The New Trials Special:
The Legacy of the Five Forces
******
Approximately a century and
a half ago, towards the end of the Edo Feudal Era in Japan and long before the
age of Clow Reed, five different individuals joined hands to form the legendary
Circle of the Five Forces. These five came from varying backgrounds, wielded
diverse powers and carried different opinions. Li Shulin from Shanghai, who
wielded the power of elements, Landon Reed from England, who wielded the power
of contract magic, Mizuki Mayura, from Kyoto, who wielded the power of
celestial bodies and Amamiya Hayashi, from Edo (modern-day Tokyo), who wielded
the power of the second sight and Chang Ruichi, from unknown origins, who
wielded the power of the light and dark, were the five who became the ¡°Great
Ones,¡± the most powerful in a time of change and development in the East.
Differences set aside and strengths combined, these five joined hands to create
a camaraderie of the greatest of the gifted, with desire to maintain peace and
harmony in the world and find meaning in their strength. In doing so, the ¡°Great
Five¡± as they were called, created a legend known only to those who were
exposed to the Other World, the world of the sixth sense sometimes bestowed
upon mankind, the world of the magically gifted. The closest of friends and
doers of many good deeds, the Great Five were infallible until the fellowship
shattered and the Dark One emerged.
The next reign was that of
Clow Reed, the greatest sorcerer of the East and the West, rumored to be the
only son of two of the original Great Five, Li Shulin and Landon Reed. Once
establishing his status as unrivaled in the world, Clow Reed maintained a
relatively peaceful lifestyle though with his own predicaments as well. Decades
passed and the details of the Great Five blurred. No one knew exactly the
reason of the break of the Circle of the Five Forces, nor the true identity of
the Dark One. The five greatest mages of their time faded into a legend, a
story of no great consequence, even for those of the original bloodline of the
Great Five. Yet the Dark Ones did not forget, for their spirits were reborn
generation after generation, surviving through the reformation of
Much time has passed and
many events have occurred since the Age of the Five Forces, and the world has
reshaped into a new place of modern ideas and conventions. Though the legend of
the Great Five has mostly faded into oblivion, their legacy lives on as their
descendants struggle in the never-ending feud, for Dark Ones cannot rest in
peace until vengeance has been sought. And in modern day, one ordinary Japanese
girl, chosen successor of the Clow Cards rumored to be the descendant of none
other than Amamiya Hayashi, Ringleader of the Great Five, will once again
rebuild the camaraderie that was once broken more than a hundred years ago with
the help of her friends, both supporters and enemies. Together, they will
uncover the truth of the past to face their future.
Though the world may have
changed on the surface through blood-shed, reformation and industrialization
and progressed into hopefully more peaceful days, little has changed in human
nature and heart. To listen to the echoes of the gone-by days is to see the
reality of the present. For the Legacy of the Five Forces is the story of
friendship, love, betrayal and salvation. It carries the curse of the Forgotten
One, the struggle of pride, hunger for power, and despair, memoirs of golden
days and black ones. Yet, it all started with mere youths with different dreams
and visions who by fate or by chance had their paths coincide as they
established themselves as the greatest magicians of their era, kindling a
relationship that will become the pillar of their strength.
The Legend begins in
mid-nineteenth century, in Shanghai, China, where one girl of the prominent Li
Clan crossed the sea to Japan on a voyage that would change the fate of many,
to make acquaintances and choices that would change her and her ancestor¡¯s
lives forever.
******
* * *
High
on the stone walls which served as fortress to the Li Clan¡¯s territory, stood a
young girl in red, looking beyond the town and wilderness, to the vast ocean
where unknown wonders awaited. All her life she had been bound within these
walls, to serve her Clan and specially train under the Great Elder to become
strong and undefeatable, to protect her family. She knew someday she would
cross the wall and the sea to become the most powerful in the East, for that
was her destiny. Yet, till then, she was still caged by the very gates she
stood on top of at this moment, and all she could do was persevere and train harder.
She
stared at her blister-covered hands. The Great Elder had scolded her again for
lack of discipline, even though she had tried her best. The new move he had
been teaching her was extremely complex, and she had made no progress in the
past few months. Though she had mastered the Fire and Earth Elements easily, she
had the most difficulty with controlling the Water Element, let alone the new
move. In the village, children ran about laughing and playing tag. Women stood
in clusters, gossiping as usual while keeping an eye on their kids. A couple of
boys were practicing staff moves with wooden sticks.
A
gust of wind blew over the walls. She stared up alert. A figure jumped behind
her out of nowhere, sword positioned to strike her down. Automatically, she
unsheathed one of her two swords strapped to her back, ducked low and blocked.
The impact of the two blades clashing against each other sent another wave of
pain down her already sore arm from early morning practice.
The
attacker struck down again, but prepared this time, she knocked the sword out
of his hands. ¡°Quit joking around, Shenji,¡± she said crossly.
¡°Good
move, Shulin,¡± Li Shenji replied, smiling. ¡°Quite impressive blocking and
alertness. All that training with the Dragon Master paid off, I guess.¡±
¡°Next
time, I¡¯m not going to go easy on your just because you are my cousin,¡± Shulin
stated, sheathing her sword again. Her cousin had a habit of popping out of
nowhere and attacking when she was off-guard. But days of being pinned to the
ground, sword knocked away, were over.
Li
Shulin, age 13, was a spirited and fearless girl, the greatest prize of an
extraordinary household in
Yet,
by no means was Li Shulin like other young girls, waiting prettily to be
married off to a wealthy man. Instead, she was the highest candidate for the honored
position of the Li Clan Chosen One. In swordsmanship and magic level, Shulin
was unrivaled in her generation, in a family with a long tradition of talented
and gifted people.
¡°What
are you doing up here again, on these walls?¡± Shenji asked. He stood beside
her, gazing beyond the horizon. ¡°Did our evil Dragon Master tick you off again?¡±
Shaking
her head, Shulin replied, ¡°Maybe I really am not suited to become the Chosen
One. It¡¯s useless. No matter what I do, I can¡¯t please the Great Elder. Maybe
Yinlin¡¯s right. There¡¯s nothing better to do with myself than to just wait and
get married to some rich old man. She said no one decent would want to marry
someone as improper and rough as me, that I¡¯ll be alone till death.¡±
¡°Silly,
I thought you had more backbone in you than that,¡± Shenji said, flicking Shulin¡¯s
forehead. But his amber eyes were kind. ¡°Yinlin can go marry the foolish
governor¡¯s son for all I care. You are going to continue with the Nightmare
Training, because you have it in you to become the Li Clan Chosen One. You know
the Great Elder is harder on you than anyone else because his expectations from
you are that high. And once you become Chosen One, there will be no one prouder
than myself.¡±
Li
Shenji, four years her elder, was Shulin¡¯s favorite cousin and best friend.
They were the only two of their generation trained under the Great Elder,
nicknamed by Shenji as the Dragon Master, for in his wrath, the Great Elder
resembled a fire-breathing dragon. Through the years, Shenji had helped her
with training, comforted her when she was down and scolded her when she was
being unreasonable. With his long dark brown hair, steady amber eyes and a
great talent in martial arts, he had great popularity within the Clan,
especially amongst its female members. In fact, the two most likely candidates
for the Chosen One was Shenji and Shulin; however Shenji had clearly stated he
had no interest in the position. Instead, he passed the tests to become the
youngest Protector of the Clan ever.
¡°Say,
Shenji, why did you decline the chance to become the Chosen One, when the Great
Elder offered it to you last year?¡± Shulin asked. ¡°Were you being considerate
of me? I wouldn¡¯t have minded at all.¡±
¡°I
know how much you¡¯ve trained for that position,¡± Shenji replied. ¡°Isn¡¯t it your
greatest dream, to become the Chosen One of the Li Clan?¡±
¡°Still,
I don¡¯t know if I can make it through the tests,¡± Shulin said. ¡°And I wouldn¡¯t
have minded if you took the honor. You¡¯re strong, dependable and talented. You
deserve the title.¡±
Shaking
his head, Shenji replied, ¡°I¡¯m not suited for the job. I prefer being the Clan
Protector, rather than the Chosen One. It is true that the Chosen One receives
more honor and glory, for it is the Chosen One¡¯s goal is to carry out missions and
spread the power of the Li¡¯s far and wide, whereas the Protector always remains
within the Clan, ready to defend the Clan in time of danger. The Protector will
lead a small, focused life, not one where he hunts for power or fame, but one
where he can spend his days protecting the ones he love with his own life. That
is all I want, really; I don¡¯t want to leave my home and see more of the world.
I am satisfied and happy here; this is my world. But you are different, Shulin.
You have more ambition and vision. You want to travel beyond the Clan and excel
not only amongst the ones you know, but amongst strangers and those of greater
power than even you. That is why you are more suited to become the Chosen One,
the representative of the Li Clan, and the Great Elder recognizes this.¡±
¡°Shenji¡¦¡±
Shulin¡¯s lips trembled.
¡°Don¡¯t
get teary-eyed with me, hot-tempered little cousin,¡± Sheji laughed
good-naturedly. ¡°You are such a spitfire with everyone else and then become a
baby when you are with me.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
just dust that blew in my eyes,¡± Shulin replied, scowling again. The Chosen One
did not show emotions. She leaped down from the wall, back within the Li Clan
territory.
Shenji
jumped down beside her and patted her back. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shulin. If no one marries
you because you become too powerful and will most likely beat up your husband,
I¡¯ll marry you.¡±
¡°Eh?¡±
Shulin turned red.
Staring
at Shulin¡¯s bleeding hands, Shenji continued lightly, ¡°Is the Dragon Master
teaching you the Shen-lung Tai-feng move?¡±
¡°Yes,¡±
Shulin replied miserably. ¡°He said I was a failure, not worth teaching.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t
listen to our most honorable Training Master,¡± Shenji said, smothering a smile.
¡°I heard he didn¡¯t learn that move until he was past twenty. I still haven¡¯t
mastered that technique properly either—I won¡¯t attempt to do so for several
more years.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Shulin exclaimed in indignation. ¡°And after all that scolding I received! It¡¯s
not fair!¡±
¡°Who
said the road to becoming the Chosen One is fair?¡± Shenji smiled at his cousin,
stubborn and fiery-tempered, but also sincere and hard working. If anyone, he
was certain that Li Shulin would earn the honor for herself.
¡°Let¡¯s
see if you¡¯ve improved at all from yesterday,¡± the Great Elder said dryly.
Training
with the Great Elder at the brink of dawn was routine for Shulin. At this hour,
most of the Clan was still asleep, and there was a queer silence within the
walls of the Li Clan village. Never had she missed training whether it rained
or snowed or hailed, and even when the Great Elder was preoccupied by Clan
business, she practiced on her own or made one of her cousins help her train.
Until Shenji became Clan Protector, he had trained with her in the morning, but
now that was rare. Though she missed his company, especially because the Great
Elder had grown pickier and harsher on her since their training became
one-on-one, Shulin realized that this was an opportunity to concentrate on
herself and her flaws in technique rather than compare herself to her cousin,
who was considered a genius in hand-to-hand combat.
¡°You
are a girl—you have a smaller frame and less power than a man,¡± the Great Elder
had told her many years ago. ¡°When an enemy, most likely a man, attacks you,
you have the disadvantage in hand-to-hand combat, because you are lighter and
more likely to be crushed under brute force. Having a weapon at your hand is an
advantage with your stature, because you can train to be quicker and more agile
than your enemy, and with your weapon, you can have additional force in attack.
That is why I want to see perfection, not just competence in your
swordsmanship.¡±
So,
Shulin had trained hard, not only with the sword but with all forms of weapons
ranging from every type of staff to hidden daggers. Perfection only came with practice,
she knew very well, and she also knew she had a long way to go to reach the
Great Elder¡¯s level. Yet, the ¡°Nightmare Training,¡± as Shenji labeled it, had
its benefits, for now, Shulin was able to put up a good fight with her daunting
training master without him using handicaps. By this time, she had beaten all
her cousins at least once in sword fighting, and that was with pure technique.
If she used her ward papers and numerous spells that the Great Elder had taught
her, she would be even more powerful, for despite being a girl, she had the
strongest chi in the Clan, aside from the Great Elder.
¡°Why
don¡¯t we have a match today. It has been a while since our last one,¡± the Great
Elder said. ¡°Open method; your goal is to knock my sword out of my hand.¡±
¡°Yes
sir,¡± Shulin said, stretching her limbs. She hadn¡¯t forgotten the humiliation
of the last duel, when she had been knocked over flat on her face in view of
all her cousins, including Yinlin, her spiteful cousin, who had mentioned the
incident over and over again afterwards.
They
bowed, and resumed into guard stance. Truthfully, the Great Elder was surprised
that Shulin was still able to stand today—yesterday¡¯s practice should have worn
her out completely; that had been his intention. Then again, his persistent
pupil showed up for training even when she was sick with a raging fever. Still,
she would be in no condition to be fighting today.
Drawing
her sword, Shulin observed the training yard. Trying to draw out the Shen-Lung
Tai-Feng yesterday had drained her out completely, and her body had not
completely recovered yet. She could barely keep up with the Great Elder when
she was in top physical condition, yet alone in her current state. But to
protect her dignity, she could not suffer another mortifying defeat like last
time—how could she become the Chosen One if she wasn¡¯t the strongest in the
Clan? Therefore, she had to figure out a way to beat the Dragon Master with
minimal unnecessary contact and hopefully in a quick and direct hit manner.
