Yūrei folds his arms and questions, “In a weeks time I am going to have a baby?”
Miyoko giggles and places her hand to his abdomen. “I wondered when you were due?”
They all laugh and the Great Warrior plays along, “I cannot wait, the backache and the swollen ankles are becoming a bit much.”
Mrs, Satō again pats the king’s toned abdomen. “On a serious note, is this baby mortal?”
Tenjō gives a sharp nod and pushes his fringe back to reveal his left ear. “Yes, for I am seeing a cute round ear. Unlike us gods who have pointed ears.”
“To be honest I no longer noice we have different ears,” remarks Miyoko with a smile. “How old is the baby.”
The Light One sniffs the air and answers, “It has got that smell.”
“Smell?” Yūrei questions. “It needs changing or it has brought up a load of milk?”
“No, not those smells… even though we will have to keep them in mind. No, it is that new baby smell.”
“Ah, you mean it has not long been born?”
“Yes, Miyoko, and I would say that fits perfectly with what I am seeing, for Yūrei is only holding it in one arm. It also looks like you have had to wrap it in an item of clothing.”
The Masked Warrior takes a seat and he sighs. “That does not sound good. Could you be using the lightning to signal to the Dragon?”
Tenjō sits along side him and answers, “I was also considering that. If we are still in either the Osaka or Nara regions it will be the Forest Dragon Rì chū.”
The legend chuckles and asks, “Come again?”
“I know not a name you are expecting, especially with regard to a Forest Dragon,” remarks the Soul Drinker. “He claims it is because he was the last to hatch. By then his parent had ran out of good names and just named him after the golden scales upon the left side of his neck.”
“We were like that with all our children,” sates Toshirō, looking to his wife who nods in agreement. “We wanted something that had not been used before in the family.”
“Something that stood out,” says Miyoko with a slight laugh. “Just like Rì chū, at least he is not named after a tree or flower.”
“Very true. I wonder if he would know if there are any members of the Sasaki family hiding in isolated villages around here,” queries the Great Warrior.
“Of course Chihaya where the Sasaki castle used to stand, that is where he lives. He will though fly over to Nara in the evenings and eat in town at the Golden Duck that is own by Mr Mori Yūdai.”
The Masked Warrior emits a happy groan as he announces, “I could just go for duck. I will see if he is there and once I have eaten it will be time to see the young lady.”
“Hopefully she will tell you who sent her to you and why they did not send her here,” says Tenjō, folding his arms.
Satō clears his throat and informs them, “I think it is Major Kikuchi, his family were once part of the Hatano Clan.”
The leader of the Yamato quickly gets to his feet and places his hands behind his back. “Well, that does explain why he is so quick to judge people and craves authority. That is why The Hatano Clan were taken down by your very own clan. I was thinking it went deeper than us spending time together.”
“It is odd how things swing in circles. Yūrei has placed him under house arrest for hampering this investigation.”
The king shakes his head and rises. “No, it is because we cannot have someone like him in the clan who is against anyone being with the same sex. I will never tolerate it. Anyway, I am getting hungry, so I am off to grab some duck and see if I can find Rì chū.”
Miyoko places her hand above her eyes and suggests, “In that crowd, keep a look out for a set of long leaf green horns, the sweep back over his hand and the points cross.”
“Thanks for the tip, my sweet, I had forgotten they cross,” answers the Great Warrior opening a portal to a lively town called Shijooji.
✫✫✫
The air is filled with all kinds of aromas of food and loud music can be heard playing in most of the restaurants. There are people outside who are clapping their hands and calling to get people to eat at their establishment. Some even have a pretty lady offering samples.
Yūrei is looking at the bright paper lightens that hang outside to tell you what they are, as he makes his way along the crowded main street. When a woman offers him a dumpling and giggles. “Your highness,” she says with a happy high voice, “you must come and try our pork dumplings. They are wonderful and so delouses you will want more.”
The Great Warrior eats the one he is being offered. “Ooh, that is good. I might come back for some. I am though here to find a Forest Dragon who likes to eat at the Golden Duck.”
The lady emits another happy laugh and responds, “Oh him, yes you will find him there, for he has not long arrived.”
“Wonderful, thank you.” The Masked Warrior performs a slight bow and continues on his way. He soon comes to a stop outside a large restaurant that has a golden duck as a sign and the smell of grilled and roast duck fills the air.
The man who is trying to get people to eat there, cannot believe his eyes when he notices a tall man is standing outside the entrance. His long black hair, flowing down his back is being moved by the evening breeze, makes it flash blue. He is dressed in fine cloths wearing a bronze mask. “Your grace, please enter,” he says, pulling back the small curtain that hangs above the doors.
Yūrei gives him a nod before he ducks under to enter the packed restaurant and starts to look around. A young lady who is dressed in a golden Kimono comes trotting over to tell him, “You highness, there is a table at the back.”
