The Wings of Dreams by Fuyumi Ono Page A

he always found himself looking forward to this ritualistic Day of Ankou and the moment when one of the four gates opened.
    “It really is an incredible sight.”
    “This is your last chance. Turn back now and you’ll reach the Earth Gate before it closes.
    Shushou glanced over her shoulder at him. Her voice rose crisply above the noise. “No.”
    “You’re really set on going?”
    “I am going. Kyou needs an Empress.”
    “In other words, you.”
    “Isn’t it obvious?”
    Gankyuu looked into those unyielding eyes and sighed. He took up the reins, climbed into the saddle, and reached a hand down to her. “Up you go.”

Chapter 12
    [2-4]  T he haku set off on foot towards the fort.
    Supplies had been ferried in every Spring Equinox for years upon years in order to build the fort, the first and last rest stop in the Yellow Sea. It was a short flight by air, but less-friendly winged creatures were already visible in the sky over the steep canyon walls.
    These were youma sniffing out the spreading chaos and destruction in Kyou. Perhaps because they could not see into the depths of the canyons, few travelers fell victim to them here. Those lagging behind the main body had little to worry about.
    Hurrying though the wide gates that spanned the road, they entered a stone tunnel. Faint light spilled through the widely-spaced windows. Holes cut into the stone and mortar ceiling and topped with small roofs served as chimneys. Iron railings planted around the perimeter of the roofs warded off youma.
    Compared to the size of the tunnel, though, the lighting and ventilation was hardly enough. Above their heads, the earth rumbled to the sound of marching feet as the soldiers raced to their sentry posts.
    On this day, here they must hold their ground, not yield an inch, and not allow the youma to pour through the Reiken Gate and over the walls of Ken. Long years of preparation had reinforced Ken’s defensive lines.
    Even so, holding back the destruction in Ken, Kyou’s sole beachhead into the Yellow Sea, did not keep the youma from steadily invading Kyou. Nobody knew where the youma came from. They couldn’t fly over the Kongou Mountains and couldn’t pass through any of the Yellow Sea’s four gates except on one of those four days.
    Nevertheless, when destruction visited a kingdom, so did youma.
    Some said they knew secret tunnels through the Kongou Mountains that lead to each kingdom’s Ryou’un Mountain. Or the youma that spread wide and far retreated underground when a new emperor once again established peace and order. There they hibernated until they sniffed out ruin and decline and and flew forth like bats at sunset.
    Every theory was just as likely—and unlikely—as the next.
    “Ken is a city in a tough spot,” Shushou said, perched on the back of the haku as it wended its way through the tunnel.
    “The whole of Kyou is going to resemble Ken before long, except that few cities are as well protected.”
    “Why are there youma in the first place? If I was the Lord God Creator, I would exterminate all of them.”
    Gankyuu said with a wry smile, “So after the Imperial Throne, next comes the Throne of Heaven? You never know when to call it quits.”
    “Because nobody around here will step up and do what has to be done. It’s up to me to come up with these solutions.”
    “Well, then you’d better make sure the Yellow Sea doesn’t end up your graveyard.”
    “I am counting on you to watch out for me. That’s what I hired you for.”
    There’s no winning with this girl, Gankyuu sighed, staring up at the ceiling.
    A light appeared ahead of them. Not from flickering torches but the unwavering light of the sun. The tunnel exited inside the fort. The interior of the fort resembled a small village, halfway between a castle and a town. Around Gankyuu, travelers let out sighs of relief or took sharp breaths in surprise and wonder.
    “It’s amazing to find a whole city here.”
    “Not big enough to call it a