The
problem was the Great Elder had no problem reading all her moves, because he
had trained her and taught her all she knew. He probably expects me to do a
fire attack—that¡¯s my favorite move. Yet he can block that easily, and I don¡¯t
have any strength to spare today. He also knows that I am stubborn, so he will
expect me to try out my unperfected state of the Shen-Lung Tai-Feng. It¡¯s a
fair guess to say that he provoked me so much yesterday and mocked me for incompetence
yesterday, so that he can use it against me today. Then he would laugh at me
again, which would make me even angrier and waste more energy. I will show him
I have mastered it one day, when I really have—I haven¡¯t yet, so I won¡¯t let my
temper get the better of me today. I¡¯ve fallen into his traps many times
before.
Motionless,
the Great Elder watched his successor with hard eyes, wondering what move she
would choose. Technique and discipline, she had mastered even at that young
age. Even he conceded to this fact; being a girl made her train twice as hard
as anyone else, yet it paid off. Her mulish persistence and hot-temper had
benefited her in that aspect. Now, if she could only acquire one more concept.
Was she ready?
Grimly,
Shulin struck out her sword and leaped forward. A jet of blazing fire streamed
out from her blade.
¡°Foolish
girl, when will you ever learn that trick won¡¯t work on me?¡± The Great Elder
said, raising his sword to block the attack with ease.
Grinning,
Shulin stated, ¡°You¡¯re getting old, Dragon Master!¡± While she had been
attacking with fire with her right sword, in a blink of an eye, she had swept
out her second sword from her sheath strapped to her back with her left hand
and blasted out wind at the opening the Great Elder had made from blocking the
fire attack. ¡°Shulin double-sword attack! Huo he feng!¡±
Landing
perfectly, Shulin balanced herself on her knees then sheathed both swords to
her back again and turned around. Did she strike? No, the Great Elder was still
standing, unruffled. But she had achieved her purpose; she had caught the Great
Elder off-guard, and his sword had been blown away by the wind. It wasn¡¯t a
great strategy, but it had been effective this once. Too bad she hadn¡¯t knocked
the Great Elder off his feet—that had been her target.
The
Great Elder stared at his pupil, blinked, then picked up his sword from the
ground. He was unscathed, but still, Li Shulin had surprised him. When was the
last time his sword had been knocked out of his hand? Not since he was a pupil.
Dryly, he said, ¡°Heh, a new move, Li Shulin? Double-sword Huo He Feng? Very
stupid and childish, as I would expect from someone who hasn¡¯t completely
mastered the wind technique yet.¡±
Scowling,
Shulin replied sullenly, ¡°But it worked. You said I could use any technique,
and my goal was to knock your sword out of your hand, if you please, Great
Elder.¡±
This
girl. She has improved immensely. How did she think of using the fire and wind
elements together like that? Using fire to distract me, since that¡¯s her usual
move, and finishing me off with wind, a technique she rarely uses, therefore
catching me off-guard. It¡¯s rare for someone to use swords and chi in both
hands, simultaneously. It wasn¡¯t a great attack,
quite clumsy and full of flaws. But it had worked once, and that was enough,
even though it wouldn¡¯t work again. After all, Shulin¡¯s special talent was the
double sword technique—no one else could wield two swords with Shulin¡¯s
deftness and skill. The Great Elder smiled grimly. ¡°I hope you have already
figured out by now the purpose of today¡¯s exercise. At this point I have
nothing more I can teach you in terms of technique or discipline—the rest lies
in you, and whether you can exceed your boundaries. Today was to test your
strategy-making skills. The Chosen One does not only have to have physical
capacity. Intelligence and analytical skills in difficult situations is
essential for the survival of the Chosen One. Logical thinking is something you
greatly lack in, Li Shulin, with that impossible temper of yours.¡±
Shulin
hung her head down, bangs falling over her eyes. The Great Elder never praised
her, no matter how she tried. When will he acknowledge her; when could she meet
up to his expectations? Sweat trickled down her forehead despite the
temperature being quite chilly so early in the morning.
Staring
at the girl covered in soot standing in front of him, the Great Elder
continued, ¡°But today you have proved that you indeed can think rationally and
plan ahead in combat.¡±
Did
she hear right? Shulin¡¯s face lit up in a slow smile. It was the Great Elder¡¯s
first compliment to her. ¡°I-is it my victory then?¡±
Grudgingly,
the Great Elder said, ¡°It is your victory, Li Shulin. I warn you, however, that
you won¡¯t have it so easy next time.¡±
For
a second, Shulin blinked blankly, finding it hard to digest the significance of
these words. Then she leaped up in joy. ¡°I defeated the Great Elder!¡± She ran
down the street to her cousin¡¯s house. ¡°Shenji! Shenji! I defeated the Great
Elder! I really did!¡±
¡°Li
Shulin!¡± The Great Elder called out. ¡°Practice has not ended yet! Shulin!¡± Yet,
she did not hear him, for she was prancing around in joy, heedless of her
aching body. Relenting, the corners of his bright eyes crinkled, and the Great
Elder smiled. It¡¯s amazing how quickly children grow. It seemed only
yesterday that a little girl in pigtails tried to lift a sword longer than her
body-length. No doubt, this girl is my successor with the greatest potential
out of anyone in a century. She is the one.
A
week later, Li Shulin was summoned to the Great Hall in the Main House.
¡°Li
Shulin, you should know why the Council of Elders has gathered here today,¡± the
Great Elder said to Shulin, who bowed before the seven robed men seated on the
platform at the head of the large hall. Members of the Outer Council stood on
either side of the hallway. It was rare that all the adults of both Inner and
Outer Councils assembled together in the Great Hall. ¡°Though you are young, the
Council has voted you as top candidate to receive the honorable title of the Li
Clan Chosen One.¡±
Though
her head was bowed down, joy leaped in her chest, and Shulin flushed happily.
Finally the moment had come.
¡°As
you know, the Chosen One of the Li Clan is an important position in the Li
Clan, which has been left vacant for years, leaving the Clan in a vulnerable
position. It is the duty of the Chosen One to uphold honor and dignity of the
family, and carry out its missions at the stake of your life. The Chosen One is
the representative of the Clan, and the most powerful and gifted of the family.
Therefore, before receiving the title, you will have to pass a series of
examinations, which deems whether you are capable of upholding the honor of the
Clan. I have personally trained your for eight years and believe you are ready
to undergo the Test of the Chosen One. By no mean will these tests be easy and
to pass, for you should be able to risk your life in order to prove your
loyalty to the Clan. Do you understand what I have said thus far, Li Shulin?¡±
¡°I
do, your honor,¡± Li Shulin replied, her heart skipping a beat. That magnificent
sword, the sword of the Chosen One, locked in glass case at the head of the
Great Hall would become hers someday. It was no longer a childhood dream—it was
within her reach. ¡°I will give everything in order to become the Chosen One and
do no fear whatever obstacles await me.¡±
¡°Good.¡±
Though the Great Elder remained expressionless, he was pleased with Shulin¡¯s
confidence. ¡°To become the Chosen One, you will have to prove your worth to the
Clan, for there is controversy within both Councils over the fact that you are
a girl and that you are so young. You may easily be the strongest in
There
was a murmur among the adults. What did the Elders have in mind for the Chosen
One¡¯s Test? Could this mere girl, more a kid than an adult truly become the
greatest one of the Clan?
¡°Silence,¡±
the Great Elder commanded, without taking his eyes of the slight girl of merely
thirteen years kneeling before him, face pale, but eyes steady and fierce. ¡°Li
Shulin, prove that your strength is unrivaled in all of the East and show the
Li Clan your true abilities. Listen carefully now. Your first mission in
becoming Chosen One lies further east in
******
The
sunrays shone on the lush rose garden, the pride of Lady Eleanor Reed, the
centerpiece a large white marble fish fountain spouted water. It was by this
fountain that a young couple stood, lovers at first sight but clearly in the
middle of a quarrel. They were both of gentry, riches adorning them with an
ease that was only natural in such a beautiful garden. The young man was tall
and lanky, carrying well the cream silk shirt he wore, which was of finest
quality in
¡°Katherine,
I love you, I always have. Why won¡¯t you return my feelings?¡± he pleaded,
gazing at the young lady with ardor. Yet, rather than romantic passion, his
tone reflected an almost irritable tinge, as if he had been routinely rejected
time after time. The equally peeved expression on his lady¡¯s face proved that
the conversation was customary and a bore to her.
The
golden haired angel, as he thought her to be, was indeed a doll-like beauty of
golden curls, beseeching violet eyes framed by long lashes and a fair
complexion carefully guarded by a sun rose-pink parasol matching her dress. She
was a vision in her rose chiffon day-dress adorned with imported lace and pale
pink ribbons. Pearl clusters hung on her ivory neck and dangled from her ears.
Her pale hands were carefully in mesh gloves also trimmed with rose lace. With
a dainty, tingling laugh bordering exasperation, she said, ¡°On don¡¯t by silly,
Landon. This is getting old.¡±
¡°I¡¯m
serious,¡± Landon replied. ¡°I want you to marry me, Kathy.¡± He reached out and
stroked her rosy cheek. ¡°I swore I would marry you since we were children.¡±
Brushing
away his hand, Katherine Chatterley sighed and walked over to a rose bush. She
bent over and sniffed a crimson rose. ¡°I wish you will grow up, dear Landon.
What are you going to do with yourself? You dropped out of university, you
disappoint your father and mother, you spend your days doing nothing. Take
Laurence as an example.¡±
¡°Laurence,
Laurence, I¡¯m sick of hearing about my older brother,¡± Landon snapped. ¡°Forget
him. I love you and that¡¯s all that matters.¡±
¡°Dear,
Landon, you don¡¯t understand do you?¡± Katherine said, coaxingly. She walked
over to Landon with a swish of her long skirt and carefully reached out and
stroked his silky hair. It was true that Landon¡¯s Apollonian features made him
the more handsome sibling. But that was his only favorable trait. ¡°I¡¯m engaged
to Laurence; I¡¯m going to marry him.¡±
For
a second, Landon gaped then his fine brows furrowed down. Sarcastically, he
stated, ¡°I see your scheme now, darling Katherine. Why marry the younger son,
one who won¡¯t inherit title and property when you can get the older one?¡±
¡°Oh
Lan, don¡¯t take it so harshly,¡± Katherine said, blinking her violet eyes. ¡°I
can¡¯t love you Landon. We¡¯ve practically grown up together. After all, our
mother¡¯s are best friends, being Frenchwomen together. But I can¡¯t see myself seeing
you as anything other than a childhood acquaintance.¡±
¡°What
about Laurence—you¡¯ve seen him since childhood too,¡± Landon retorted, sulkily.
¡°Laurence
is different—I¡¯ve always looked up to him and respected him ever since I was
little. He¡¯s a man I can marry,¡± Katherine replied, resolute. ¡°Besides, both
our parents approve.¡±
¡°But
I love you,¡± Landon persisted, blue eyes flashing like the clear water of the
bubbling fountain. So his father had been plotting behind him again. Time after
time, Laurence got what he wanted. He was sick of the favoritism in the family.
Yet his father and brother were wrong in thinking they could manipulate him so
easily. He simply could not give up on Katherine.
¡°That¡¯s
why I can¡¯t marry you,¡± Katherine said, twirling her parasol. ¡°You¡¯re so
hot-headed and selfish. You only think of yourself. Laurence is mature and a
true gentleman. He¡¯s your brother, but unlike you, he has vision, ambition and
stability in the future.¡±
¡°I
can change for you,¡± Landon replied with urgency. ¡°I¡¯ll go back to university.
I won¡¯t disobey Father anymore. If you¡¯ll love me, I can do all of these
things.¡±
¡°Stop
it, Landon.¡± Katherine looked away. ¡°What can you change by acting so childish?
This is what I don¡¯t like about you. You have nothing of your own. You always
try to compare yourself to Laurence and never try hard on your own for your own
dream. You¡¯re a childhood friend and nothing more.¡±
There
was silence in the garden, the only sound was the trickling of water and the
occasional chirp of birds. Katherine bit her scarlet lips, wondering if she had
said too much.
Shoulders
trembling, Landon asked in a low voice, ¡°Are you serious about that Katherine?
Is that all I can be to you, just a childhood friend?¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t love you Landon, and I never will.¡± Katherine stared at the grass.
Luckily, Landon was too deeply in a state of shock to hear the tremor in her
usually delightful, careless voice. ¡°I-I will marry Laurence Reed, and nothing
you do will change that.¡±
¡°So
be it,¡± Landon said, turning away and leaving Katherine in the garden, gaping
at him. Never had she seen him so abrupt and curt, so distant as if he was a
complete different person. And was it normal for the grass he tread on to
whither away like that? Sometimes, Landon quite frightened her when he went
into those silent mood swings.
Storming
down the hallway in a most undignified manner, Landon Reed, temperamental younger
son of Lord Clarence Reed and his Lady Eleanor, reflected his conversation with
Katherine. There was no doubt that Laurence was toying with him again. It was
something his spiteful older brother would do, marry the only woman his younger
brother loved.
¡°There
young master Landon goes away,¡± one of the maids, who had almost been knocked
aside by Landon, whispered to the cook. ¡°In one of his tempers again.¡±
¡°Laurence,
I know you¡¯re in there! Come out now!¡± Landon pounded on the bedroom door.
Opening
the door halfway, Laurence Reed, still in his morning gown, drawled, ¡°Dear Lan,
what is this upheaval so early in the morning?¡±
He
swung the door wide opened and stomped in. ¡°I know you did it on purpose. Don¡¯t
deny it!¡± Landon replied, trembling with rage. Laurence backed away a couple
steps.
