Stormdancer (33 page)

The pro cession wound its path down the Palace Way, a snaking line of beggar monks clad in death-white, shaved heads bowed low to the earth. Each held a funeral candle between outstretched fingers, flames guttering in the dawn light, a sluggish sun rearing its head over the black waters of Kigen Bay.

Forty-nine days since the Seii Taishōgun’s death. Forty-nine monks to pray for his rebirth after forty-nine nights in the courts of Enma-ō. Tradition held that the souls of the dead were reborn in the Hour of the Phoenix, as daylight banished the deep of night. And so they marched toward sunrise to the beat of somber drums, the air thick with incense and mournful song, pretending it would make a difference. A throng had gathered to watch the pro cession, Sumiko among them, just one more beggar girl amidst the mob. Each spectator whispered their own prayers and hid their own thoughts and wondered what would come next.

The war with the gaijin was forgotten. The zaibatsu were poised to war with each other. Tiger and Phoenix, Dragon and Fox, all scrabbling for Shima’s empty throne. The chapterhouses buzzed like hornets’ nests kicked from their trees. The Guildsmen urged calm, watching as their creations were amassed across smoking fields of dead earth, poised to destroy each other.

Dangerous thoughts bloomed in Sumiko’s head; thoughts that had taken root these past few weeks and refused to let her rest. Thoughts that there must be a better way than this.

At midnight they would gather around the alms house radio, she and her friends, listening to the pirate broadcasts and wondering if the words they heard were true. The crackling, metallic voice spilling from the speakers at weeksend spoke of their enslavement to chi, to the men who controlled it. It said that the Guild had liquefied gaijin prisoners of war to make the inochi. That the very fuel on which their Empire had been built was made with blood; razored gears and metal teeth lubricated with the lives of innocent people. And though the Communications Ministry scoffed at the claim, none could help but notice how rapidly inochi supplies had dwindled once Shima’s armies retreated from the fronts. How the price of the fertilizer had skyocketed once the slave fleets began flying home with growling, empty bellies.

People whispered in the long midnight hours, asking the same question, over and over.
Has all this been bought with innocent blood?
The riots after the inochi broadcast had been brief, brutally suppressed. And now an uneasy peace had settled over the clan metropolises, broken glass crunching underfoot, violence on hold until the official period of mourning came to an end. Forty-nine days of fragile, jagged silence. Forty-nine days spent waiting to be told who would rule, now that the Kazumitsu Dynasty had lost its only son.
Sumiko kept her eyes on the ground, lips moving in silent prayer. Not for Yoritomo, Seii Taishōgun of the Empire, but for the people he had murdered. The women, the children, the old and the weak. The prisoners who had been dragged up the hill into the chapterhouse, to die frightened and alone, a thousand miles from home. The soldiers who had perished on foreign soil, fighting in a war built on lies and the fear of empty fuel tanks. The starving beggars, the silenced dissenters. Even the great Black Fox of Shima. Every soul sent on its way for the sake of greed and hubris and madness.
It had been a small thing to begin with; just a few spirit tablets laid out to mark the place of the Black Fox’s death near the Burning Stones. Nobody knew who had put them there. But then a few had grown into a dozen. And then a hundred. At first, the guards had tried removing the markers and paper flowers laid to honor the dead, but soon there were thousands of ihai laid out across the Market Square. A silent recrimination, a graveyard for the countless bodies with no grave to call their own.
Sumiko had made one herself. A simple tablet of stone, carved with her mother’s name, as black as the blood she’d coughed at her ending.
A cry rang out among the crowd, picked up and carried by a dozen other voices, fingers pointed at the sky. A single word, rolling among the mob like breaking surf, awash with wonder and awe. Sumiko looked up and the prayer died on her lips.

A majestic black silhouette against the brightening, bloody sky, flying out of the north with the poison wind at its back. It soared overhead, above the gasps and cries of astonishment, heading up the Palace Way. The pro cession collapsed into bedlam, the solemn rows of monks and spectators dissolving into a throng of running feet, thousands of people breaking ranks and following the silhouette up the street.

