I
Magic Water slowly drips down in the void, emptiness, darkness, coldness. Darkness. Light. Darkness. From it appeared a lion, tall, strong, on his back legs, mane dancing, mouth shut. An eye-less gaze looks in the distance, into emptiness.
From a different corner of the void, a snake eye appeared. After the eye the head appeared and after it the whole body. Bright green scale shine with an eerie glow. Mouth opened wide, fangs showing, it hissed. The lion remains the same, cold and emotionless. The snake moved. The lion stood.
In the void, the lion transformed. Where the lion stood a few seconds ago, in all of his glory, the God Curaim- the God of Death stretched out his arm.
The snake hissed.
“How long is this going to last,” she demanded.
“Until the end of time,” Curaim replied. “There is no use, I will defeat you again.”
“Fool, our battle is eternal.”
“Yes, the battle since time in memorial.”
The fierce battle starts. The large serpent coils its large around Curaim. The God with all his strength tries to free himself. There is no use. The snake is stronger this time. Sharpe fangs pierce his skin. At that very moment, it looked like the snake finally defeated the God of Death, something happened that even the snake didn’t plan. Curaim’s face extended, a mouth opened wide with long spikes of teeth raced towards her neck. Sharpe fangs tare all the way to the bone.
There was no other option the snake must flee.
“This time you have the upper hand, but there will be more battles.”
And with that the snake left.
“I know, for the sun to be born again each day, our battle continues and always will, unless I find a way for the day or the night to last for a millennium or two. I would be a fine time to take a rest.”
Near him a beacon was lit. Long ago did he saw that beacon.
“He has return, the strings are placed. Maybe there is a way?”
The void split opened and the God of Death was no more. He traveled through time and space, through dimensions and worlds, universes, galaxies. Everything seemed so little to him.
A man named Kazuma, or Sir Kazuma, as he was known, stood at the edge of the forest. Tall oak trees made a perfect shade. He entered. Rows and rows of cobwebs blocked paths that he wanted to explore. Many years ago, when he was a lot younger he was know by a different name, a name that made people shiver. But that was the pass now, he hoped it was long forgotten to endless sands of time. He tried to live in the present and hope for a better future, there was a doubt that even if he took a neutral stand against the situation in the country, he paths would like meet with one of
court generals or leaders of bandits or rebels or who ever traveled this roads. There was no doubt, the paths always meet, so he went through the forest to avoid one of the those paths.
In front of him a large door opened and, naturally, the God of Death appeared.
“How?” Kazuma asked.
“Beacons,” the God of Death replied coldly. “There is chance that you can be helpful for a change or maybe even wash away the filth of you pass deeds. The choice is yours.”
“And if I choose, what then, where will I go?”
“First you will go to Suchow and listen what Shin Ying has to say and after that to Chingrin to find the old man Zastvil. You’re wait there and after you finished you goal there, you will take a boat north to the nearest station and wait there.”
“The nearest station from Chingrin is a thousand miles and I’m to wait there?”
“Yes. There will be others that come?”
“When will I know what to do?”
“I will be reveled. Now choose…”
There among the oaks he made his choice.
II
Minamoto Yoritomo stood up, looked at the half-lit room. His eager gaze was set on one goal, to remove the ruling family and place another, preferable his, but the other warlords don’t need to know.
Dawn Isa, he thought, damn that man, he’s always in the way, always playing the brave fool that ruins everything. If only there is a way to remove him from the grand scheme of things, my job would be a lot easier. My part is to set fire that will kindle and grow into the rebellion as it was planned by my father and his father. Too long have they ruled, the weak Nakatomi family. It’s time to change things for better under our just rule. The others don’t need to know, the Emperor doesn’t need to know, Prince Yamoto doesn’t need to know, nobody doesn’t need to know. Soon, they will appear the great lords. Soon, this farce of a meeting will start.
Lord Yoshi Asakura, tall, old man with a face that saw everything, appeared from the corner.
“I don’t expect to see you so soon,” even in this situation he still held to his pride.
“I was near,” Yoritomo replied all the same.
“You think that this will work?”
“Nobody is sure about that.”
Fool, Yoritomo thought, I know that this won’t work the way I wait it to work. But I must try. You don’t know the satisfaction it will bring me to see you executed, you and the rest of this lot. “It all depends on our plan.”
The great lords of the East appeared.
III
Night slowly falls on the Fujiwara hold, but Fujiwara Fuhito, the current head of the main branch, is restless. Bandits appeared in his hold- the same as in any other hold on this side of river Shin. High stone walls of hold are reassuring fact that a siege would be futile, but the villagers weren’t that lucky. He needs a way to defeat the bandits and fast. There is only one thing left to do, to hunt them down.
IV
Midwinter Town appeared over the horizon. Majestic tower touched the skies. Build in the side of the mountain, it was much easier to defend than a regular fortress, but still it need to be defended.
Prince Yamato looked at the group that entered through the main gate. A group of stout lads, he wondered how many of them would die until this all was over. For the chances that there will be no deaths is equal to zero. And he knows this deep down.
Sun Zhao, second-in-command, appeared from one of the buildings. “Spies, we have found spies.”
“I know,” Yamato replied.
“What shall we do?” he placed his left arm on the decorated sword guard.
“ The same,” was the reply.