¡°Speak
coherently, and then maybe I will be able to comprehend your words,¡± Laurence
replied lazily. He had been in the middle of breakfast, but was unsurprised by
Landon¡¯s random burst of anger. Landon was prone to charging up like that, like
a seven-year-old child.
¡°Don¡¯t
play innocent. You know what you did. You knew I loved Katherine,¡± Landon said
through clenched teeth.
¡°Oh.¡±
Laurence blinked indifferently. ¡°You found out about our engagement. Did
Katherine tell you? How convenient. I was wondering how to break the news.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
only doing this to get even with me, aren¡¯t you? Do you even love her?¡± Landon
demanded.
¡°As
a matter of fact, it is Katherine who suggested to her father a joining of our
two households, and it is only expected that the elder son marries first. Of
course, the Chatterley household is a notable one, and Katherine a pretty girl.
It would be a great loss on my part if I refuse the proposal.¡± Laurence smiled
at his younger brother, so easy to irritate and simple-minded like a child.
¡°Always
calculating, aren¡¯t you?¡± Landon asked through clenched teeth. ¡°But don¡¯t think
you can get away with your back-stabbing ways this time. I will have Katherine.¡±
¡°My
obstinate younger brother, can¡¯t you see?¡± Laurence smirked. ¡°If you really do
love Katherine, you should be able to understand that her marrying me is the
most sensible choice. What will she gain from joining hands with you? You, the
younger son, will have neither land nor title nor societal recognition. After
all, you are the black sheep of the family, Landon. You are neither
intelligent, nor talented, nor skilled in any area. Furthermore, you are out of
Father¡¯s grace, and don¡¯t expect to be living off my hands for the rest your
life. I am not as compassionate as Father. He¡¯s only soft on you because Mother
takes pity on you. You are quite useless and a disgrace upon the Reeds—¡±
¡°Shut
up!¡± Without listening further, Landon lunged forward and punched his older
brother in the face. Laurence stumbled back and balanced himself on a table.
Wiping
the trickle of blood down his chin with the back of his hand, Laurence smirked.
¡°Resorting to violence, Landon? How unbecoming. We are men of breeding, or
supposed to be at least.¡±
The
hatred between the two brothers was ominous as they stood glaring at each
other, one dark and one fair, the fair one labeled the black sheep of the
family.
¡°Laurence,
I¡¯m going to kill you,¡± Landon said through clenched teeth, ready to attack
again.
¡°Master
Landon, please stop!¡± the butler cried out, holding back Landon.
¡°Let
go of me!¡± Landon struggled, knocking aside the butler.
¡°What
is this upheaval at this time of the day?¡± came a stern voice from behind them.
¡°Father!¡±
Laurence exclaimed in relief.
¡°Landon,
what is this behavior? One would think I raised you with the pigs. Stand up
straight and act like a gentleman, not a savage beast,¡± Lord Clarence Reed
commanded in his deep, crisp voice. With absolute hold over his family, Lord
Clarence was a strict and formidable man, used to having his orders obeyed. Considerably
older than his wife, his dark hair was silver-streaked, but he still stood
proud and straight, his chin tilted up and his eyes keen in his lined face.
His
first son, pride of the family, Laurence Reed resembled his father, while his
younger son, seven years Laurence¡¯s junior at age 17, resembled his mother,
Lady Eleanor, with his light hair and pale eyes. Considering the mischief
Landon landed himself into in his school years, his placid, marble handsome
face had helped him out of trouble in more than one occasion. His childhood
governor, who left the estate within a month, unable to bear with Landon¡¯s
fiendish personality, grieved that the angelic-faced boy of seven had the heart
of a devil.
A
deep line between his brows, Lord Clarence said, ¡°Lower those insolent eyes of
yours, Landon. I am not pleased with your behavior at all, lately. I would have
thought that you left university for a good reason. Instead, you spend your
days idly, courting your brother¡¯s fiancée, useless. Neither do you show any
repentance for muckraking our name. Though I have never expected much from, I
am thoroughly disappointed.¡±
¡°I
will never consent to Laurence marrying Katherine,¡± Landon retorted. ¡°I would
sooner run away with her than hand her over to that pig of a man called my
brother.¡±
Laughing
scornfully, Laurence said, ¡°I¡¯d sooner you go jump into the sea and leave us in
peace. Don¡¯t you get it? Katherine doesn¡¯t love you. She loves me—she said so.
You are ignorant, not to have noticed sooner.¡±
¡°Liar,¡±
Landon said, under strain. It couldn¡¯t be true. How could Katherine love
Laurence? Couldn¡¯t she see his pretentious and conceited nature?
¡°Get
a grip on yourself,¡± Lord Clarence said. ¡°Lord Chatterley and I have already
discussed this matter. Katherine and Laurence¡¯s wedding will take place next
spring, after she turns eighteen. There is nothing you can do but accept this,
Landon, and put aside your selfishness for once.¡±
¡°I
love Katherine Chatterley,¡± Landon replied, chin trembling, meeting his father¡¯s
levelly eyes with his. ¡°I refuse to be ordered around by you forever, Father.
You always take Laurence¡¯s side because he obeys your biddings like a lamb, but
I am different. You won¡¯t control my life.¡±
Raising
his hand in the air, Lord Clarence slapped his younger son with great force.
Landon staggered at the impact, then glared at his father.
¡°Fool.
What do you know about love?¡± Lord Clarence said brusquely. ¡°Reflect over
yourself before you claim that you can protect another person. At your age,
Laurence was top of his class at
¡°Fine
then. I will leave this house,¡± Landon said in a strained voice. ¡°What¡¯s the
point in staying at a place where I am neither loved nor recognized nor
welcomed? Rather than disgrace your name anymore, Father, I will disappear from
your sight.¡±
¡°Leave
then,¡± Lord Clarence replied coldly. ¡°Leave and don¡¯t expect sympathy of a
penny from me, either. Once you leave my gates, I shall erase you from my memory,
and forget that I ever had a second son. You are right. I do not love you, nor
welcome you at my house. So don¡¯t think of returning after you set foot out of
here.¡±
Biting
his lips, Landon turned around. ¡°Well then, Father. I formally bid you farewell
right now. I have some preparations to make before departing, but I will keep
out of your sight till then.¡±
¡°Do
as you please,¡± Lord Clarence said, turning his head away and walked past
Landon, leaving the hallway.
¡°Good
thinking,¡± Laurence sneered, once their father was out of earshot. ¡°Everything
will be peaceful once you are gone. Don¡¯t worry. Katherine and I will live
together happily, and we¡¯ll pray that you are safe and healthy somewhere.
Hopefully off the face of the earth.¡±
¡°Shut
up,¡± Landon retorted, heading towards the library, still trembling with rage.
His left cheek smarted, for his Father¡¯s hands were powerful and the hate and
scorn behind the hand even harsher.
Having
contained most of his anger by now, Landon walked to a remote bookshelf in the
library and pressed a secret compartment behind the books. Immediately, the
bookshelf swung aside, revealing a hidden passage. Carefully closing the
opening behind him, Landon headed down the passage, down a spiral of stairs,
until he came to a secret chamber, which he opened with a rusty brass key,
which hung on a chain on his neck, hidden beneath his shirt.
The
large room was bordered by bookshelves crammed with old texts and documents.
Several tapestries hung from the stone walls, some with strange runes, some
outlining the mysteries of astrology, alchemy and human anatomy. A large
telescope stood at one corner of the room. On the book-stacked large desk in
the center of the room was a globe of the world.
Staring
at his sanctuary from the outside world in pleasure, Landon Reed smiled. His
study, a secret chamber hidden in the depths of the large Reed estate, was the
place he stored all his valuable data and research, priceless books and
documents of olden days, some more than a thousand years old, revealing secrets
of the past and the unknown, enlightening him beyond anything taught at
university. Books on runes of olden days, text in languages forgotten today,
some written in undecipherable codes, some with seals to protect them. Scrolls
outlining mysteries long lost to time, satiating his own hunger to know
everything.
Holding
out the key in his right palm, Landon commanded, ¡°Key that holds the power
within. Reveal thy true form to me. I, Landon, command thee under contract.
Release!¡± With a glow of light, the key elongated into a long black staff, with
a crystal ball on one end.
¡°It¡¯s
a pity to leave all my research behind,¡± Landon commented, staring at his study
fondly. He grinned grimly. But he had read and memorized all the text stored in
this room; they were all contained in his head, so he had no further need for
the books. ¡°I said I would leave, but where should I go to? I¡¯m tired of
Victorian England,
¡°Somewhere
new, exotic, more exciting than here,¡± Landon murmured. ¡°Somewhere far away, across
the sea, with new resources, where I can learn more and see the world.¡±
Pointing his staff at the globe again, he called out, ¡°Cease.¡± The globe halted
spinning. ¡°Where can I go?¡± A single city in the vast globe was lit, and Landon
peered closer.
There
came a hollow nock on the door. Landon jumped back, surprised, quickly
dispelling his staff. The door creaked and opened, and he held his breath. No
one knew of the hidden passage behind the library.
¡°Mother,¡±
Landon exclaimed in relief as the door swung open. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±
Lady
Eleanor Cleau Reed was a small, frail woman with long pale hair like Landon¡¯s,
twisted back in a bun. Slowly, Lady Eleanor walked into the chamber up to her
tall son. ¡°I was looking for you. I thought you might be here.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
the only person who knows of the hidden passage besides me,¡± Landon said. ¡°But
you startled me, all the same. I don¡¯t know when Laurence or his servants are
spying on me or not.¡±
¡°I heard that you plan on leaving home,¡±
Lady Eleanor said.
¡°Well,
yes.¡± Landon shifted his feet uncomfortably. The only person in his family that
he loved, that cared for him in return, his mother.
¡°Did
you fight with your father again?¡± Lady Eleanor questioned, blue eyes watching
her son keenly. ¡°You know that whatever your father says, he does care about
you. If you go up to him and apologize properly, he will accept you again.¡±
Laughing
shortly, Landon replied, ¡°You know Father better than I do, Mother. He does not
love me, and it will be doing him a favor to leave this house. I am sorry,
Mother, for disappointing you yet again. But I cannot stand it here any longer,
especially if Laurence marries Katherine.¡±
¡°Is
that so?¡± Lady Eleanor looked down. ¡°I already checked your room before coming
down here. I noticed that you already packed your things. You seem to have been
planning on leaving for some time now.¡±
¡°True,¡±
Landon said. ¡°I was biding for the right time. I knew I would have to get out
of here sooner or later. Now is the perfect chance, since Katherine has
rejected me and father loathes me. Please Mother, don¡¯t hold me back. I don¡¯t
think I can bear it here any longer, even with you.¡± While he did not care
about his father¡¯s approval, he desired at least his mother¡¯s blessing before
leaving.
Slowly,
Lady Eleanor replied, ¡°If you are determined to leave, I will not stop you. It
might be for the better, a change of environment. Because you are being
suffocated here. You have great potential for growth, but you will not grow any
further in this surrounding. You have a lot more in the world to see and
experience.¡±
¡°Then
you do not oppose to me leaving?¡± Landon asked, a great burden lifted from his
chest. ¡°Father forbade me from ever returning once I set foot outside of this
house.¡±
¡°Your
father is a proud, unyielding man,¡± Lady Eleanor said. ¡°But try to understand
him more. His only way of showing his love for you is by being harsh. But you
resent his harshness. In return, he tries to hold rein over an untamed colt,
only to have the young colt bolt and run away. You break his heart, all the
same, Landon.¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t care,¡± Landon said, scowling. ¡°It will be doing a favor to Father and
Laurence for me to conveniently disappear.¡±
¡°And
what can I do between such stubborn men?¡± Lady Eleanor sighed. ¡°I trust you
Landon to make the right decisions, for you are an adult now. But I do hope
that you do not let your hot temper get the better of you.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t
worry, Mother. I will not disappoint you anymore, once I am out of here. Times
are changing—no longer shall the reign of the landed and aristocracy retain its
power. A new age of industrialization and expansion awaits, and I¡¯m not going
to be left behind. I swear I¡¯ll become a son that you can be proud of and make
my name famous in the East and West,¡± Landon said, smiling grimly. ¡°I¡¯ll show
father and Laurence.¡±
Since
Landon had been planning on leaving for quite some time, he didn¡¯t have much
preparation to do. His father and brother were away on a trip to
¡°Oh
Landon, is it true?¡± Katherine asked, running up to Landon, teary eyed. The
garden was misty early in the morning, but the dew covered crimson roses were
more vivid than ever. ¡°Are you really leaving?¡±
¡°Yes,¡±
Landon replied briefly, setting down his trunk. He hadn¡¯t expected to see her
again.
¡°Is
it because of me?¡± Katherine sniffed. ¡°You really don¡¯t have to leave. I want
you to stay. Nothing¡¯s going to change if I marry Laurence. We can still be
friends. Laurence will allow that. I believe he will.¡±
¡°Katherine,
I¡¯ve already decided that I¡¯m leaving, and I won¡¯t change my mind,¡± Landon
said. Katherine was lovely in a pale violet dress, bringing out the true shade
of her eyes, brimming with tears. He was secretly pleased that the thought of
him departing grieved her so. But at this point, even if Katherine begged him
to stay, he couldn¡¯t, for he would never go back on his words and let his
father and brother mock him for cowardice. Truthfully, the notion of leaving
his homeland of seventeen years frightened him, though he welcomed the sense of
liberation.
¡°Oh,
I hate it when you get stubborn,¡± Katherine said, sobbing into her
handkerchief.
¡°You¡¯ll
still marry Laurence, whether I leave or stay.¡± Landon stared at Katherine
hard.
