The sun and the Moon

Part 2 A Feel for Magic

The sun and the moon
Both drift along on their journeys
Travel the same land
Rarely are they seen together

Without the sun
There would be no light for the moon
Without the moon
There would be no guide for the night

Isis face formed the look of frustration. She focused again at the branch before her. A breath of hers was released to shake an annoying strand of brown hair from her face. "I can't do it."

"You're trying too hard."

She wriggled her nose again. Again she felt something and tried to focus on it. "I think I've got.." Before she could finish, the branch above her shook roughly dumping snow on top of her. The other person stifled a chuckle. "What am I doing." She sighed as she shook the snow off.

"I already told you. If you're going to stay here, you might as well learn something constructive for once."

"Conspiring with the enemy."

"Are we still on that level?"

Isis sighed. "You are a strange one. You have treated me as.. well I'm not quite sure. I get served the best food and drink that one can ever imagine." She shook her head again.

Unacera chuckled. "People repeatedly tell me how strange I am."

"Why? Why do you treat me so?"

"Perhaps I do not truly hate you. I also believe in the ability of things to change."

"Why don't you join the Dynasty? You'll get your own army and be served as well as you treat me."

"For as long as you are fighting well and are of use."

"A weakness must be removed to make us stronger."

Unacera shook her head.

"The soldiers are practically lifeless. No regrets over losses. Then when it's over you can rule this place."

"Rule what? Lifeless corpses and burial graves?"

"The greatest honor is serving your lord well."

Unacera shook her head again. "I'm sorry Isis-San, but I shall never serve the Dynasty no matter how much you try to convince me. I've learned what the Dynasty does to life here."

"It's not really that bad."

"Not that bad? When it slaughters your town, your friends, your family even before you know who they were, their names?"

Now Isis shook her head. "Perhaps I'll never understand your point of view."

The Archdruid decided to switch their topic of conversation. She looked and motioned to a tree a bit of a distance before them. "Try again. You almost got it."

"Yeah. Just wrong branch."

"And wrong tree," Unacera said with a grin. Then a figure climbed the tree they were looking at, lying on the same large branch Isis was trying to shake. The creature almost gave a mocking look at the people below.

"Oooo! I'll get you for that Dragon Wind!" She began to concentrate again. Her mind imagined the large winged leopard falling to the ground before he could even begin to recover.

"This is for you."

"You must be mistaken! It can't be for me!"

The man just shook his head in the negative and left the room with a bow. Isis looked at it again. It was a suit of armor, and a wonderfully crafted one at that. She picked up the helm and examined it. It seemed to resemble a hawk with its wings being the sides of the helmet. The eyes of the hawk were set with small green gems, the same green color of her own eyes. The armor itself was mainly a silver color. Curious, Isis placed on the helmet. It was a perfect fit. She then took off the helm for a moment to try on the chain mail shirt. That fit too. "Maybe this won't be so bad." Isis found herself attracted to the helm again and placed it back on.

"It seems like it suits you." The familiar voice chuckled.

"Nice joke Yami Archdruid Sho Unacera-San," Isis replied sarcastically, relishing the fact she now knew the true name and title of the person before her. "I don't think I can accept this."

"Well you can't exactly go around in your old armor when my army moves out. You'll be seen and killed as a traitor. Besides, I hope I didn't drag this with me to Japan for nothing." Unacera moved to help Isis into the rest of the armor. "I was thinking that maybe you can call yourself 'Silverbird' or something."

"Silverbird," she mused. "Maybe I can get used to this." For once a smile came to her lips. After a few moments, Isis found herself fully armored. "How the heck do you move in this?"

"You get used to it."

"Perhaps we have underestimated your people all along." She grinned.

"Surely a mistake they all make." Unacera joked back.

"You seem sure of that."

"It's been proven time and time again. You see my homeland has the exact opposite problem of Japan. We have too many green fields and because of it everyone wants to conquer us. They don't understand that we just want to be left in peace." She sighed deeply at a memory she recalled. "Enough of that. Let's get you on your horse."

"Is that at all possible?" Isis said with a slight smile.

"The armor isn't as heavy as others we have." Unacera walked up to a gray horse with a white mane and tail. She gently took the reigns and whispered something soft, and incoherent to Isis, in its ear. "This horse is for you. It rides well, is obedient, indeed the best horse I could find." Her hand gently rubbed up and down the horse's neck.

Isis couldn't help thinking again how this all seemed too much. She placed her foot in the stirrup and grabbed the saddle horn and reigns. With more ease than she imagined, she pulled herself up. Her other foot went to the other stirrup as she finished mounting the horse. "All right. This armor isn't that heavy."

"Good." Unacera went to her black horse and mounted as well rather quickly. Her bicolor red body armor settling in as she turned the horse a bit. They both started into a comfortable walking pace. "Isis-San." She waited a moment before the person turned to her. "Do you trust me now?"

Isis just looked at her for a long moment. The Archdruid's face was serious and sad. Her blue eyes seemed a bit distant. "That's an odd question to ask." She shrugged, trying to think of the best answer she could give. "I suppose I do trust you not to stab me in the back or front for that matter."

Unacera looked at those green eyes for a moment, deciding something. Then she turned back forward. "I don't suppose you would want to lead part of my army in an attack against your own soldiers."

"That is a bit much."

"Maybe someday," her voice whispered.

"What did you say?"

"Oh. Nothing." Her shoulders shrugged in response. Unacera felt the twinge again. Don't make me decide. I can't right now. Be patient, I know you're there. The Archdruid closed her eyes, but still moving the horse on the correct pathway. In her mind came an image of somewhere else in Japan. A man in a gray kimono with a deep red sash stood in the middle of a grassy field holding a katana. With swift and precise movements it cut through the air as he practiced. All she could see was his right side. His short blue hair was in a battle of its own between the wind and the movements of the man. "Just don't make me decide, please," Unacera pleaded. The feeling went away and she opened her eyes again. They were approaching her army that was already gathered up for the march.

As they approached the front they noticed Dragon Wind sitting there waiting. He sat still looking at them, but especially at Unacera.

"Oh I suppose I should prepare myself for the occasion." She raised her arms overhead, crossing them at the wrists with palms open. "Armor of Darkness Tao tei!" The sudden surge, as always, made her catch her breath. In her mind she saw the mystical armor sitting. Then she outstretched her arms before her. Her right hand made a fist and the left covered the top of it. The hands exploded in mystical light and danced for a moment as Unacera continued to concentrate. Soon the familiar darkness flooded her as small flurries of snow danced downward around her. The foot and knee armor formed first, then the lower arm and hand. Unacera's left hand formed a fist as the claw finished forming. The chest, shoulder, back, and waist armor all formed together. Then her hands were placed together with palms up. She reached out to gather some snow, and as she raised her hands, the helmet formed. She placed it on and gave the mental command to banish the red face guard. Lastly the snow and darkness formed the no-datchi and sheath. The darkness and transformation ended with forming a swirl of red and black cape.

Dragon Wind still sat impassively looking at the Archdruid. "Fine," she said as she gathered the reigns again. "Just smirk. See if I care." She spurred her horse forward and the stunned creature started running to catch up.

Isis sat for a moment, frozen in shock. It took me long moments to get my armor on, but hers took mere seconds! Amazing! She then spurred her horse in a gallop to race up. The warrior was embarrassed that soldiers had already passed her. Luckily Unacera didn't seem to notice and had slowed down, ending her teasing game with Dragon Wind. There is indeed much more to this than I thought... or was told, she added grimly.

To Be Continued...