Chapter 31 The Second Gemstone

Chapter 31
The Second Gemstone

The button lifted into the air, floating up from Wataru’s palm until it was at eye level. There it hovered. It grew brighter, sending a lance of light straight as a sword into his eyes.

“The second gemstone.”

Almost in response to Wataru’s whispered words, another light spilled out from underneath a pile of books. It was exactly the same type of light emanating from the gemstone in the air before him.

“My Brave’s Sword!”

Wataru recalled throwing it aside when he leaped to save Romy. He now walked over to the light and reached out to recover the sword. Whether Wataru grabbed the weapon or whether the weapon jumped into his hand—nobody could say for sure.

He gave the sword a swing, and the gold light began to spread from the second gemstone until it enveloped Wataru and half the room.

Wataru could hear shouts of surprise, but he kept his eyes focused on the gem.

Ding. The gemstone winked. And then, in a flash, a boy appeared. His body, hair, eyes, and skin all seemed to be fashioned from scintillating golden rays. A pair of golden wings beat slowly upon his back. In his right hand he held a sword. In his left, a shield.

—We meet at last, Traveler.

The golden boy called to Wataru, his face filled with pride.

—I am the spirit of bravery, who gives honor to those with wills strong as steel.

His voice sounded like the notes of an exquisitely crafted instrument, yet his tone was serious.

—I am the one who opens the way for those Braves whom the Goddess has summoned.

Wataru nodded.

—Listen well, Brave. I appear before all those who desire me. Yet, when I leave upon these wings, it will be without sound, and swifter than time itself. Bravery is not difficult to summon or to create, but it is very difficult to keep. Be wary. There are few doors to me, and many windows out of which I may be lost.

“I understand,” Wataru said, a slight tremble in his voice.

The Spirit of Bravery’s mouth was a flat, unmoving line, but his eyes smiled.

—Blessings of the Goddess be with you.

Then the spirit disappeared, and immediately the circle of light began to dwindle until it was sucked entirely within the second gemstone. Wataru reached out his right hand and the stone settled into his palm.

Until Wataru placed the second gemstone into its spot on the hilt of the Brave’s Sword and sheathed the sword at his side, the room was completely silent.

It was Captain Ronmel who first spoke. “So this is the power of the Traveler.”

Someone began chanting a prayer to the Goddess. It was Romy.

Her voice was beautiful as she prayed, eyes closed, hands clasped before her breast. The Knights, the Highlanders, the starseers, Dr. Baksan, and even Meena joined in.

When the words of her prayer were finished, Romy looked at Wataru. Her eyes sparkled.

“That button—no, actually it’s not a button, in my house we called it the starseer’s stone. It’s a family heirloom.”

As it turned out, the Romy family had been starseers for generations. Her father, his father, and his father before that—all of them had been scholars of the heavens.

“When he learned that I would come to study at the observatory, my father took the stone off his own sleeve and gave it to me. He told me to wear it always, and keep it safe. It is a gift from the stars, and from the past.”

A long time ago, so the story went, one of Romy’s ancestors (also a starseer) had been out one night, when he witnessed a golden shooting star. He ran in the direction in which it had fallen, and found a brilliantly glowing stone upon the ground.

“Every scholar in my family has worn the stone during their time of study. My father gave it to me so I would remember my heritage. He hoped it would keep my mind on the task at hand. But I had no idea it contained a spirit of such deep importance.”

Behind her, Dr. Baksan cleared his throat. While they had been talking, he had managed to once again climb to the top of his wooden platform boots, putting him more at a level with the crowd.

“It takes great bravery to search for knowledge and continue one’s studies,” he began. “Not all new knowledge is beautiful, or even to be desired. Yet there comes a time when, no matter how hard it is to accept what we see, no matter how much we do not want to believe it, our studies will cease and we will learn no more. Though the world may point and criticize, if the truth has been found, sometimes you must shout it from the rooftops in the face of all opposition. The pursuit of knowledge requires an iron will that always looks forward and never falters. Thus, I find it quite appropriate that a spirit of bravery should have found a home in the family of a starseer.”

Romy nodded and smiled. “Thank you for saving me, Wataru.”

“Well, Knights of Stengel,” Dr. Baksan began, addressing the crowd, “other places await your arrival in these troublesome times, I’m sure. I’m afraid their number grows by the day. Please, be on your way. Highlanders, I fear that the events of the day will have struck more fear into the hearts of the uninformed. Console them, and put them at ease. And, to my students…”

Dr. Baksan clapped his hands and coughed smugly. “Get this room cleaned up right away!”