"This is truly fascinating. I never imagined that I would meet people who understand my language on another planet," said Rywa.
"Just a little," Karl put an inch between his thumb and index finger. "We didn't formally study it or anything. I mean, sure I can read it. But asking me to write it from memory would be a different story. I can probably do simple runes at best."
"At least you can write runes. I don't think I can even write the phonetic characters from memory," Zephyr absently added as he was going through his messages while they were waiting for their orders. He was sitting across from Karl and Rywa at one of the tables in a small, cozy family-owned restaurant with wide open windows. The gentle breeze rang the wind chimes hanging from it.
"What does your name mean, Rywa?" Karl asked with a spark of curiosity in his eyes.
"It's written with the runes for 'Sky' and 'Harmony.' My father said he wanted all Zirkans under the same sky to live in harmony, and I was to be the embodiment of that wish. Once he was out of earshot, my mother said my father simply wanted to combine their names..."
Karl chuckled. "Aww, that's so sweet. Sky..." He took out his phone and tried to draw it.
"Even the stroke order in which you draw the rune is perfect," Rywa commented.
"Harmony... Harmony..." Karl furrowed his eyebrows, but after a couple of tries, he stopped. "I give up. I don't remember how that one looks like."
"Like this," Rywa covered Karl's hand with his and guided him.
Karl's eyes drooped at the complex character after Rywa was done. "There's no way I would have remembered that."
"I think it's impressive enough as it is that you two know Zirkan," said Rywa.
"You have our dad to thank for that," said Zephyr as he put his phone down. "No one could top the passion he had for everything alien."
Karl nodded, smiling fondly. "Dad believes it's possible for everyone in the universe to coexist. So he wants to learn as much as he can about everyone and everything out there."
"Your father thinks like a Zirkan. The late King Rygus made it possible for horned Zirkans and the hornless to live together in harmony. Some romanticize it and claim it's thanks to his wife. He married the first hornless queen. But those who truly knew him know it's because of his best friend, who strongly influenced him.
Lord Vlint fought not just for the hornless like us. He was also an advocate of treating wildlife with kindness and nature with reverence. He was a commoner. And an orphan, at that. But when he was just a teenager, he stood up against the nobility and managed to convince the Council of Leaders to close down mines, which were built on natural habitat and forced wildlife out of their homes. He singlehandedly studied and proved that the mine's activities were disrupting the flow of the planet's mana."
"Mana?" Zephyr asked.
"The planet's life force, without which no mage will be able to wield elements. It is also said to be the very source of the guardian spirits' power."
"The guardians. Earth... water... fire... and wind, right?" Karl drew each rune then showed it to Rywa, whose brows drew together.
"Did I get it wrong?"
"No, everything's correct. But the way you wrote the wind rune is a little bit outdated. Ancient, if I may say so. It's no longer used these days, except by a few. Mostly nobles."
Zephyr frowned. "Noble? So if the man whose documents you're looking for was a commoner, is it possible the Zirkan literature in our dad's possession were not his?"
"On the contrary, it's quite possible. Because the woman he married was a noble. She was a descendant of the ruling family of the ancient Solaran empire before it sank to the sea. Her ancestor, its last empress, abdicated the throne as atonement for the empire's fate in the last great war a thousand years ago. The floating city as we know now is led by governors elected by the people. However, because Solarans adored them so, the imperial family's descendants are still treated as nobility."
"So you have wars in your world too, eh," said Karl.
"Wherever there are people who hold excessive power, there will always be war," Rywa said pensively.
"Omatase shimashita," their server, a girl in her late teens wearing an apron and a hair net, said, setting the food down on their table: three bowls of steaming hot rice, deep fried tofu with assorted dipping sauces, simmered seasonal vegetables, and the local specialty— sea grapes fresh from the ocean.
"So this is what Tetsuro had recommended. It looks interesting. Hm? What's this for?" He looked curiously at the disposable wooden chopsticks that came with it.
"Like this," Zephyr showed him how to pull the wooden sticks apart, hold them properly, and eat with them.
After a few tries, Rywa gripped both sticks and was about to stab a piece of tofu with it when Karl caught his wrist just in time.
"Please don't. We'll get kicked out of here if you do that," Karl gestured with his eyes to the middle-aged couple who ran the restaurant. "Here, let me do it," Karl picked up a piece of tofu, dipped it in salt, then offered it to Rywa, who ate.
Eyes closed, Rywa smiled as he chewed. "This is delicious. Crispy on the outside and so juicy on the inside."
"Wanna try the sea grapes nest?" Karl suggested.
"Happily," Rywa said as he let Karl feed him.
Karl turned to Zephyr, who put pieces of simmered burdock root and lotus root on Karl's bowl. "Thanks, Zeph!"
"You couldn't decide what to order so I ordered what you didn't choose. This way we can share. Gimme some tofu."
"Because everything looked so good!" Karl stuck his tongue out as he put fried tofu pieces on his younger brother's bowl and moved the platter of assorted sauces towards him.
