CFTS: The Whispers of the East

Coming From the Shadows
The Whispers of the East

Introduction:

1868; The Boshin War had broken out across Japan – amidst this chaos, Foreign Traders found themselves faced with a stark choice; Flee or Suffer the anger of the locals who felt the unfairness of the Unequal Treaties imposed by Western Powers had finally gone too far.

A Tempest of Fire and fury tore the land apart, destroyed the old order; from the top of a hill; Heijirō Yama watched the unfolding carnage as he sat atop of his horse; he watched the unfolding horror with narrowed eyes; below was a battlefield – a canvas of horror and carnage, painted by the crimson of fallen samurai and the misty grey of spent gunpowder as smoke wafted through the air.

Heijirō was a solitary figure amidst the storm; he was no soldier, he held no allegiance to the Emperor nor the Shogun; he was a ‘Hunter’ something that pledged loyalty to an order far older, with an unknown purpose that sought to defend against the encroaching darkness of a mysterious organisation that had not yet reached Japanese shores – its name though still sent shivers ‘The Imperium’.

His gaze drifted across the scene, a macabre dance of death; soldiers driven to frenzy by the heat of battle, bayoneted the wounded, faces contorted in bloodthirsty glee.

Heijirō felt his jaw tighten; the barbarity that unfolded was not merely war, it was a violation, a desecration of the land itself.

With a silent command; he kicked his horse into motion; the horse responded immediately, descending the slope with practised ease; Heijirō’s robes, were a perfect blend in the fading sunlight as they billowed around him; a Katana rested against his hip; its polished steel glinting – on his back, a shorter Kodachi Sword was sheathed, added with the sight of his horse, it merely gave the impression that he was simply another Bushi.

Hidden beneath his robes he also carried a mix of small throwing knives, but also, uniquely a collection of harmless ornate eggs – he was a predator moving with both grace and deadly intent.

Chapter 1:

The screams erupted before Heijirō even reached the small town; high-pitched, terrified wails that cut through the dun of battle like glass shards, the Imperial Soldiers, victorious were now fuelled by sake and a twisted sense of patriotism, they had turned their attention to the Foreign Traders who had believed themselves safe beneath the protection of the old Shogunate.

Heijirō spurred his horse onwards; the hooves hammering against the ground – he saw them, a group of soldiers dragging a merchant from his shop, their faces alight with cruel anticipation, Heijirō drew the Katana with a swift movement just as a command was yelled ‘Halt!’ but it was already too late, with a swift motion, a heavy thud indicated the landing of a body against the ground, the hooves continued to hammer against the ground as the horse picked up speed.

Heijirō ignored the chaotic shouts and subsequent sounds of gunfire that ripped out, the horse twisting down a narrow street; it caused the Imperial soldiers to give chase; he was deliberately leading them away – needing them to chase after him, as buildings loomed closer together, casting long shadows, he spotted exactly what he needed.

As he returned the Katana to its sheath; he positioned himself carefully before leaping from the horse and gripping onto some scaffolding and quickly pulling himself upwards, easily moving with grace and fluidity as he reached the top and jumped across to the nearby rooftop – his movements have been silent, unnoticed, as he kneeled down, observing as the horse, unfettered, continued on, drawing the soldiers after it like moths to a flame until they were out of his sight.

Reaching the opposite side of the building, Heijirō jumped downwards, landing with a heavy thud, but, the sound of a scream drew his attention upwards – it was raw, desperate from a nearby shop; he recognised the sound though; Grace.

Within the shop; a British trader looked to the two Imperial Soldiers that had come inside, they had begun to deliberately destroy his merchandise, shouting in a language he still struggled with, he required his wife to translate, but at that moment she was terrified – realising their intention he quickly begged, dropping to his knee’s claiming he would give them his wife, much to her horror – he pointed towards Grace, gesturing desperately at her pleading for them to let him live.