Prince Yamato looked from the roof balcony down the valley bellow. The group outside the city gates waits. He was more than prepared for the attack. Second-in-command Sun Zhao was restless.Minamoto Yoritomo plans what to do next, to attack or not. He has a different option.Hearing of this threatened attack, SunZhao sought advice from two of his officers, Advisers Pei Xiu and Zhong Hui.Zhong Hui said, “The Wu army is helping our enemies for the sake of profit, and hence we can seduce them with an offer of greater profit.”SunZhao agreed in this opinion and resolved accordingly. As part of his plan, he sent Shi Bao and Zhou Tai to lay ambushes in different places near Shidou.As ordered by SunZhao, Wang Ji and Chen Qian commanded an army of veterans on the rear, Cheng Zu led thirty thousand troops out to bring on a battle, while Chen Jun got together many wagons, herds of oxen, droves of horses, donkeys and mules, and
After expressing their gratitude, they rode about the city on the horses he had given them, shouting, “We have received great kindness at the hands of Sun Zhao, who not only has pardoned us but given us gifts. Why do you not all yield?”When their companions heard this, they said one to another. “This Wen Yang was an enemy, and yet he has been well received; how much more may we expect generous treatment?”The desire to surrender possessed them all. When Zhuge Dan heard it, he was incensed and went round the posts night and day on the watch for any who seemed inclined to go. He put many to death in these efforts to retain his authority.Zhong Hui heard how things were going in the city and went in to Sun Zhaoto say the moment to attack had come. Sun Zhaowas only too pleased. He stimulated his troops, and they flocked to the ramparts and assaulted vigorously. Then the commander of the north gate, Zeng Xuan, treacherously opened
ILet’s now move toSuchow, the strong-city situated in the southeastern edge of the great plain of Garma. Beyond the Emperor's Gate, which leads into the quarter of the rich and aristocratic, the region of comfortable living and “red dust,” stretched the “Ten Mile Street.” In a narrow bottleneck of that street, close by an old temple familiarly known as the “Temple of the Gourd,” lived the respected citizen Shih Ying with his good and virtuous wife, nee Feng.Shih Ying was one of the most respected, if not the most aristocratic, people in his suburb. Being the fortunate possessor of a nice country estate, he was able to live a life of leisure. He was not a lover of honors or riches and was quite happy just tending his flowers, cultivating bamboo, or reciting poetry over a glass of good wine. In short, he lived an idyllic and unworldly life. Only one thing was lacking to his complete happiness: he was already past fifty an
IYing-lo listened in wonder to Iron Staff's little poem, and when he had finished, the boy's face was glowing with the love of which the fairy had spoken. “My poor, poor father and mother!” he cried; “they knew nothing of these beautiful things you are telling me. They were brought up in poverty. As they were knocked about in childhood by those around them, so they learned to beat others who begged them for help. Is it strange that they did not have hearts full of pity for you when you looked like a beggar?”“But what about you, my boy? You were not deaf when I asked you. Have you not been whipped and punished all your life? How then did you learn to look with love at those in tears?”The child could not answer these questions, but only looked sorrowfully at Iron Staff. “Oh, can you not, good fairy, will you not restore my parents and brothers, and give them another chance to be good and useful people?&rdq
For now let’s leave Kazuma and travel to the different parts of the world. The situation was the same.The air messed up his hair, Haldir turned in the other direction. He didn't like this wind. He brought many things with him; the strongest of them was the smell of change. Haldir shivered at the thought. The wind was cold as death itself. Haldir walked without end, until he found shelter. The cave was large enough for him to enter.Haldir found freshly cut wood in one of the openings. The mountain hall had at least four or five openings that were full all sorts of items. Haldir hesitated at first. Until the pain in his stomach, became so strong that there was no way of stopping it. He returned to the second opening, in there he found dried meat. In the center of the hall, a small fireplace was built. Haldir lighted the fire. The warmth of fire was mesmerizing, Haldir looked at the figures that danced in the fire. The dried meat was, to him, a blessing from heave
IThe rain fell in sheets. The group after a long battle gathered to discuss what to do next. They had few options, which were only a short problem-solve, they never a reserve plan if things get worse. With the current situation, it was only a matter of time.“Andrii is out of the picture,” said one of Lamayi.“How can you be sure?” Nezamaikov stood up.“That is easy to see.”“How is it easy? I don't see it.”“You are blind.”“Maybe I am, but the question still stands, how?”“He didn't leave us for gold or riches; he left us for firm breasts.”“Are you sure?”“Yes.”“You saw that Postar girl?”“I have.”“She is something.”“True.”“We must have a reserve plan,” Hamil appeared from the group.“True,&rdq
The boar looked to his side. Finally, he is old enough to explore the world. His mother gave him a backpack, full of all the necessary things he will need on his travel. They said their goodbyes. He was full of confidence when he crossed the village gate. To him there was, always, something terrifying about that gate. Now it was an ordinary gate, the same as all the rest of them. Tucos turned and looked, one more time, at the village.The village looked so small now. When he was little, the village looked so large. To him, it was the largest in the world. He giggled. He always answered the same about his village, now, the answer would be different.The road was straight, the sun bright. Everything was wonderful to him; everything was perfect.“Maybe, I am the first boar that went out of the village. It’s a small step for me, but, a large step for boarkind,” he said.Some two hundred meters, the road became even better. The old, dusty vil
In the land of Muntania there was a Cizgir prince of the Gespir faith, by the name of Dragwer in Walchiran, and the Devil in ours. His way of life was as evil as his name.On one occasion there came to him ambassadors sent by the Taskar ruler. Entering and bowing according to their custom, they did not take their hats off their heads. So he asked them: “Why do you behave thus, you have come to a great ruler and yet you show me such dishonour?” And they replied: “That is our custom, Sire, and it is observed in our land”. And he said to them: “I want to confirm your custom, so that you keep to it resolutely”. And he ordered that their hats should be nailed to their heads with small iron nails. Then he let them go, saying: “Go and tell your ruler that he may be used to such dishonour from you, but we are not used to it, so he should not spread such a custom among other kings, who do not want to observe it. Instead let him keep to it at h