Sumiko squinted behind her goggles in the grubby dawn light, one hand up to blot out the sun.
“Gods above,” she breathed.
There was a rider on the thunder tiger’s back.
The shape circled above the Burning Stones, splitting the air with rasping, beautiful cries, its wings making a sound like rolling thunder. It was the color of clean snow, black slashes across pristine white, lightning playing at the edges of its wings. Eyes flashing, cruel, hooked claws and beak, proud and fierce.
Sumiko had never seen anything more beautiful in all her life.
A metal frame sat over its wings, gleaming and iridescent, feathers made of hard bloodstained canvas. The beast circled lower, alighting on the cobblestones as the crowd gathered, surrounding them in a wide circle. The few Tora guards among the mob watched on fearfully, hands slack on their naginata.
The rider was a girl Sumiko recognized. Long hair, dark eyes, pale skin clad in mourning black. She was the girl they sang kabuki plays about in the Downside taverns. The girl the street children mimicked, running among the gutters and alleys, flapping their arms and hollering at the sky. The girl that had gifted her with a full purse and a sad smile in the shadow of the sky-docks.
Arashi-no-odoriko, Stormdancer, Slayer of Yoritomo-no-miya.
The girl dismounted, placed a circlet of fresh wildflowers on the ground. A rainbow of color woven into a beautiful wreath, the scent of jasmine and chrysanthemums, azalea and wisteria rising above the black lotus stink. She gently set an ihai among the others, dark stone, a single word carved deeply into its face.
Father.
The girl bowed her head, lips moving as if in prayer. She wore a shortsleeved uwagi, and Sumiko could see her left arm was horribly scarred; the flesh about her shoulder was a patchwork of new burns. An old-fashioned katana in a black lacquered scabbard was strapped across her back. Her face was a grim, pale mask, cold as stone as she lifted her eyes and stared at the sea of wondering expressions around her.
“People of Kigen,” she called. “Hear me now.”
The toxic wind howled in off the bay, bringing the stink of rot and lotus ash, coating the throats of the crowd, seeping into their pores. The girl’s voice rose above it.
“For forty-nine days, we have mourned our lost; those we loved, and those who loved us.” She swallowed. “Now the time for grief is over.
“For too long we have lived, fat and prosperous on the back of the machine, on the fuel that drives it. But there comes a time when the price grows too high, when the oil runs too red, when we begin building our lives on the shattered lives of others. And at the last, the machine we once controlled ends up controlling us.
“Some in this land would have you bleed for them now, to plant their flag where another’s once flew. Others would have you light a fire, to make ashes of the endless fields, to reduce those five- sided slave pits on the hill to rubble. A few would have you do nothing at all. To remain meek and cowed, to bow your heads and accept what the machine hands you. They are not afraid of you. But they should be. The few should fear the many.”
She held out her arms, showing the terrible scar where irezumi must once have been.
“I believe that when the engines that poison our land and choke our sky lie rusting in the earth, we will be free. Free to choose a new path. A path that will not end with our destruction, or the destruction of the world around us. I do not know what that new path will be. I only know that it will be better than this. That it is not too late.”
She turned and vaulted onto the back of the waiting thunder tiger. The beast opened his beak and roared, and the sound of his wings was a breaking storm.
“Each of you must decide where you stand,” she called. “All we ask is that you refuse to kneel. You are the people. You have the power. Open your eyes. Open your minds. Then close the fingers on your hand.”
The arashitora leaped into the air, lightning crackling across the tips of its feathers. Up, up into the choking skies they soared, the sound of beating wings building like the storm to come. And with a fierce cry, they wheeled away and turned back to the north, to bring fire and smoke and the promise of a new day.
Sumiko watched them fly away, the scent of fresh flowers filling her lungs.
She looked around at the assembled people, young and old, man and woman and child, each face upturned and alight with wonder.
She nodded her head.
And into the poisoned air, she raised a fist.

Arashitora
—literally “stormtiger.” A mythical creature with the head, forelegs and wings of an eagle, and the hindquarters of a tiger. Thought to be long extinct, these beasts were traditionally used as flying mounts by the caste of legendary Shima heroes known as “Stormdancers.” These beasts are also referred to as “thunder tigers.”