But there was no mercy; the Imperial soldiers didn’t hesitate to take the Trader; Thomas Morgan’s life, it left Grace alone, defenceless as they turned their attention towards her, communicating in their local language, she tries to plea for mercy ~”Please….”~ Grace sobbed, her voice a desperate whisper as she backed up against the wall ~”Have Mercy”~

The soldiers merely grinned; their eyes glinting with malice, one reached forwards grabbing Grace’s arm, but they quickly became distracted by the sound of wood crashing, turning sharply just to see the flash of steel – Heijirō’s movements were fluid – as he struck the first Imperial soldier, but there wasn’t any pause, the second the blade cut through his first target, he arched the sword around, striking the second with the same fluid and graceful swing before finally stopping his spinning motion as both bodies landed with heavy thuds, spinning the Katana, he drew it across the sleeve of his robe before returning it to his hip; a simply ‘Clink’ echoing out in the silence of the room “Grace-San” he said, his voice gentle “Come; we need to leave”

Reaching his hand out, he helped Grace to her feet, keeping his hand gently around hers, he was about to lead her out until a Third Imperial soldier stepped into the doorway; his face a mask of fury, he raised a musket, aiming towards Heijirō – Heijirō quickly let go of Grace’s hand, pulling free one of the ornate eggs from his robe, he flung it forwards with a quick flick of the wrist, the egg struck the soldiers face, shattering on impact.

Chapter 2:

Flicking his wrist; Heijirō released the ornate, fragile egg from his hand into the Imperial soldiers face – it shattered on impact, a cloud of fine, yellowish powder escaped outwards coating his eyes and mouth – the soldier let out a roar of agony, dropping his musket and clawing at his face.

The powder; a concoction of stinging nettles and ground chili-peppers, was excruciatingly painful; his eyes watered uncontrollably, blurring his vision – Heijirō seized the moment, drawing the shorter-Kodachi sword from his back and moving forwards suddenly, striking with a precise, clean strike – there was a sickening lighter thud before a heavier thud followed seconds after the first.

With a swift movement, he again drew his blade across his sleeve before returning it to the sheath on his back – turning he held his hand out to the horrified Grace “Come Grace, come, we must go now”

A few days would pass; Heijirō had brought Grace far from the chaos of the warzone; established a small secluded camp within a valley hidden amidst a grove of ancient trees; a small fire crackled and popped, casting dancing shadows..

Grace sat huddled near the flames; she was wrapped within a woollen blanket – the events of the past few days had left her shaken, her eyes haunted by the things she had seen, but, most importantly, the memory of how her husband had tried to cast her aside in a bid to escape, the lack of care he showed despite five-years of marriage, she felt tears wet her eyes.

Heijirō sat a short distance from her; sat back on his knees, his hands resting in front of him, his gaze slowly drifting around them, taking in their surroundings, he was a silent sentinel against the darkness that was encroaching on the land “Thank you” he heard Grace say softly, a subtle tremble in her voice; he looked towards her “For saving me; thank you” she repeated

Heijirō inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement “It is my duty Grace-san; I offer my condolences for your loss”

Grace shifted her gaze to the fire again, her expression trembled as she bowed her head ; she didn’t say anything further; Heijirō was the one to break the silence that settled in – he believed she was grieving, unaware of what had transpired before he came to her rescue “I suggest I escort you to Edo; there we can try to get you to a ship, escape to safety”

“Edo?” Grace looked at him carefully “But…, isn’t Edo just as dangerous?”

Heijirō nodded grimly “It is dangerous; Yes, but, I know were you can book passage safely, there is a hidden harbour I can get you too; foreign ships still dock in secret, the Imperial soldiers will focus on he main sections, and will be less likely to scrutinize every location”

Grace hesitated a moment “Which side are you on?, are you with the Shogunate?”

