[The Princes XI] [Awakening] Si curled his toes in the sand and waited for the next wave to hit the shore. The other boys were playing along the beach with Carinian children, and somewhat to Si’s horror. Seph ran past his cousin with a group of the local children. “Seph!” shouted Si. “Yea?” Seph shouted back. “Where’s your clothes?” asked Si. “I don’t know, back there somewhere,” replied Seph running with the naked Carina children. Si was distracted by the sight of his cousin, and most of the other Kitsune boys running naked down the beach, the wave nearly got him. Si ran backward as the water chased him; he loved this game. Another one of Si’s cousins ran by as bare as the others and yelled at Si. “When on Carina, do as the Carinians,” yelled Tornith. Si tried to ignore him and chased the water back down to the edge of the ocean. Si glanced around at his naked army running up and down the beach. They had been released from the hospital and sent to Black Island to wait for the other boys. The local hospital on the island they crashed didn’t have enough radiation treatment chambers and the boys had been rushed to hospitals all over Carina. Si played on the beach and waited for the boys to finish their treatments and be sent here. Some of them were really lucky and had been sent to some of the underwater hospitals deep under the oceans of Carina. The day had started fairly normal, Si and the boys almost immediately found the beach and then the Carinian children started showing up, and none of them had clothing. Apparently, clothing was not functional underwater in the water habitats most Carinians lived in. Carinians were amphibian; their lungs capable of extracting oxygen from water or air, though most still lived in the ocean. Si glanced around to make sure no one was watching and pulled his shirt off and dropped it on the beach. “That’s as far as I’m going,” Si told himself. “I’m not Carinian and I will maintain my dignity.” Two hours later Si’s shorts were forgotten somewhere on the beach and he ran and played with the other children in the fashion of a Carinian. Servants from Castle Black set some tables up on the wooden planked boardwalk that ran along the upper beach and piled it with food. The children ran to the tables and devoured the banquet. Si loved Carinian food, meals consisted mainly of fruits, breads, fish, and something someone told him was seaweed. The seaweed, odd as it sounded, was Si’s favorite; the seaweed came in sweet, salty, and tart dishes. The sweet seaweed was Si’s favorite. “Master Fox,” called one of the servants. Si wasn’t sure who the man was talking to until the man called three more times and Si remembered he was Master Fox. “Oh, yea, that’s me,” said Si. “Lord Black would like to see you,” the servant turned back towards the castle and Si followed. The castle seemed to rise forever into the sky but had no clear design, almost as if rooms, wings, walkways, and every manner of possibility in-between had been added at random. Si was fairly certain that several Imperial Palaces could have fit inside Castle Black and still had room to explore for a lifetime without ever visiting a room twice. Si followed the servant up the stairs to the entrance of the castle and inside where a stone bench wrapped around a statue of a large Carinian holding a globe of the planet on his back. The servant led Si up a wide winding staircase to the second floor. Lord Black’s office was on the first floor behind two large ornate doors with twin dolphins in mid-leap carved into the door. Si pushed the door open and entered the room. Shelves full of objects Si couldn’t identify lined the room and Lord Black sat behind a massive wooden desk. “You wanted to see me?” asked Si. Lord Black looked up and raised an eyebrow at the young Emperor in exile. “I see that it has not taken you long to adopt the customs of the Carinians,” said Lord Black. Si’s eyes went wide and he turned red, he had completely forgotten about his discarded clothing on the beach. “No matter,” said Lord Black. “Carina could care less about your state of dress, or lack of it.” Lord Black pointed at an open door off to the side of his office and a staircase leading upward. “Follow those stairs,” ordered Lord Black. “You will be judged by Carina, if you survive I will be waiting here for you.” “Survive?” asked Si, but Lord Black didn’t offer any further guidance. Si went through the door and climbed the stairs. The stairs wound around and around and Si climbed until his legs burned from the exertion. Si had no idea how long it took him to climb the stairs, but eventually the stairs ended at a simple wooden door. Si pushed the door open and stepped out onto a small round parapet at the top of Castle Black. A statue of the Ocean God stood in the center of the small open area and the statue held