Madness. That’s what it’d been like in the capital since Raden returned from his training. Walking through the streets had now become an ordeal. He couldn’t go ten feet without someone bowing before him, or begging him to perform miracles. Children that he’d known before, friends of Kimi, now fell speechless before him. It had been strange, but Raden tried his best to be the hero they believed him to be. He did not want to disappoint or dash their hopes in him. A hopeful people are a powerful people, Raden, is what the Warrior had told him. What the Warrior revealed to Raden as they journeyed back to the capital had forever altered their relationship. The Warrior’s words now carried far more weight than before. Not that they didn’t prior; indeed, he was a member of the Ministry of Transcendence, his word was literally law, but now, they had forged a deeper connection.
The people will worship you; do not give them reason to doubt you, my child. Raden took those words to heart. He was maintaining fairly well, growing into his newfound role, but the parade yesterday had turned an already strenuous obligation into something ridiculous. Mothers wanted him to heal their sick children, those with missing limbs believed him capable of restoration. His power was unique, but he was not a god. He did his duty, made his public appearances, and displayed his power when called upon, but he longed to be home with Kimi and Lulu, his only refuge from the chaos.
Today had been his first day off from “The Candidate Tour of Slavery” as Gama liked to call it. Kimi, Lulu, and Raden had been relocated for safety reasons. They now resided within the protective confines of headquarters. Delicacies and other previously unknown confections now preoccupied Kimi’s mind. Her new favorite breakfast of strawberry ice cream and red bean steamed buns started the day, while Raden ate his hot porridge with pickled vegetables. She had told Raden all about her favorite classes and subjects from when he had been gone. How Mrs. Keo had been there to keep her busy and comfort her when she missed Raden. Lulu had been an amazing guard dog as well, diligently protecting her, and sleeping bedside every night. Her plethora of stories brought a sense of peace and normalcy to Raden that he longed to feel.
The afternoon was spent at Eko Park. It was nice to be out without being bombarded by a deluge of questions. Not that the scene was normal. Thirty or so security officers protected him, Kimi, and Lulu as they strolled through the park. Unnerving and eerily unnatural at first, Raden tried his best to adjust to it quickly because he knew nothing was going to change. The sooner he accepted his newfound celebrity, the sooner he could try and move on with his life.
They walked along the lake, tossing crackers to the fish. The tempting sounds of the ice cream man ringing his bell sent a bolt of excitement throughout Kimi’s body. She raced over to the ice cream man, Lulu nipping at her heels as she meticulously studied the menu. Strawberry, mango, lychee, and on and on the list went. Kimi narrowed it down to red bean or strawberry. She weighed the pros and cons of each one as she had learned to do so in school when making an important decision. Lulu barked in agreement when she finally decided on strawberry. Raden watched her enjoy every bite of the ice cream.
She had grown up so quickly while he was gone, it seemed. He had always been there for her once their parents had passed. Kimi only an infant at the time, Raden just a seven-year-old boy with a baby sister to care for, but somehow he had done it. And now with his new power, he was going to bring an end to centuries of warfare. Usher in a time of peace so Kimi and other children like her could grow up without experiencing the hardships of war.
“You know, Kimi, when I leave on my next mission, I think I can help end all the fighting.”
Kimi looked up and smiled her big grin; strawberry stains on the sides of her mouth. “I know you will, Raden. Then you can be home all the time!”
“Yes, Kimi. That sounds perfect.” To be home and not have to continually leave her side was something he hoped would come true someday. And now the idea went from an impossible one to a possible one. He would not fail her. He could not. He would end this war no matter what it took. For the empire, for his people, for his friends, but most of all for the life he, Kimi, and Lulu deserved to have.
Raden’s final day off was spent high above the capital, hiking along the trails he used to explore when he was young. It was here that he was able to quiet his mind and take in the nature surrounding him. Raden followed the trails loosely, allowing his mind to wander and his body to follow. Kimi and Lulu, his only remaining family members, occupied his thoughts, eventually leading to questions about his parents. Being seven years old and abruptly orphaned was traumatic, to say the least. But the memories he still kept of his parents always encouraged him to remain strong and to take care of his family and responsibilities. Save Kimi, had been his father’s last words. And so he did.
Upon his arrival at the capital, Oba had taken him to the nearest orphanage, hugging him close before saying goodbye. You will survive this, Raden. Keep fighting to protect your family. You have strength in you. Over the next year, Raden bounced from one orphanage to the next. When the orphanages refused to take in Kimi or Lulu, Raden still found a way to keep them whole. Finding shelter in dark alleyways, turning junk and debris into a roof over their heads. Raden could care less about the appearance of his home; as long as his family stayed together, he was happy. However, the daily hunt for food made it difficult to live life on the streets.
