| Legend of the Storm Prologue "Mythic Preludes" © 2005 Jonathan Myers All Rights Reserved. Cover Art and Illustrations by Noboru Shimataki . All Rights Reserved |
| Novel Series by Illustrated by Jonathan Myers Noboru Shimataki Volume I: Gathering Clouds Prologue: Mythic Preludes |
“You pay me much respect Lady. . .and yet I wonder if I am
deserving of it?” the Emperor said in a soft voice.
“It is not my place to address my lord in any other manner,” the
Geisha answered, “For you are the ruler of all that is beneath
heaven and I am but a creature in service to you.”
The emperor turned slowly to gaze upon the fair maid who bowed
before him. He marveled at the respect she showed him and
thought of how many others had done so throughout the days of
his life. So many souls had paid him uncompromising homage, when
it was he who should have bowed to them. The irony of how he
could only see the fruitlessness of his reign brought a twisted smirk
to his face as he bid the Lady of Awa to rise.
The woman did so and the Emperor of Nippon saw that the rumors
of her beauty were true. Light glittered upon her eyes which were
like two pools of midnight. The sun highlighted the raven hues of her
hair and kabuki paint accented the near angelic features of her
delicate face. The Emperor admired her beauty and commented, “If I
were but a younger man I might be tempted to ask you for your
hand; for you are exceedingly fair, child. Now then if the stories are
as true about your voice, as they are of your beauty, then perhaps
you may cure my troubled soul.”
“Might I ask my lord what it is that vexes his heart?” the woman
asked.
“Yes, I would be eager to rid myself of the demons which haunt my
dreams and waking thoughts.” the Emperor nodded and directed
the Geisha to a quilted bench, “Please sit and I will share these
things with you.”
deserving of it?” the Emperor said in a soft voice.
“It is not my place to address my lord in any other manner,” the
Geisha answered, “For you are the ruler of all that is beneath
heaven and I am but a creature in service to you.”
The emperor turned slowly to gaze upon the fair maid who bowed
before him. He marveled at the respect she showed him and
thought of how many others had done so throughout the days of
his life. So many souls had paid him uncompromising homage, when
it was he who should have bowed to them. The irony of how he
could only see the fruitlessness of his reign brought a twisted smirk
to his face as he bid the Lady of Awa to rise.
The woman did so and the Emperor of Nippon saw that the rumors
of her beauty were true. Light glittered upon her eyes which were
like two pools of midnight. The sun highlighted the raven hues of her
hair and kabuki paint accented the near angelic features of her
delicate face. The Emperor admired her beauty and commented, “If I
were but a younger man I might be tempted to ask you for your
hand; for you are exceedingly fair, child. Now then if the stories are
as true about your voice, as they are of your beauty, then perhaps
you may cure my troubled soul.”
“Might I ask my lord what it is that vexes his heart?” the woman
asked.
“Yes, I would be eager to rid myself of the demons which haunt my
dreams and waking thoughts.” the Emperor nodded and directed
the Geisha to a quilted bench, “Please sit and I will share these
things with you.”
The Emperor of all Nippon stood upon the ornately carved veranda,
located at the eastern side of the royal palace. A man in his middle years,
the Emperor had seen the face of war and politics. He had known many
enemies and had himself won many battles; but as the sun set upon the
glittering blue sea, his eyes drifted to the dark silhouettes of war ships
approaching Edo’s shores from the west. Fear seized his soul as he
thought of the many innocent peasants who would fall prey to this
arriving power, days before his empire would ultimately and inevitably fall.
Gulls cried in the distance and a cool sea breeze billowed his silken
robes, which were embroidered with gold dragons and crimson lilies. His
mind was filled with many troubles and he sought to make peace with
the gods. He was a man of many transgressions and mighty deeds, but
all of these things were muddied by the shadow that stretched across
the waves. He reminisced about the years of his life and wondered why
he was born to this time. Why was he made the ruler of such a terrible
age?
located at the eastern side of the royal palace. A man in his middle years,
the Emperor had seen the face of war and politics. He had known many
enemies and had himself won many battles; but as the sun set upon the
glittering blue sea, his eyes drifted to the dark silhouettes of war ships
approaching Edo’s shores from the west. Fear seized his soul as he
thought of the many innocent peasants who would fall prey to this
arriving power, days before his empire would ultimately and inevitably fall.
