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Shards of Jundigon: Chapter One

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Chapter One


Golden sunlight coated the world in a blanket of comforting warmth. The air was crisp and fresh; it burst with the clean and invigorating scent of the thousands of flowers that stretched into a seemingly endless sea of color. The sky, vibrant as the birds that flew overhead. The time of year marked the period where life was born anew after slumbering during the winter—in which spirits would bloom and, like nature, turn to face the sun.


And yet, Lingnuo Zhēnzhū, child of the Spring, would have rather remained in slumber.


The carriage rumbled along the dirt road. The trotting from the horses and conversation from the drivers were the only distinctive sounds. Her older sister, Shikirei, had fallen into a light sleep awhile back. Her head leaned against the wall, her face slightly obscured by a strand of her silvery-white hair. A white fox with purple-tipped ears and tail, and a collar with a golden bell around its neck lay curled next to her side. Ling sighed to herself and looked back out the window.


She crossed her arms on the windowsill and rested her chin on them. The landscape was picturesque, but the colors seemed faded, like the clear sky were instead filled with clouds. The warmth of the sun was muted, and the breeze felt more like a wheeze than a gentle breath. Her body felt heavy and moving was more of a chore. She wanted to fall asleep like her sister, but she had already slept far too much on the journey over here. They had almost arrived, so she knew it wouldn’t do her any good. 


Crystal Castle had long since come into view. The unique structure composed entirely of gems shone in as many colors as the field of flowers that surrounded it. The sheer, massive size of the place was intimidating; its walls were thick and difficult to climb; the tall spires could be seen from miles around, and around each entrance were huge dragon statues that kept watch along with the Royal Guard who maintained a constant surveillance. 


A small dip in the road shifted the carriage momentarily and Ling spotted her sister stirring from her sleep out of the corner of her eye. Shikirei straightened up and brushed her hair away from her face. She opened her eyes, a deep, calming blue that always reminded Ling of the deep ocean—and navigating through them often proved to be just as difficult.


“I apologize for falling asleep,” her sister sighed. She covered her mouth as she yawned. “Did we pass Feldspar?”


“About an hour ago,” Ling replied. Some part of her noted how quiet her own voice sounded, so she sat up straight again and faced forward. “We passed the guard checkpoint just recently, too,” she went on, a little louder this time. “You woke up on time, I’d say. We should be at the castle gates in a few minutes.”


Shikirei nodded and stood up, reaching out to straighten the cherry blossom pink ribbons that tied her younger sister’s hair in ponytails on either side of her head, and then moving to smooth out the creases in her rose-colored Hanfu robes, trimmed with a sunny yellow. The robes were tied with a flowing, carnation pink silk sash. 


Ling didn’t interrupt her sister’s work and followed her wordless direction calmly. “Did you have a good rest?”


“Yes, I’d say so. And I apologize again for leaving you without conversation. I hope the ride wasn’t too boring for you.”


“Don’t worry about it,” Ling replied with a half-smile. “I’m fine. Belle kept me entertained.”


The fox resting on the opposite seat opened a large, studying brown eye at them as one of her ears twitched. “Did someone mention my name?” she asked curiously. Her mouth didn’t move, the words were voiced directly inside their heads.


Shikirei turned her head toward the fox. The corners of her mouth curled into a light smirk. “We were just discussing how my little sister is very easily entertained if you can manage to keep her attention.”


“You wound me,” Belle cried, feigning being hurt. “I’m very entertaining.”


“Oh yes, I’m sure you’re most entertaining curled up in sleep.”


“I was merely resting my eyes. Fox’s honor.”


Right, you never fall asleep, how silly of me,” Shikirei mused. She adjusted her kimono, a stark white that was trimmed with a deep, royal purple, tied with a black sash. She looked over herself carefully, then nodded silently to herself when she was satisfied. “You said we were almost there,” she went on. “Are you ready?”


Ling blinked, unsure exactly how to answer. She placed her hands in her lap and laced her fingers together tightly. “I fail to see how that’s much of a question. Are you saying I have a choice?”