¡°T-that¡¯s
true, b-but¡¦¡± Katherine stared up at Landon, ruby lips trembling. Many times
she had felt the gap between them, as she did this morning, in the mist
surrounding them. Landon seemed cool and remote, as if he were a person of a
different class. Though she had often scorned him for his good-for-nothing
nature, today, for the first time, she felt that Landon may be cut out for
great power and deeds, in a world completely different and unreachable from
hers. For he stood tall and proud, almost a split image of his father in that
aspect, blue eyes hard, unfathomable and expressionless. This was not the
foolish young man and childhood companion that she bossed around and endlessly
used to her pleasing. It was hard to digest the reality that Landon was going
far away to the other side of the world, maybe.
¡°Well,
good-bye then, Katherine,¡± Landon said softly. ¡°I loved you.¡±
¡°Liar!¡±
Katherine exclaimed. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t leave like this if you did. You are a
coward, running away from life instead of facing it. I reproach you more than
anything else, Landon Reed.¡± She ran off, unable to control her tears anymore.
This was the last of Landon Reed. Soon, she would become Lord Laurence¡¯s wife,
and Landon was of no consequence in her life.
Watching
his first love fade away, an odd, aching pang inside him, Landon stared around
at his mother¡¯s garden, the fresh aroma of roses surrounding him. Maybe they
weren¡¯t fated after all.
¡°She
must have cared for you more than she admitted,¡± a smooth, calm voice came from
behind him.
¡°Mother.¡±
Landon turned around. Lady Eleanor had an uncanny way of moving so silently
that her presence was not noticed until she spoke. Without meeting her eyes, he
asked, ¡°Mother, what should I do with my life now? The only woman I love will
marry my brother. My father loves me not, and I can¡¯t compete against my older
brother. Out of these gates, I will have neither name nor home. What can I do
from this point on?¡±
¡°That
is for you to determine, my son,¡± Lady Eleanor replied quietly. She bent over
and cradled a wilted rose in her hands. ¡°Do you remember what I told you when
you were a child, in this very garden?¡±
Landon
nodded. How could he forget his mother¡¯s rare but valuable words of wisdom?
¡°You
have a great gift, one which sets you aside from the rest of the people. It is
your own choice how you make use of it, whether you cast it away or accept it,
whether with your powers, you choose destruction or growth.¡± Slowly, the limp
rose in Lady Eleanor¡¯s hands shed its petals and turned into a new bud.
Landon
stared at the pale, dainty and tiny lady in front of him, eyes that were
identical to his. Once, she must have been very beautiful, full of color and
life, but years under the dominance of Lord Clarence Reed had much subdued her
and most of her laughter and dimples had faded away. Born Eleanor Cleau in a
tiny province in northwestern
¡°As
I told you before, everything has a reason,¡± Lady Eleanor said after a silence.
She knew her son contained an enormous capacity of special powers, more than
hers, more than anyone she had ever met. She twisted a ring off her slender
middle
finger. ¡°You leaving
¡°Mother.¡±
Landon gripped the sapphire ring, knowing it was priceless to his mother—her
last souvenir of her past. ¡°Thank you. I¡¯ll treasure it. Farewell Mother. I
will miss you. But I will keep my promise to you. I will make my name known to
the world,¡± Landon said, a new resolution in his voice.
Smiling
one of her rare, warm smiles, Lady Eleanor said, ¡°I give you my blessing,
Landon. Don¡¯t worry, we will see each other again, someday. Till then, show me
what you are capable of with your powers.¡±
It
did not surprise Landon when Lady Eleanor disappeared back into the house as
furtively as she had appeared in the garden. The ring barely fit his pinky
finger, but its strange blue light calmed him and he had more confidence than
ever before. Picking up his trunk again, walking towards the carriage awaiting
him beyond the iron gates of the Reed estate, he lifted his head and took a
last whiff of the peaceful gardens. I will grow, Mother, you will see.
******
¡°Onee-san,
onee-san!¡± A young boy tugged on his sister¡¯s red hakama. ¡°You promised me that
you will practice shooting arrows with me.¡±
¡°Sorry
Keigo,¡± his older sister said, polishing a golden mirror. ¡°Onee-san is
expecting a visitor today. Go practice on your own, and I will supervise you
tomorrow.¡±
Making
a face, Keigo replied, ¡°Onee-san is always too busy to practice with me these
days. I¡¯ll never be as good as onee-san.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
been busier at the temple ever since Uncle¡¯s death, since Father is away at
Uncle¡¯s funeral,¡± Mayura said. Patting her younger brother¡¯s coppery auburn
hair, Mayura smiled. Why disappoint her eager younger brother? ¡°All right
Keigo. I¡¯ll practice with you since you want to improve so much. Just for an
hour though, okay? Start warming up. Onee-san will be out in a few minutes.¡±
¡°Really?¡±
Keigo¡¯s freckled face lighted up. ¡°I¡¯ll be waiting in the courtyard!¡±
A
Shinto priestess-in-training, Mizuki Mayura, age fifteen, was dressed in the
white, unadorned kimono and deep red hakama of a miko. Her gray eyes were level
and calm, reflecting maturity and insight rare at her age. She stared directly
into the mirror she had been polishing, greeted with her own reflection. Taking
a piece of white ribbon, she tied back her long auburn hair, which would get in
her face during archery. Carefully veiling the mirror and locking it in a
wooden chest, Mayura stood up and headed towards the courtyard.
The
family temple in the outskirt of
¡°Onee-san!¡±
Keigo called out. ¡°Look, I shot that apple over there! It¡¯s the longest
distance I¡¯ve ever shot!¡±
Glancing
at the arrow embedded in an unripe apple dangling on a tree branch, Mayura
smiled, recalling aiming at that tree when she was Keigo¡¯s age. The apple tree
was one of the largest of the trees on the shrine grounds and had been her
favorite target. ¡°Good job, Keigo. Now, can you aim at the same spot again and
make the apple fall?¡±
Wrinkling
his nose, Keigo replied, ¡°That¡¯s too hard.¡± He tried shooting an arrow and
missed. The previous hit had been pure luck. ¡°Onee-san, you try.¡±
Kyujutsu was Mayura¡¯s specialty. She
had never missed a target since she was twelve. Quickly and deftly, Mayura shot
the apple, right in the center. The apple with the weight of two arrows swayed
by its stem and then dropped down.
¡°Wonderful
precision, miko-sama,¡± said a light male voice. From behind the shadow of the
trees, a young man with light brown hair swaying in the breeze and eyes as
green as leaves, walked up. He caught the falling apple with his left hand and
examined the arrows embedded in it. One was crooked and loose, while the other
had pierced right through its center.
Was
it a guest to the temple? Squinting, Mayura stepped forward to see the visitor¡¯s
face. ¡°Hayashi!¡± she exclaimed in mild surprise. True, the young man standing
before her was taller and his face a lot more mature than she last remembered
it to be, but it was definitely Amamiya Hayashi.
¡°It¡¯s
been a while, hasn¡¯t it, Mayura?¡± The newcomer smiled warmly.
Sipping
the steaming green tea, kneeling on the bamboo mattress in his formal manner,
Amamiya Hayashi said, ¡°I see you had been expecting a guest today. You had tea
and food ready to be served. Of course, you¡¯re preparation skills for any
situation have always been impressive, Mayura.¡±
Pouring
tea for herself, Mayura said, ¡°What brings you here? I expected you to be quite
occupied in
¡°I
had some business here in the capital,¡± Hayashi replied, still smiling. ¡°And I
thought I might stop by an old friend¡¯s while I¡¯m in
Until
the Amamiya family moved to
¡°I
would have expected you to be very occupied in
Laughing,
Hayashi said, ¡°Actually, I was on my way to my family¡¯s countryside estate to
have some time alone, of course with my father¡¯s consent. I like the peace of
the countryside so much better than the city. Then I thought while on the road
I might as well pay you a visit and prolong vacation for a little longer, so I
came to
¡°Every
day is a vacation for you, Hayashi,¡± Mayura said setting down her teacup. ¡°It¡¯s
not like you do any work, nor do you have any crops to grow or battles to
fight.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
wrong. I¡¯m very busy in
¡°The
heartless Hayashi-sama interested in women?¡± Mayura smiled slightly. ¡°Not very
likely.¡±
¡°You
know me too well, Mayura,¡± Hayashi said. ¡°
¡°Still,
your father probably wants you by his side. You have your age and duties to
consider. How did you receive permission to leave social life to rest in the
countryside?¡± Mayura asked. Her first and only friend was never in a hurry,
always light-hearted and easy-going.
¡°I
told father I need a remote, quiet place for my studies—he thinks I¡¯m turning
into a scholar now,¡± Hayashi replied.
Mayura
chuckled. ¡°You, a scholar?¡±
¡°It¡¯s
a possibility,¡± Hayashi replied blandly. ¡°Samurais are out of fashion these
days. I have nothing better to do, anyway. Maybe I should really become an
intellectual.¡±
It
was true that Hayashi was better read than anyone she knew; he had read not
only Japanese books but books from
¡°Onii-sama!¡±
Keigo called out, running up to Hayashi. He had worshiped Hayashi since he was
a baby, and Hayashi treated Keigo like a real brother. ¡°Come to the courtyard!
I¡¯ll show you how much I improved in archery!¡±
¡°Keigo,
don¡¯t run indoors,¡± Mayura said.
¡°Sorry,¡±
Keigo said, bashfully.
¡°You
will stay at the temple tonight?¡± Mayura asked Hayashi. ¡°Otou-sama will be
returning tomorrow. He will want to see you.¡±
¡°If
it isn¡¯t too much of a burden,¡± Hayashi replied.
¡°I¡¯ll
set up the futon in the guest room,¡± Mayura said. ¡°Keigo, don¡¯t bother
Hayashi-onii-san too much, okay? He¡¯s tired from the long journey.¡±
¡°Come,
Keigo-kun. Let¡¯s go to the courtyard,¡± Hayashi said, putting his arm around
Keigo¡¯s shoulders. ¡°You¡¯ve grown so much, I can barely recognize you. Soon, you¡¯ll
be able to take me down.¡±
¡°Really,
onii-sama?¡± Keigo asked, excited.
Watching
the two leave the room, Mayura smiled softly. It was good to see her old friend
again. Yet, why did she have an uneasy feeling this time around? Though they
had been friends for years, till this day she had trouble reading his thoughts.
The
next morning, Mayura¡¯s father, a well-respected Shinto priest in the area,
returned from a long journey. He was glad to see his daughter and son waiting
at the steps of the temple. They took his luggage to relieve him of the burden.
¡°Welcome
back, outo-sama,¡± Mayura said. ¡°Did you have a safe journey?¡±
¡°There
were more guards than usual and the roads were more crowded than usual,¡± her
father replied. ¡°But otherwise, the weather was fair and no mishaps.¡±
As
they headed indoors, Mayura asked, ¡°How was Uncle¡¯s funeral?¡±
¡°Your
uncle passed to the other world safely,¡± her father replied. ¡°And I tended for
the Mizuki temple in Eitoukou in his stead for a while. Actually, I have to
speak with you on that matter. Let us go inside, and we will discuss about it.¡±
¡°Oh
yes, Hayashi-san is in
¡°Hayashi-kun?¡±
the priest asked in pleasure. ¡°How has the boy been doing? It¡¯s a pity I missed
seeing him. It¡¯s been a while since I last saw Amamiya-san and his son. Here,
prepare a bath for me, and let us talk after I have eaten and rested.¡±
After
finishing the meal, the priest set down his chopsticks. ¡°Keigo, clear the table
and wash the dishes.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Keigo made a face.
¡°Your
sister and I have to discuss something important,¡± his father replied.
¡°Yes,
otou-sama,¡± Keigo said, sulkily, taking the table and leaving the room.
¡°Mayura,¡±
the priest began.
¡°Yes
father.¡± Mayura folded her hands in front of her. It was rare that her father
had trouble staring a conversation with her.
¡°You
are fifteen now, and an accomplished young lady. I have taught you all that I
know, and you will make a fine priestess,¡± he continued, sipping his tea. ¡°I
have great faith in your abilities and dependability, as well as your good judgment.¡±
Mizuki
Mayura awaited silently for her father¡¯s main point.
¡°As
you know, your uncle¡¯s death has left the Mizuki temple in Eitoukou untended
for. Eitoukou is a small, rural village near
¡°I
understand, otou-sama,¡± Mayura said quietly. She could clearly perceive what
her father expected of her. ¡°I will go to the
Her
father¡¯s face lighted up, as if a great burden had been taken off his
shoulders. At the same time, he looked troubled. ¡°It will be lonely and new,
being away from your family. Are you sure you can manage this? I do not want
you to be unhappy, Mayura. You should choose what is best suited for you.¡±
¡°Do
not worry, father,¡± Mayura replied. It was true that she had never considered
leaving the security and familiarity of her home, for she had always thought
that she would also devote her life to this temple, like her father. Yet, her
uncle¡¯s death and the vacancy of his temple must be a sign. Slowly, the stars
were shifting in a different direction. She must go where she was needed, and
she wouldn¡¯t dream of disappointing her father. ¡°I will go to Eitoukou; I
desire to do so.¡±
¡°You
are my precious daughter, Mayura, and I am proud of how well you¡¯ve grown. Your
mother would have been proud as well. As a father, I want to keep you by my
side and always watch over you. But you are an adult now, and I cannot shelter
you forever. Your mother believed when you were born, that you were born to do
great deeds. I see this opportunity as a sign from the stars. I know you are
quite capable of setting off on your own, and your powers as a priestess exceed
that of mine. It¡¯s only an old father¡¯s heart, afraid of giving up his first
child that prevents me.¡±
Taking
her father¡¯s hands, Mayura said, ¡°You need not be concerned about me, Father, because
I will be strong. I will try my best.¡±
¡°Thank
you, Mayura,¡± her father replied, squeezing his daughter¡¯s hands. It grieved
him to think of the temple without her. Yet, everything had a reason. He knew
his daughter was special, and Mayura leaving to Eitoukou must be towards a
greater cause, one that even his powers as a priest could not foresee.