He is just about to answer when a deep rough voice come booming through the noise, “Mèng! Get yourself over here, lad.”
The Great Warrior eyes snap on to the very Dragon he is after, who is seated near a small stage and eating a piece of grilled duck. He bows to the girl before he walks over to him. “Rì chū, it is great to see you.”
The Forest Dragon grabs the Eternal’s shoulder, sitting him down beside him. “Where have you been these past centuries?”
“On an island and in a town called Gujo.”
“Gujo? Where the Ice Dragon’s settle in the mountains?”
“The Masked Warrior nods. “That’s the one. They are only there for winter.”
“Ooh, no rather you than me.” Rì chū shivers and eats another slice of duck. “Kaki, darling, bring another bowl of this for the king.”
The lady gives a happy nod and trots over to the open kitchen.
The Forest Dragon sets his chopsticks down and questions, “Now I get the impression you did not come to find me to just catch up. Come on, out with it.”
“Not here—”
“What do you mean by that, lad? Are you in some kind of trouble?”
“No, I need to ask you something about the lost royal family.”
Rì chū rises, pulling the Eternal to his feet. “Back room! Go in there and I will be with you in a moment.”
The Great Warrior is not about to question him, he gives him a sharp nod and makes his way over to the door. He stops and turns back to see the Forest Dragon is making his way over to an elderly man who nods and smiles. Then Rì chū returns to the table to pick up his meal, he parts the door and pushes the king inside a small room.
Yūrei goes on to tell him about the girl he helped to the fires in Hatsugano that have claimed three members of the Fukuda family. He also makes sure to include Tenjō’s vision and watches the Forest Dragon’s dark green, right eye begin to stare at him. The left one is always hidden by his long fringe. The legend knows all too well the Dragon is scanning his mind to make sure he not lying. Then a knock comes at the door.
“Enter, Kaki, my sweet,” calls Rì chū.
The doors open and the young lady enters carrying a tray. “One house special,” she says setting a bowl down on the table, along with a smaller bowl that is filled with dipping source.
Anther lady puts down a pot of tea with two cups upon it.
“Thank you ladies, you may go,” says the Forest Dragon going on to pour the tea. Once the doors are closed his right eye once again looks at the king. “I am afraid to say I have no idea where the other members of the Sasaki royal family are. I still live where their castle once stood. I find myself staring at the ruins and wondering why do mortals hate each other so much, when us gods embrace diversity. The mortals seem to fear anything they do not understand.” He starts to laugh and remarks, “That could be said for us Dragons, for we will never fully understand them. I always put it down to the fact that they lie, cheat, and why cannot they not just get along.” He sighs and places a hand to his chest. “Twenty-three years to the day that castle fell and I voweled, as I watch the ambers burn, that I will help to defend the ones who are left.”
“And together we will,” answers the Great Warrior, holding up his teacup.
They clink their cups together and carry on with their meals. Then it dawns on the legend what Tenjō said and mutters, “I never have my army with me inside a barrier. Why did he say that?”
Rì chū finishes his noodles and looks at the Eternal hoping he would give him more. When he just carries on slurping noodles it makes the Dragon ask, “Come again?”
Yūrei quickly finishes his mouthful and answers, “Thinking about what he said, you have your army with you, he knows I never have them when we are inside a barrier for there is not enough room for twenty minions.”
The Forest Dragon turns so he is facing him and folds his arms. “He is trying to hint to you, that you have summon something that you have never summoned around him before. More to the point, when he said it, were those gorgeous blue eyes of his looking down at the floor or right at you?”
“At me… no, they were looking at my left shoulder. My hands are full, therefore I cannot summon… Watcher.”
Rì chū eyebrow rise and blurs, “A what now?”
The Masked Warrior giggles and explains, “It is a minion that is a bit bigger than my hand, it has dark purple skin, messy black hair and piercing red eyes. He will be playing with a ball of quarts. He is my eyes and ears and he sits upon a pink cloud. Problem, I have not summoned him since I was a child.”
“There you go you have answered what the Light One was seeing, your little pet. Now there comes that burning question why are you summoning a Watcher? Think about it if you are in Chihaya it is a place of thick forests and high hills. If the family are hiding in the village below the ruins, it is still quite difficult terrine surrounded by forest. You will need to get somewhere, where I am able to land in my normal form. Hmm, that is tricky to do with all the narrow streets.”
“What about around the ruins? I see you shaking your head.”
“There is too much forest around it. I wonder if you are in Nango? It is farming country. Plenty of fields and open land for me to land in… hmm, I think I will know where you will be, in Takama, Gose near the Kumo-kutsu.”
Yūrei’s eyes open wide and he questions, “We are battling spiders?”