Shikirei studied her for a moment, deciding how best to continue. “I simply mean that if you don’t want to do this, you can—“


“And not even be there?” Ling cut in, raising her voice. Her shoulders were tense, and she barely even noticed her fingers digging into the back of her hands. She let out her breath slowly and relaxed. “No, no I’m going. The both of us have to do it. It’s only right.”


Her sister remained silent for a while, taking in her words thoughtfully, as she always did. She nodded. “Very well,” she said shortly. “I’m sorry for angering you.”


Ling gave another half-smile, releasing the grip between her hands and calmly resting them on her lap again. “Don’t be. I’m sorry for getting angry.”


The carriage slowed to a stop, signaling that they had reached their destination. Ling stood up with her sister, taking a sheathed katana from next to her and firmly strapping it to her side. The door opened for them and the two sisters stepped out into the sunlight. 


“I’ll be along in a moment,” Belle called, her tone a mock-sultry. “I need to change.”


Standing at the front of the castle gates was a tall, skinny man with fair skin. He had light blond hair that fell to just past his shoulders, tied into a ponytail with a black ribbon. He was covered in a snug forest-green tunic that went down to just above his ankles, and it was tied with a black sash. His slanted eyes were a light, leafy green, and his angular features and pointed ears made it obvious what he was. 


The elf quickly studied the visitors before him for perhaps no longer than a couple of seconds. “A fine midday to you,” he greeted in a dialect of their native language. His smile was gentle, and his bow was graceful and fluid. “You are from Jiéki Village, correct?”


“We are,” Shikirei replied, her tone respectful and leveled. “I’m impressed you not only recognized where we were from right away, but you even know our language.”


“I try, madam.” He straightened up and crossed his right arm diagonally in front of his chest. “I am Finrod Lúinwë, the head servant in service of His Majesty, King Crystal. May I please know whom I have the pleasure of addressing?”


The silver-haired woman straightened herself proudly. “I am Shikirei Zhēnzhū.”


“And I am Lingnuo Zhēnzhū,” her sister added in kind.


“We are the daughters of Emperor Qiang and Empress Sakura.”


If Finrod was surprised, he didn’t outwardly show it at all. He merely bowed formally again. “Princesses, it is an honor. I humbly welcome you to Crystal Castle. Please forgive me if I come across as insensitive, but I had been under the impression that the next visit we would have from someone of your village would be from your mother.”


“That is why we are here,” Shikirei supplied curtly. “There is an important matter regarding our mother that we must discuss with your king and queen.”


“I see.” The elf straightened up and nodded shortly. “Then I shall take you to them and stress that you must have an audience immediately. Are you to be accompanied by anyone?”


Shikirei gestured to the drivers of the carriage. “We have members of our guard assigned to accompany us, and I have a personal confidant that I wish to be with me as well. She is changing in the carriage and will be out momentarily.”


The two people that had driven the princesses, a young man and woman, stood at attention and bowed to Finrod. 


“I am Ryu Natsumitsu,” the man greeted in a steady tone. He had lightly-tanned skin and short, blue-black hair. His eyes were a dark, wooden brown, and the spacing between them gave him a strict and uncompromising appearance. He was clad in a fiery-red kimono that was tied with a black sash, and strapped to his side was a ninjato.


The similarly-tanned woman next to him stood almost a foot shorter, clad in a set of golden-yellow Hanfu robes that was tied with a ruby-red sash. She had fierce eyes that reminded of a top predator feline, and were like the deep essence of hazelnuts. Her hair curled slightly at the ends and fell to the small of her back, the color of a beautiful orange sunset, and was tied into a ponytail by a tangerine-colored ribbon. On either side of her were hook swords. She hesitated before speaking, but failed to waver when she did. “I am Wawa Yao. Please call me Qiu, I much prefer that name.” 


“Of course, Miss Yao,” Finrod replied with a small smile. “A pleasure to meet the both of you.” He turned to face Shikirei again. “And there was one more member of your party, Princess?”


The carriage door opened and Belle stepped out, now a young adult human with fair skin and wearing a matching white and purple kimono like Shikirei. She had white hair that ended in a royal purple, flowing gracefully down her back. The purple-tipped ears and tail from her fox formed remained, as did the bell collar around her neck.  