¡°Onee-san,
are you really leaving?¡± Keigo sniffed. ¡°You never did help me in training.¡±
¡°A
man does not cry,¡± Mayura said, wiping her younger brother¡¯s cheek with her
sleeve. ¡°I¡¯m not going that far away, Keigo. Once I¡¯ve settle in and everything¡¯s
running smoothly at the temple, I can come visit again. Meanwhile, I¡¯ll send
letters.¡±
¡°Well,
it¡¯s about time,¡± their father said. Even his eyes were slightly glassy. He guided
a small brown mare with packages attached strapped to its back.
¡°Outo-sama,
I won¡¯t disappoint your expectations,¡± Mayura said, taking the reins to guide
the mare. ¡°I will become a great priestess.¡±
¡°I
trust you will,¡± her father replied, smiling. ¡°Good-bye, Mayura. I wish you the
best of luck.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll
become better in kyudo than onee-san,¡± Keigo said, determinedly gripping
his bow. ¡°I¡¯ll practice hard.¡±
¡°Good-bye
outo-sama! Good-bye Keigo! Listen well to father, and continue practicing—you
will be able to master archery in no time.¡± With a final wave, Mayura, brown
mare trotting beside her, headed down the dirt road, a path of uncertainty and
ambiguity, but her chosen path.
******
¡°What
do you mean you have to leave right away? You didn¡¯t mention having to leave so
soon yesterday,¡± Mizuki Mayura said. ¡°Do stay a little longer—outo-sama will be
back any time soon.
¡°Sorry
Mayura.¡± Hayashi smiled apologetically. ¡°I forgot that I had some urgent
business. Thank you for letting me sleep here last night.¡±
¡°Come
visit again, whenever you feel like it,¡± Mayura said, sighing. Hayashi¡¯s
unpredictable nature was notorious.
¡°Don¡¯t
worry, we¡¯ll see each other soon again,¡± Hayashi said, waving and walked down
the stairs of the temple.
It
had been a couple days since he left the Mizuki temple. Amamiya Hayashi, age
sixteen, walked the outskirts of
A young
boy with a bamboo stick shouted, ¡°Not fair, onii-chan! I¡¯m sick of playing the
evil daimyo. Let me play the samurai for once!¡±
Hayashi
looked up to see two village boys, obviously siblings. The older brother said,
¡°No! I¡¯m going to beat you up if you don¡¯t listen! Here, pretend to fall and
cry out in pain.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t
want to!¡± The young boy through down his bamboo stick, lower lips trembling. ¡°I
don¡¯t want to play this game anymore! Onii-chan, play by yourself.¡± He ran off.
¡°Wait!¡±
the boy chased after his younger brother. ¡°Watch out!¡± He reached for the
younger boy, but it was too late. Both of them slipped on a mud puddle and
landed on their bottoms. ¡°Now look what you did. Okaa-san¡¯s going to get mad at
us for getting all dirty.¡±
¡°I¡¯m
sorry, onii-chan,¡± the younger brother sobbed.
¡°Silly,
that¡¯s why I won¡¯t let you play the samurai—you¡¯ll mess up the heroic part,¡±
his brother replied, helping him out of the mud. ¡°How about next time, we can
play ninja, and you can be the ninja, and I¡¯ll be the evil daimyo.¡±
¡°Really!¡±
the younger brother, with front teeth missing, grinned widely. Then he looked
up to see a man watching them. ¡°Onii-chan, isn¡¯t that man a samurai?¡±
¡°Heh,
he looks weak. He probably can¡¯t even beat me in a swordfight,¡± the older boy
replied, chin tilted up. ¡°Come, let¡¯s go—we have to wash up in the river before
okaa-san sees us.¡±
¡°Wait,
onii-chan!¡± The younger boy scrambled to chase after his older brother, picking
up the discarded bamboo sticks serving as sword.
Smiling
lopsided, Hayashi continued on his way.
Soon,
he had walked past the village and reached a secluded forest. He halted.
Blandly, he stated, ¡°You can come out now.¡± There was no response. ¡°I know you¡¯re
there. Let¡¯s see. One. Two. Six of you in total, I presume. You¡¯ve been
following me since
¡°Well
then, since we¡¯ve been discovered,¡± a masked man said, coming out from behind a
tree. His comrades appeared from various hiding locations, from behind branches
and shrubs.
¡°State
your business with me,¡± Hayashi stated, as pleasantly as if he was asking for the
time of the day. ¡°You see, I¡¯m rather busy and have to be on my way soon.¡±
¡°Feh.
Busy? You¡¯ve been wondering around aimlessly for days, Samurai-san,¡± another
masked man scoffed. ¡°Too wealthy for your own good, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you have
anything better to do?¡±
¡°Look
at his clothes,¡± a third man stated. ¡°Pure silk. It¡¯ll sell for quite a sum in
the market. So will his sword. Let¡¯s strip him.¡±
¡°Is
he wearing a sword?¡± the fourth man asked.
¡°Probably
it¡¯s hidden under his haori. Who cares? Samurais don¡¯t know how to wield
swords anymore—it¡¯s there for accessory and status enforcement. Look at him—do
you think he will lift a finger on his own? There¡¯s a complete pushover
standing there. Pathetic fool.¡± The fifth man smirked, cracking his neck. ¡°It¡¯ll
be fun taking him down.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t
act rashly,¡± said the sixth, their leader. ¡°Remember our boss wants him alive.¡±
¡°Boring,¡±
said the fifth man. ¡°Well, shall we start?¡± He leaped down from his branch to
where Hayashi was standing. ¡°Draw your sword and get it over with.¡±
¡°Six
on one man,¡± Hayashi commented. ¡°That¡¯s quite overwhelming, isn¡¯t it?¡±
¡°I
could easily take you down on my own, but our boss sent us out in a group,¡± the
masked man replied.
¡°And
what does your boss want from me?¡± Hayashi asked mildly. The sky was crimson
now and birds were chirping their last songs of the day.
¡°Like
we would know,¡± the leader of the group said. ¡°It¡¯s not our position to ask,
but to obey.¡±
¡°I
see,¡± Hayashi replied. ¡°Then there is no reason for us to fight.¡±
¡°Heh,
coward. Of course, it¡¯ll save us some trouble if you follow us obediently,¡± the
first man spoke. ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯ll take you down by force.¡±
¡°That
doesn¡¯t seem too pleasant,¡± Hayashi said, chuckling.
¡°Doesn¡¯t
it?¡± another brawny masked man asked, swinging his axe.
Stepping
back, Hayashi asked, ¡°So why don¡¯t we¡¦ negotiate in a peaceful manner?¡±
¡°Negotiate?¡±
the axe-wielding man asked. To his comrades, he asked, ¡°Did I hear right? Did
he just say negotiate?¡± The other five burst out laughing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry,
Samurai-san, but the word negotiate is not within our vocabulary, let
alone peaceful.¡±
¡°Now
stop stalling for time and fight, us,¡± growled the leader. ¡°Or else we¡¯ll take
it that you surrender.¡±
¡°What
if I refuse to surrender?¡± Hayashi questioned. His stomach rumbled. Thinking
about it, it was dinnertime. Mayura was an excellent cook. Maybe he should have
stayed at the temple a little longer.
¡°Ha,
do you expect us to negotiate with you then?¡± another masked man asked.
¡°No?¡±
Hayashi blinked. ¡°That¡¯s a pity. I guess I¡¯ll have to take my other option
then.¡±
Crossing
his arms, the leader demanded, ¡°What, are you planning to run then? No such
chance.¡±
Hayashi
smiled. ¡°How did you guess? Then, if you please.¡± Hayashi bowed his head and
then took off at the speed of wind.
¡°What?
He really ran off! What are you guys doing? Catch him!¡±
It
was too late. The samurai had already disappeared into the woods. If good at nothing
else, he was quick at running away.
¡°We
were caught off guard,¡± the leader said, shaking his head. ¡°What an
embarrassment.¡±
¡°What
an idiotic boy, thinking he can run from us,¡± another masked man said.
¡°He¡¯s
pretty quick though, to be able to run from us,¡± said the third, who returned
panting. ¡°Couldn¡¯t follow his movement with my eyes—and poof. He disappeared.¡±
¡°Well,
despite how stupid he looks, that¡¯s no ordinary man,¡± said the leader. ¡°We went
too easy on him.¡±
¡°Whew,
I think they lost track of me,¡± Hayashi sighed in relief, fanning himself with
a bamboo fan. ¡°Persistent guys. Well then, the run has made me quite hungry.
Let¡¯s see¡¦ there must be somewhere to eat.¡±
¡°Hayashi-kun!
It¡¯s Hayashi-kun, isn¡¯t it?¡± a loud voice called out.
Hayashi¡¯s
green eyes widened and he walked ahead faster. A man chased up after him and
gripped him tightly on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t even think of running away,
Hayashi-kun. You thought I wouldn¡¯t recognize you just because I¡¯m drunk, didn¡¯t
you?¡± He hiccupped.
Beads
of perspiration rolling down his forehead, Hayashi slowly turned around. ¡°M-mizuki-sama.
I wouldn¡¯t have expected you to be at a place like this.¡±
¡°I
wouldn¡¯t have expected you to be here in
Soon,
they were seated at a restaurant and the priest was dowsing in sake.
¡°Err¡¦
Mizuki-sama.¡± Hayashi gulped as the priest slammed his cup down, demanding for
more drink.
¡°What?
I can¡¯t drink because I¡¯m a priest?¡± He sighed, red in face. ¡°My daughter, my
poor daughter. How could I have sent her away, my precious daughter?¡±
And
so, Hayashi learned that Mayura was heading towards a temple in Eitoukou, all
on her own. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she¡¯ll manage fine one her own,¡± he reassured. ¡°After
all, she¡¯s Mayura.¡±
¡°You
become a father and say that,¡± the priest gulped down another drink. His eyes
glinted as he stared at Hayashi. ¡°You were trying to run away from me earlier,
weren¡¯t you, boy?¡±
¡°Of
course not!¡± Hayashi denied quickly.
¡°I
know you, Hayashi-kun. You left the temple before I returned home, and you
tried to run away again tonight. You haven¡¯t changed a bit—just grew a bit
taller, that¡¯s all. Heh, children grow so fast. I can¡¯t even whip you anymore,
like I did when you were a wee little thing. You¡¯re too big now.¡±
Swallowing
hard at unpleasant memories, Hayashi said, ¡°You¡¯re the same as ever,
Mizuki-sama.¡±
¡°Ah,
my dear Mayura. Is she safe?¡± the priest began sobbing again. ¡°For fifteen
years, she has never left home.¡±
¡°Here,
have another drink,¡± Hayashi said, pouring the priest another cupful. Probably
this man had scolded him in his childhood more than his real father. Whipped
him, lectured him and laughed with him. Like a real father.
¡°I¡¯ll
pour you a drink, Hayashi—you¡¯re a big boy now. Drink up,¡± the priest said.
¡°No
thank you,¡± Hayashi said, smiling. ¡°I don¡¯t drink.¡±
¡°And
you call yourself a true samurai?¡± the priest snorted. ¡°Impertinence.¡± He
reached for the bottle.
Taking
the bottle from the priest¡¯s hands, Hayashi shook his head. ¡°You¡¯ve had enough tonight,
Mizuki-sama. Mayura will get mad if she hears that you¡¯ve been drinking again.¡±
¡°That¡¯s
right,¡± the priest said. ¡°Mayura will be angry if she finds out. I haven¡¯t
touched alcohol since her mother died.¡±
¡°Here
now. I¡¯ll take you back to the temple—Keigo-kun will be worried,¡± Hayashi said,
supporting the priest¡¯s weight on his shoulders and helping him up.
¡°You¡¯re
a good boy, Hayashi-kun,¡± the priest muttered. ¡°You¡¯ve grown well.¡± Then he
passed out.
