Chapter 1: Prelude: The Dragon''s Day Out 1


    The Picard sailed leisurely in the waters of the Reisui. It was a single-masted ship that could support up


    to thirty sailors. To reach the Karasuma vige maind, one has to take a vessel from thest port in


    the Bay of Daiwan. Two days in the sea, along the coast, brings one to the semai canyon, which


    wedges its way, through the lofty Youjin mountains. The canyon is a murky mile-long pass, which


    further opens into the downstream waters of the Reisui river- overlooking the river valley. The origin of


    the river is at the base of chojo hill- the territory of Karasuma vige.


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    The Overlord of Karasuki, Itou Uno, had delegated his uncle and Chief Bursar, Masateru Uno, to hold


    trade talks with the Overlord of Karasuma vige, Senju Mikashita before their Goddess Festival


    began. It was to be andmark trade deal that would transform the economies of both viges.


    Karasuma was a warrior vige, while Karasuki was a trade and banking vige. It made sense for both


    communities toe together during times of peace.


    As the ship emerged from the canyon into the Reisui mainstream- the sun illuminated the chojo hill,


    which loomed high in the west. It would take around three hours to row to the upstream docks. Chief


    Bursar Uno instructed his Navy Captain to moor the ship at an old jetty nearby. It was time for his


    second breakfast, and his guts were not appreciating the bobbing of the vessel. The Reisui formed


    rapids in the area, making it quite challenging to navigate smoothly. The party would''ve already


    reached Karasuma the day before were it not for the numerous meals of the Chief Bursar. It had been


    five days since they left Karasuki, while they could have finished the journey in three days.


    The Picard carried twenty-one seafarers. They included- Masateru Uno, the Navy Captain, and his


    seven crew- a cook, four oarsmen, and two personaldy-servants of Uno. The ship crew was ves


    from Karasuki. The vige was heavily involved in the ve trade and boasted a skill camp to train


    them in different vocations. It was their primary economy. Over the years, it had made them the


    wealthiest vige on the continent.


    Apart from the above, a military protection squad of seven from Karasuma vige were Chief Bursar


    Uno''s personal escort. They had been sent over by Overlord Mikashita, bynd, as a gesture of


    respect. Captain Yorokobi Miyamoto led the squad. Uno had also hired four mercenaries for his


    protection. They were oundish-looking sellswords with strange des- much in contrast to the well-


    dressed and disciplined Karasuma squad.


    As The Picard was anchored and tethered to thend, Uno emerged from the cabin. Thedy-servants


    made a spread of breakfast on a bench. A fifty-year-old, obese, balding man, one could easily mistake


    the Chief Bursar for a grey walrus from a distance.


    Captain Yorokobi leaned on the deck, sharpening his de with a whetting stone. He had already


    assigned three of his squad to disembark and stand guard onnd. Bandits, very often, hid in the


    canyon or the jetties to rob merchant ships. The other three guards kept a watch on the deck, facing


    the mouth of the canyon.


    Masateru Uno: "Captain Miyamoto, would you care to join me for breakfast?


    I have some broiled prawns, pigeon pie, and ale to wash it down."


    Yorokobi felt sick to his stomach, looking at the greasy food so early in the morning. He was a man of


    few words and had risen through the ranks through hard work and discipline. At the age of twenty-


    eight, he was already a master of kitsu. He had awakened the Miyamoto eye, which gave him the


    ability of chlorokinesis- that is, control over nts. But every time, it would render the user blind for


    several hours. For a man of his abilities and rank, gluttony was sinful and punishable. But he kept his


    ideas to himself.


    Captain Yorokobi: "I am ttered that the Chief Bursar feels I am worthy to dine at his side. But the


    warrior code allows only two healthful meals a day. And Karasuma warriors worship the warrior code."


    Masateru Uno: "If you say so, Captain. We, of the Karasuki vige and the Uno n, believe that- it is


    important to worship the belly as many times as possible, in a day."


    He patted his rotund belly and chuckled loudly. Then he proceeded to gorge on his second breakfast,


    noisily. The docked ship was fastened to a post, firmly. It bobbed very lightly in the ebbing water. The


    dpidated jetty had been constructed on a clearing, about two hundred feet in length and half of that in


    breadth. The morning sun shone across the denuded terrain. Birds chirped musically from a forest that


    began from the treeline ahead.


    Yorokobi heard a low whistle. It was one of his squad members standing guard onnd. He rushed to


    his feet and alerted the deck guards. The Captain took off lightly from the edge of the deck, jumping


    high in the air andnding softly, ten yards ahead, beside thend guards.


    Yorokobi: Report.


    Guard 1: "We sensed a presence."


    Guard 2: "First we thought it was an animal or a viger. But animals do note this close to the


    rapids. There are watering holes upstream. And vigers certainly won''t venture this far from the


    maind for fear of bandits."


    Guard 3: "It appeared out of thin air somewhere in the foliage of the trees ahead. The only way that is


    possible if someone-"


    Yorokobi: -"Teleported."


    The Seiton technique was used to help store weapons in an alternate raiki space. In other words, it


    helped in making things disappear- which had great utility in travelling with heavy weapons. Kin lords


    and some Hyougi of Karasuma could use advanced Seiton to teleport themselves over distances


    ranging from a few feet to a few miles. Seiton teleportation was effective in both fight and flight. It was


    rumoured that the travelling warrior Lord Heydrian could travel over twenty miles through this


    technique.


    Captain Yorokobi took a deep breath. Had a Kin Lorde to wee the Chief Bursar? No, that was


    not likely. But there were artefacts in the ck markets of the ounds that could help one teleport.


    Perhaps it was a bandit targeting a seemingly harmless party.


    Yorokobi: "We are a military escort from Karasuma, escorting Lord Uno of Karasuki. Make yourself


    known, stranger! Or prepare to be assailed!"