The Dark Raider

By Charles T. Whipple

~ Short Japanese Fantasy Adventure story – part of a continuing saga of stand-alone tales by award-winning author, Charles T. Whipple ~

Shuri of the sea and Nanashi the woman with no name were called by the spokeswoman for Amaterasu to search for the Umi Akari Blade, one of the talismans that legitimize the reigning monarch before the Almighty. The Seer foresaw that a black ship brought by power unseen to the caldera harbor of Sunosaki would be the one with which to find the missing blade.

Kei captains a raider, a black ship that sneaks into harbors under the cover of night to raid fish-drying racks and take the spoil to the markets of Ohsaka to turn them into money. The raider is taken over by a Toh vessel that locks its crew in the hold and uses Lord Yami’s power to push the ship into Sunosaki.

Shuri, Nanashi, and the horse soldiers accompanying them oust the vile sanmu priests holding the black Mayo Maru, rescuing the crew in the process. The captain, Kei, is called by the Almighty to be the Navigator. She accepts, and the Mayo Maru sets out for Shodo Island, which holds the secret of the Umi Akari Blade.

The first enemy Lord Yami sends after the Mayo Maru is a deep-sea monster that people call mizuchi or water dragon. Can Kei captain her raider ship through the onslaught of creatures and oni monsters thrown into her course? Only Amaterasu knows.

With the account of the Navigator, I will now lay aside my brush so those who read of Captain Kei and her companions, stalwart subjects of Amaterasu, might search the accounts and come to believe in the might and sacred power of Amaterasu Omikoto, creator of all and ruler of Heaven and Earth. Thus I have written and thus shall it be done. Sayo nara and sayo nara.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Charles T. Whipple
• Release date: Dec 3, 2018
• ISBN: 9780463522707

Charles T. Whipple

"The only thing I do well is write." Charles T. Whipple is an international award-winning copywriter, journalist, author and novelist. His awards include Editor & Publisher Magazine DM Award, World Annual Report Competition Award, 2010 Oaxaca International Literature Award, and 2011 Global eBook Award.Whipple was born in Show Low, Arizona. He spent two and a half years in Japan as a volunteer youth missionary, and majored in Japanese History as a graduate student and grantee at the East West Center, University of Hawaii. He is fluent in spoken and written Japanese, and has long been interested in the fantastic aspect of traditional Japanese tales. Whipple lives in the city of Chiba, the capital of Chiba Prefecture, which encompasses the ancient Kanto Kingdoms of Awa, Kazusa, and Shimosa. Today, Chiba hosts the Magic Kingdom of Disneyland and is gateway to Japan via the international airport in Narita.He has one wife, four daughters, two sons, and 19 grandchildren. Whipple writes western novels under the pen name of Chuck Tyrell and fantasy based on ancient Japanese history and mythology as Charles T. Whipple. Visit Charlie at his Blog: http://chucktyrell-outlawjournal.blogspot.com/.

Book preview

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THE DARK RAIDER

The Masacado Scrolls

Story 8

CHARLES T. WHIPPLE

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Smashwords Edition

THE DARK RAIDER

Copyright © 2018 by Charles T. Whipple

Illustration Copyright © 2018 by Gustav Oslo

Cover Art Design Copyright © 2018 by Laura Shinn Designs

http://laurashinn.yolasite.com

Smashwords Licensing Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this ebook with other people, please purchase an additional copy for each person. Thank you for respecting the hard work of the author.

The Dark Raider is a work of fiction. Though actual locations may be mentioned, they are used in a fictitious manner and the events and occurrences were invented in the mind and imagination of the author except for the inclusion of actual historical facts. Similarities of characters or names used within to any person – past, present, or future – are coincidental except where actual historical characters are purposely interwoven.

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The Words of Hikarinomiko

Behold, I am Hikarinomiko, daughter of Amenomiko who was the daughter of Soranomiko who was the daughter of Asanomiko who anointed the Chosen One of Amaterasu Omikoto, even Taira no Masacado, who drove the wicked Toh from the eight kingdoms of Kanto, even unto the forfeiting of his own life.

Now behold, I, Hikarinomiko, am called of Amaterasu to record the deeds of those anointed during the dark days of Toh rule. To write somewhat concerning the curse the wicked Toh placed upon the land; the loss of the sacred talismans of Amaterasu through which the Chosen One is proclaimed unto the people; the search to discover the talismans in their place of hiding; and the fearful battle against the Toh, their dark Yami bonzes, the creatures and demons the priests commanded. Yea, even every dark being of the underworld of Yami.

Therefore, I have searched among the scrolls left me by she who preceded me, even the sacred Washinomiko, who has gone before and must surely rest in the bright fields of Amaterasu. Yea, I have searched, and Amaterasu has guided my hand. Yea, even as mine hand and mine mind were guided to record the beginning, even the birth and the anointing of he who will stand as King under Amaterasu, even he who will do battle with the vicious Toh and shall prevail over them.

As with the account of the Seeker and the Shielder, I will now lay aside my brush so those who read of the trials on the Road to Kio, might search the accounts and come to believe in the might and sacred power of Amaterasu Omikoto, creator of all and ruler of Heaven and Earth.