the Orb of Carina. The wind was fierce up here and Si shivered from the cold. He walked around the statue and looked out over the wall and his knees felt weak and his head spun; he could see the oceans of Carina spread out to the horizons and the ground seemed miles below him. He backed up against the statue and moved around to look at the Orb. The interior swirled and he could see all the oceans of Carina inside it. “I’m here,” said Si. The Orb did nothing. “What do I do?” asked Si. The Orb’s interior continued to swirl but nothing gave Si a hint of what he was supposed to do. He had an idea and reached up and touched the Orb with his fingers. The chamber was lit with torch scones and Samurai stood around him. He sat on the ground inside a wooden fortress; He was Emperor Kimo Tulon I, first Emperor of House Kitsune. A Samurai stepped up to him and drew his sword. “What is Enlightenment?” asked the Samurai. “Enlightenment is my will,” said Emperor Tulon. The Samurai thrust his sword into the Emperor’s chest and Si felt a terrible pain in his own chest. The ground was hard and he looked up at a red sky, he was Emperor Okada Masuda Shuhai. A Cormon warrior stood over him with a battle axe raised in the air. “What is Enlightenment?” asked the warrior. “Enlightenment is conquest,” replied the Emperor. The warrior brought the battle axe down on the Emperor's chest and Si felt the pain as if it were his own. Si’s heart was beating too fast and his vision was failing, he could barely see the Orb in front of him. Si was standing off to the side of the statue of the Ocean God looking at Emperor Sionnach Tarin Aguienth standing under the angry skies of Carina and touching the Orb with his fingers. The Ocean God held a Trident in his other hand and the tips were pressed against the Emperors chest. “What is Enlightenment?” asked the Ocean God. Si knew the answer he had always been taught; to bring order from chaos, but was that the right answer? Si tried to scream.” Emperor Sionnach Tarin Aguienth answered and Si heard himself speak. “I do not know, teach me,” said Emperor Sionnach. The Ocean God pulled the Trident away from Si’s chest and he felt the pain in his chest disappear. Si was looking into the Orb, his fingers lightly touching the surface. Si was sinking deep into the ocean, the water was warm and he could see the light of the sun above him. There was no life, no creatures that swam through the vast waters of the planet. Si came to rest on the bottom of the ocean and watched as the eons went by, then he saw a glimmer, something stirred, life, life was beginning. The glimmer of life grew and Si watched as life struggled to grow. Each glimmer of life came then ended for another to take it’s place. The millennia passed by, each glimmer knew the answer to continue but ended too soon and Si had to wait for another, then another. Si was bored waiting for each glimmer of life to return and swam through the depths looking at the coral and rocks. Si was standing on a beach, and watched the first creatures crawl out of the depths, endless generations passing him by, each ending too soon in it’s struggle, only for another to reach for what the last knew. The waves lapped up onto the beach and Si ignored the first creatures crawling on land and played a game of tag with the surf. The skies grew angry and Si stopped and looked up at the sky. Why was Carina angry? The Sky split open and rain pelted against Si and he ran to find shelter under the palm trees. Si was confused. What? I don’t understand. Why was I at the bottom of the ocean? Why are you mad? Why am I watching these creatures come out of the ocean? What are they? The vision started again and Si was sinking through the depths of the ocean. “No, stop!” said Si pulling his hand from the Orb. “I don’t understand.” The statue moved and the Trident came to rest against Si’s chest. Si placed his hand on the Orb. “I just don’t know what you are saying,” cried Si. “Why kill me just because I don’t understand?” The Trident pulled away and the statue was holding a book. The statue handed the book to Si and spoke. “You are too young,” said the Ocean God. “Return when you can read this.” Si took the book and looked at it. He couldn’t understand the language the title was written in. Si opened the book and flipped through the pages. The entire book was written in a language Si didn’t know, and it didn’t look like any language he had ever seen. Si turned away from the statue and fled down the stairs, the book in his hand. Lord Black was still sitting at his desk when Si ran through the door and into his office. “You passed his judgment?” said Lord Black. “Well done. “No, I failed,” said Si. “You would be dead if you had failed,” replied Lord Black. “Well, I did,” said Si. “But he gave me this.” Si walked over to the desk and