******
Hot
and irritated, Landon Reed leaned back on the couch in a western-style
furnished room in the middle of a thriving Eastern city. It had been several
months since he had left
¡°
¡°Don¡¯t
act so surprised, Edward,¡± Landon replied, yawning. ¡°I¡¯ve been in
¡°Lan,
be serious,¡± Edward said, loosening his collar button. ¡°You can¡¯t go to
¡°I¡¯m
going to
Though
he had been friends with Landon only for the past few months as fellow
Englishmen in a foreign country, Edward already knew Landon Reed¡¯s famed
obstinacy and tendency to carry out whatever he said he would do. Who could
convince Landon otherwise? ¡°How are you going to get there? They don¡¯t have
passenger ships to
Smiling
slyly at his friend, Landon replied, ¡°You¡¯re a merchant, Ed. You can manage
finding a way to get me there—specifically
¡°Even
so, you known that
Eyes
narrowed, Landon stated, ¡°I know you¡¯re involved in black-market trading
between
Sighing,
Edward knew he was beaten. Though at first glance, Landon carried the
appearance of a spoiled and thoughtless aristocrat, Edward was constantly
shocked by the surprising cleverness and shrewdness behind those droopy
disinterested blue eyes, when Landon did have something up his sleeves. After
all, Landon was already fluent in Chinese, while Edward, who had resided in
¡°You
do owe me big time,¡± Landon continued, sipping red wine imported from
¡°Okay,
okay, I get your point,¡± Edward said, raising his hands in surrender. ¡°I¡¯ll
help you out, okay? Give me a week.¡±
¡°Thank
you Edward.¡± Landon smiled at his friend. Even his smile was frightening to
Edward, because the younger man was as hard as the Sphinx and as unyielding as
a mountain. ¡°I appreciate your help.¡±
Exactly
a week, later, as Edward had promised, Landon was introduced to a captain of a
merchant ship, which had illegal trading arrangements between
¡°Well
then, Landon Reed,¡± Edward said on the
Landon
laughed, clapping his older friend on the back. ¡°Thanks Ed, for everything.¡±
Shaking
his head, Edward said, ¡°I do owe you, Lan, for you¡¯ve saved my neck more than
once. I won¡¯t forget you—you¡¯re the best bargainer I have ever met. You¡¯ll be a
great loss to me. To tell you the truth, I might not have liked you so much if
we met on different boats.¡± Edward stared at his friend fondly—despite his
crassness and manipulative ways, Landon was of a good sort, rare even back in
his homeland. ¡°Say, I¡¯ve always been meaning to ask you, Landon. Since it
really doesn¡¯t matter here in the East, you can tell me truthfully.¡±
¡°What
now?¡± Landon asked, eyes slanted.
¡°Your
true identity. Are you an escaped convict?¡± Edward blurted out loud. ¡°Or maybe
an exiled general being hunted down by the Royal Army? Or just a black-listed
pirate?¡±
Chuckling,
Landon replied, ¡°No, nothing as exciting as that.¡±
¡°Then
an espionage agent of Her Royal Majesty?¡± Edward gulped.
¡°I
told you I¡¯m not that interesting of a person,¡± Landon said, waving his hand
dismissively as he boarded the ship anchored on the harbor.
¡°Then
what exactly are you, Landon Reed?¡± Edward stared hard at Landon¡¯s back, long
golden hair blowing back in the wind.
¡°Just the good-for-nothing second son of
Lord Clarence Reed,¡± he replied dismissively, before disappearing into his
cabin in the ship.
Edward
stood on the dock, still gaping at his friend. Landon was a noble, a real,
pureblood nobleman! He knew it! But what in the world was a true aristocrat
doing in the Eastern shores?
¡°Well,
everything is set,¡± Li Shenji said, setting down his cousin Shulin¡¯s trunk on
the dock. ¡°Are you ready?¡±
Li
Shulin nodded. She could barely speak. Finally the day of her departure to
¡°You
remember everything the Great Elder told you, right?¡± Shenji asked, patting
Shulin¡¯s back. ¡°The Great Elder believes in you. So do I. You are going to come
back and become the Chosen One, okay?¡±
Again,
Shulin nodded. Though she wanted to be brave in front of her cousin, her knees
were trembling against her will.
Sighing,
Shenji said, ¡°I wish you didn¡¯t have to travel alone. There will be servants
arranged to wait on you once you reach
¡°You
don¡¯t have to force yourself to go if you are too scared,¡± a sweetly malicious
voice came from behind them.
¡°Yinlin.
What are you doing here?¡± Shulin demanded. Li Yinlin, a year older than
herself, considered Shulin her greatest rival, though she had no interest in
combat or becoming the Chosen One. Considering herself the Clan beauty, Yinlin
felt threatened by her female cousin, though Shulin cared little about anything
except training.
¡°I
had to buy some goods at the marketplace, and I thought I might bid my favorite
cousin farewell,¡± Yinlin said, smiling innocently. ¡°My, don¡¯t tell me you will
be riding that ship over there? How can you bear it? It looks awfully cramped.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
a merchant ship, not a passenger ship,¡± Shulin replied coolly. ¡°And who said I¡¯m
scared? Surviving a boat ride is nothing compared to what I need to do once I
reach
¡°Of
course,¡± Yinlin said snidely. ¡°You have some crazy notion in your head that you
can actually become the Chosen One. As if the Elders will pick a mere girl like
you to become the Clan Representative.¡±
Blinking
prettily, Shulin replied, ¡°Well the governor¡¯s son is a pig and a fool. You can
have him, dear Yinlin. I¡¯m going to become famous by my own right, not by my
husband¡¯s name.¡±
Turning
purple, Yinlin declared, fanning herself with a delicately painted silk fan. ¡°I
don¡¯t see how you can slave away in the sun like that day after day. Your
complexion will be ruined, and your figure will become as stout as a man¡¯s. And
look at your hands! Are those lady¡¯s hands?¡±
Ashamed,
Shulin stared down at her bandaged hands. Scowling, she stated, ¡°Well, I won¡¯t
live to please any man. I will live for myself.¡±
¡°That¡¯s
what you want to believe,¡± Yinlin retorted. ¡°You¡¯ll probably scar your face for
life during one of your combats, and no one will want you then. That is, if
you can stay alive through the Test of the Chosen One.¡±
¡°I—¡°
Shulin was cut off.
¡°Shulin,
Yinlin. Stop it the both of you,¡± Shenji interrupted, stepping in between the
two vicious girls. ¡°Shulin, the boat will depart soon. Board now, and I¡¯ll get
one of the sailors to load your luggage. Yinlin, you skipped calligraphy lesson
again, didn¡¯t you? This is the third time in a month.¡±
¡°You
always take Shulin¡¯s side,¡± Yinlin grumbled.
¡°Thanks
Shenji, for coming to see me off, even though you¡¯re busy,¡± Shulin said, giving
her favorite cousin a tight hug.
Stroking
Shulin¡¯s glossy black hair, Shenji said, ¡°You better finish your mission and
come back quickly. Or else I¡¯m going to become the Chosen One in your stead.¡±
¡°No
way! I¡¯ll come back!¡± Shulin replied, smiling.
¡°Do,
I don¡¯t want to become the Chosen One.¡± Shenji grinned.
Glancing
at Yinlin, Shulin said brusquely, ¡°Good bye, Yinlin. I¡¯m sure you¡¯re glad to
see me off. But I¡¯m sorry, I can¡¯t do you the pleasure of sinking to the bottom
of the ocean, because I swear I¡¯ll return, victorious.¡±
¡°Humph.¡±
Crossing her arms, Yinlin looked away. How could her cousin be excited about
leaving the country and going somewhere far away where unknown dangers awaited?
Then again, she had very little similarities with Shulin, though they had grown
up together.
Having
boarded the ship, Shulin turned to face the harbor. The ship had lifted anchor
and was slowly drifting away. Shulin waved frantically to Shenji. ¡°Good bye!
Wish me luck!¡±
¡°Do
your best, Li Shulin!¡± Shenji called out. ¡°I¡¯ll look after the Clan while you¡¯re
gone.¡±
Still
pouting, Yinlin stared at the departing ship. Having a change in heart, she
frantically ran up to the end of the dock, shouting, ¡°Li Shulin! You better
return home safely! We¡¯ll see who marries the greater man then! If you don¡¯t
return, I¡¯ll take it that you admit defeat!¡±
¡°Bye
Cousin Yinlin!¡± Shulin waved. ¡°Don¡¯t spend too much time brushing your hair or
else you¡¯ll become bald!¡±
¡°Bye
Shulin! Don¡¯t be killed by those crazy Japanese samurais!¡± Yinlin called out in
return.
Smiling
wistfully, Shulin watched her two cousins fade away into the distance as the
ship cut across the ocean, heading towards the Land of the Rising Sun.
¡°Strange
girl,¡± Landon muttered to himself, watching the queer Chinese girl crouched on
one end of the ship deck, head buried in her knees. He hadn¡¯t expected company
on this trip, especially not some girl who seemed to be around ten or so. Was
she a stowaway? What was she doing on a boat to
Finally
having noticed another presence nearby, Shulin looked up alert, greeted by the
sight of a tall, formidable foreigner with long golden hair tied back with a
ribbon as blue as the ocean and his eyes. Like the angels in the rare European
paintings she had seen. How long had he been standing there? Ashamed to have
been caught off guard, she glared at the passenger.
Though
Landon had met many women both in the West and the East, at that moment he was
mesmerized by the angry girl¡¯s face, for he had never seen such a vivid and
fiery expression before. The girl¡¯s undaunted amber eyes blazed in the sunlight
and her long shiny dark hair, sections of it braided and pinned up elaborately
and the rest blowing out freely in the wind like black silk, accented a
perfectly formed face, an unforgettable face.
¡°Who
are you? What do you want?¡± she demanded in Chinese. Then she slowly stood up,
still glaring at him again.
That¡¯s
right, she doesn¡¯t think I can understand her, that I¡¯m a stupid foreigner. Landon realized. He smiled,
grasping he had found a source of amusement on a voyage he had anticipated to
be dreary.
Carefully
putting distance between herself and the foreigner, Shulin observed the fair
man from head to toe. He was a Westerner, and apparently a wealthy one judging
by the quality of the clothes he wore. Yet what was he doing on a boat to
The
ship rocked back and forth. Shulin stumbled forward and leaned against the
railing. If only she could decide if this man was an enemy or just a random
passenger. It didn¡¯t help that her stomach churned, and she felt nauseous. What
was this sickening sensation? She couldn¡¯t think straight. One of the Great
Elder¡¯s first lessons was to trust no one and never let down your guard. And
never let your foe see a weakness. Gripping the railing tightly till her
knuckles turned white, Shulin continued to stare at the golden-haired man,
waiting for him to make the first move.
¡°I¡¯m
no one of your concern,¡± Landon replied in English, knowing it would aggravate
the girl. Strange, the girl was having trouble standing straight. Her face was
rather pale and eyes dilated. Was she that intimidated by him?
What
was the man saying in his foreign tongue? It didn¡¯t sound like his name and
occupation. Shulin took a deep breath, trying to gulp down her desire to vomit.
Even though he wouldn¡¯t understand him, she said in a strained voice, ¡°Please
leave me alone, and I won¡¯t bother you through this voyage.¡±
Landon
grinned. I see now. The girl is seasick! How unsightly with her rash temper.
Why
was the foreigner laughing at her? Shulin did not like him one bit, for she did
not know what he was thinking with that haughty expression of his. And why did
the boat rock so? If she could, she would go into the cabin, but she felt as if
she would pass out if she moved from the spot.
She¡¯s
miserable. I guess she¡¯s never been on a boat before. I think she¡¯s embarrassed
too. What a proud thing, still glaring at me even though she¡¯s so sick. She
clearly wants me to go away. ¡°No thank you,¡± Landon drawled in English in his
best imitation of Laurence. ¡°I think I¡¯ll torment you a little more.¡±
Though
she did not understand what he was saying, he was clearly mocking her. Shulin¡¯s
hands inched towards her sword hilt. Then she sighed again. It was her policy
not to fight those weaker than her. ¡°Ignorant foreigner thinks he can get the
best of me,¡± she muttered underneath her breath. ¡°He should be thankful than I
am so benevolent. What does he think he is? He probably thinks there¡¯s gold in
A
sailor carrying a rope stopped to call out to Shulin and Landon, ¡°You two, get
in your cabins! There¡¯s a big storm coming up! Stay there until it¡¯s over; it¡¯s
not safe up on the deck!¡± He hurried off to the galley, where all hands were
needed.
Still
gripping the railings, Shulin held on desperately as the ships tilted
dangerously forward.
Retaining
his balance, Landon wondered why the girl wasn¡¯t moving. Was she so terrified?
Or was she too sick to move? The raindrops came down harder now, and it was
hard to see in front of him. Yet, he couldn¡¯t leave the girl and go inside by
himself.
¡°Let¡¯s
go inside,¡± he said, switching to Chinese.
Shulin
shook her head, not even noticing that the stranger was speaking her native
tongue to her.
¡°What
a stubborn little thing,¡± Landon muttered, grabbing Shulin¡¯s arms.
¡°What
are you doing?¡± she demanded, clutching the railings.
¡°Just
come here. It¡¯s not safe on the deck with a sea storm like this. You¡¯re so
small, you¡¯ll be blown right off into the ocean, with no one to save you except
me. And that will be a problem and inconvenience on my part.¡± With the greatest
ease, he picked her up and flung her over his shoulders and carried her back to
his cabin.
¡°Let
go of me!¡± she screamed in indignation, kicking at Landon¡¯s back, but he
retained his balance until he reached his cabin and set her on the bed. They
were both soaking wet by this time and the ocean was more tumultuous than
before.
Teeth
chattering and drenched black hair in her eyes, Shulin stared venomously at
Landon who was wringing out his sleeves. The girl looked even more miserable
before, and Landon couldn¡¯t help but laugh out loud.
¡°What
are you laughing at, you barbaric, conceited pig?¡± Shulin sneezed. Her stomach
felt worse than before. Why did she have to get sick at this moment? ¡°I¡¯m¡¦
going to throw up.¡±
¡°Not
in here!¡± Landon exclaimed.
¡°I
can¡¯t help it,¡± Shulin groaned. ¡°I can¡¯t hold it down.¡±
¡°Well,
go out and vomit on the deck then,¡± Landon said, crossing his arms.
Tottering,
Shulin headed towards the cabin door. She was absolutely green in the face.
¡°Where
do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Landon demanded, alarmed. Surely the girl wasn¡¯t
planning to go out in the ferocious storm again? ¡°Sit down.¡±
¡°I¡¯m
really¡¦ going to be sick,¡± Shulin gasped.
