This is a subject that has been on my mind for a while,
but I have always been at a loss as to how to describe it. Even now, I highly
doubt that I will do it justice, but I am a bit clearer on the subject than I
was a few months ago.
The premise behind the titular "Crest of
Zabutur" has changed numerous times, and yet the title remained since
2002. After giving it much thought, deciding what it really meant finally
dawned upon me, and I was able to successfully tie titles with characters in
ways that made me excited.
Each of the multiple volumes will feature its own heroes
and villains, but there is one that stands above them all in terms of heroic
and villainous accomplishments.
While I established the foundations of modern-day Mencu
in March of 2009, it was not until early 2012 that I finally discovered who was
pulling all the strings. It was through the diligent process of writing and
rewriting that I learned who my friends and foes were; who would become mighty
heroes and which ones would stoop to become the lowest villains. Of these, many
of them are questionable. Those that get labeled as ‘heroes’ are certainly not
the knights in shining armor, but instead have a unique set of motives that
might sometimes drive them to extremes. Things they swore they would never do,
they find themselves turning to in an act of desperation. While the day might
be saved when all is said and done, that is not to say that it came without a
price.
What happens when a protagonist learns that her efforts
to increase her power “the fast way” forced another to pay a terrible price?
How does a young man react after getting pulled into an assassination plot that
led him to slay the emperor of one of the mightiest regions of Mencu? What
would drive a formerly neutral party to pick one of the warring sides and go against
that neutrality? All of these things are worth thinking of.
But perhaps, war really does bring out the ugliest in us
all. The fierce military commander that is tearing through the ranks of her
opponents appears as a savage killer because she is still distraught over news
she had recently received that her husband and children had been killed in a
massive attack while she was deployed abroad. That warrior attacking the
empress is fighting for what little he has left of his home and family. Who are
the heroes and who are the villains?
That is ultimately up to the readers. The little girl who
originally wanted nothing more than to clear her name ended up becoming a
killer and somewhat of a cultist. That man who assassinated the emperor ended
up going on a lengthy journey to attempt to redeem himself. The commander
fighting for a corrupt leader is fighting to protect the woman he loves, who is
also in the military. The psychotic woman who set several cities ablaze is
strangely amiable and actually very friendly—to the point where she has never
been seen angry. The drunken jokester who is always grinning or goofily
laughing drinks to help desensitize him to the war efforts. The empress who
murdered the Admiral’s best friend was fighting to protect her own home. The ritualist
who sacrificed innocents for his magic was doing so to regain knowledge that
would improve society. The little siblings who had to swallow the terrible news
that their mother had died decided to forgo a majority of their childhoods to
join the military. The cheeky, flirty young boy who joined the fray is covering
up an insecurity and lack of family or friendship. The gentle, nature-loving seer who has shared
so much profound wisdom is a notoriously dangerous politician who has her hands
everywhere all at once.
All of the above are or are some variants of characters
that have been written into one of the books. Which ones are the heroes, and
which ones are the villains? That is for the audience to decide.
If one thinks that those examples are difficult to place,
then perhaps the most prominent of them should be mentioned. Always the cunning
one who runs 5 or 6 steps ahead of the rest of the gang, this Zurok Mia
Takamatzu is essentially responsible for the series as a whole.
A devious and dangerous girl, Zurok was all about the
smarts. She has played politics since she was a little child, and by the time
the events of “The Crusade of Zulera” roll around, she seems to know exactly
how this game is played. She cautiously picks sides offering her skills,
wisdom, and services for various reasons and without a price. Her gentle nature
and sage words have earned her enough respect that both “sides” have spoken
with her, and neither side treats her as an enemy. Zurok is not easily bought,
but her services are much sought-after because she is willing to go to whatever
end to get things done. Some say she accomplishes good, while others remind
them of the prices she has had to sometimes pay. Is a means to an end worth it?
Were there other, safer ways to do what she did? Is Zurok good or evil?
…you tell me.
