The Darkman 1
Seasons passed before the topics of the Darkman and the lost children were brought up again. KiNa hardly noticed the passage of time, except for the snows that came and went, giving way to spring rains and summer sun. He had so much to do between training with Hunt and learning mind magery that he was never bored.
Over time, the boy became increasingly attached to his teacher, slowly taking to adding “Master” in front of his name when he spoke to him. The more he learned and the more he understood about Master SoYa, the more he respected the man and the things he stood for. KiNa knew he was incredibly lucky to stumble upon the situation he did, and he worked very hard to prove himself to his trainers.
Master SoYa trusted him more, in return. KiNa visited Master SoYa’s house a few times, meeting AsaHi and having supper with the two. His teacher simply told AsaHi that KiNa was his student, though he said nothing more. Nothing about the secret base in the forest or the tree house. Nothing about the Ingway or plans of revolution against the Manor.
KiNa felt that AsaHi knew nothing at all, but he never asked the man. He didn’t know why Master SoYa hid such a thing. Afterall, girls liked rebels. Or so he was told.
When he wasn’t busy learning, he was busy exploring. KiNa was certain that the ruins he found on his first day in the forest held deep secrets. After traveling through the forest more, often with an Ingway at his side, the boy discovered more of the hidden ruins and began to excavate them, carrying back old devices that caught his interest.
Nightly, he worked by the light of the crystal to take the devices apart and figure out how they were made. Most of the time he could put them back together again. But lately, KiNa began thinking of ways to take all the pieces and combine them into other things. Master SoYa watched his discoveries with a distant interest. It was hard to figure out how the man felt about anything, but it seemed like he was curious and sometimes surprised.
KiNa also took to reading and writing quickly, especially since jotting down his thoughts and ideas was the best way to keep records of his mechanical discoveries. Before long, he was keeping journals, much like Master SoYa did, to inventory the bits and pieces that he found.
That night, he was doing something a little different. It didn’t take long before Master SoYa took interest in it. It didn’t help that a number of the energy crystals were missing and strange flashes of light were coming from his doorway.
“What are you doing, KiNa?” the man asked, watching from the other side of the doorframe.
The boy jumped, not expecting to hear someone there, “Oh! I… was just…”
“Are those some of our light crystals?”
“Uh, yeah. I’m just trying something,” KiNa said, quickly trying to cover his tracks. “I’ll put them right back when I’m done. I promise!”
“What are you using them for?” he asked, not sounding upset. Just wondering.
“Well, I thought that if these crystals could make light, they must have some energy in them. Maybe I can figure a way to make the device work,” the boy frowned.
“You really think so?”
“I don’t know. Everything is so old, Master SoYa. Some of it’s broken and a lot of it I don’t understand yet. But maybe,” KiNa answered. “Is that okay? You’re not upset are you?”
“It’s fine, KiNa. Don’t worry about it,” he said. “In fact, I can probably bring you back crystals more suited to energy output if you want?”
“Really? You’d do that?” the boy perked up.
“Of course,” Master SoYa nodded. “You’re really good with these machines. Not everyone can do that, you know. Besides, I’d like to know more about these devices and ruins, too.”
KiNa smiled brightly, “Thanks, Master SoYa.”
“Of course,” the man said, stepping through the door. The way he leaned against the wall in silence gave the boy the feeling that there were unspoken words hanging on the tip of the mind mage’s tongue.
After a while, KiNa asked, “What’s going on?”
“Hmm?”
“You need to say something,” the boy encouraged.
“Actually, I do have something on my mind,” Master SoYa nodded.
KiNa put down his tools and turned around in his chair, offering the man his undivided attention.
“Remember how we talked about the Darkman and the things he’s doing?”
The boy nodded.
“Well, I haven’t forgotten about that. I’ve actually been looking for a few leads on the situation,” Master SoYa told him.
“Did you find anything?”
“Yes,” the man said gravely.
KiNa sat up straighter in his chair. The thoughts of super secret spy things swam through his head.
“I’ve talked with some of the children in the Manor, the ones who are servants or working as part of the cleaning staff. It seems that some of them confirm they were transferred to the Manor from the Darkman,” Master SoYa spoke slowly. “It took a long time to get the children to admit the truth. They seem afraid of what might happen to them if they do.”
