I believe Destiny is responsible only for throwing challenges in our way to see what we are made of. She does not have the power nor the capability to set our life’s path. Otherwise, having a free will is meaningless.

Naoko, on why she does not approve of Karma, the Goddess of Fate
Notes from a teacher

Just a quickie that’s been bothering me the whole evening.

“This war we’re fighting for… it was never for us. It was never for our sake. It was always for our children. If we want a better world for our children to grow up in, then it’s up to us to make it. No one else,” she whispered softly as they sat near the campfire, her face furrowed in concentration.

“But what if we’re wrong?” her student’s voice sounded loud after her whisper. She caught a note of hysteria and uncertainty in that question.

“Then our children live with our mistakes.”

“That’s not…”

“Fair? The world isn’t. But I’d rather leave my daughter a legacy she can look up to than one that will cover her in shame,” both of them fell quiet, leaving the unspoken thought between them that legacies were a very impractical thing to leave a baby.

“Go to sleep, Ariala. The call may come soon,” her voice was kindly as she admonished her student to sleep. The child yawned.

“But I’m not sleepy,” she protested weakly, even as she wrapped herself in the blanket and laid down. Within seconds, she had fallen into the quick sleep that elite soldiers did when they took their rest whenever they could.

They had a good two hours rest before the horns sounded, and they went to war.

This letter was received by Naoko on her 25th birthday.

Dear Alexis

The tangible world is known to us by five senses. However, without the presence of the sixth sense, the world as we know it will not come to being. It will be stagnant, with each element being completely alone, in its own essence, without evolution. Evolution is not desired, nor is it required, but once evolution is begun, it cannot be stopped. One needs to evolve completely to the reach the end that is most suitable for that thing.

So it is with Jiat.

We are outsiders. But we are also Xi’an. Whenever we enter Jiat, we become that is which is most useful to it. We do not sacrifice our sanity, our senses, nor even our reason. It is a mutual contract. In Jiat, we are governed by the powers of the planet. This power does not leave with us when we leave Jiat. It is present only when we are in contact with the planet.

But we are chosen because we have our own powers. By ourselves, in our own bodies, we too, hold the Keys to the Universe. There are many XI’an who have gone insane because they stayed too long on Jiat and confused their desires with those of the planet. We have refused to. By disengaging from the planet after taking that oath, we have delayed, at least the curse that kills our bloodlines.

The direct transfer of Jiat’s power from parent to child is well-known. You know too, my daughter, that we transfer memories, skills and individual powers in this manner as well. And by the time you read this, you would be aware that not all the powers that are your birthright will be activated. The potential to use those powers will be there, but they will be locked. Your body and your genes can only activate so much at any given period of time.

But the burdens you will bear…

Forgive this letter, my daughter. Forgive your mother for placing such a restriction on you. Forgive me for bonding you into the same slavery I bonded myself.

We are the darkness to our sisters’ lights. That is our burden, as others will see. Never forget that we are the light to those moments in darkness. Smile, my lovely phoenix. We are the coal to the phoenix’s fire.

Your mother
Naoya Kensaku
Scion of House Rourke