As they were eating, Karl caught Rywa staring at him. "What is it?"
"You just look so happy whenever you eat."
"Mom always said that when you enjoy eating your food, it also makes the people who worked hard to prepare it happy," Karl dipped sea grapes into the sauce and popped it into his mouth. "Mm… so good."
"As I grew older, eating became solely a necessity. But after coming here and meeting all of you, I was once again reminded of the joy in something so simple."
The server came back and set a plate of grilled eggplant on their table. "Saabisu desu," she bowed.
"It looks delicious! Thank you," Zephyr smiled, making the server blush. He then turned to Karl. "So what are your plans after this?"
"When I reported earlier, Captain said they're having a hard time convincing Dr. Perez to meet with them, but he's gonna keep trying. So for now, we're free to spend the rest of the day as we'd like, as long as we go back to Headquarters by sundown. You said you had a mission here, too, so is it okay if we tag along?"
"What is this mission you speak of?" Rywa asked Zephyr.
"We got wind of rumors about sightings of a rare bird. According to eyewitness accounts, this bird's song has the power to heal. That's why when I heard you guys were headed here, I figured I'd go with you to investigate a little," said Zephyr.
"You have mystical birds here, too?"
"Too? So there are magical birds in Zirka?" Karl's eyes sparkled at Rywa's words. "What about Gobaith?" Karl turned to Zephyr and quickly added, "Rywa's companion eagle. We saw him earlier today." Zephyr nodded.
"Yes, he does have powers of his own. Unfortunately, he can't sing. Oh, but don't tell him I said that. He won't be amused," Rywa pressed his index finger on his lips.
"My lips are sealed," Karl turned to Zephyr. "So where were you thinking of looking?"
"Most of the reported sightings were from hikers up at Mt. Niji. So I was planning to go up that trail and just see what happens," said Zephyr.
After paying for their meal and leaving, they saw a girl crouched by the bike rack in front of the restaurant. "I'm screwed…" She whined.
Karl asked "What's wrong?"
"Oh, hello!" Even without the apron earlier and with a beret on, they instantly recognized her as the server. She hastily got up. "I need to go to my next part time job. So, I need my bike. But the lock is broken," she sighed.
"May I?" Zephyr asked.
"Okay," she stepped aside.
Zephyr inspected the lock. "It's no use, the dial's stuck. We need to break it."
"I might be able to do that," said Rywa, then he turned to the girl. "Would that be all right with you?"
"Yes," she nodded. "It's okay, this padlock is old anyway."
With a wave of Rywa's index finger, the lock melted in a few seconds.
"Whoa... This is the first time I've ever seen a fire mage in action. Cool!" Zephyr turned to Rywa, impressed.
"Thank you so much!" The girl bowed.
"You're welcome," said Rywa.
As she was undoing the chains to free up her bike, Karl turned towards a three-storey building across the street.
"I remember that place. The conference room on the first floor is where Dad used to give his seminars to the villagers. While waiting for everyone to arrive, Tetsuro and the other kids used to play in the parking lot right there, where hawks would hang out. One time, they threw stones at the birds and when I tried to stop them, they switched to saying mean things to me instead."
"Those idiots..." Zephyr clicked his tongue.
"Zeph, they've probably changed now, too. Like Tetsuro," Karl grinned lopsidedly, patting his brother's back. Then his brows furrowed. "That's weird... How come I don't see any hawks today?" Karl turned to the girl. "Do they no longer come here?"
"That's right. They're always in that parking lot. Before, our head cook said they chased him when he passed by. It was scary, but after that he just laughed it off. But recently, they don't come anymore."
"Why is that?" Karl asked.
"Um… there are rumours going around on social media." The girl hesitantly pulled out her phone to show them a post. "They said it's because of poachers."
"Poachers?" Karl scowled. "But we have strict laws that protect wildlife around here, and a friend of mine said the residents here respect wildlife."
"That's right," The girl nodded. "We all know the story of the great wolf. Our head cook said it must be those foreigners. Lately, they've been causing trouble in town. They came to our restaurant too. They were very rude."
"I see..." Karl looked apprehensive.
"Of course, I know there are nice foreigners, too" she smiled up at Rywa, then bowed once more. "Thank you so much for your help again. Sorry, I need to go. Bye bye!" She got on her bike, gave a little wave, and rode on.
Karl's mind kept drifting to the hawks as they walked across the rice paddies on the way back to Mt. Niji. "I hope what she said really is just a rumour..."
Zephyr nodded. "Yeah. But it makes me wonder if this could be related to the sightings of the mystical bird."
"Perhaps," said Rywa. "After all, anything that possesses power lures people to it. People with different intentions, both good and bad."
As they were approaching the clearing at the woods where the fighter was, they heard the sound of a gunshot. Karl saw two men on a ledge above, on the side of the mountain. They were carrying rifles, firing at a pair of hawks above.
"Poachers," Karl said through gritted teeth.