¡°I
know. Sit down, okay? You¡¯re seasick, aren¡¯t you?¡± Landon asked, more kindly
than before. He handed her a glass of water. ¡°Here, drink some water. And take
these pills.¡±
¡°What
are these?¡± Shulin stared at the white pills; she hadn¡¯t yet noticed that she
could understand what Landon was saying now. ¡°You¡¯re trying to poison me, aren¡¯t
you?¡±
¡°Poisoning
is too kind a method of killing,¡± Landon replied impatiently. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t
bother saving you from a storm at the risk of being kicked black and blue, only
to poison you would I? Now swallow it; you¡¯ll feel better.¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t take any medicine except that prescribed by the Clan Healer,¡± Shulin said
sullenly.
¡°Well,
you have no choice, do you?¡± Landon asked, his patience at an end. ¡°Trust me,
Western physicians know what they¡¯re doing.¡±
At
this point, Shulin was too sick to even care. She gulped down the pills with
water. At that moment, the ship lurched and she dropped the glass on the floor
with a clash. All the lanterns in the cabin blew out.
¡°Great,¡±
Landon muttered. ¡°The lights are out and there are glass pieces all over the
floor. What an idiot of a girl.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
not my fault!¡± Shulin retorted. Maybe she was feeling a little better from the
medicine for there was more fire in her voice than before.
¡°I
hope you aren¡¯t scared of the dark,¡± Landon said. ¡°Most girls are, and we¡¯ll be
stuck here for a while.¡±
¡°Why
should I be afraid of the dark?¡± Shulin demanded. ¡°There¡¯s nothing I¡¯m scared
of, so there. I bet you¡¯re scared of the dark.¡±
¡°Maybe
I should have poisoned her after all,¡± Landon muttered. This girl was really
nothing like he had ever seen. He recalled Katherine. What would she do in this
situation? She would cry and cling to his arms. Not that he would have minded.
That¡¯s what girls were supposed to do. Let men protect them and cherish them.
But not this Chinese brat.
They
sat in the stuff silence of the dark cabin for what seemed like hours as the
storm raged on outside.
¡°Hey
you,¡± Landon said, at the brink of boredom. ¡°What are you going to Japan for?¡±
¡°To
complete my mission,¡± Shulin replied. She was feeling a lot better now; if only
she had a change of clothes, she would be fine. Still, she hoped that the
blue-eyed man didn¡¯t mind she was dripping water all over his sheets.
¡°Mission?¡±
Landon repeated. What does the girl think she is? Some kind of government
emissary? ¡°How old are you kid?¡±
¡°I¡¯m
not a kid. I¡¯m thirteen,¡± Shulin replied, scowling in dark.
¡°No
way. You look eleven at the most,¡± Landon said. ¡°Where I come from, young women
are like this.¡± He made an hourglass motion with his hands, not that Shulin
could see in the pitch-blackness.
¡°So
why don¡¯t you back where you¡¯re from then,¡± Shulin said, figuring that Landon
was definitely not complimenting her.
¡°Nay,
I have business in Japan,¡± Landon replied.
¡°Oh.¡±
Didn¡¯t
the girl have any curiosity in her? She didn¡¯t ask him what his business in
Japan was, nor did she seem to care. ¡°Aren¡¯t you scared, traveling alone to a
new country?¡±
¡°Not
particularly,¡± Shulin replied. ¡°Why, are you scared?¡±
¡°No!¡±
Landon retorted. What was wrong with this girl? He had never met anything like her
before. ¡°I guess that sword you carry isn¡¯t just an ornament.¡±
¡°Do
you want me to demonstrate?¡± Shulin asked. ¡°I can slice the bedpost in half in
the dark, though you probably won¡¯t be able to see it.¡±
¡°That¡¯s
all right,¡± Landon said, sweat-dropping. She was quite an intimidating girl
despite her age. Really, it was a lot more fun watching her seasick.
¡°By
the way,¡± Shulin began, grudgingly. ¡°Thanks for the medicine. It was quite
effective.¡±
¡°Eh?
Oh, no problem. I just didn¡¯t want you to vomit in my cabin,¡± Landon replied.
¡°And
how did you end up on this ship anyway?¡± Shulin asked.
¡°What
about you?¡±
¡°This
is my family¡¯s ship,¡± Shulin replied coolly.
¡°Oh?¡±
Landon blinked. So this girl was pretty rich. What would a girl from a wealthy
family be doing on such a journey? Then again, what would an English gentleman
be doing in the middle of the ocean in the East in a black-market merchant
ship?
¡°Who
are you?¡± Shulin demanded. ¡°Are you a spy? Or are you related to the Elders in
any way?¡±
¡°Spy?
Who¡¯s a spy?¡± Landon blinked again. Why did everyone presume that he was up to
no good? Was it the way he wore his hair?
¡°I
don¡¯t know. Maybe you¡¯re from a rival clan. Or gathering information for the
British Empire.¡± Shulin sighed. How troublesome. ¡°Then does the name ¡®Li¡¯ ring
a familiar bell to you?¡¯
¡°No,¡±
Landon said flatly.
¡°I
don¡¯t believe you,¡± Shulin retorted. ¡°There wasn¡¯t any arrangement for another
passenger to be on this ship. This was a secret mission. It can¡¯t be just
coincidence that you are here. Someone must have sent you. Who was it, answer
me!¡±
¡°Eh,
I guess you are a pretty important person if you deserve such attention,¡±
Landon said. He grinned evilly. ¡°Say, this great family of yours with pay a
handsome sum of money for their precious little daughter to come home safely
from a treacherous sea journey, won¡¯t they?¡±
¡°Are
you threatening me?¡± Shulin demanded.
¡°Maybe,¡±
Landon replied blandly. ¡°I could be a kidnapper or a serial killer for all you
know.¡±
Darkly,
Shulin said, ¡°I could be an assassin for all you know.¡±
Landon
coughed. ¡°Eh? Surely not.¡± Then again, Easterners had strange notions and
customs, one never knew.
¡°Besides,
it doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Shulin smiled wistfully. ¡°If I don¡¯t return alive, it¡¯s a
sign that I am not worthy of becoming the Chosen One. They won¡¯t save me. I¡¯m
the only one who can save myself. So, I¡¯m not afraid. I¡¯ll prove to them that I
am worthy; I will complete my mission. And I won¡¯t let any obstacles block my
way.¡±
¡°Heh,
such confidence from a helpless girl who get seasick so easily and couldn¡¯t
move from the decks because she was too scared,¡± Landon said mockingly.
¡°That¡¯s
not true!¡± Shulin retorted, standing up. ¡°I—¡°
¡°Do
as you please. For your information, I am neither a kidnapper nor a serial
killer, and I don¡¯t need money either.¡± Landon grinned. ¡°I¡¯m just proving my
way, also, though in a different manner. You have people who expect something
from you. Well, no one expects anything from me.¡±
¡°I
knew you weren¡¯t that impressive of a person in the first place,¡± Shulin
scoffed. ¡°All boast and little substance.¡±
¡°Why,
you—¡° Landon pointed his finger helplessly in the dark. Not that they could
even see each other.
¡°By
the way,¡± Shulin began, puzzled as a new thought struck her after she had
finally regained composure. ¡°You speak Chinese?¡±
¡°Are
you stupid? How do you think we¡¯ve been conversing till now?¡± Landon smirked. ¡°You
certainly don¡¯t speak English.¡±
¡°Then¡¦
you understood everything I said in the beginning?¡± Shulin continued slowly.
¡°Eh?¡±
Landon laughed nervously. ¡°You can say that.¡±
Shulin
scowled. ¡°I see now. You were making fun of me then.¡±
¡°Maybe,¡±
Landon replied carelessly.
¡°Another
thing. I¡¯m sorry to say,¡± Shulin said extra-sweetly. Her blood was boiling by
now. Horrible man! How dare he mock her? ¡°But I wasn¡¯t lying. I am actually
trained to be an assassin.¡±
Landon
turned pale and gulped. She didn¡¯t seem to be pulling his leg.
¡°But
I¡¯ve never killed anyone and don¡¯t plan to unless duty calls,¡± Shulin
continued. ¡°So you don¡¯t have to be scared.¡±
¡°W-why
would I be scared of a kid like you?¡± Landon demanded. This was no ordinary
girl.
¡°That¡¯s
a relief,¡± Shulin said. ¡°I thought your blood temperature dropped considerably
just now. I can sense those kind of things, you know.¡±
¡°I
can¡¯t wait till I get off this boat,¡± Landon muttered, reverting back to
English. ¡°I can¡¯t stand this girl.¡±
¡°Look,
I can see land!¡± Shulin exclaimed, leaning over the boat rails at the starboard
deck, the head of the ship. It was the break of dawn and both the sea and sky
were a deep crimson as the sun began to rise. ¡°We¡¯re finally here!¡± Her long
hair whipped back and her eyes were radiant. This is it. I¡¯m here. No more
hesitating!
Stepping
up from his cabin, yawning, Landon walked up beside the Chinese girl. Finally.
The long sea voyage was over after a rocky beginning. After the storm incident,
the two passengers had avoided each other when they could, but sometimes
exchanged words out of sheer boredom. They maintained a stormy relationship,
only bearing each others¡¯ company due to confined space and lack of other
entertainment. They still hadn¡¯t exchanged names, though by now, Landon had
figured out that this girl¡¯s name was Shulin, since that was what the crew and
Captain addressed her in a respectful tone. It was a pretty name with a soft
tone to it, unlike her fiery disposition.
Closing
her eyes and breathing in the salty, tangy sea air, Shulin recollected the
Great Elder¡¯s words in the Great Hall. ¡°Li Shulin, to prove your strength to
our Clan, your first test as the Chosen One candidate is to find the greatest
swordsman in Japan and bring back his sword in sign that you have defeated him.
Prove that you are the greatest in the East to become the Chosen One.¡±
¡°It¡¯s
a simple task,¡± Shulin said, stretching out her hand toward the horizon, then
making a tight fist. ¡°I¡¯ll defeat him, no doubt. No swordsman will stop me, so
beware, Greatest Swordsman of Japan! I¡¯ll become the Chosen One so just wait, I¡¯m
coming!¡±
Sighing,
Landon muttered, ¡°What in the world is that girl talking about? Hey, don¡¯t lean
over so far! You¡¯ll fall overboard.¡±
¡°We¡¯re
reaching the harbor!¡± Shulin exclaimed, heedless. ¡°Edo Bay. Look!¡±
The
Eastern Islands were lit by the morning glow, and Landon stepped up to catch
full view also. His blue eyes rounded and for once Shulin and he were in concordance.
In awe, he murmured, ¡°So this is the Land of the Rising Sun.¡±
******
Though
leaving home had been a sudden decision, Mizuki Mayura now had plenty of time
to reflect over what awaited her in the future. She had been on the road for
several days, and the furthest away from home ever. Truthfully, she had little
sense of direction, since had never traveled beyond
She
heard a rustling in the bushes. Her gray eyes narrowed and automatically, she
reached for an arrow. ¡°Who¡¯s there?¡± she demanded, without a tremor in her
voice—it was dangerous in the woods, she knew, especially for a young woman.
She must not let down her guard. Without waiting, she shot her arrow off. Then,
she waited for the sound of her pray falling. Strange, there was no reaction—she
never missed a target.
¡°That¡¯s
quite dangerous, miko-sama,¡± said Hayashi, walking up from behind the tree, an
arrow neatly caught between his forefinger and middle finger. His emerald eyes
were twinkling, nonetheless. ¡°You almost shot me, right through my throat.¡±
¡°What
are you doing here?¡± Mayura demanded, half in dismay at almost having shot a
friend, half in relief. ¡°You¡¯re always catching me by surprise, aren¡¯t you? I
thought you were back in
¡°I
met your father back in
Raising
an eyebrow, Mayura asked, ¡°Do you seriously think I need any sort of
protection?¡±
¡°Of
course not; quite the contrary,¡± Hayashi replied, smiling. ¡°But at least it
reassured your heart-broken father. And anyway, I heard you were on your way to
Eitoukou. I think I failed to tell you before. Our family summer estate is in
Eitoukou.¡±
¡°What
a coincidence!¡± Mayura exclaimed.
¡°Do
you think it¡¯s a coincidence?¡± Hayashi yawned. ¡°Anyway, now I have someone to
protect me on this journey.¡±
¡°How
did you find me, anyway?¡± Mayura asked. Till this day, she could not understand
the thought process of her childhood friend.
¡°I
have a knack for those kinds of things,¡± Hayashi replied. ¡°By the way, I wasn¡¯t
kidding about needing someone to protect me.¡± He lowered his voice. ¡°Six to the
right. Four more to the left. Ten in total—there might be some reinforcement
nearby as well.¡±
¡°What?¡±
Mayura narrowed her steel gray eyes, drawing out an arrow. ¡°That many? What
have you been doing this time around, Hayashi-kun?¡±
¡°Nothing!¡±
Hayashi replied. ¡°Besides, only six of them are after me—the other four are
different.¡±
¡°Different?¡±
Mayura repeated.
¡°They¡¯re
after you—and they¡¯re trained assassins. I can tell by their evil ki.
The ones after me are only third-rate.¡± Hayashi smiled. ¡°I leave it in your
hands, miko-sama—now I think I¡¯ll step back.¡±
¡°Hey,
didn¡¯t you promise outo-sama that you¡¯ll protect me?¡± Mayura demanded. ¡°And why
are there assassins after me?¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t know,¡± Hayashi replied. ¡°Are you carrying the Mirror of the Truth in your
pack?¡±
Mayura
glanced at the package bundled on top of the mare¡¯s back. ¡°Yes.¡±
¡°That
explains it,¡± Hayashi said, voice barely above a whisper. ¡°They¡¯re approaching.¡±
¡°I
know,¡± Mayura said, having already shot off a first arrow. There was a thud and
someone fell to the ground.