“So the Darkman IS sending them to the Manor. To be servants? Why?” the boy frowned.
“Children are easier to buy and sell and train,” the man said, blanching. “Children can be intimidated to keep silent. They don’t know the difference. They’ve never lived any other way.”
“But that’s wrong!” KiNa said loudly. “The Manor is there to protect people, not to use them as servants!”
“I know. I agree,” Master SoYa nodded.
“You’re not going to let them keep doing this, are you?” the boy asked.
The man sighed and sat silently for a moment. “I don’t want to. I haven’t figured out the best way to approach this yet.”
“You said that some of the children confirmed this, right? Why not get them to tell about it?” KiNa asked.
“Those children were scared enough to talk to me. Do you think they’re going to have the courage to speak in front of the Justice?” Master SoYa looked over quietly. “Even if they did speak, it would be their word against whoever is supporting this on the inside. Not to mention the danger the children would be in after it’s over with.”
“Oh,” the boy looked down.
“No. We have to have much stronger evidence than this. We can’t involve those children. They’ve been through far enough,” Master SoYa began to pace slowly, brow heavy with thought.
“What kind of evidence do you need?” KiNa asked, his mind a jumble of ideas.
“I don’t know. This is difficult, isn’t it?”
The boy stood up suddenly. “What about an image recording?”
“A what?” Master SoYa squinted at him.
“An image recording,” KiNa padded across the room and picked up a small square device, one of his favorite discoveries so far.
“What’s that?”
“This box makes image recordings. Or… at least… it used to,” the boy said. “I got it to work… sorta… but only a short time. It needs a lasting energy source to power it. When it works, it can record anything it sees and hears.”
“Are you sure?” Master SoYa walked over to inspect the device. “Is it some kind of magic?”
“It’s a machine, Master SoYa,” KiNa laughed at him.
“Machine… right…” the man rubbed his head. “You’re making me feel old with all this talk of technology.”
The boy just laughed all the more, holding the box up to look at it in the light. “So what about it? Would a video recording be enough evidence?”
“Yes, I think we could do something with that. But how do we get a video recording?”
“I would have to go there to record.”
“KiNa!” Master SoYa’s voice had that warning tone.
“Wait! Just listen!” the boy flung his hands up as if for protection against the disapproval. “I’ve been there before, remember. I got out just fine. Darkman isn’t any good against mind mages, and I’m a lot better at it and at fighting than I was before.”
“KiNa…”
“I’m a kid. I can get in there without being noticed,” he pressed. “Not to mention I’m the only one who knows how to work the recording device.”
Master SoYa frowned further, but without a verbal disagreement. That meant headway was being made.
“I can do this,” KiNa pleaded. “Some of those kids are my friends.”
“I know. That’s why we’d have to be careful,” the man said quietly. It certainly sounded as if he was considering it. “You’d have to be disguised. I wouldn’t want anyone knowing who you really were. Not even your friends.”
Under cover spy story. The boy knew there was nothing to smile about, but he could hardly keep his excitement from showing. Master SoYa sounded more and more like he was honestly thinking up some kind of plan.
“Can you put on a disguise and act it out?” the man looked at him.
“I can do that. It’s just like pretending, right?” KiNa perked up.
“Yes, it would be like pretending,” Master SoYa sighed and leaned his back against the wall finally. Slowly giving in, though he didn’t seem to like it. At the same time, to stand by and do nothing was even worse.
“Don’t worry about me,” the boy tried to comfort him. “I’ll be fine. I want to do this.”
“I know you do but…”
“Remember you told me about doing the right thing?” KiNa attempted to twist Master SoYa’s own philosophy back on him.
“Yes, I remember,” the man told him. His knowing expression was awaiting the boy’s next words, foretelling where the conversation was about to go.
“Well, it’s wrong to know something like this is happening and not stop it. Isn’t it?” the boy pursed his lips, holding the recording device close to his chest.
After a long moment of silence, SoYa nodded. Then he straightened and looked at the boy. “What kind of energy source do you need to get the device to work?”