Gulls cried in the distance and a cool sea breeze billowed his silken
robes, which were embroidered with gold dragons and crimson lilies. His
mind was filled with many troubles and he sought to make peace with
the gods. He was a man of many transgressions and mighty deeds, but
all of these things were muddied by the shadow that stretched across
the waves. He reminisced about the years of his life and wondered why
he was born to this time. Why was he made the ruler of such a terrible
age?
Certainly his death would be unimaginably cruel at the hands of this foreign enemy, but no less
unmerciful than the fate that awaited his people. The ruler of all Nippon dwelled on these things, and
indeed was relieved at the woman who was summoned to his court; for he needed comfort from the
dread and despair that seized him.
She was a Geisha from the province of eastern Awa. A woman of stately and exotic beauty, she was
well known for her tender methods of calming the human condition with her song. The Royal chancellor
had sent several ambassadors to seek out the Lady of Awa, and bring her to the Emperor’s court. A
depressive spirit had overtaken the palace and the Emperor’s servants wished this ill omen to leave
them.
The woman stepped into the Emperor’s court wearing the traditional dress expected of Geishan
etiquette. She stepped lightly out onto the veranda, which was flooded with setting light. There the
Emperor stood with his hands folded behind his back. He was turned from her and gazed beyond the
oriental porch way. She courteously sank to her knees and bowed before her lord. There she remained
a moment awaiting the direction of his royal majesty.
The Lady of Awa stepped lightly to the bench and sat upon it in a graceful manner. The Emperor
followed by sitting in a padded chair across from her. He sighed heavily and scratched his beared chin.
He chose his words carefully and said, “I have ruled all Nippon fore two score years and won my throne
at the expense of many souls. I have ruined houses, widowed many brides, murdered the sons of
mothers, and orphaned many children to accomplish this terrible thing. I have gained power, accolades
and riches; but it all seems as dust as I enter the twilight of my reign. I seek to know how I brought
Nippon to this miserable state and why the gods chose a wretch such as me to rule her.”
The Geisha thought on these words and answered, “For that answer I shall require the aide of a citar,
if it pleases my lord?”
The Emperor nodded and hastened his courtly servants to acquire the instrument requested by the
Lady of Awa. In moments they returned with a citar of fine beauty. It was given to the Emperor as a gift
from Daimyo Hideyuki of Kyushu. The instrument was made of polished wood and ivory and inlaid with
white and red lilies on its surface. The woman gently accepted the citar and she surveyed its beauty
with her dark eyes.
“A lovely gift this is,”she noted as her slender fingers caressed the colorful lilies that rest upon the
instrument, “for it holds the secret to your despair my lord.”
The Emperor leaned forward in his chair as the woman plucked three strands upon the citar. Each
successive chord ascended and filled his ears. She smiled at her lord and she asked, “Do you know the
significance of the red and white lilies that decorate this fine instrument my lord?”
“Nay, but that they are flowers that cover the shores of all Nippon.” he nodded.
“True,” she agreed sadly as she gazed upon the lilies, “And yet there is a story within these two
flowers.”
The Lady of Awa began to strum upon the citar in her hands and a beautiful music began to resonate in
a strange melodic harmony. The woman gazed with compassion upon the Emperor as she said, “The
lilies represent two houses of old. . . two peoples that once ruled all of Nippon; but as with all stories I
must begin where it all started.”
The woman’s mouth opened as she began to sing. Her voice was more fair than that of a nightingale’s
and it captivated her lord. His mind and soul were held by her voice, as if it were alight with some kind
of ancient and powerful magic.
followed by sitting in a padded chair across from her. He sighed heavily and scratched his beared chin.
He chose his words carefully and said, “I have ruled all Nippon fore two score years and won my throne
at the expense of many souls. I have ruined houses, widowed many brides, murdered the sons of
mothers, and orphaned many children to accomplish this terrible thing. I have gained power, accolades
and riches; but it all seems as dust as I enter the twilight of my reign. I seek to know how I brought
Nippon to this miserable state and why the gods chose a wretch such as me to rule her.”
