Kewanee — Chapter 6: The Mugen

Previous chapter: Nisan

Unlike the view from Arkaster, the Muir Concordia was narrow enough here to distinguish Kirighai on the other side. Despite this, throwing a bridge over these twenty kilometers of water was delusional. The first settlers naturally sailed there, until Niavhe convinced them to turn away. But there it was nontheless. Irregular, angled, as the small islands went by. But longer than anything that had ever been made. If not for the horizon that it skimmed, it could have been a path to the sky. Kewanee had been moved by sunsets on the docks, by Alteration wonders, or even by the dance of fireflies over a mountain lake. But nothing could compare to the sense of awe that shook her when she discovered Yong-Su’s eternal creation.

While she stood in contemplation, Ontemon sat in meditation. The Skein grew stronger as they approached the Katkera. The eternally anchored bridge somewhat amplified the life thriving on the other side. The healer was looking for peace, but an unexpected sense of danger overcame him instead. Something was wrong, but the Muna connection, unlike the Gestalt, only carried feelings. He would have to reach the first Refuge to investigate this. Suddenly impatient, he asked Kewanee if she was ready to cross. She nodded.

Each section of the Mugen was made of a different material. The first four were stone, ranging from black basalt to white marble. The one leading to Yong-Su Tenzing’s altar, made of oak, was the second of eleven wooden platforms. Even if Ontemon would have gladly run, nightfall required them to sleep on one of the islands. And of course, the Muna could never cross without honoring the spirits of Kirighai. Thus, the two companions stopped before each altar to address a prayer to its Eidolon. Most of them were unfamiliar to the young Arkasterian, and she pressed her mentor with questions. The biggest surprise for her stood under the fourteenth torii. A statue depicted a strong women dressed for travel facing a big brown bear. 

“Ulwyn was a strong leader of her time. Soon after Kirighai’s first exploration, the Prospectors’ Guild started looking for deposits of rare metals. The wildlife reacted violently to the drilling, and when the first Asgarthan was killed, weapons were drawn. Ulwyn both negotiated peace and united the animals to protect their land. The settlements were finally abandoned thanks to Kaibara and Niavhe, but Ulwyn at least made sure no mines opened.”

“She must have been very brave,” commented Kewanee. “How did she convince the bear?”

For the first time in hours, Ontemon laughed. “You got me wrong. Ulwyn is the bear!”

The last four bridges were the dazzling ones: the straw was stronger than it looked, followed by million-year-old amber, then glass, reflecting the sunlight in rainbows. The last one was still debated among Yzmir scholars. The most widely accepted theory held that it was pure, solidified Mana. Kewanee, like many before her, hesitated strongly before daring to set foot on this one, and kept her eyes down until she reached the end of it. When she finally dared look up, branches had replaced the sky. The forest was everywhere.