"The Rising Moon"

[Civ3King]

Here is another story I've been writing up, while I was also working on "Hidden Agenda". The setting is in 1860's pre-industrial Japan. It's somewhat of a historic/fiction kind of tale. Here are the first two chapters. Comments and questions are welcomed.




Part 1:

“Tokugawa must fall, the monarchy must fall!” Kagehisa Arihyoshi cried out to the spectators as he threw his tightened fist into the air.

“He owns too much land, he has too many people behind him. To revolt now would surely be the end of us and are plans to brings in the revolution.” Akio Fujishima yelled back to Kagehisa in protest.

The dimly lit and cramped room echoed with the voices of arguing Japanese revolutionaries who dreamed of a Japanese Republic. A Japan in which they hoped would be ruled justly by the “Meiji Ishin Sushu” (New Age Soldiers). The flame of the burning candle flickered back and forth as the men banged their fist against the wooden table and breathed out upon the crowd their side of the argument.

“The Tokugawa’s own Imperial Guard have left Kyoto towards the borders of Korea. The only threat now are the police, and they under supplied and trained.” Kagehisa countered Akio as he leaned back on his chair, placing his left palm on the hilt of his katana with a nonchalant attitude.

A“Kagehisa, you are a bold fool…”, Akio continued as he jumped from his seat and placed both of his hands on the table, “….and you will die that way. I plead to you all, whoever may still hold honor within this room, don’t let Kagehisa drag you to your deaths!”

As Akio’s statement sunk into the ears of the room, mutters begin to echo off the walls and into the now enraged ears of Kagehisa. Kageshisa gripped the leather-like hilt of his katana and brung it out of his scabbard to meet the neck of Akio. The cold iron of the one edged blade slowly pushed into the throat of Akio, but just enough not to pierce the skin itself. The crowd came to a gentle silence as they looked upon the gleaming blade of Kagehisa, which bore the symbol of the Meiji Ishin Sushu, a white dragon that slivered up his blade, spewing black fire.

Akio looked down upon the blade, which endangered his life, and then upon the face of Kagehisa, which was as stern as his attitude. “You question my honor, Akio? Let us test your nerves…do you fear death?”


Akio began to dig the blade deeper within the throat of Akio, the blood slowly dripping from his veins onto the sword. Kagehisa may have finished Akio off had Atasuke, Akio’s son, not intervened.

“Stop! Leave my father alone! He is too sickly to fight, I will fight you instead!” Atasuke yelled out as he pushed through the crowd of men. The nine years old boy then stopped on the left side of Kagehisa and brung his sword out, struggling with all his might to keep up in proper position.

“Atasuke-chan, I do not need the defense of a little boy, go back to your room!” Akio scowled at his son, with his raspy voice and cough.

Kagehisa brought the blade of his katana back into his wooden scabbard and looked down at the 5’6 foot boy. “Come now Kagehisa, you can’t yell at the boy for having more bravery then his own father. Besides, I have better things to do then argue with weary, scared men and their disobedient sons.” Kageshisa turned to the crowd as he continued, “Those who wish to over throw the Tokugawa and bring about a new government, which the Koreans have brought over to us from the east, then follow me. Those who wish to hide in small rooms and talk without action then stay here.”

Kagehisa whipped around and headed towards the door, slightly glancing at Akio with a smirk of triumph. The other men followed him out as well; leaving only the old man and his boy whom hugged his coughing father. The door slammed before them and the flame did its last dance before going out.


Kagehisa ran through a list of ways to successfully manage the upcoming revolt as he walked down the cobblestone streets of Kyoto. He paid little mind to the cold, moist, and foggy night air that met his skin as he thought deeply to himself. He also paid little mind to the footsteps that followed behind him in the shadows.

“Alone, bad move Kagehisa. “ the mysterious figure whispered to him as he gently paced behind Kagehia, the darkness swallowing his body. His footsteps were quiet; his breath was calm and steady. He truly was the perfect assassin.

Kagehisa broke from his thoughts as he felt a presence around him. He turned his head back and forth until the sound of crashing caught his right ear. He turned right, reaching for his sword all in the same motion. He sighed quietly to himself and relaxed his arms as a cat stepped out from behind a nearby crate. The black cat with white paws purred smoothly as it brushed up against the right ankle of Kagehisa.

“Phew, so it was only you, eh? Kagehisa said to the cat as he bent down to pet the scrawny feline.

The cat nestled against the man’s warm palms, before finally letting out a screech and scurried away into the shadows. Kagehisa instantly froze as he heard the footsteps of someone coming up behind him and unsheathing their blade. He could only look down helplessly as his petrified reflection appeared on the metal blade, pressed up firmly against the Adam's apple of his throat.

“Not exactly…” the figure's voice whispered to Kagehisa, which sounded like the voice of the devil himself.

He blinked, not yet believing the reality of the situation. It would be his last blink, for in a matter of seconds the blade had sliced across his throat, cutting deep within the esophagus. Kagehisa grabbed his throat in agony as he fell back to the ground; the warm blood ran over his fingers, knuckles and onto the ground. He looked back to see who had delivered him the fatal blow, but there was nothing, only heavy fog all around him. His vision gradually faded and slowly he closed his eyes, for an eternal sleep. The unknown figure looked down from the roof upon his victim. The moonlight shined upon his body, revealing his face, which carried a deep scar across his right cheek. The light also revealed his shimmering black hair, hanging over his empty green eyes. Hakuseki had completed another nights work…

[Civ3King]

Part 2:



“...and I’ll have a rice cake and one bottle of nihonshuu, please, thank you”, the customer said to Sakuto who was busy flashing her noticeably fake and elongated eyebrows.