Ar ashi-no- odoriko
—literally “Stormdancer.” Legendary heroes of Shima’s past, who rode arashitora into battle. The most well-known are Kitsune no Akira (who slew the great sea dragon Boukyaku) and Tora Takehiko (who sacrificed his life to close Devil Gate and stop the Yomi hordes escaping into Shima).

Blood Lotus
—a toxic flowering plant cultivated by the people of Shima. Blood lotus poisons the soil in which it grows, rendering it incapable of sustaining life. The blood lotus plant is utilized in the production of teas, medicines, narcotics and fabrics. The seeds of the bloom are pro cessed by the Lotus Guild to produce “chi,” the fuel that drives the machines of the Shima Shōgunate.

Burakumin
—a low-born citizen who does not belong to any of the four zaibatsu clans.
Bushido
—literally “the Way of the Warrior.” A code of conduct adhered to by the samurai caste. The tenets of Bushido are: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty. The life of a Bushido follower is spent in constant preparation for death; to die with honor intact in the service of their Lord is their ultimate goal.
Bushiman
—a common-born soldier who has sworn to follow the Way of Bushido.
Chan
—a diminutive suffix applied to a person’s name. It expresses that the speaker finds the person endearing. Usually reserved for children and young women.
Chi
—literally “blood.” The combustible fuel which drives the machines of the Shima Shōgunate. The fuel is derived from the seeds of the blood lotus plant.
Daimyo
—a powerful territorial lord that rules one of the Shima zaibatsu. The title is usually passed on through heredity.
Fushicho
—literally “Phoenix.” One of the four zaibatsu clans of Shima. The Phoenix clan live on the island of Yotaku (Blessings) and venerate Amaterasu, Goddess of the Sun. Traditionally, the greatest artists and artisans in Shima come from the Phoenix clan. Also: the kami guardian of the same zaibatsu, an elemental force closely tied to the concepts of enlightenment, inspiration and creativity.
Gaijin
—literally “foreigner.” A person not of Shimanese descent. The Shima Shōgunate has been embroiled in a war of conquest in the gaijin country of Morcheba for over twenty years.
Hadanashi
—literally “someone skinned alive.” A derisive term used by Guildsmen to describe the rest of the Shima populace.
Inochi
—literally “life.” A fertilizer which, when applied to blood lotus fields, delays the onset of soil degradation caused by the plant’s toxicity.
Irezumi
—a tattoo, created by inserting ink beneath the skin with steel or bamboo needles. Members of all Shima clans wear the totem of their clan on their right shoulder. City dwellers will often mark their left shoulder with a symbol to denote their profession. The complexity of the design communicates the wealth of the bearer— larger, more elaborate designs can take months or even years to complete and cost many hundreds of kouka.
Kami
—spirits, natural forces or universal essences. This word can refer to personified deities, such as Izanagi or Raijin, or broader elemental forces, such as fire or water. Each clan in Shima also has a guardian kami, from which the clan draws its name.
Kazumitsu Dynasty
—the hereditary line of Shōgun that rule the Shima isles. Named for the first of the line to claim the title—Kazumitsu I—who led a successful revolt against the corrupt Tenma Emperors.
Kitsune
—literally “Fox.” One of the four zaibatsu clans of Shima, known for stealth and good fortune. The Kitsune clan live close to the haunted Iishi Mountains, and venerate Tsukiyomi, the God of the Moon. Also: the kami guardian of the same zaibatsu, said to bring good fortune to those who bear his mark. The saying “Kitsune looks after his own” is often used to account for inexplicable good luck.
Kouka
—the currency of Shima. Coins are flat and rectangular, made of two strips of plaited metal: more valuable iron, and less valuable copper. Coins are often cut into smaller pieces to conduct minor transactions. These small pieces are known as “bits.” Ten copper kouka buys one iron kouka.