¡°Wonderful
shot!¡± Hayashi clapped. ¡°Clean, swift and precise!¡±
¡°Stay
silent if you¡¯re not going to help,¡± Mayura said coldly, another arrow already
stringed to her bow.
¡°Heh,
nobody told us the miko-sama is skilled in kyujutsu,¡± one of the
assassins, dressed in maroon, stated, coming out of his hiding place, plucking
an arrow out of his arm. Three others, also in maroon, appeared.
¡°Who¡¯s
that girl?¡± a masked man demanded to his other five teammates, the ones that
Hayashi had encountered earlier that week, from the other side of the
maroon-clothed assassins. ¡°When did that good-for-nothing Samurai-san get a
bodyguard?¡±
¡°She¡¯s
not my bodyguard,¡± Hayashi said meekly. Mayura stepping away from Hayashi, who
was using her as cover.
¡°Well,
we¡¯ll take both of them down,¡± the masked man with the axe stated.
¡°Wait
a minute; the girl¡¯s ours,¡± the assassin in red stated. ¡°You can¡¯t touch her.¡±
¡°Who
are you guys?¡± the leaders of the masked men demanded. ¡°Don¡¯t interrupt our
project.¡±
¡°Same
goes to you guys,¡± the leader of the men in maroon stated. ¡°We don¡¯t have time
to waste with the likes of you.¡±
The
masked men hissed. ¡°Let¡¯s take them
down as well!¡±
¡°Calm
down,¡± their leader said. ¡°We¡¯ll deal with them later.¡± He narrowed his eyes
and stared at Hayashi again. ¡°Don¡¯t think of escaping again.¡± Deftly, he threw
out a hidden dagger.
Without
blinking an eye, Hayashi dodged. Several more flew his direction, and he dodged
them all.
¡°You
can¡¯t continue to escape forever,¡± the leader stated. ¡°Best you surrender, or
the lady with be in danger.¡±
¡°I
don¡¯t think so,¡± Mayura stated, shooting at the masked man.
Barely
dodging, the masked leader scowled. ¡°Aren¡¯t you ashamed to have a woman protect
you, Samurai-san?¡±
¡°That¡¯s
true, Hayashi,¡± Mayura said dryly. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go take down those men
instead of leaving everything to me?¡±
¡°But
you¡¯re better at long-distance fighting than I am,¡± Hayashi replied, stepping
aside as another dagger hurdled his way.
¡°Stop
with your feeble excuses!¡± the axe-man shouted, hurling his axe at the two.
¡°Watch
out!¡± Hayashi grabbed Mayura and ducked, his body covering Mayura¡¯s. The axe
swooped over their heads and embedded itself in the tree trunk behind them. ¡°Are
you okay, Mayura?¡±
¡°I¡¯m
fine,¡± Mayura panted. A round, crystal-like jewel on a golden chain had escaped
from underneath Hayashi¡¯s kimono and glimmered on his chest, like a star
trapped within a glass ball. Though she had heard of it, she had never seen it
before.
¡°Eh,
what¡¯s that?¡± one of the masked men demanded. ¡°It looks quite pricey—it¡¯ll sell
well with the rest of his clothes.¡±
¡°Boss,
isn¡¯t that...¡± the assassin in maroon trailed off.
¡°The
Dragon¡¯s Eye,¡± the second assassin finished, staring at the un-faceted diamond
jewel. ¡°That must mean that man is¡¦¡±
¡°Surely
not,¡± said the first.
¡°He
must be. Amamiya Hayashi of the Third Eye,¡± the boss of the men in maroon
gulped.
¡°Huh,
who¡¯s that?¡± a masked man demanded.
¡°Surely
even idiots such as yourselves have heard of the Dragon¡¯s Eye and the one who
carries it,¡± the assassin replied.
¡°Wait,
I think I heard of it before,¡± the masked man stroked his chin. Then he
blinked. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me that blathering fool is that Amamiya
Hayashi-sama. I thought it was all stories.¡±
¡°Heh,
comes a day when a swordsman doesn¡¯t wield a sword and hides behind the back of
a woman,¡± said another masked man. ¡°I refuse to believe he is that Samurai of the
Dragon¡¯s Eye.¡±
¡°Fool,
believe what you will,¡± said the assassin. ¡°Well, it ruins our plans—we¡¯ll have
to leave off taking the Mirror of Truth for now. We hadn¡¯t been planning to
deal with that man.¡± He stared at the green-eyed man hard. ¡°We¡¯ll retreat for
today. You guys with he mask—I advise you do the same whatever your business
with him is.¡±
¡°We¡¯re
not cowards like you,¡± said the leader of the masked men.
¡°Ignorant
being, do you know who you¡¯re speaking to?¡± The assassin in maroon bared an
arm, revealing an eye-shaped symbol, tattooed on his skin.
The
masked men stared and gasped.
¡°Beware—we
won¡¯t go easy on you next time,¡± the man with the tattoo said, before leaping
into the woods after his comrades.
¡°Let¡¯s
retreat for today also,¡± said the leader of the masked men. ¡°If they can¡¯t deal
with that samurai¡¦¡±
¡°But
we¡¯re greater in number,¡± his comrade protested.
¡°Silence.¡±
The leader nodded. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡±
¡°How
boring.¡± Grinning, the masked man reached under his sleeve, staring at the
young priestess. A log came hurdling his way and knocked the poisoned dagger
out of hand. Startled, the man looked down from his position up in the
branches.
¡°Don¡¯t
even think of it,¡± Hayashi said, looking up and smiling.
¡°Bastard,¡±
the masked man muttered, cradling his numb hand, still trembling, before catching
up with the other five.
After
watching the last of the assaulters leave, Hayashi sighed in relief. ¡°They¡¯re
finally all gone thanks to your marvelous archery skills.¡±
Frowning,
Mayura replied, ¡°I would have expected someone who came all the way here promising
father to protect me would at least draw his sword instead of leaving me to
fight ten men all alone.¡±
¡°But
you managed fine on your own,¡± Hayashi stated straightforwardly.
Sighing,
Mayura stared up at her friend of fifteen years. With calm green eyes the color
of summer leaves and soft, windblown golden brown hair, he always had a relaxed
smile and a carefree ambiance. His fine clothing, from the navy blue keikogi and dark gray hakama,
was fine-woven silk, and his manner of speech and courteous conduct, formal
despite his easy-going nature, suggested he came from an old, wealthy family.
Beneath his navy blue haori overcoat, he hid the hilts of two sheathed
swords, the daisho, slung by the sash around his waist, a sign that he
was of the samurai class. Though many of the samurai class nowadays carried the
daisho, consisting of two swords, the katana, the long, curved
blade, and the wakizashi, the short blade, merely as an ornament
of their rank, Amamiya Hayashi knew how to wield them and wield them well. His
broad shoulders, sinuous hands, quick reflexes and keen eyes were signs that he
wasn¡¯t simply another samurai gone to seed at this age during the Tokugawa Era.
¡°You¡¯re
probably the only swordsman in
¡°That¡¯s
because I have a wonderfully skilled priestess with me.¡± Hayashi replied. ¡°Well,
shall we continue towards Eitoukou? I have a feeling my vacation in my summer
estate will be prolonged due to a fellow neighbor moving in.¡±
It
was impossible not to smile along with Hayashi, for he managed to have his own
way without ever showing his true intention. ¡°Thank you, Hayashi,¡± she said
softly. ¡°It¡¯s kind of you to accompany me.¡±
¡°The
pleasure is mine,¡± Hayashi replied. ¡°Now that I think of it, I¡¯m hungry. I hope
there¡¯s a village we can stop by for the night.¡±
¡°Well,
I don¡¯t think those men will attack us again, at least for the moment,¡± Mayura
stated, leading her mare down the path.
¡°You
scared them off properly,¡± Hayashi conceded. ¡°I knew it was a good idea to seek
you to protect me.¡±
¡°You¡¯re
as silly as ever, Hayashi-kun,¡± Mayura stated. ¡°I remember outo-sama used to
whip you well when you were younger.¡±
Laughing,
Hayashi said, ¡°He threatened to whip me again, but I got smart and ran for my
life.¡±
¡°Your
sword will rust in its sheath with you always running away in face of confrontation.¡±
Even so, Mayura felt greatly relieved to have Amamiya Hayashi, with his
light-hearted jokes and quick on his feet to flee tendency, beside her.
¡°I
don¡¯t think so,¡± Hayashi replied, patting his swords at his left waist.
¡°Say,
Hayashi, can it be that you being here right now is a sign of changing tides—what
you¡¯ve told me about before, the beginning of a new era?¡± Mayura asked in a
more serious tone.
Cool
green eyes met Mayura¡¯s gray ones. ¡°The oceans waves are crashing upon the
shores and the dragon rises from the mist. The woods are still, and the eye
opens.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t
understand your meaning when you get all poetic,¡± Mayura said.
¡°I
told you that I¡¯m thinking of becoming a scholar,¡± Hayashi replied sincerely.
¡°Come
let¡¯s go.¡± Mayura walked ahead. ¡°You¡¯re never serious when I talk to you.¡±
¡°Meanwhile,
you¡¯re always serious, miko-sama,¡± Hayashi replied.
¡°I
can¡¯t help it,¡± Mayura said. ¡°It¡¯s my training.¡±
¡°And
I am also the result of my training.¡± Hayashi looked up at the dusky sky. A breeze
swept over the two. True, he could see it. A new era was awaiting them, a
merging of the East and the West. He could see the ocean, the fields, the
mountain, the river and the woods. He could see the stars shift and the change
in the direction of the wind. For he possessed the Third Eye, the second sight
so it was called.
¡°Those
men were smart, to run off while you were still ¡®negotiating,¡¯¡± Mayura
murmured, staring up at the man beside her, who despite his cheerful
disposition, sometimes unsettled her by the intensity of his undecipherable
eyes when in deep thought. ¡°And there is no way that you¡¯ll throw aside your
years of kenjutsu training to become a scholar.¡±
After
all, contradictory to his appearance and actions, Amamiya Hayashi was the
greatest swordsman in all of
Watching
Hayashi trying to pet the mare and almost getting his fingers bitten off in
result, Mayura sighed. ¡°But who would believe it, just taking one look at your
face?¡±
¡°Hoe?
Did you say something?¡± Hayashi asked.
******
And
so, the legend of the Five Forces begins as each individual heads towards their
fated meeting day.
~~~~~~
Wish-chan: Well, Preface and Chapter
one of New Trials Special: ¡°Legacy of the Five Forces¡± is out! Hope you enjoyed
reading a bit more about how it all began, lacking better terms to put it. Meet
the ancestors of Sakura, Syaoran, Clow, etc. and their adventures and trials.
Hehe¡¦ I think I have enough material to make a whole series on them, but I won¡¯t
for the moment. I kind of like how the Great Five¡¯s character designs came out.
Oh wait, I didn¡¯t introduce the fifth one yet, on purpose. I wrote this chapter
with the intention of just giving everyone just a glimpse of what the Great
Five were like, such as their personalities and appearances and such. And this
is when they are young, before they all meet each other. Of course they change
and evolve as they grow older. Oh, and in one of my chapters, I messed up by
switching Mayura and Landon¡¯s powers, but what I have written here is correct—Landon
wields the power of contract and Mayura, the heavenly bodies. I¡¯m not sure when
the next chapters coming along—I need to hurry and return to writing Chapter 49
and my other character special. This was a nice diversion—I¡¯ve been really
thinking out the era of the Five Forces, and I found it very fascinating. I¡¯ve
always been interested in historical fiction, after all. I got pretty
interested in Japanese history from my comparative politics class, where we
studied a bit about how modern day
Also,
I¡¯ve been calculating when the era of the Five Forces would have occurred. I
mentioned in a Yahoo group post that I originally intended for this to occur
around 500 years ago, or so, however I did the calculations (wondering what
CLAMP intended), and I figured, Clow Reed¡¯s reign couldn¡¯t have been over a 100
years, probably much less, despite the fact he was the Greatest Magician in the
world. I figure he reincarnated himself immediately upon death, into Kinomoto
Fujitaka and Eriol—which would be subtracted 40-50 years from current time. So
in fact, Clow Reed¡¯s era wasn¡¯t too long ago—it probably lasted from near the
end of the 19th century towards mid-20th century. He¡¯s so
wise because he¡¯s seen many wars (both World Wars), industrialization, the turn
of the century, etc, etc. Anyway, so I set the time period this story to be
around mid-19th century, before the Meiji Restoration and towards the
end of the Edo Feudal Period (before the four class-system disappeared, so that
samurais still existed.) Hmm¡¦ out of my characters, I think Hayashi is the most
complex. Either way, their story gets quite interesting, but I probably won¡¯t
have time to write about it for now (unless people want to hear more.)
I
think this can be a stand alone fic, especially since it discusses how Clow
Reed¡¯s parents meet, but of course it will make more sense having read New
Trials. Well, New Trials will make more sense having read this, in the future.
Do
see the sketch of the Great Five I drew (I¡¯ll
have better colored sketches some times in the future).
Comments
welcome at hopeluvpeace@hotmail.com.
Also, in my guestbooks and the Yahoo Group. Please join it if you haven¡¯t
already, thank you and post messages if you haven¡¯t! Thanks for everyone¡¯s
support, and I¡¯ll continue producing more in the world of New Trials and CCS
(which isn¡¯t mine, but CLAMP¡¯s. Long live CLAMP!)
