered.

“I agree. A fight between the two clans would be tragic,” Stella agreed.

They arrived at the meeting tent and were about to walk around when the tent flap was pushed open. First and Second came out holding the Decius plate. Araki took off his sword belt and handed it to Stella. First and Second opened the plate and stepped on either side of him. Encasing him in the armour, they attached the leather straps, fixing the armour over his chest and back. Several leather loops hung from the plate. Stella wove the sword belt through the hoops and then refixed it so that his sword sat on his left side.

The plate shone brightly, and the dull bronze became a bright grey steel colour. The chest piece changed to better fit Araki’s body. The belt went from being silk to leather with inlaid gold. The sword changed, gaining a bright red gem in the pommel. Stella and Aquillia gasped as the armour and weapon changed before them.

“That would explain how Tunio got a new sword,” Aquillia muttered.

“It would seem that the Decius plate is truly destined for you,” First said.

“He is truly our chieftain. Whatever happens today we will follow you,” Second said and bent on one knee.

First followed Second and took a knee. Araki looked around and saw that all the men and women about this early in the morning were facing him and all bent down on one knee. After a moment they all stood.

Araki looked around him the whole tribe bowed before him. “Oh boy,” he muttered. “Holy flame please don’t let me screw this up.” A beat of sweat rolled down his forehead aa a gentle cool breeze cooled his rising panic. “This might not be what you came here for,” Araki muttered, “but you can do this. Your mother trained you for this very thing.”

“We will have a proper ceremony when you come back,” First promised. “We need you to save us from a war with our brother clan.”

A man approached with their horses and handed over the reins. Araki and Stella mounted up, kicked the sides of the horses, and rode out of the camp, galloping over the grassy plain. They soon arrived at Camp Lawn.

A large group of people arrived and as they dismounted Nanberry broke out from the crowd and rushed towards Araki, wrapping her arms around him.

“What happened? I was so worried,” she said into his ear.

“We are sorry. We wanted to go see the other camp.”

“What are you wearing?”

“While we were over there a few things happened.”

“What is the cause of this?” a deep voice called out from the back of the crowd.

The crowd parted. Drice stood, hands on his hips, his eyes flashing at Araki and Nanberry, his brown robes flapping in the wind.

Nanberry let go of Araki and stood behind him.

“Drice, I bear a message from Clan Linjah,” Araki began.

“Araki?” Drice interrupted, “Why are you wearing the robes of a clan leader?”

“A clan leader is visiting us?” Bunyan asked from behind Drice. He stepped around Drice and despite his short stature he was still a commanding presence.

“Araki is wearing the colours of the Linjar clan chieftain,” Drice explained.

“I have come to put a stop to our threat of war,” Araki declared.

A murmur ran through the assembled crowd.

“You have no place to dictate to us,” Drice retorted. “You are a member of Clan Lawn and you are not a chieftain.”

“I am still a member of this clan and I am,” Arakaki said, “the chieftain of Clan Linjah.”

“If you are a member of our clan, then you are not a chieftain.” Drice said. “Strip him.”

The crowd moved in and many hands grabbed him. They unbuckled his belt and armour and pulled it off, tossing the armour aside. Someone kicked him in the ribs, and he buckled to the ground. Silence descended upon the group, the only sound was that of flesh against flesh. Another kick to the head, and Araki curled into a ball, covering his head. The robe he was wearing was torn from him. Once he was stripped of his garment, he was curled into a ball on the ground naked. A person spat at him, the globule landing on his arm. The crowd let go of him and they melted away into their tents.

“Let this be a lesson to you,” Drice said. “You are not a chieftain and never will be.” Drice moved off, leaving Nanberry and Stella the only people with Araki.

Araki stood, collected his sword belt and the armour from the ground and walked through camp, his head held high. At his tent, he tossed aside the flap and carefully laid his equipment on a dresser at the door. Nanberry kicked off her shoes behind him and rushed past him. Stella closed the tent flap behind her. Araki straightened up and walked into the sitting area of the tent where Nanberry returned with a bowl and a towel over her shoulder. She motioned for Araki to sit, then she sat next to him and began to wash his feet.

Stella disrobed and sat opposite, watching as Nanberry began to clean Araki’s legs and torso, working up his body, leaving his face for last. Once he was clean, she took away the dirty water and towel. She returned and disrobed before sitting next to Araki.

“Tell me what happened in the Linjah camp.”

“I went over there to see if I could retrieve the Oath rod.”

Nanberry nodded.

“I came across their elders talking and was soon discovered. After giving me a brief history of the two clans, they told me that the Decius plate, which I am now wearing, lit up, telling them I was the new clan chief.”

“How could that be when you are a member of this clan?” Nanberry asked.

“Do you know the history of the two clans?” Stella asked.

Nanberry nodded. “I know that we all used to be one clan. We split off because the clan chief had two sons that couldn’t get along, so the clan was split.”

“I think the Decius plate doesn’t see a divide between each clan,” Araki commented.

“Is that it?” Nanberry asked.

“Yes.” Araki handed over the Decius plate to Nanberry’s outstretched arm.