Now behold, in separate scrolls, I have inscribed and will inscribe accounts of the labors and sufferings of the anointed of Amaterasu as they search for the sacred talismans. Until such time, I lay aside my brush again and bid each and all sayo nara, for the moment, sayo nara.

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Chapter One

The wicked Toh still hold sway over the entire company, save for the enclaves provided by sacred shrines of Amaterasu the Almighty. The quest to find the talismans necessary for the Anointed, Masacado, to ascend to kingship of the seven kingdoms of Kanto continue. Nanashi the woman with no name has recovered the Crystal of Keys, and now a quest for the Umi Akari Blade, the sword of infinite caliber, begins in the unlikely place of Sunosaki, at the end of the peninsula of Bohsoh.

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For more than a week after Seeker Ryo’s party was deposited on the long finger pier at Tomiura, the Seicho Maru rested in a berth in Oku Tatezan harbor. Small wooden wasen boats plied the currents of Uraga for both fish and crustaceans, bringing home cargoes of the ocean’s bounty, provided to all by Amaterasu Herself. The crew spent every waking moment either cleaning and polishing the war junk or training in their duties under the tutelage of Wat the Hocho, Tai the Dairi, or Captain Nami the Fuku.

Nami had four sailors on their hands and knees, scrubbing the deck planking with pumice stones when a phalanx of horse soldiers rounded the northern headland and loped toward the harbor.

Horses coming, lookout, Nami called.

Hai, Fuku. Looks to be Captain Noritsugu.

Well done, Nami said. She strode to the boarding port. Honor guard, she called.

Ready momentarily, Fuku, came a voice from the cabin entrance.

Captain Noritsugu coming, Nami said. "Let’s show him how good the crew of the Seicho Maru is."

Hai, Fuku. One moment.

The sound of pounding hooves grew louder, then came to a stop.

Nami faced the gangway.

"Ahoy Seicho Maru."

A tight group of sailors marched to the boarding gangway. "This is the Seicho Maru, the chief in charge said. State your purpose."

We are Yotsu horsemen sent to deliver a missive to Captain Nami the Fuku.

Who might the missive be from?

From Hikarinomiko of the Shrine of Awa Omote, and from Ryo the Seeker.

Render us the missive and we will deliver it to our captain.

Her Highness Hikarinomiko and the Seeker charged me to personally deliver this message. The horse solder held up a folded paper stamped with vermillion over the fold. This I must do.

Nami stepped to the gangway. Captain Noritsugu, she called.

It is I, Captain Nami.

"Board the Seicho Maru, if you will."

My appreciation, the horse soldier said, and dismounted. His men followed his example. They formed up with two soldiers in front of Noritsugu, one on each side, and two following behind.

Seicho Maru sailors stepped to the rail, curved swords drawn and held formally in position. A youngster took two or three strides to the port side stays, put a whistle to his lips, and piped the horse soldiers aboard.

Your sailors treat a man correctly, Captain Nami, Noritsugu said as he stepped through the boarding port.

"Each is proud to be of the Seicho Maru, she said. No other ship has lived through devil fire."

I bring a missive, Fuku.

So you said.

Noritsugu held the missive out. It bears the seals of Ryo the Seeker and Hikarinomiko the abbot of Awa Omote Shrine.

Nami reached with both hands, palms upward, toward the missive as if she were receiving it from the abbot or from the Seeker herself. Noritsugu placed the missive in Nami’s open hands. She closed her thumbs over the pure paper, bowed, and raised the missive to touch it to her forehead. This servant of Amaterasu receives the words of Hikarinomiko and Ryo the Seeker, she intoned. This servant will endeavor with her entire heart and body to accomplish whatever and whichever is asked.

She slipped the missive into the fold of her tunic. Captain Noritsugu, would you not tarry for a moment to partake of some fragrant green tea? We just received some new leaves from Yaizu. If you please.

My horsemen await.

I will have my crew serve them some sweet bean cakes along with a cup of tea. Will that not suffice?

Noritsugu bowed, then followed Nami as she strode aft toward the gangway leading to the captain’s cabin in the stern. As she approached, Shuri, the Ryukyuan woman who acted as Nami’s personal guard, stood squarely before the access hatch.

Shuri. Nami’s voice carried a sharp edge.

Hai, Fuku.

Stand aside. We would go down to my cabin.

May I ask, Captain Nami, who it is you would take into your cabin? And may I inspect that person for danger?

"Shuri, well you know Captain Noritsugu of the Yotsu horse soldiers. It is he who brought Princess Yuminoko as bride for Koziro the Anointed One. It is he who battled namahagi to a standstill and defeated an oni that had conjoined with a sanmu priest.

Your pardon, Lord Noritsugu, but I cannot allow the Fuku to enter the captain’s cabin without knowing the danger you might pose.

Do what you must, Noritsugu said.

Shuri took a small jade pendant from her neck, wrapped the silver chain around her hand so the pendant vanished between her index and middle fingers. Keeping the pendant clamped between her fingers, Shuri ran her hand over Noritsugu’s body without touching