Seasons are changing.
In the shadow, evil stirs.
With winter comes death.
Kakita Ai
Kyuden Kakita
For a moment, perfect silence filled the air of Kyuden Kakita. The atmosphere was tense, as if the entire castle held its breath in anticipation. All it took was one word to break that silence.
“Strike!”
A loud clang followed the word of the sensei, as hundreds of katanas were drawn in an iajutsu strike. Though Amaterasu, the Sun Goddess, had completed her descent past the horizon, the students of the Kakita Dueling Academy were still practicing. More than likely, they would continue to practice late into the evening. After all, one had to practice in order to perfect their art.
As Onnotangu, the Mood God, began his nightly journey, he would find Kakita Ai in the gardens of Kyuden Kakita, reading a scroll by the light of a small paper lamp. The only sounds that could be heard in the garden were the water flowing through a nearby man-made stream, and the sound of the duelists practicing at the nearby dueling academy. There were few other people in the gardens, and most were content to leave her to her studies.
“Ai-chan!” Kaitsu, her older brother called out to her as he approached her on the path, disturbing the serenity of the gardens. Offering her a wide grin, he dropped into a sitting position on the ground. “I have been looking all over for you.”
Togashi Cho
Shiro Togashi
Togashi Cho sat upon the flagstones, eyes closed in meditation. Occasionally, a chill breeze brushed against his skin, bringing with it the scent of wood smoke and incense. At last, he finished his meditations, and opened his eyes to the marvelous sight that lie before him. Below him spread the valley that surrounded Shiro Togashi, heavily forested and ringed by mountains. As she set, Amaterasu cast red light over the valley, setting the trees ablaze in hues of red, orange and gold. Yet another beautiful autumn.
Behind him, Cho heard a soft scraping sound, he turned to see a servant clad in simple brown robes, kneeling nearby, waiting for acknowledgement. It was impossible to tell how long the servant had been waiting.
Ikoma Itarabi
Kyuden Ikoma
Itarabi’s footsteps echoed off of the walls of the empty library. He stood in one of the many rooms that housed the Ikoma histories. Shelves stood in neat rows, laden with scrolls, neatly arranged and organized by subject matter. Though these scrolls were lovingly cared for, the air still smelled musty.
For the moment, Itarabi was alone. The librarians had retired for an evening meal, trusting the guards who stood silently outside the heavy wooden doors to guard the scrolls from thieves.
“Itarabi-sama,” the silence was broken by a familiar voice. Turning, Itarabi saw Shinoba standing in the doorway. He bowed deeply, before approaching. “Sumimasen, excuse me for interrupting. Your father wishes to see you.” He held out a small scroll.
Hyota
Kitsune Mori
Hyota made his way along the worn path, making his way through the heavy forests of the Kitsune Mori. The path was littered with fallen leaves of varying colors. Birds sang in the trees, and occasionally the soft rustle of leaves could be heard. The sun was beginning to set; soon Hyota would have to find a place to rest.
Those thoughts had just crossed his mind when a loud rustling could be heard from behind him. He paused in time to see a reddish-brown vixen leap on to the path in front of him. She paused, cocking her head to one side as she looked at him with interest. Then, she scampered down the path in the direction that Hyota was headed.
Isawa Renshi
Shiro Isawa
Isawa Renshi closed his eyes and leaned his head back against the cool stone wall, listening to the soft sound of chanting that could be heard in the distance. There was never a moment when the sound of shugenja chanting could not be heard within the walls of the castle, and Renshi could not imagine what it would be like if the chanting ever stopped.
As he stood atop the parapet, he breathed in the cool evening air, and watched as Amaterasu disappeared below the horizon. It had been a magnificent sunset. Unfortunately, he would soon have to return to his studied. Taking a final breath of fresh air, he began making his way back into the castle to his rooms. However, a servant, who scurried to a halt and knelt in front of him, stopped him in the hallway. “Sensei Isawa Boten-sama wishes to see you, Isawa-sama.”
Shosuro Reiko
Ryoko Owari
Reiko took a deep breath and allowed himself to sink deeper into the hot water of the bath. The soap that had been mixed with the water created a pleasant scent, which wafted up with the steam. Lilacs. For a long moment, he allowed himself to relax, letting the hot water work on his exhausted muscles. It had been a long trip back to Tear Drop Island, and he had quickly made his way to his favorite bathhouse.
In this late hour, these was no one else in the bath; a fact that pleased Reiko. The only sounds that could be heard were the soft splash of water, and the voice of the bathhouse owner speaking quietly in the next room.
A clatter disturbed Reiko from his reverie, and he turned to look for the source of the noise. He was still alone as far as he could tell. However, next to his clothes of a nearby wooden table, he could see a small, rolled up scroll. He was certain that it had not been there a moment ago.