The Lord of Xu

By Daniel R. Robichaud

Fumiku knows that an inn can be grand or small, but it must always be cozy. Her peace is shattered when one of the hanumn, ape-like fiends who serve the mysterious Lord of Xu, arrives with demands for tributes. In the past, those tributes claimed Fumiku's family, her husband and child were swallowed in the ruined city bearing that name. Now, those tributes are tied to a massing power.

The city is little more than dust and stone. No lord sits there openly. No populace can be found. Xu's power has long ago passed. To save her inn, Fumiku must delve into that city in search of answers. She will not go alone. A patron of her establishment, a samurai warrior from a distant kingdom will accompany her. He is battle tested and fearless. It seems that death itself cannot stop him. Together, they have the chance to stop a rising army and to learn the fate of Fumiku's family. In order to do so, they will they placate the cryptic wishes of The Lord of Xu.

"The Lord of Xu" is a return to the weird world of the red sun, an underworld filled with monsters, magic and high adventure. This place is the stomping ground for the warrior Haiyu, the samurai of Hell who is sworn to Emma-O to find the world's center and plant Hell's standard there. Although fourth in the Samurai of Hell series, this 7000+ word tale stands alone and serves as a great entry point to the series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Twice Told Tales II
• Release date: Jul 1, 2018
• ISBN: 9781370086924

Daniel R. Robichaud

Daniel R. Robichaud has lived in southeastern Michigan, central Massachusetts and southern Texas. He is a Rhysling Award nominated poet and the author of over one hundred stories, articles and poems, which have appeared in such markets as Shroud Magazine, Rogue Worlds, Goblin Fruit, Rage of the Behemoth, Green Prints, and WritersWeekly. Daniel holds degrees in both Physics and English, and his career path has reflected these passions. In addition to his numerous writing opportunities, he has been an Igor For Hire (aka a freelance research engineer), a substitute teacher, an automation engineer, and a neurophysiology lab manager. Daniel enjoys entertaining people with his words and stories. If you enjoy a good read, why not try one of his works? You might just love them.

Book preview

The Lord of Xu

A Tale of the Samurai of Hell

By: Daniel R. Robichaud

The Lord of Xu

A teahouse can be grand or it can be small, but it must always be cozy. The one nestled in the ruins of the ancient, abandoned city of Xu was on the smaller side, three serving rooms separated by sliding doors of rice paper stretched across wooden frames. The rear of the place, kitchens dedicated to a preparing the brand of rice balls her grandmother had called onigiri and for which the house was secondarily known for, was a place of great heat and smells, neither of which slipped through the walls to discomfort the patrons. Whether this was due to proper design, which took full advantage of the region's regular winds through a series of hidden tubes or the ground's own water, or a special enchantment was unknown. Only the owner could say for certain, and Fumiku remained closed mouthed about such trade secrets.

The proprietress of the teahouse was not considered a beauty by artisans or courtiers, but she had a head for business, she had broad hands that did not fear work, and she had a serviceable smile that worked with her round face to provide comfort to her patrons. She stood barely five feet tall and had little fat to speak of, her body was a straight line, but her spirit was fiery when angered. She had no children who survived infancy, and a husband who had not survived much longer than their son. Her pride and joy was the teahouse she had built from a year's worth of tragedy. The lessons that year taught were dear, but valuable.

Today was a busy day for the teahouse in Xu. A shipment of plums from the village in the valley had arrived, was sitting around the rear of the house waiting to be pickled, stored, and used to supply the sour component in the specialty onigiri. All three rooms were currently occupied by travelers from afar, one wealthy, one merchant, and a trio of warriors who did a great job of pretending not to be bandits. When the northeastern yojimbo arrived and stretched the