The Five Beyond Steel

By James Vesping

Kiho Shimada is an archaeologist at a prestigious university, part of a research project for ancient texts. Upon deciphering a series of texts written in several forgotten languages with the assistance of an automated system, she comes under scrutiny for potentially defiling them. With her career on the precipice of disaster, she meets Genta, who can seemingly write in one of the forgotten tongues. He promises to show her the truth of the legends she has uncovered, but in order to do so she must meet his family - a family of gods.

• Language: English
• Publisher: James Vesping
• Release date: Apr 2, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215920992

James Vesping

James Vesping is a former network technician, having worked in both the private and the government sector. He has worked in software and web development in both professional and hobbyist capacities, including several simulation projects for popular sandbox games. In 2015, he began writing novels as a hobbyist, which turned into a full time job by 2017. You can find him on the web at JamesVesping.com.

Book preview

The Five Beyond Steel

James Vesping

Copyright 2023 James Vesping

Cover art Copyright 2023 James Vesping

All rights reserved.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

Thank you for taking the time for this interview, miss Shimada, the interviewer began, a light smile stretching across his face.

It is my pleasure, Kiho replied, crossing her legs. I am always happy to talk about our work.

The interviewer nodded and shuffled some papers around. Well, let’s begin. Your recent research has been into some ancient archives of knowledge, translated from an older writing style and quite far removed from modern languages.

Mm-hmm, Kiho mumbled with a brief nod. It was difficult at first, but eventually we found some texts that seemed to mix styles. With cross-correlation, we were able to reveal more of this ancient style and eke out a meaning to them.

According to the university’s announcement, you were able to translate some stories in this ancient form. Can you describe a few of them for us?

Kiho sat back and nodded again. There were a number of stories, all traced to an unnamed bard. He may have had a name, but so far we’ve been unable to find what it was. He was constantly traveling, going from one land to the next, and seemed to be a collector of tales from all over the country. One stands out as particularly interesting: he described a land ruled by a goddess who could generate and control iron at will. She was said to be extremely lonely until a man who couldn’t speak married her. He was described as ‘Kaerugo the record keeper.’

The interviewer rubbed his chin, then opened a hand. What makes the story different from others?

The way the bard describes it, Kiho answered, this was a violation of the god’s conventions. Humans and gods were not to mingle, according to the tale, and this Kaerugo violated them to wed ‘Hagasami’ – the goddess. The heavenly gods were said to strike down those who were in violation, yet did not do so in this instance.

Perhaps indicating a taboo relationship? Upper and lower classes? Untouchables? the interviewer asked.

Kiho shook her head. No, not according to the bard. According to him, Kaerugo was out of place in many ways, having an appearance that was unique and different from other people. The way it is told, Kaerugo had many secrets and forbidden knowledge, particularly knowledge of steel.

The interviewer raised his eyebrows. "But steel has been known