handed the book to Lord Black. Lord Black looked at the cover and then inside the book and handed it back. “I can’t read that language,” said Si. “I know the first two words of the title,” explained Lord Black. “I can speak the language but not read it, and he has never given anyone a copy of that book, though we have begged for years.” “What is it?” asked Si looking down at the book. “That is the Carina Corax,” said Lord Black, “and it is written in his native tongue.” “I can’t read it,” said Si. “What am I supposed to do?” “You are the prodigy,” replied Lord Black. “I would say the task of translating his language should be a worthy quest. Did he say anything else?” “He just said I’m too young and gave me the book and come back when I can read it,” said Si. “Leave the book with me,” said Lord Black. “I’ll make a copy of it, if Carina lets me, and we can work on it together.” “Can I go play now?” asked Si. “There’s some kind of game on the beach I want to play.” “Go on,” said Lord Black. Si tossed the book on the edge of the desk and ran out of the room. Lord Black picked the book up and tried to open it, the book refused to open. “Really, father?” said Lord Black looking up at the ceiling. “You gave them Enlightenment first, and now you give them the Corax as well? What have we done to anger you so?” Lord Black didn’t really expect an answer but waited anyway, in some vain hope Carina would break his eons of silence and just tell him plainly what he wanted. “Father,” said Lord Black to the ceiling, “it is unreasonable to think that child will ever translate a language that has been dead for nearly as long as creation itself without a key reference.” Lord Black tried to open the book again but it remained sealed and he threw the book down on the desk in disgust. Si ran back down the stairs, passing several servants and feeling a little self conscious due to his current state of dress. The servants didn’t even give him a second glance, Si had to wonder what the servants of his father’s palace would have done if one of the princes were to have run through the halls naked. Si ran out the main door and down the sandy path that led to the wooden boardwalk along the beach. He could hear the other children playing and he wanted to join the game. Si jumped on the boardwalk and turned to run towards the sound of the kids playing and stopped suddenly in horror. He kept his head and eyes straight ahead and walked slowly and deliberately. Lord Tolnor, in the same state of undress as Si, was walking towards him holding the hand of a Carinian woman, also without clothing. The sight of the cook and his new companion was finally just too much and Si stopped walking and stood still and closed his eyes, maybe if he stood very very still they wouldn’t notice him. You don’t see me… you don’t see me… Si repeated in his head. Lord Tolnor walked past, “Good Evening Master Fox,” said Lord Tolnor cheerfully. “The other children will be starting the game of Krat’ne soon, better hurry.” “Oh my, he’s a shy little off-worlder,” said the woman as they walked past Si. “Give him some time with the other children and he’ll shed his false modesty.” “I do believe he is well on the way to being a proper Carinian already,” Lord Tolnor said and laughed as the two grown-ups continued their walk. Si shuttered. Blending in with the other children for playtime hadn’t been too difficult, but he obviously would have more things to get used to. Si saw the other boys, the Kitsune boys were wearing a blue half-body suit, and ran towards them. “Master Fox,” yelled a voice. Si stopped and turned, the Captain of his Guard was calling him; he ran over. “The game is starting,” said Si anxiously. “I’m going to miss it.” The Captain was holding one of the blue body suits and held it out to Si. “The game will wait,” said the Captain. “I’ve already spoke with the other boys, there is something you must learn about clothing on Carina.” “What?” asked Si looking back at the other boys. “You must learn when it is appropriate to wear clothing on Carina,” replied the Captain. “Have I done wrong?” asked Si. “No, the way you are now is appropriate for much of the day on Carina,” explained the Captain. “But there are times clothing is expected.” “When?” asked Si fidgeting, he really wanted to go join the game. “This is the primary form of clothing worn on Carina,” the Captain held the half-body wet suit out. “You wear this when at school, or dinner, or if you are at a job on shore, and often at a job off-shore, or when the air is chilly, or…” “I get it,” said Si somewhat embarrassed. “When I have to go see Lord Black.” “Exactly,” said the Captain. “Why are the other boys wearing one of those now?” asked Si. “The game you are about to play is very dangerous for an off-worlder,” replied the Captain. “The body suits we are giving