Rì chū starts to laugh and points his hand at the Eternal. “Now there is an image, you in full armour ready to fight the Tsuchigumo (Spider-like creature) who has transformed in a beautiful maiden, who leads you back to her cave in order to capture you and consume you for breakfast.”
The Great Warrior shakes his head. “Ooh, no thank you. Wait, why are you thinking of giant spiders?”
The Forest Dragon clears his throat and tries to be all dramatic, “Think back, the castle is lost, the Sasaki are running for their lives. Any children that were left behind where taken to the shrine that lies in Takama, Gose, home of the legendary warrior who fought the giant spider and blocked its cave so it can never return. The king told the children they would be safe at Kumo-kutsu because the Bitō Clan, believed the legend to be true and would never go to that place.”
“Ah, so you are thinking one of the princes has got himself a young lady in the farming land below and that is why the Bitō Clan are attacking?”
“This is the thing I have no idea how many children were taken to the shrine that lies at Kumo-kutsu. Do you?”
“No, because I was with Tenjō helping him to fight the Bitō who had stormed the castle and set it alight. Are you able to recall who led the children to safety?”
Rì chū’s right eye narrows as he tries to recall that dreadful night over twenty years ago. “All I can remember he was riding a white horse. He put the little ones on its back and led the rest through the forest just as I arrived and put out the flames.”
The Masked Warrior flops down on his back and huffs. “You are doing better than me at recalling that night. I do not remember how I even got there, let alone the battle.”
The Forest Dragon strokes the king’s head and tells him, “I am sure once you see that place it will come back to you. Just do not throw us in to another loop for two hundred years, hmm?”
Yūrei sits up and turns around to face him. “What? You knew it was me?”
“Yes. All of us gods know you are the Eternal who was sent by the Higher Gods to bring order to chaos. It is why you were brought to Wa to help strengthen the Yamato to bring an end to the clan wars and thus peace was restored.” The Forest Dragon takes hold of his hands and his lips form into a soft smile. “It is now our duty to help you remember what you did for Wa. This is the Strings of Time at work. It is why some of us are remembering better than others. In time you will restore the strings that were lost in that knot of time. What you need to do is see or stand in the places I have mentioned and I am sure you will begin to remember.”
The legend sighs and looks at the portal bracelet upon his left wrist. “You are right, I must have a stone that goes there… The only problem is I am getting to my limit.”
“Ah, well, you do not need to step through just see if you can activate the gate or door.”
The Great Warrior nods and throws out his left hand. At first no portal opens and after a few seconds one begins to flicker into life. They see trees surrounding ruins that are covered in a thin layer of snow. Suddenly the image goes black and the once white mist edge turns black.
“This is your first warning, Ink Summoner, you are getting to your limit.”
The Masked Warrior laughs and replies, “I know, Mù, I was just checking I could open a portal there.”
“What, you keeping count? Are you feeling right?”
Rì chū places the back of his left hand to the Eternal’s covered forehead and shakes his head. “No, he is burning up from all that calculating.”
They laugh and the Gate Guardian questions, “Where is that sweet conscience of yours to keep tabs on you?”
“He is back in my town keeping an eye on things.”
The Forest Dragon taps the Eternal’s arm and recalls, “He was there that night, trying his best to put out the flames. You should have brought him with you, for you never went anywhere in Wa without him. What are you not telling us?”
“Tenjō has deployed the Aoi Koi.”
“Ink Summoner, we know the Light One does not do something like this without a reason. He has probably hinted to you his reasons for summoning his personal army. An army that is not afraid to pass through my domain in order to get where they are needed quicker than a horse.”
Yūrei claps his hands and quickly responds, “Prince Masaharu, he is the key.”
“You are right,” says Rì chū, folding his arms. “Why wait twenty years to revel himself to the Light One to tell him his daughter is in danger… or is it because he knows the Bitō Clan are on the move once more.”
The Masked Warrior gets to his feet and begins to pace the floor. “Mù, when did the Aoi Koi move from Nagame?”
“They have been moving out over the past three days. There are fifty in Izumi, a hundred in Nara… I should say sixty of them are at the very court you came from and twenty are in your town.”
“Wait, he turned up at the court when the owner of the bathhouse was there and he knew who she was, and he didn’t just summon any of the Aoi Koi, he summoned General Ōtomo. Does the name Kuru mean anything to you?”
Rì chū shakes his head. “Why give her the General? Unless she is a member of the Sasaki family. Another thing she does seem to know a great deal. Now you are in a pickle, in one hand you need to return to your town and in the other is the prince who has prompted your good friend to deploy his elite warriors. What are you going to do?”
“Ink Summoner, you only can portal to one more place, what will it be, Inryoji Temple or home?”
The king emits an angry cry through his clenched teeth and his hands turn to fists. “Ooh, I wish he would just tell me instead of giving hints and clues.”
