"We're… descendants of the Akari? What is that supposed to mean?" Ryuma asked.
"It means, we are the outsiders of fate. An enemy of the priest. There was once a time where our clan was full and together. They were all slaughtered. At least thought to have. It seems, survivors must have all scattered and made lives of their own in distant lands. Which begs to question, how did one such as yourself come from the Skylands?"
Enemies of the priest? Ryuma's never heard of it. Nor has he ever heard of an enmity between priest and the Akari. It's possible that whatever happened were orders of the Edicts. Either way, these were grudges long before even his mother was born.
"I don't see why this would be enough to spare me. We may be distant relatives, but our commonality has long since passed. It would have been more reasonable for you to assume I align with the priest more than I do you," Ryuma said.
"You're right, but they don't see it that way. Your existence in itself is a threat. If not, then freely display that streak out in the open," Madame Kokoro said.
Ryuma touched his own hair. "What even is this streak? Why don't you have one?"
"Not all members of the Akari possess the streak. Matter of fact, it's a rare trait amongst us. Those of us who do possess it, have the power to ignore fate," She said.
"The power to ignore fate…" Ryuma thought on it. "That's it? The Akari got slaughtered over something as meager as that. And it was something that not every clan member had access to. What in the world was there to fear?" Ryuma said.
Madame Kokoro smiled. "You're still young. You don't understand how great a power that is. To ignore destiny,"
"Well it's not as if I'm destined for greatness if I ignore destiny. It kinda sounds like I now have the power to be a regular human being,"
"Well you're half right. To ignore destiny means your own destiny is not fixed,"
"Then why would I want something that seems like a burden. Hell why even bother with a clan with a shitty power like that?"
"I want you to imagine yourself a prince. Born with power coming to him ordained by the very heavens themselves to give him the fate to one day be king,"
Ryuma did so. No matter what, all he could think about were the Edicts who ruled the land and sat at the highest authority of power.
"Now imagine someone who has the power to ignore destiny seeks to destroy you. If the heavens themselves who gifted you your position can't help you, how would you think they'd feel?"
Something like that would describe the Edicts to a T.
"But if his power ignores destiny, it's not preordained that he wins and dethrones the prince,"
"Those who hold absolute power, fear to lose their absolution. Sure it's not preordained that the prince loses, but the important part to the prince is that it's not preordained that he wins. You see where this leads?"
"Fear, of the unknown course,"
"Exactly, child. The wealthy fear not having money more than the poor. The calm, fear losing their minds more than the erratic. The powerful, fear being weak more than the weak does. And the destined, fear losing their destiny more than one who has none. Be honest boy, have you ever gone against the grain despite what you were told?"
He didn't even need to answer that question. That time when he refused that Edicts order. The whole class turned against him for that. No matter what, he never felt as if he was the one in the wrong.
"Your silence says enough. Whether you hide that streak or not, you'll eventually put a target on your back,"
"And what about you guys? If it's a streak you want, why not wait for one to be born under you if you're also a descendant of Asura Akari?" Ryuma asked.
"Because the simple answer is that we already had one,"
Ryuma looked off and began thinking. "Don't tell me. Eren Frost also possessed a streak,"
"Do not mistake yourself child. Eren Frost did not have the mark of a streak,"
Ryuma sighed. If anything, the more of them that possessed it the better. It was less likely for him to have to deal with the shadows of his ancestry.
"But… he had a younger sibling who possess the streak,"
Ryuma widened his eyes. That's… finally some good news. Maybe he could find this person and train with them or something. Should that be his next course of action?
"Never you mind that. What's done is done. I should say that the most important thing for you to do is hide and bide your time. You're a priest, and a descendant of the Akari. Once you deem yourself strong enough. You can challenge the Skylands.
"That's all well and good but look here grandma. How can you just assume that just because you told all this to me, I'll be fighting for your side.
"Child, you don't have a choice. That streak alone tells me you don't have the personality to be on their side, especially now that I told you all this. Come to think of it, it now all makes sense why you're here in secret. I'm willing to bet you don't agree with the ways of the Skylands. You came to figure it out yourself,"
Ryuma huffed. The old woman was smarter than he gave her credit. "You got me there Madame Kokoro. Truth be told, I didn't just come here to confirm whether they're my enemy or not. They've already labeled me as such,"
Madame Kokoro looked at him blinking a few times. "They've already labeled you an enemy? Surely, they didn't find out about your streak already?"
As he expected. She was out of the loop of the going on that happened in the Skylands. How a bounty didn't even make it here was beyond him.
"Them labeling me an enemy had nothing to do with my streak. If you weren't aware, Aeragis, the shining spirit for the White Dragons, has decided to choose me as his next vessel. I'm now the shining spirit of the White Dragons," Ryuma said.
Madame Kokoro sucked in air as she attempted to cover her mouth. That did come in as a shock to her. "Something this big, why have we no news of it?"
Ryuma looked up at the sky. "I don't know who your confidant is, but I can imagine that when Aeragis decided to show himself, he caused wonton destruction and slaughtered many. Maybe your spy was among the victims. Maybe they're still dealing with the fallout. Either way, there must be some reason for no contact,"
"I see. That would explain it," Madame Kokoro looked downwards.
"You're not worried about the safety of your spy?" Ryuma asked.
"You need not worry about that. You should have other priorities on your plate,"
Ryuma half hoped she'd slipped up and give him a hint of who the spy was. No matter who he thought of none of the people in his generation ever had a background coming from the surface. At least he never remembered something like that.
This was the first time he's ever cursed himself for not taking more of an interest in his classmates. If not just for that, was it possible that it was somebody of a different generation? Whoever it was, he was going to have to put it off for later.
Ryuma sighed. "And what priorities should that be?"
"Finding allies, right?
Ryuma's eyes widened. That was the main issue with trying to change anything.
"One can't simply launch a rebellion all on their own no matter how powerful one is. Without allies, you give the enemy chance to just keep launching attacks on you to tire you out. You need a show of force to back you up,"
"With what force. I don't mean to be rude, but everyone down here is too weak. No matter how I look at it, a force can't be made with surface dwellers. There's too much of a gap in power for a few exceptional individuals to make up,"
That's when the old lady smiled. "Young man, do you think we've just been spying on the Skylands just so we can know what we don't have?"
That made sense. If there was nothing, they could do to change their fate, then risking their lives just to spy on them was foolish. It would have been better to leave them alone.
"I can't tell you much. I can only map a location for you. Once you go there both parties will have gained what they needed the most. You will gain allies, and they will gain a symbol to rally behind,"
"I think you have me wrong. I'm not trying to start a war. If anything, I wish to avoid that at all costs,"
"If you believe that, then you have learned nothing. It's like I said child. Your existence, now that we have Aeragis involved, has already launched the Blades of Rebellion,"