“A member of the Kitsune race,” Finrod commented, keeping his smile from before as he gazed at the young woman. “The fox people from the northwest.”


“You’re very educated and well-versed in geography,” Belle observed with a light grin, her fangs glinting in the sunlight. She raised a hand and placed her chin on the back of it. “I’m impressed, but I didn’t expect different from the head servant to a ruler such as King Crystal.” 


“I’m flattered.” The elf bowed again. 


“Don’t be, you’re a creature of intelligence, I can tell. My given name is Suzu Kitsumoto, but you may call me Belle if you wish.”


“A pleasure to have you, Miss Kitsumoto,” Finrod replied. “Now, without further delay, I shall take you all to see King Crystal. I’ll have servants come and collect your belongings and bring them to the rooms you’ll be staying in while you’re with us. May I inquire as to how things should be split up amongst you?”


“Belle is almost always with me,” Shikirei supplied. “And my sister and I commonly stay with each other during trips.”


“Qiu and I are in a relationship at the moment, so we are perfectly fine with sharing a room together,” Ryu chimed in. His partner blushed lightly but remained silent.


“How wonderful, I shall take care of it then,” Finrod assured as he gestured for them to follow him into the castle.


In contrast to the rugged, coarse exterior of the castle which was comprised of the raw crystal, the interior was cut down and refined to a smooth surface. The properties of the gems retained the energy from the sunlight and put it back out in a dazzling, but not blinding, display of color. Each hallway was extremely spacious and typically free of decoration. As the very material of the castle provided its own light source, there was no evidence of sconces such as torches, nor were there overhead chandeliers for candles.


Ling gazed around the expansive place, intrigued that a royal castle would be so minimalistic. She marched purposefully, keeping her body as straight as possible and lacing her fingers together firmly from within the long sleeves of her robes and placing them just under her chest as a formality. There was scarcely anyone else in the halls besides the occasional servant, or the guard on patrol. 


The five of them followed the head servant, whose soft, padded footwear seemed to make no sound at all. He was like a spirit, present but drawing no notice to himself unless he wanted to. The padded close-toed flats that Ling and Qiu wore made no noise above a muffled tap, whereas Belle, Shikirei, and Ryu wore open-toed sandals with wooden soles that clacked loudly on the crystalline floor. Ironically, it was some of the loudest noises the latter two typically made.


In what was probably about the middle of the castle was a large, spacious courtyard that opened up to the sky above. It was like a private oasis, with places to talk and loiter next to pools with small, running waterfalls and expertly trimmed shrubbery and small trees. It took her a moment to notice, but Ling almost stopped walking when she realized that the courtyard had been designed using the same direction and placement techniques from her home that was intended to reflect balance, harmony and spirituality, and couldn’t help but wonder that if she took the time to study the entire castle, the choices would be consistent. 


Finrod stopped them after going through several more hallways and were standing in front to two large, thick oak doors. “This is the Throne Room,” he informed. “Please, wait here a moment while I inform the King and Queen of your arrival.” 


Once the elf had disappeared behind the door, Qiu looked at Ling and said, “This place is incredible, it’s even bigger than I thought.”


She nodded. “Did you notice what they did with their courtyard?”


“Yes, I did. Do they practice the same things that we do?”


“Queen Prism is a member of the Circle,” Shikirei supplied. “It’s possible she was influenced by those from our village.”


Ling gazed up and down the hallway they were in. They were now totally alone. Her posture had relaxed slightly from the familiar atmosphere in the courtyard, but her hands were still tightly gripping each other. “What do you . . . think they will be like?”


“You mean the King and Queen?” Ryu inquired. 


“I heard that they were kind?” Qiu offered, smiling a little.


Ling was about to respond when the door opened again and Finrod stepped back out. He stood to the side and gestured for them to come in. “The King and Queen will see you.”


Qiu and Ryu waited for their superiors to enter the room first before following them in. Finrod was the last to enter and he shut the door behind him, the noise echoing several times before dying.