you are made from a special fiber that can transfer oxygen from the ocean directly into your blood.” The Captain held out the body suit and helped Si slip into the body suit. The Captain pulled the hood and mask over Si’s face and showed him how to use it. Si loved the body suit, it was the most comfortable thing he had ever worn; it felt like his own skin. “Do you see that beach gazebo?” asked the Captain. “Yes,” “When you are done with the game, you can put your body suit in there,” explained the Captain. “A team from the Castle inspects and repairs any body suit left there. You can also store any other clothing in there instead of just shedding them all over the beach.” “Okay, okay, I get it!” said Si. “Can I please go play now?” “Go ahead, and be careful,” said the Captain. Si shot off towards the other boys screaming for them to wait for him. One of the older Carinian boys saw Si running to join the game. “You’re too small to play,” said the boy. “Am not, I’m bigger than you,” said Si. “Only because you’re a Kitsune Over-Lord,” said the boy. “Mar’ne,” shouted a Carinian girl standing next to Marshal. “Knock it off, we promised Lord Black to give them a chance.” “Whatever, but don’t cry when the Krat’ne eats you,” taunted Mar’ne. Si went over to Marshal and the Carinian girl. “How do we play?” asked Si. “Just try not to get eaten,” said the girl. “Eaten, for real?” asked Si. “Here it comes!” shouted another Carinian boy. “Krat’ne! Krat’ne!” screamed the Carinian children. Si saw it and his knees started shaking. A large tentacle shot out of the water and landed on the beach and started sweeping down the beach towards the group of children. The small sand crabs were scooped up in the tentacle as it raked across the sand. The Carinian children squealed in delight and ran for the tentacle. The Kitsune boys dashed after them and Si forced his legs to move and ran behind the group. The tentacle was nearly at the Carinian children when they jumped in the air and leaped over the tentacle, the Kitsune boys followed and also jumped over the tentacle as it passed. Si was too slow, tripped and fell. The tentacle grabbed him and Si found himself being dragged towards the ocean. “Oh ancestors,” shouted Si. “It really is going to eat me.” The tentacle wrapped around Si and pulled him into the ocean, and then Si was under the waves. Si kicked and punched at the tentacle but it wouldn’t let go. Si wished he had his sword, then he saw the creature; it was a giant squid. Si was being pulled under the creature and towards it’s mouth. The tentacle pushed Si against the mouth, then tried again. He was too big to fit in the monsters mouth. Si realized the creature didn’t really want him, it had been scooping the thousands of sand crabs up off the beach. Si was just an accidental catch. The creature pulled him up to it’s eye and inspected the odd looking creature it had caught. The squid decided Si wasn’t dinner and the tentacle whipped out and up to the surface. The squid threw Si out of the water and with arms and legs flaying in the air, landed in the water next to the beach. Si got up and looked back in time to see the tentacle retracting into the ocean. Si ran up on shore to the group of laughing children. “The Krat’ne threw him back,” shouted one of the boys. “Must have been bad meat,” said another. A chant rose up, “Squid poop… Squid poop… Fox is squid poop.” Si eyes flared with anger and he reached for the sword that wasn’t there. Marshal ran over and grabbed his arm and whispered. Si tried to pull away but Marshal held him fast; Si glared at the older boy. “Are you the Emperor, or are you Master Fox?” asked Marshal. Si’s anger passed over him and he took a breath. “You grabbed me,” said Si. “You are my Emperor and always will be,” whispered Marshal shaking Si slightly. Marshal was angry too. “But we aren’t in your Palace anymore, out here I’m not your subject, I’m just an older boy and you need to learn your place or they will find you and kill you.” “Marshal,” yelled the Carinian girl Si had seen him with. “Don’t hurt him, he’s just a little kid.” “It’s okay, he’s my little brother,” said Marshal looking at the girl and shoving Si, knocking him down. “I won’t hurt him, just making sure he doesn’t act like a spoiled brat.” Marshal looked down at Si. “If you play the game, Fox, don’t cry when you lose and get teased,” scolded Marshal. “Got it?” The girl took Marshal by the hand and the two walked off. Si got up and quietly walked behind them. The other children bored calling him squid poop and started scanning the surf for the Krat’ne. “Here it comes again!” shouted a boy. The group took off running for the tentacle and Si chased along after them. “I’ll make it over this time,” Si told himself running with the rest of the children for the game of Leap over the Krat’ne.