Lotus Guild
—a cabal of zealots who oversee the production of chi and the distribution of inochi fertilizer in Shima. Referred to collectively as “Guildsmen,” the Lotus Guild comprises three parts: rank- and-file “Lotusmen,” the engineers of the “Artificer” sect and the religious arm known as “Purifiers.”
Oni
—a demon of the Yomi underworld, reputedly born to the Goddess Izanami after she was corrupted by the Land of the Dead. Old legends report that their legion is one thousand and one strong. They are a living embodiment of evil, delighting in slaughter and the misfortune of man.
Ronin
—literally “wave-man.” A samurai without a Lord or master, either due to the death of the Lord in question, or the loss of the Lord’s favor. To remain ronin is a source of great shame—the samurai will typically either seek a new master, or commit seppuku to regain his honor.
Ryu
—literally “Dragon.” One of the four zaibatsu clans of Shima, renowned as great explorers and traders. In the early days before Empire, the Ryu were a seafaring clan of raiders who pillaged among the northern clans. They venerate Susano-ō, God of Storms. Also: the kami guardian of the same zaibatsu, a powerful spirit beast and elemental force associated with random destruction, bravery and mastery of the seas.
Sama
—a suffix applied to a person’s name. This is a far more respectful version of “san.” Used to refer to one of much higher rank than the speaker.
Samurai
—a member of the military nobility who adheres to the Bushido Code. Each samurai must be sworn to the service of a Lord—either a clan Daimyo, or the Shōgun himself. To die honorably in service to one’s Lord is the greatest aspiration of any samurai’s life. The most accomplished and wealthy among these warriors wear chi-powered suits of heavy armor called “ō-yoroi,” earning them the name “Iron Samurai.”
San
—a suffix applied to a person’s name. This is a common honorific, used to indicate respect to a peer, similar to “Mr.” or “Mrs.” Usually used when referring to males.
Seii Taishōgun
— literally “great general who subdues eastern barbarians.”
Sensei
—a teacher.
Seppuku
—a form of ritualized suicide in which the practitioner disembowels himself and is then beheaded by a kaishakunin (a “second,” usually a close and trusted comrade). Death by seppuku is thought to alleviate loss of face, and can spare the family of the practitioner shame by association. An alternative version of seppuku, called “jumonji giri,” is also practiced to atone for particularly shameful acts. The practitioner is not beheaded—instead he performs a second vertical cut in his belly and is left to bear his suffering quietly until dying from blood loss.
Shōgun
—literally “Commander of a force.” The title of the hereditary military dictator of the Shima Isles. The current line of rulers is descended from Tora Kazumitsu, an army commander who led a bloody uprising against Shima’s former hereditary rulers, the Tenma Emperors.
Tora
—literally “Tiger.” The greatest of the four zaibatsu of Shima, and the clan from which the Kazumitsu Dynasty originates. The Tora are a warrior clan, who venerate Hachiman, the God of War. Also: the kami guardian of the same zaibatsu, closely associated with the concept of ferocity, hunger and physical desire.
Yōkai
—a blanket term for preternatural creatures thought to originate in the spirit realms. These include arashitora, sea dragons and the dreaded oni.
Zaibatsu
—literally “plutocrats.” The four conglomerate clans of the Shima Isles. After the rebellion against the Tenma Emperors, Shōgun Kazumitsu rewarded his lieutenants with stewardship over vast territories. The clans to which the new Daimyo belonged (Tiger, Phoenix, Dragon and Fox) slowly consumed the clans of the surrounding territories through economic and military warfare, and became known as “zaibatsu.”

