“As I write this, it has been almost fifty years since the tale of the ruby-haired samurai girl took place. It is amazing how much can be forgotten in fifty years. The youth of today do not realize that fifty years ago, Japan, and most likely the world, was almost plunged into evil. Heroes came forward to defend us, giving all to stop those arrayed against humanity, but in these past fifty years the legendary heroes of that tale have either passed away or been forgotten. I have decided to write down my story not in want of publicity or fame, but rather because I feel a need to preserve the memory of these heroes.

And who am I, you ask, and how was I involved? I will tell you. My name is Fei-Li-Xaun, but throughout my years I have been known as Felix. I am Chinese-Japanese, having been born in China, but I have lived my entire life in Japan. When I was young, my mother immigrated to Japan, traveling the country until we settled in the town of Obihiro, near the mountains of the northern island of Hokkaido.

As a child, I was very weak and fragile. I was very prone to dizziness and fainting, so it was difficult for me to associate with other children. Since I was lonely, I spent much of my time helping my mother, who worked several jobs to support me, including weaving, mending, cooking, and cleaning. My mother was also very skilled in fortune telling and astrology, having been trained by some of the best mediums in Japan. She worked her hardest to take care of me, but no matter how much we did, we always seemed to be short of money.

As I entered my teens, I discovered that I had some skill in drawing. I enjoyed using my imagination and drawing what I saw, as well as the fact that it required very little physical effort. I spent hours drawing what I saw. I later discovered that others enjoyed my art as well, some so much that I could sell them my drawings for money. I made what I could and gave it to my mother.

Then, the mighty war known as the Onin war began, and both the country and our city fell on hard times. In order to help support my mother, I took a job working in a restaurant in order to supplement the money I made from my art. It was at that job where I first encountered the ruby-haired samurai who would change my life forever…”

Another story...

Gifu Prefecture

Jegri Castle – Home of Lord Riyou, steward and seventh bodyguard of the High Daimyo Yamana.

Castle Jegri is a smaller castle, but its size does no justice to the importance of matters held inside. The province that the daimyo watches over is the breadbasket of the powerful Yamana family. Its farms provide the massive armies of the Yamana with the food supplies necessary for the long campaigns to place a Yamana on the seat of Shogun. The lesser lords who provide the Yamana family with logistics place enormous demands over Lord Riyou and Gifu Prefecture. However, Lord Riyou is a kind and strong lord who cared deeply about his people. He is in his early 30s, has a family who he cares deeply about, and is not above going into his village to greet and associate with his servants. He refuses to push them to near-slavery, and this decision has angered several members of the Yamana’s lower councils. Though the members of the Yamana family have yet to decide on Riyou’s fate, the Lord still lives in caution that he or his family should be harmed by the extremely ambitious lower lords.

Recently, Lord Riyou heard rumors that his head councilor, an old and cunning man named Naminii, has been plotting with the lower council to remove the daimyo and place himself as head of the mighty farmlands…

A cold wind swept over the currently empty fields of Gifu province, chilling the village of Jegri and its nearby castle. The harvest season was not for a few more months, so the village was in somewhat of a lull, but not by much. The people spent their days discussing the war while mending fences and farming equipment, gathering seeds for the end of the frost, and tending to the animals.

Castle Jegri was built with a large square wall completely surrounding the main houses. Since the land was completely flat, defenses were placed on all sides to guard from an attack in any direction. The main house was built like a U, with a large courtyard in the center.

In a side room overlooking the courtyard, the high councilor Naminii watched from out a siding door as the Lord Riyou played with his daughter Mimi in the courtyard. He watched in disgust. How many years had he served the lower lords of the Yamana? How many backhanded deals and knives in the dark had he employed in their service, only to be now rewarded with a job overseeing the food supply of all things! Even worse, to be placed under a man almost half his senior. “None of it matters,” he thought, closing the window. Soon, events would be placed into motion and he would finally start moving up in the world. “Position” as his motto went, “is everything in this world. It is power. Once you have the position, then you can use the bargaining chips at your disposal. To think, that this insolent lord has the possibility of moving far up in ranks, if only he would come to his senses and ransom the food! The Yamanas would quickly bargain, or else risk their soldiers deserting in the face of starvation.” Yes, it would be sneaky and underhanded to go against his benefactors. But, with their main forces embroiled in combat with the Hokosawa, anything they could muster he could easily counter by hiring a band of hungry mercenaries willing to die just to eat.

Turning his mind to matters at hand, he likewise turned his body towards Keichi, an old and high-ranking servant of the Lord Riyou, who had come before the councilor today with a special request.

“So,” Naminii started, kneeling down onto a pillow provided on the floor, “Keichi, what is it that you wish to ask me?”

Keichi kept his head slighty bowed as he spoke. “I have come to ask you, councilor, if you would give my niece a job within the castle.”

Naminii turned his head and observed the girl sitting next to Keichi. She looked to be about sixteen, had jet black hair and her skin was whiter than the snow on the ground outside. She also kept her head bowed but with her eyes closed. She was very striking.

Keichi continued. “She is from Kyoto. Her parents died when she was very young. With all the problems and bloodshed in the capitol, I felt it best if I moved her out here with me in the countryside. Is there anyway she could work in the castle? It would mean so much to me.”

Then she opened her eyes and looked straight at him, which caused Naminii to involuntarily shudder. There was something about those eyes, black as coal and icy to look at.

He remembered those eyes, and how they scared him. Now, however, he was excited. The fact that she scared him made him want her even more.

“I am sure Madame Kifu will find her most useful. She may stay.”

Keichi and Yami walked down the corridors of Castle Jegri as Keichi led Yami to where she would begin her work. Looking around to make sure no one was in sight, he spoke quietly.

“Your comrades are already settled in the kitchen. As I told you earlier, you need to gain some knowledge of who is loyal to the Lord, and who is loyal to Naminii. Those who are loyal to the councilor need to be eliminated as well. In one week, we will move. The old councilor is a lecher, so you may be able to use that to get him alone. Remember, the lord is not to be harmed.”

They stopped outside the laundry area. She looked at him for a second but didn’t say a word, before moving forward and heading into the workplace. Keichi couldn’t fight the strange feeling inside his stomach from seeing those eyes. It wasn’t as if he hadn’t seen them before; he had seen them many times before, on many different faces. It was as if death itself manifested in them. All the ninja he had ever worked with had it. But this girl’s eyes… they were the worst he had ever seen.

Keichi felt the urge to say a short prayer before moving on to his chores.

Life of Shadows…Starts November…