The Geisha thought on these words and answered, “For that answer I shall require the aide of a citar,
if it pleases my lord?”
The Emperor nodded and hastened his courtly servants to acquire the instrument requested by the
Lady of Awa. In moments they returned with a citar of fine beauty. It was given to the Emperor as a gift
from Daimyo Hideyuki of Kyushu. The instrument was made of polished wood and ivory and inlaid with
white and red lilies on its surface. The woman gently accepted the citar and she surveyed its beauty
with her dark eyes.
“A lovely gift this is,”she noted as her slender fingers caressed the colorful lilies that rest upon the
instrument, “for it holds the secret to your despair my lord.”
The Emperor leaned forward in his chair as the woman plucked three strands upon the citar. Each
successive chord ascended and filled his ears. She smiled at her lord and she asked, “Do you know the
significance of the red and white lilies that decorate this fine instrument my lord?”
“Nay, but that they are flowers that cover the shores of all Nippon.” he nodded.
“True,” she agreed sadly as she gazed upon the lilies, “And yet there is a story within these two
flowers.”
The Lady of Awa began to strum upon the citar in her hands and a beautiful music began to resonate in
a strange melodic harmony. The woman gazed with compassion upon the Emperor as she said, “The
lilies represent two houses of old. . . two peoples that once ruled all of Nippon; but as with all stories I
must begin where it all started.”
The woman’s mouth opened as she began to sing. Her voice was more fair than that of a nightingale’s
and it captivated her lord. His mind and soul were held by her voice, as if it were alight with some kind
of ancient and powerful magic.
| Hear my song O, Emperor. Know that long ago dragons walked the earth and the gods still ruled Nippon. This was an age of untold beauty and the great isles were a place undreamed of. Shining cities were scattered across her shores like glittering pearls. This was the time of heroes. An age when gods lived in harmony with mortals and men still worshiped them. Remember this time with me when we think of their deeds and honor our great ancestors. Let us journey back in time, before warring lords feuded for possession of Nippon. Let us remember an age when the world was young and men were still but a dream. This was the golden age of the gods, my Emperor. The days before Nippon or the ways of men. A period when magic was strong, and the universe was perfectly balanced in both spirit and nature. |
| Remember the heroic god, Iganazi, and how he struck down the great world serpent with his mighty sword. Droplets of the monster’s blood fell from the tip of the god’s sword and into the sea. These droplets created the magnificent islands of Nippon. The gods favored Iganazi’s deed and blessed the isles. Men were created to inhabit these islands, and they were great giants of strength and valorous courage. So began the silver age, my Emperor. A time when men contested against the gods for power over Nippon. The gods cursed these men and monsters were born into the world. A second race of men were created, but they were more feeble in power and stature. They were dependant upon the gods, because they were mortal. The gods pitied them and blessed them with eternal souls. The spirit folk were sent to Nippon to protect them and teach of magic and natural things. The gods soon grew to love these men and they chose leaders among them to guide their kin in wisdom and honor. These leaders were the samurai, great warrior servants who maintained order throughout Nippon. Their martial skills were unmatched and their legacy was the stuff of epic stories. |
| The hearts of men were still corrupted and the leaders of men divided themselves into clans. They honored the gods, but turned against their brothers; So war was born into the world, my Emperor. The rival clans battled for the whole of Nippon; but the gods grew angry with their greedy hearts. They cursed their leaders and gave them a lust for power that could not be quenched. Hence the clans of men would battle, with none gaining absolute power over Nippon; However two clans emerged in strength. These were the aristocratic children of Heike, and their rustic cousins the Genji. So was the age of heroes, and from the ranks of the Heike and Genji emerged two samurai of considerable skill. They were called Kiyomori Taira and Yoshitomo Minamoto. They were brothers in arms against the great insurrectionists. These men were mere mortals, but they fought like gods. Together they turned back the tides of Sutoku’s army, and had the traitor banished from Nippon. They were the greatest warriors of the Hogen no Ran wars, and their names were praised by men; So began the greatest age of men, when their deeds were remembered in songs and their prowess inspired legends. Hear now, O Emperor, of the greatest war of Nippon, and of the heroes it created. |