The Forest Dragon grabs him by the waist and gives him a soft shake. “He is a Light One, it is their job to make things difficult for us. You should be bleeding thankful he even speaks, for not many of them do. Tenjō did not send you to find me for no reason. He knows there is going to be a battle and he needs his trusted friends by his side.”
The Great Warrior takes deep breath and nods as he breaths out. “You are right. And I have this overwhelming feeling I need to be home.”
Rì chū pushes him over to the portal and tells him, “A wise decision. Mù, make sure he gets home.”
A giant hand comes through the portal to grab the Eternal and the Gate Guardian responds, “Come, my little pet, let’s get you home so you can have some blood and go to sleepy, sleep.”
“Night, Rì chū, and thanks for the meal. That was lovely.”
“You’re welcome,” answers the Forest Dragon, giving the back of the Eternal’s head a stroke before he is pulled inside the portal.
Mù carries the Ink Summoner to his destination and posts him through. “Now, be a good, no more porting tonight, otherwise I will lock that bracelet until dawn, got it?”
“Yes, old friend, loud and clear.”
The Gate Guardian uses his little finger to give him a soft pat on the head before he pulls his hand back inside and closes the portal.
Yūrei makes his way over to the butches and whilst he is drinking the cup of fresh pig’s blood he begins to work out the reason Tenjō has placed the Aoi Koi in certain places is because he suspects there might be Bitō Clan members hiding and waiting for the cover of darkness to attack. His muttering in Chinese makes Harumi concerned and he asks, “Your highness, is everything all right?”
The Great Warrior gives him a reassuring pat on the shoulder. “Yes, I am fine. Sorry I was just trying to work something out.”
“Ah, in that case I will leave you to your thoughts,” says the butchers, he performs a slight bow and walks back over to the counter to serve another consumer.
The Masked Warrior is so wrapped up in his thoughts he is not aware the Elemental has entered until he is grabbed by the wist and Chūnfēng sings, “Caught you.”
They laugh and Yūrei turns around to face him. “Sorry, have you been wanting me?”
“No, I was just going to ask you for an update that hopefully explains why the Aoi Koi are here in plan clothing, trying to blend in.”
“Oh, so they are not in their armour here?”
“No, look there is the Commander,” replies the Elemental, pointing his hand towards the open doorway. They see a well-built man is standing outside the door of the doctors, talking to the police officer, who is dressed in a light blue topcoat, Kimono and light grey Hakama with his hair in a neat bun on top of his head. “See what I mean? He is too perfect to blend in.”
Yūrei chuckles and expresses in Chinese, “What do you expect when they are a god’s personal guard?”
“Hmm, true. However, they are not exactly subtle.”
The Great Warrior smiles and states, “That is the idea to show the enemy they are here. Tenjō does not think we will get attack, he has just sent them here as a precaution.”
When Harumi realises who the gods are staring at, he questions, “Why is the Commander talking to the police? I thought he would send one of his officers.”
The Masked Warrior finishes his blood and replies, “I am just about to find that out.” He bows to the butcher to thank him and goes trotting over to Doctor Okmoto’s place.
The officer stands to attention and performs a slight bow. “Your highnesses, Commander Ōtomo was asking if you, King Yūrei, had returned.”
The Commander nervously adjusts his Katana and emits an uneasy cough before he speaks, “I was going to ask, your grace to…” he clears his throat again. “Drop by my room at the White Rabbit to discuss something.”
The legend gently pats the side of the man’s face. “Relax before you faint.”
Commander Ōtomo puffs and express, “I never thought I would be serving you, your grace.”
“I am pleased to have the Aoi Koi here. I trust you are all feeling welcome and pleased with your accommodation?”
“Yes, your grace, Sasaki-san has given us fine rooms, wonderful entertainment and great food.”
“Glad to hear it. Once I have spoken to the girl, I will come to you, all right?”
“That is fine with me, your grace. Diànxià,” he answers bowing to both the gods before he walks away.
The police officer fans his face and emits a soft, “Ooh.”
Yūrei pats him on the shoulder and declares, “I know too handsome for their own good.”
“You’re telling me, your highness. I was suggesting we should keep our daughters inside whilst they are here.”
“Then you need to be more observant, neat facial hair, a touch of makeup and small purple orchid upon his belt is a sign he prefers a man between his legs,” informs Yūrei, winking his left eye. “Tip, you cannot just go on their neat facial hair or makeup alone, you have to keep an eye on their belts. If I am remembering correctly, if he was into both the flower would be yellow and to represent he is just into ladies it would be pink. Got it?”
“Yes, thank you, your highness.”
“You are welcome.” The Great Warrior gives him another pat as he makes his way in to the doctors to be greeted by Guāngxiàn who whispers in Chinese, “I was just about to get you, that poor girl is on edge. I think she will be better once she has given you, whatever she is hiding.”
ns 15.158.61.8da2
