Prologue:

The picturesque grasslands of ancient Japan we're full of mystery, here lay a coastal town named 'Asuka'. Cradled in a mystic valley and only a few minutes walk from the seashore, there was no better place to grow up, so it seemed. A scourge was said to follow every man or woman born there, and while some thought the scourge could be broken by the defeat of the stronger Jin Dynasty in China, most believed it had deeper elements.
And it was here, amongst all this wonder, that a japanese boy was born and reared. Ryuk Yoshimitsu, 16, was determined to escape his destiny of working in the emporer's court, instead he planned to become a samuri and fight for his noble country in the anticipated war with China. But in early 1211, as the mongels begin their invasion of the Jin Dynasty from the north, Ryuk gets a unexpected opportunity to visit China with his father on his last espionage mission for the Japanese Emporor. But, can the scourge be broken?


Chapter One: Sea Breeze. Part One

Ryuk’s gaze scanned the horizon as he sauntered along the coast. Countless waves
came roaring up from the deep just to break on the shore like so many fallen men. The air, laden
with its burden of moisture, hung heavy over the land. A gull’s shrill cry could be heard to the west as
the bird flew eagerly back to its nest. The sand squished between Ryuk’s toes as he walked and even
though the place where he lived was called “The land of the rising sun” it seemed to Ryuk that it
was “The land of the setting sun”. His dreams would, it seemed, never come true, being the oldest
son of nobleman he was expected to follow in the footsteps of his Father and Grandfather and get
a job in the Emperor’s court. However, Ryuk found had not interest in life at court and wanted
desperately to become a warrior. Ever since he was a small child and his mother had taken him and
his older sister to watch the Samurai parade through the streets of the city he had longed, deep
inside, to be a warrior samurai. Ryuk had never told anyone of his aspiration to become a samurai;
however, he had become aware that his parents realized that he did not want to work in the Court.
Another thing troubled Ryuk, his father was leaving on another trip to China the next day, he wanted
desperately to go, but he knew it wasn’t likely. Despondently, Ryuk considered running away, if he
could somehow board a ship to China without being caught, or there was north Japan to be thought
of… A gentle breeze slowly blew in from the ocean and Ryuk paused, momentarily breaking his chain of
thought, to take in the delicious feeling. As the last bit of the gust blew in his face a thought struck
him “Why not ask to go”? As he pondered this a gull swooped down towards him, crying its strange
call, as if to edge him on. Ryuk took a last glance at the beauty around him then turned back
whence he’d come.

Chapter One :Sea Breeze: Part 2

Ryuk sped back down the shore, the surf tearing at his feet, towards the well-worn path to the city. Ryuk’s Father, Yoshirou, had left Japan at a young age to attend school in China; afterward he had returned and taken a job in the Emperor’s court. However, recently, with the growing friction between the Chinese and Japanese governments, he had been commissioned as a spy and that is why he and his family resided not in the Capital, but in a little seaside village. Ryuk knew that his Father’s spying missions were growing increasingly dangerous as the tension mounted, if war did break out than he would probably never make it to China. The Japanese had been subordinate to the Chinese for years, their armies and technology were not as advanced and this rendered them helpless of defending against an attack, for ages they had lived in fear of what was often called “The Scourge of the Shogun”. But now, things we’re changing, the Mongols were pushing into China from the north leaving their eastern front more exposed. This gave some hope, but others persisted that while China’s superior forces might soon be broken, the scourge held a much deeper hold on their Mystical land of pagodas and cherry trees, a hold which was more than earth deep. Despite this, Ryuk desperately wanted to go to China, to see, among other things, the Great Wall. So with China in mind he sprinted up the few remaining feet of the steep path up to the city gate. The guards knew Ryuk well, for he frequented the gates and talked often with them, so he nonchalantly waved his city pass at them as he walked through, not slackening his pace at all. He continued in a hurried manner until he reached the market, where seller’s carts, and would be buyers, blocked the street like a human wall. Ryuk pushed his way roughly through the seething throng, people stopped to stare as he pushed his way forcibly through the wall of human flesh. Ryuk soon reached the outskirts of the market where crowds thinned and he picked up his pace once again. Upon reaching the gate to his father’s property he reached for the bell rope that dangled down from the bell, a good ten feet above, and gave it a few pulls, in the hope of speeding the gardener up. Hurried footfalls from within showed the approach of the gardener, who opened the gate to admit Ryuk after taking a quick look through a chink in the wood. Ryuk recognized the gardener’s service with a hand gesture and quickly took off down the garden path. Ryuk’s father owned a large estate on which was settled a large garden and a spacious mansion. It was about a quarter of a mile from the gate entrance of the property to the house itself. Ryuk continued to run swiftly down the path, past the cherry trees, past the coy pond and the pagoda. He was slightly fatigued from hunger and his run when he finally reached the steps up to the house. He knew that the last meal of the day was over, well over in fact, and he would have to rummage through the kitchen for something to eat. All was quiet in the house, the servants had already gone to their quarters and his parents and sister we’re probably otherwise engaged. Ryuk hurriedly cut himself a generous slice of bread and hurried towards his bedroom.