The Throne Room was brightly lit, awash with natural sunlight that streamed in from vast stained glass windows that ran along the length of the room, each with intricate and colorful designs depicting various races and cultures across the continent. Ling’s eyes lingered on one in particular that displayed a large red and gold palace with a wide, slanted roof, standing on an island in the middle of a lake surrounded by mountains. A single star shined high above it, and written characters spelt out basic incantations and spiritual blessings. Her birthplace: Jiéki Palace.


Towering above them was a roof also made from stained glass, depicting Crystal Castle with stylized representation of all races encircling a great dragon soaring overhead. The glass picture did nothing, however, to totally represent the real thing; the true ruler of the entire continent of Jundigon: His Royal Highness, King Crystal.


Even when sitting on a large, plush cushion, the reptilian ruler was twice the height of a human. His eyes were the piercing grey of storm clouds, with a golden hint that struck like lightning. His scales were the same glistening spectrum of color as the castle he resided in; his underbelly that of clouds that displayed a tightened and toned chest and a firm, solid abdomen. His tail was like an enormous serpent in its own right, and each of his ivory talons would put any other predator animal to shame. Webbed wings were folded in on either side of him.


Sitting beside him on a matching cushion was another dragon that was only maybe a foot or so shorter than he was. Her eyes were mystifying and displayed great understanding; they matched her scales that caught the light and refracted it into differing colors that changed depending on how it struck them. Her underbelly was black like the night sky; slender, more curved than her mate’s, but just as impressive, as were her wings, talons, and long tail curled by her side.


Ling’s hands squeezed together tightly within her sleeves as she beheld the two rulers. She had never personally come across a member of the dragon race before, and marveling at their sheer size alone suddenly made her feel incredibly small. She shivered for but a moment and a part of her wanted to instinctively grasp her sword, but she forced herself to ignore the desire. She began crossing to the other side of the throne room with the others, determined to give the mighty creatures before her the best first impression she possibly could. 


Her breath almost caught in her throat as she and the others slowly proceeded to the other side. She had to arch her neck in order to properly make eye contact, whereas the two dragons barely had to move at all and merely gazed downward. The sound of her heartbeat became far more noticeable than she wanted it to be, and she mentally said a few prayers that she didn’t appear to be as rigid as she was picturing herself at the moment.


Ryu, Qiu and Belle stopped a few paces behind Ling and Shikirei. Once the two sisters stopped, Finrod superseded them all and bowed slightly with his right arm once again crossing his chest. When he spoke, he was using the dragon’s native language, a low, throaty style characterized with growls and precise use of one’s teeth, tongue, and breath control. While difficult, the five Jiéki natives had been taught multiple languages since they were young, and so could understand what was being said. 


“Your Highness,” the elf informed, “I give you Princess Shikirei, and Princess Lingnuo Zhēnzhū of Jiéki Village.”


The two dragons lowered their heads in respect, to which the five guests bowed in return. As they had been taught, they all greeted each other using one another’s native language. The dragon language was difficult for Ling to pronounce, but she managed to do so without saying anything incorrectly, for which she mentally sighed in relief. She cast a quick sideways glance at her sister. Her expression was collected and difficult to read, as always.


“Greetings,” King Crystal spoke, returning to his own language. His voice was deep, stately, and befitting his commanding posture. “I formally welcome all of you to Crystal Castle.”


“And it is a deep honor to be in the presence of Jundigon’s mighty rulers,” Shikirei replied, retaining the dragon’s language and giving a respectful nod. “We are grateful that you agreed to grant us an audience so quickly. It is most gracious of you, Your Highness.” 


“Not at all,” the King replied with a slight raise and swish of his tail. “We value all of our subjects and wish to open our ears to their lives and concern.”


“You are a Spirit Caller, are you not?” the queen inquired. Her tone gave the impression of power and strength behind gentleness. “Like your mother?”


Shikirei bowed her head. She withdrew from her kimono a hand fan that when opened was blue like the sky, with intricate writing displaying numerous blessings. She placed it over her chest and replied, “I am, Your Highness. My mother trained me since I was young.”


“You have been trained well, then,” Prism mused, her tail swishing a bit. She then looked directly at Ling. “And what have you trained in, young one?”