“It’s beautiful.”

“What happened when you put it on?” Stella asked.

“I don’t know.” Araki shrugged.

“What happened?” Nanberry asked.

“When the armour was placed on me for the first time,” Araki explained, “it morphed and changed.”

“So, did your belt and sword.”

“I think they are all linked together.

“I have never heard of items changing because they were with other items.”

“Where is Aquillia?” Araki asked.

“She went out looking for you a couple hours ago,” Nanberry said.

“When she gets back, I need to talk to you all.”

The tent flap was tossed aside and Aquillia stepped in. She kicked off her shoes and stepped into the sitting room.

“There you are.” She hugged Stella and Araki in a tight hug. “I came back from my searching and heard of the commotion and when I asked a friend what happened he told me you had returned dressed as a chieftain.”

“I have been selected as the chieftain of Clan Linjah,” Araki explained.

“How did that happen?” Aquillia asked.

“Last night Stella and I went over to scout out Clan Linjah’s camp and we were discovered.”

“How did you go from snooping around to clan chieftain?”

Araki took a deep breath. “I had snuck into the clan elders’ tent and they had an item they were using to tell them who was their successor to the chieftain.”

“How did they do that?”

“The Decius plate lit up when it was near someone who was a descendant of the last chief.”

“An item that lit up when near a member a certain family … that seems a little convenient.”

“The Oath rod does something similar,” Nanberry said.

“Huh,” exclaimed Aquillia.

“The item turned out to be linked to a pair of items I had inherited from my grandfather. When I had the breastplate, the belt, and the sword on at the same time they all changed. Then the tribe of Linjah all bowed to me.”

“You truly are a chieftain,” Nanberry said, her mouth open, the cup in her hand clattered to the floor, spilling the precious water.

***

Night fell and Araki closed his eyes and dreamt. He stood before a fireplace and three other men. One was long and thin, almost gaunt; his eyes were piercing grey and watched Araki. The second one was a short man and he squatted before the fire; his muscles taut as he watched Araki. The third was two metres tall and wide, his body a solid mass of muscles. He stood opposite Araki with his thick arms crossed over his chest.

“Where are the others?” the large man echoed. His deep bass voice resounded around the campfire.

“We are all that are here,” Veritas said, turning his gaunt frame at the newcomer.

“I take it you are the host,” Decius said.

“He is,” Corvictus said from his squatting position. He scanned the area, his yellow eyes looking out beyond the darkness.

“There is nothing to fear here,” Decius said. “We are in his mind.”

“Who are you?” Decius asked.

“I am Araki.”

“The fact that Corvictus and Veritas are here with you speaks highly of you.”

“Thank you.” Araki looked at Corvictus and Veritas.

“I, however, am not so easily won over.”

“What do you mean?”

“The blood you carry allows you to communicate with me but that is all. I have standards I must maintain.”

A moment of silence hung in the air.

“I don’t think he is aware of the curse,” Veritas said.

“There is a curse?”

“Your great grandfather broke a curse and that won him the support of Corvictus. What have you done?”

“Um,” stammered Araki.

“He is too young to have accomplished anything,” Veritas said.

“He simply carries the blood and us,” Corvictus said.

“I see great potential in him,” Veritas said.

“That is true,” agreed Corvictus. “He has not yet been tested enough to forge his personality.”

“Tested?” Araki protested.

“A great test to prove your righteousness is needed to earn my support,” declared Decius.

“What must I do?” Araki pleaded.

“Will he even be tested?” asked Corvictus.

As the items spoke to each other, Araki watched, knowing that his fate hung between them.

Veritas reached out his hand towards Araki. “It is too hard to tell. He might have a great test, or he might not ever need one.”

Araki sat up the tent was dark and he was covered in sweat. Getting up, he pushed past the tent flap and stood outside. When he looked up at the starry night sky, he saw the familiar constellations in the sky. The cool night air cooled his body and he hugged himself. The tent flap moved and Nanberry stepped outside.

“It’s a cold night,” she said, sitting in one of the chairs.

Araki could see the hair on her body standing up and gooseflesh prickling her skin. He looked down at his skin and saw the same gooseflesh prickling his skin.

“Why would the chief of another tribe want to be outside at this time?” she said.

“I had a bad dream,” he said, looking back at the stars.

“What did you dream about?”

“I dreamt that my sword spoke to me.”

Nanberry burst into laughter. A smile crept across his face.

“I am so sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes. “What did your sword say?”

“What my sword said didn’t freak me out. It’s what the breastplate said that concerned me,” Araki continued.

The mirth left Nanberry’s eyes.

“My breastplate said I will be tested.”

“How?” Nanberry asked, her brow furrowed.

“Now it is not funny?” His heart fluttered; she had started out mocking the whole idea that his breastplate would talk to him, but now she was serious.

“Your breastplate is the Decius plate,” she said. “If you said that your breastplate was talking to you in your dreams, I believe you.”

“But not my sword?”

“Now that you mention it …” she paused, a grimace on her face. “It is not as funny as I first thought.”