Furisode
—a style of kimono robe, with long sleeves that reach to the floor.
Geta
—sandals with elevated wooden soles.
Hakama
—a divided skirt that resembles a wide-legged pair of trousers, tied

tight into a narrow waist. Hakama have seven deep pleats—five in front, two at the back—to represent the seven virtues of Bushido. An undivided variant of hakama exists (i.e. a single leg, more like a skirt) intended for wear over a kimono.

Kabuto
—a helmet consisting of a hard dome to protect the crown, and a series of flange- shaped reticulated plates to protect the head and back of the neck. Kabuto are often decorated with a crest on the brow, typically horns or sickle- shapedblades.

Kimono
—an ankle-length, T-shaped robe with long, wide sleeves, worn by both men and women. A younger woman’s kimono will have longer sleeves, signifying that she is unmarried. The styles range from casual to extremely formal. Elaborate kimono designs can consist of more than twelve separate pieces and incorporate up to sixty square feet of cloth.

Mempō
—a face mask, one component of the armor worn by samurai. Mempō are often crafted to resemble fantastical creatures, or made in twisted designs intended to strike fear into the enemy.

Obi
—a sash, usually worn with kimono. Men’s obi are usually narrow; no more than four inches wide. A formal woman’s obi can measure a foot in width and up to twelve feet in length. Obi are worn in various elaborate styles and tied in decorative bows and knots.

Sokutai
—a complex, multilayered robe worn by male aristocrats and courtiers.
Tabi
—ankle-length socks with split toes. Boot-like, sturdier versions called jikatabi are commonly used in field work.
Uwagi
—a kimono-like jacket that extends no lower than mid-thigh. Uwagi can have long, wide sleeves, or be cut in sleeveless fashion to display the wearer’s irezumi.

Bo
—a staff, measuring between five and six feet in length, usually constructed of hardwood and shod with metal.
Daishō
—a paired set of swords, consisting of a katana and wakizashi. The weapons will usually be constructed by the same artisan, and have matching designs on the blades, hilts and scabbards. The daishō is a status symbol, marking the wearer as a member of the samurai caste.
Katana
—a sword with a single-edged, curved, slender blade over two feet in length, and a long hilt bound in criss-crossed cord, allowing for a double- handed grip. Katana are usually worn with shorter blades known as wakizashi.
Nagamaki
—a pole weapon with a large and heavy blade. The handle measures close to three feet, with the blade measuring the same. It closely resembles a naginata, but the weapon’s handle is bound in similar fashion to a katana hilt—cords wrapped in criss-crossed manner.
Naginata
—a pole weapon, similar to a spear, with a curved, single-edged blade at the end. The haft typically measures between five and seven feet. The blade can be up to three feet long, and is similar to a katana.
Nunchaku
—two short lengths of hardwood, joined at the end by a short length of chain or rope.
Ōyoroi
—suits of heavy samurai armor powered by chi-fueled engines. The armor augments the wearer’s strength and is impenetrable to most conventional weaponry.
Tantō
—a short, single- or double-edged dagger, between six and twelve inches in length. Women often carry tantō for self-defense, as the knife can easily be concealed inside an obi.
Tetsubo
—a long war club, made of wood or solid iron, with iron spikes or studs at one end, used to crush armor, horses or other weapons in battle. The use of a tetsubo requires great balance and strength—a miss with the club can leave the wielder open to counterattack.
Tsurugi
—a straight, double-edged sword over two feet in length.
Wakizashi
—a sword with a single-edged, curved, slender blade between one and two feet in length, with a short, single-handed hilt bound in criss- crossed cord. It is usually worn with a longer blade, known as a katana.

Amaterasu
—Goddess of the Sun. Daughter of Izanagi, she was born along with Tsukiyomi, God of the Moon, and Susano-ō, God of Storms, when her father returned from Yomi and washed to purify himself of Yomi’s taint. She is a benevolent deity, a bringer of life, although in recent de cades has been seen as a harsh and unforgiving goddess. She is not fond of either of her brothers, refusing to speak to Tsukiyomi, and constantly tormented by Susano-ō. She is patron of the Phoenix zaibatsu, and is also often venerated by women.

Enma-ō
—one of the nine Yama Kings, and chief judge of all the hells. Enma-ō is the final arbiter of where a soul will reside after death, and how soon it will be allowed to rejoin the wheel of life.

Hachiman
—the God of War. Originally a scholarly deity, thought of more as a tutor in the ways of war, Hachiman has become re-personified in recent decades to reflect the more violent warlike ways of the Shima government. He is now seen as the embodiment of war, often depicted with a weapon in one hand and a white dove in the other, signifying desire for peace, but readiness to act. He is patron of the Tiger zaibatsu.

The hells
—a collective term for the nine planes of existence where a soul can be sent after death. Many of the hells are places where souls are sent temporarily to suffer for transgressions in life, before moving back to the cycle of rebirth. Before Lord Izanagi commanded the Yama kings to take stewardship over the souls of the damned in order to help usher them toward enlightenment, Shima had but a single hell—the dark, rotting pit of Yomi.