Ling momentarily froze at being addressed directly, but she took a deep breath and stood straight. She separated her hands and made them into fists, placing her right arm diagonally across her chest and over her heart, her left arm going straight behind her back. Saying the proper words in the foreign language mentally, she gathered up her determination. “I have been trained as a Jiéki Warrior, Your Highness,” she stated proudly. Ryu and Qiu copied her stance out of courtesy.


“I fight not only with spirit, but with fist and sword,” Ling continued, feeling like herself for the first time in a while. “My fellow warriors and I live to fight for family, friends, and freedom.”


Both the king and queen nodded in respect. Crystal then eyed Belle and mused, “I do not believe we have had the honor of having a member of the Kitsune race with us before.”


The young fox woman smiled and bowed slightly. Her tail swished and she held her right hand at the level of her eyes, palm facing towards the dragons. “The honor is all mine, Your Majesty. I hope that I come to leave you with a positive impression of my people. The Kitsune race holds you in high regard due to your respectful acknowledgement of our village and culture.”


“And we have no reason to doubt the wisdom of your people,” the king assured with another nod of his head.


“Finrod informed us that you wish to speak to us regarding your mother?” Prism inquired. 


“We do, Your Highness,” Shikirei confirmed. She paused for a moment, and Ling mentally prepared for what she knew her sister was going to say. “We regrettably inform you that our mother, Empress Sakura, was killed.”


Ling could feel the atmosphere in the room change. She watched as the dragons’ eyes narrowed in concern, letting what her sister had told them sink in. She knew it was going to be said, of course, but her body still felt stiff and she mentally willed herself to not concentrate on the pounding noise of her heartbeat. 


The queen broke the silence. “This is indeed tragic news.”


“My sincerest condolences,” the king added, his tone a bit softer now. “When did this occur?”


“You were expecting a visit from our mother, correct?” Shikirei replied. Even though her voice was smooth and steady, Ling knew her sister had to find strength to tell the tale. “It was the night before she was set to leave. The charms and wards we set up to protect the palace from evil spirits somehow could not prevent one from getting through. It killed her before she could properly defend herself. I witnessed the event firsthand. We were at our home in Jiéki Palace.” 


“Your palace is located on a lake, is it not?” the queen pondered, using her head to gesture to the stained glass representation of Jiéki Village. “Are not those blessings to ward off bad spirits stretched out across the lake? What monster is so powerful to make it through without it at least being detected?”


Ling’s hands balled themselves into fists. Her body trembled slightly as she gazed at her sister, who was searching for the right words to say to the queen. She noticed that her sister was also struggling to maintain her composure, but for an entirely different reason. Her eyes that did well to hide her inner self betrayed enough that at least Ling was able to read it, and she suspected that Queen Prism could read it to. A single emotion: fear.


“It was a rare creature of the night,” Shikirei began steadily, choosing her words carefully. “One that strikes quick and freezes one with but a gaze into its eyes.” She absentmindedly reached up with her hand and ran her fingers through a strand of her hair, making sure to keep eye contact with the queen.


Prism gazed down at Shikirei and studied her in silence for a few moments. “You are Sakura’s daughter, are you not?” she challenged. “The hair color you have does not belong to her, or your father.”


Ling watched has her sister visibly shook. She regained her composure immediately, but it had been noticed.


“It is rare for someone to survive an encounter with such a spirit,” Shikirei explained, now speaking even slower to ensure she didn’t stutter. “Should you manage it, however, gazing into its eyes will curse you with its mark.” 


Prism nodded slowly. “I understand. You were up against an incredibly powerful spirit.”


“It still shouldn’t have been able to get past all the blessings without someone being aware of it,” Ling growled, surprising her sister a little as she turned to look at her. 


Crystal and Prism looked down at her as well with great interest. “You feel that your mother was murdered?”


“We . . . cannot help but feel like it is why it happened,” Shikirei admitted uneasily. Ling could tell that her sister hated admitting something she personally felt embarrassed about, but it had to be said. “The types of wards we place around the palace should, at the very least, alert its caster to something breeching it. The spirit that killed our mother was very powerful, but not strong enough to sneak through the barriers by itself.”


“It needed help,” Ling added firmly. “Someone let that thing into the palace!”