Chapter One: Part Three

“Now if only I can…” Ryuk’s thoughts we’re cut short as he passed his parents’ bedroom, despite the fact he had been raised to consider eavesdropping low class, he stopped to listen in. “I don’t know” his father was saying “You know he has been wanting to go for a long time” Ryuk’s heart leaped, “We’re they talking about China?”. Then he heard his mother speak “You know you’ll have to tell him-” Yoshirou cut her off “Yes, He’s sixteen now, I think he can keep a secret”. All was quiet for a second and then someone got slowly up from the bed and started towards the door. At this Ryuk rose hurriedly and sprinted silently to his room, it would not do for them to know that he’d been eavesdropping. He flopped down on the bed, his mind a sea tumultuous excitement, he was excited because it appeared he would be able to go to China, but he was also intrigued by the secret of which his father had spoken. Ryuk’s curiosity had always gotten him into trouble, even when he was younger, like the time when he had let the family dog into the neighbor’s chicken pen—they hadn’t had a dog since. Ryuk laid thinking for a long time, how long he didn’t know, but what he did know is that when he came out of his day dream, most of the other lights in the house we’re dimmed and his slice of bread was moist from the sweat on his hands. Ryuk slowly dropped the bread slice on his bed as he got up and walked to his open window. He stared up at the star-lit heavens, and they seemed too stared back at him, myriads of bright spheres in the dark void of space. Ryuk stood there, transfixed, taking in the rare beauty of the night. The moon’s dull glint left an eerie light on the bushes and made the cherry trees seemingly alive with light. The water in the koi pond reflected the beautiful light of the moon. Ryuk could make out one of the koi, like he, the fish was but a mere specter of the glorious night. Ryuk could hardly drag his gaze away, but he finally managed to, walking back to his bed he picked up the slice of bread and took it down to the kitchen, where he threw it outside for the birds to eat in the morning. He then picked a clay cup off the counter and dipped it into the water pale. Each night a servant was required to fill this bucket up with well water so the family had easy access to drinking water during the night. After filling up his cup he opened a nearby cupboard, took some tea leaves, and put them in with the water. Ryuk watched as some of the juice from the leaves slowly mixed with the water in the cup, they whirled around together in a strange dance; each seemed to find the other repulsive, for it took them a while to finally mix together as one. It reminded him of the setting sun, darkness slowly blending in with light until all was dark. Ryuk sipped at his tea slowly, thinking of what his parents had said, when he finished he rinsed the cup out quickly and put it back on the counter. He then hurried back to his room and crawled into bed, the sheets felt warm and he soon found himself drifting off into the land of dreams.


Chapter I: Part IV
Ryuk was nearly asleep when his father entered the room. Yoshirou lit a lamp and then pulled a chair over towards Ryuk’s bed. “Son” Yoshirou began, his voice hushed. “Your mother and I have decided that you can go to China with me, but I must tell you something else first“. Ryuk curiosity was peaked. “As you know” Yoshirou continued “I am a spy for our Emperor”. Ryuk nodded his head. “Now that you are old enough to go to China with me you must know everything I do while I am there”. Yoshirou paused and looked Ryuk straight in the eyes “I not only spy for our Emperor, I spy for Emperor Xuanzong of the Jin Dynasty as well”. Ryuk’s mouth dropped open in surprise. Despite the fact that his family had always been involved in harboring smugglers and other illegal activities, Ryuk had never dreamed his father was a double-agent. Yoshirou went on “You must never talk to anyone about this”, Ryuk nodded, it wouldn’t do for a secret like that to get out. But his father wasn’t done, “There is one other thing we must talk about, son. As you know the Jin Dynasties western neighbor the Xia Dynasty was taken by Genghis Khan and his hoard four years ago in 1211. The Mongols are returning now for the Jin Dynasty, they have advanced very near the Dynasties Capital, Yanjing, which is where we will be going. You must understand we will not be doing any sightseeing, we must get in and out of Yanjing as soon as possible”. Ryuk was downcast that he couldn’t see the wall, but logic convinced him of the fact that to travel any farther North would not be wise. Yoshirou got up and pushed the chair back in its place, “Tomorrow morning you’ll need to pack your things, we’ll be leaving on the ‘Yoshiko’ in the afternoon”. Then he walked through the door and disappeared down the hallway.