Scavenging for food one day, Raden managed to pilfer half a loaf of bread from a vendor who wasn’t looking. He felt a rare sense of joy, believing the One was favoring him that day. He almost made it back to his hidden shelter in the alley when a group of other orphan boys confronted him. In the ensuing melee, Raden managed to hold his own against the group of would-be thieves, incapacitating two of them with blows to their crotches, while tackling the third to the ground. The fight was a blur, but Raden remembered being pulled off his opponent by a man in uniform. Settle down, youngblood. I’m not going to hurt you. Raden clutched onto his bread tightly, when the sound of Kimi crying nearby caught the man’s attention. After investigating Raden’s shelter, the man introduced himself. My name is Symin, a soldier of the empire. You’ve got a lot of fight in you, son. How would you feel about joining the military academy? We could use soldiers like you. They’ll teach you how to fight, and provide you with food and a shelter for your family. The proposition was almost too good to be true. Raden joined the academy immediately, happy that he was able to provide a sense of stability for his family. As the years passed by, though, Raden was unsure of how Kimi would react to his frequent military obligations. Kimi set his mind at ease, revealing maturity beyond her years. She and Lulu had always been there for him, and Raden promised he would return the favor.
It was dusk when Raden found himself at Soul Haven Cemetery, the sun dropping over the western mountains, coloring the sky in deep hues of purple and pink. The cemetery was large. Situated high above the city, it was a final resting place meant to raise the deceased up to the heavens, making their journey to the afterlife as quick as possible. Raden had only been here on one occasion prior, when a soldier in his division had been killed during a routine surveillance mission. Aside from the military presence, the soldier’s family in attendance was but a few. His parents wept openly as his younger brother clutched onto the handles of the coffin. The sorrow affected Raden more than he had realized. That night, he returned home promising himself he would never subject Kimi to that type of grief. He was going to protect everyone important to him. Now, though, he subconsciously found himself standing at the foot of Kara’s headstone.
Raden knelt down, etching his fingers slowly across her name. Kara. Memories of the funeral flashed across his mind. The service had been attended by more significant political figures than a military funeral dictated, but because she was General Yagar’s daughter, it seemed appropriate to do so. The five members of the Ministry of Transcendence were also present, an extreme rarity, but perhaps a telling sign of what Kara had truly meant to her people. Aside from h
er friends, comrades, and those closest to her, thousands of citizens lit candles in the foothills of the mountain to express their shared grief. General Yagar was a living legend amongst the Renzai, and his precious daughter an extension of that legacy. His loss and pain reverberated throughout the empire.
The oration was a blur to Raden; praises for her achievements and undying loyalty to her family and nation were drowned out by painful feelings of sorrow. Kimi clutched Raden tightly, her face buried in his robe which was soaking up an endless current of tears. She felt like she had lost an older sister in Kara, leaving an irreparable hole in her heart.
Raden recalled the sense of loss on Yagar’s face. He had been notified at once, leaving the remnants of his army in the charge of his captain. His usual stoic demeanor had finally broken, his eyes were distant, the wounds in his heart still too fresh to process. The falling rain washed over Yagar’s face, making it difficult to tell if it was water or tears that streamed down his eyes. The worst part of it all for Raden was the overwhelming feeling of guilt in his own heart. He had failed Kara and her father. Robbing Yagar of his only remaining family. He had broken his promise, for which there was no remedy.
When the funeral proceedings ended, Raden asked Gama to escort Kimi home. Needing to be alone, he waited for everyone else to depart. With no eyes to watch him, Raden finally allowed the emotions choking within him to come out. For what seemed like hours he cried, tears streaming down his face, apologizing over and over again to her, hoping she was still willing to listen to him from the heavens. He refused to leave her side, falling asleep by her gravestone. He awoke suddenly in the middle of the night, the thought of returning home to Kimi and Lulu finally wrenching him free from her.
But now, as he stared at her gravestone, the tears no longer poured out. He had cried them all away. He clutched the silver medallion tightly around his neck as rain began to fall, pattering off of Kara’s headstone. Fiery rays of daylight blazed off the sun-shaped medallion, the sigil of the Renzai people. Engraved upon the back was an image of a sunflower. Kara had given both Raden and Kimi the necklaces when she graduated from the academy. The sunflower held a special place in her heart, a fond memory of the friendship that Raden had offered her as a lonesome child. The inconspicuous game the two of them played everyday on the playground. She told them the flower meant she was always close by, her loving warmth keeping them safe, just as Raden had been for her.
The light sprinkles quickly turned into heavy showers, soaking him whole. It was as if the heavens had opened up and cried the tears he no longer had within him. Even the One was heartbroken about her death, it seemed. Raden closed his eyes, allowing the rain to wash over him. Cleansing him from within, washing the grief and sorrow away that his guilt would not allow him to let go of. In this purification, he knew there was one thing he could do now, and that was to put an end to this war. To finish what they had started together. To never allow her death to be in vain. He unclasped the necklace and caressed the image of the sunflower between his fingers. He had worn it for luck on every one of his missions. Kara had always been a part of his life. Raden thanked her for her friendship, for the way she had cared for Kimi, loving her as close as family. He thanked her for showing him what it was like to be loved, and to be in love.
The sun reappeared from behind a swarm of heavy grey clouds. The sky lightened as he asked Kara for one final request. Please ask the One to protect me on my mission, so that all this pain and suffering will end. So no other Renzai families will lose the people they love. The rain subsided and the sun bathed him in rays of warmth. He felt cleansed and renewed, ready to take on his final mission. Raden walked over to the edge of the cliff overlooking the capital below. The Renzai army mobilized before him. Over twenty thousand troops strong. This was it; this was truly the end. With an army of such size and power, and a true Candidate to lead them, Raden knew he would not fail. He looked up to the heavens and whispered.
“For you, Kara… for all of us.”
Chapter 46