“This is extremely serious if that should turn out to be true,” Crystal commented gravely. “Do you know why someone would wish to kill her?”


“Yes, as a matter of fact,” Ling replied. This time, her sister didn’t say anything at all, and held her tongue, knowing already what would be said. “It was because her mirror was stolen.”


Prism’s eyes narrowed and her tail twitched uncomfortably. A growl sounded somewhere from within her throat. “The Jiéki relic? The Mirror of Wisdom?”


“The very one. Someone let that monster in as a distraction so the mirror could be taken. We’ve searched all over the village, but it is nowhere to be found. We . . . cannot say with complete certainty if the killing of our mother was meant specifically to be that distraction . . . but in any case, that is what ended up happening.”


There was a long pause as everyone took a few moments to breathe. Ling didn’t mean to make her sister upset, but she knew that the king and queen deserved to know the whole story, and her sister did want to tell them as much. It was hard to even calm down enough to no longer have her hands in fists, but after it seemed that the air had at least been cleared somewhat, the queen resumed the conversation in a more peaceful direction.


“Motivation notwithstanding at the moment, I knew your mother very well, and her passing is a great loss,” she remarked solemnly. “To you, of course, but your village, the Clear Circle, and myself on a personal level. Words cannot do justice to how saddened I am. I echo my mate’s words, my sincerest condolences. I shall include the Flight Prayer tonight in my blessings.”


Shikirei bowed her head. “I am most grateful that you would do so. Thank you for the consideration.”


“Of course,” the queen remarked dismissively with a wave of her tail. “Forgive me if I sound insensitive, but have you held the funeral yet?”


Shikirei paused, appearing like something had prevented her from speaking and breaking eye contact. Ling understood why, and despite her own chest feeling tight and constricting, she spoke on behalf of her sister. “We had to make a difficult decision because our mother was set to visit you when she died. Rather than risk upsetting both you and the Clear Circle, we made the choice to postpone the funeral until we got back to our village. My sister and I will, if the Circle will permit it, serve as our mother’s replacement.”


The two dragons lowered their heads deeply. “I am deeply touched that you would come here to tell us of your mother’s passing as a courtesy to us,” Prism admitted, her tone very gentle now. “I am well aware of your burial customs and how important the ceremonies are to your people. If your village will require anything that we can help provide, please let us know. Will you be departing immediately?”


“No, if that’s alright, Your Majesty,” Shikirei answered, looking back up. She was back to her composed self again, seemingly given strength by the queen’s thoughtful words. “We had already thought that we may or may not be resting here a few days, and if we did, it would give us the opportunity to know you and your rule better, since this is our first time extensively traveling away from our village.”


The queen nodded. “Stay at long as you need, you may walk about the castle as you please. I shall try and contact Lady Genevieve to inform her of the circumstances. She and I both trusted your mother immensely, so I am certain that she will understand and accept your desires to serve as her replacements in the Circle.”


“Thank you very much, Your Highness,” Shikirei replied, bowing again. 


King Crystal turned his head towards Finrod. “Finrod, I’m sure our guests have traveled far to be with us today. Their journey has been a difficult one from the onset, and I do not wish to keep them here any longer at the moment. Please escort them to their rooms and ensure they are comfortable. Whatever they need for their stay here, see that they receive it.”


The elf bowed his head. “Of course, Your Majesty. Consider it done.”


The group thanked the dragons once more before following Finrod out of the throne room. Upon their exit, Ling breathed deeply in relief that the experience with Jundigon’s rulers had gone much better than she had thought. Her heart was still beating quickly from her time with the two powerful dragons, and she still felt like multiple forces were battling inside of her, but as she once again laced her fingers together, they weren’t as tight as before. The only sounds she could hear was of their footsteps, echoing like the images that flashed through her mind.

The start of something new. Well, old and new, really. The concept of Crystal Castle and the design for King Crystal remained from the original version of the story when I first wrote it back in high school. All of the main characters, along with Finrod, were brand-new creations that were made during the revamp process. Shikirei and Ling's characters were specifically inspired by the Kanna and Hayato classes from the MMORPG, MapleStory.
© 2014 - 2024 Jundigon
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