Heijirō chuckled softly, a hint of amusement within his tone “I am on no side; my loyalties are elsewhere” he let a slight smile curve his lips for a brief moment “My village, were I call home; it was razed by the Shogun for resisting the Shogunate, my people; we are loyal to the land and the people of this land, but, we hold beliefs that differ greatly from most of those here in Nihon”

“What beliefs?” Grace asked, her curiosity piqued

“Long ago; around the Fifteen-Hundreds, a group of your people; foreigners to our shores found themselves shipwrecked here, Sailors, Explorers, Adventurers; but…, they called themselves ‘Hunters’, but, not the kind most people would thing of” Heijirō said

Grace thought for a moment; the name despite its simplicity and common use – resonated with her, the flicker of recognition was evident in her eyes “The ‘Hunters’…” she paused “I’ve heard stories of them back in Yorkshire; they are…, secretive”

Heijirō nodded in confirmation “They adapted to our ways here; learned our language, our customs; but, they also shared their own knowledge, their own beliefs, taught us the importance of balance, how to look for signs of the corrupt influence of something called the Imperium”

Another name Grace recognised; she thought for a moment – there wasn’t any mistaking the ‘Imperium’ they operated from the shadows, manipulated Kings and Queens, influenced Trade through coercion – in Britain, one powerful family ‘The Smythe’ Family operated a Cultist movement within the Imperium, and they made no effort to hide their cruelty or corruption.

Chapter 3:

The days would turn into weeks, weeks into months; Heijirō and Grace continued to travel slowly, cautiously across the war-torn countryside; Heijirō was a constant guardian, his senses were always on high alert – he taught Grace how to use a bow, showed her simple methods to create improvised arrows, provided her a Tantō for added protection – trained her on how to use it as a necessary defence if it was needed, he showed her how to identify edible plants.

The constant proximity and shared hardships though forged a bond between them – Grace had begun to find herself drawn to Heijirō’s quiet strength, his unwavering resolve, his deep understanding of the natural world – he in turn had begun to become captivated by her spirit, her resilience and unwavering kindness in the face of adversity.

The intimacy of their journey – Grace riding on horseback behind Heijirō, her arms wrapped around his waist, created a strange sense of connection between them – a feeling of safety began to blossom within her whenever she was around him.

Two Months into their journey – they once again found themselves setting up camp early in the evening near a clear stream; as Grace washed herself in the cool liquid, a welcome respite within the humid air, she found herself watching Heijirō as he sat in silent vigil, his Katana resting across his lap.

She began thinking about his future; about what he would do once she left Japan – he was a warrior, a protector, but also, he was a solitary figure adrift in a world consumed by violence and uncertainty.

When she had finished washing; she dressed and walked over to Heijirō as she tied her dark hair up behind her, quietly sitting beside him, her eyes fixed onto the flames of the campfire as the crackled and popped, sending sparks spiralling into the night sky “What will you do after you take me to Edo” she asked softly “What will you do once I am gone?”

Heijirō looked up; shifting his gaze towards her, his dark eyes meeting hers, he thought for a moment, his expression thoughtful “I do not know” he admitted “I suppose…, I ill simply continue to observe, watch for signs of the Imperium’s arrival to Nihon”

“Will…, Will you be alright…, doing that alone?” she watched him carefully

“I have bee doing so for many years now” he relied, a light, but sad smile curving his lips “It is my duty”

“Come with me” she blurted out; her words escaping her lips before she could stop them

Heijirō looked at her, his face unreadable “Come with you?; where?”

“Back to England” she said softly

Heijirō raised his eyebrow, a hint of surprise in his expression “Why would you ask me to do that?; you were married, and although by tragic circumstances, now a widow, and I the one who saved you; you should be wary of letting such things cloud your judgement, you shouldn’t try to confuse safety for something…, else” watching her, he began to regret his words, he saw the pain flicker in her eyes, a sudden tightening of her jaw – he had been blunt, too blunt…, too insensitive

“I…, I apologies” he said quickly, his voice softening “That was…, unnecessary, forgive me” he then paused he thought for a moment before repeating “Why would you want me to come with you Grace?; why would you want me in your life?”

Grace looked away a moment, her cheeks flushed – she struggled to find the right words, to articulate the complex emotions she felt swirling within her “Because…” she whispered; her voice barely audible “I like you Heijirō, I like you very much”

Heijirō smiled; it was a small, almost imperceptible smile, but it was genuine, it reached his eyes, softening the hard lines on his face, the first genuine smile Grace had seen from him.

Written By: Westley H.