“Yes, sir anything for a hunk like you,” Sakuto said with a high pitched giggle as she tip toed off in her heavy wooden shoes.

The customer grimaced at the giddy waitress, pressing his hands against his forehead with a heavy sigh.
Sakuto headed to over the wooden bar as she passed by two vacant tables. She winked at two arguing men who paid her no mind as they fought amongst themselves. Sukto grumbled angrily to herself as she reached for a bottle of untouched nihonshuu (nihonshuu is a fermented rice wine for those who don’t know). She gently blew the dust settled on the bottle and headed towards an opening, which led to the kitchen. She was about to enter the kitchen, until the argument between the two previous men had heated up. She peered at the intensely elevating situation from around the corner, secretly enjoying the two muscular bodies that stood in front of her. After a few minutes of gazing and dreaming up fantasy like scenarios of them, she quickly hustled into the kitchen. She looked about the kitchen, until she spotted the backside of Kosami Inaba, the café owner. Sakuto grab Kosami by the shoulders and shook him violently, knocking the broom he was previously cleaning the floor with onto the ground.

Kosami turned around to face the panicking Sakuto, while at the same time steadying him and her hands.

“What is it now Sakuto-chan?” Kosami said as he rolled his eyes. He was well familiarized with the constant over panicking of his young waitress and wasn’t about to jump to conclusions so eagerly.

“There’s a fight at the bar, two hansom…I mean…two guys up in the front.” she replied with a slight blush to her rosy cheeks.

“Ok Sakuto-chan, just go into the kitchen and fulfill the rest of your orders, I’ll handle what’s going on up front."

Sakuto nodded and walked into the kitchen to do some culinary work. Kosami shook his head and headed down the hallway towards the opening, which led into café. The sounds of wrestling and crashing could be heard as Kosami stepped around the corner to investigate the goings on. His eyes narrowed as the scene of two men wrestling each other and knocking over expensive wine bottles along with a few chairs came into view. He rapidly moved over to the men, waving his right arm in the air shouting “Teiryuu”, “Teiryuu”(stop!, stop!). But like they had paid Sakuto little mind, so did they to him, but little did they know that Kosami was more than some push over. Kosami lowered his hands in front of him and slid his right foot out to meet the men who were wrestling on the floor. As the men passed by his foot, he quickly pushed it upward into the air to meet the men’s jaws with a double kick. The men exploded backwards, as if someone had dropped a bomb between the two. They landed with a loud thud that bellowed through out the café, turning the heads of a few customers in the process; including Detective Yuri.

Kosami slowly dropped his right leg, placing his right foot firmly on the ground and looking upon the dormant faces of his victims. He then cautiously bent down and proceeded to grab the ankles of the men. He then dragged the men out of the bar area and towards the door, the heads of customers still following. He was about to step out the door, tell a familiar voice caught his ear. It was the voice of Detective Yuri, Kyoto’s chief of police. Kosami turned around to face the Detective, still holding the slim ankles.

“Ah, Detective Yuri-san, it is nice of you to come by, but I assure you that everything is well in hand.”
He said with a friendly bow, dropping the men’s ankles to the wooden floor.

A slight moan of pain could be heard as Detective Yuri looked down at the unconscious men. He raised his right eyebrow slightly and looked upward at Kosami’s face.

“Obviously…but that’s not why I’m here Kosami-san.”

“Oh, well then please take a seat and have a drink or some food and we can discuss business.” He said as he motioned to the bar.

“No, this is an urgent matter. Tokugawa has sent for you.”

“Tokugawa? But…” He muttered to himself as his eyes wondered to the open window.

“But?”

Kosami focused his eyes on the detective as he bent down to pick up the ankles of the men, lying in pain. He pushed himself back up with his legs and dragged the motionless bodies out the doorway, Yuri following closely behind.

“Tell Sakuto that I will be at the palace and to guard over the café while I am away.”

“Sure Kosami-san.”

Kosami placed the bodies to the right side of the entrance, making the men a symbol to all those who wish to “interrupt” the flow of his café. He then began heading down the cobblestone streets, leaving Detective Yuri, behind. His white kimono gently floated in the warm afternoon breeze as he stepped. Somehow he had a feeling he knew what Tokugawa wanted from him.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Kosami bowed to the palace guards as they allowed him to pass through the grand hall, which led into the chambers of Tokugawa himself. The hall itself was lined with ancient suites of samurai armor, there iron and steal plates still gleaming with memories of ancient battles long past. Kosami barely noticed or even cared to notice the overlay of armor as he continued down the hall, his footsteps echoing up and down it.
As he came to the enormous doors, he easily pushed them aside; revealing the Tokugawa smugly sitting upon a well-cushioned pillow which laid over a silk blanket. The scent of shellfish, sweet tea, and numerous spices hit the nose of Kosami as he walked up to Tokugawa, his old and mighty ruler.

Tokugawa looked up from his steaming cup of tea and warmly smiled at his expected visitor. “Welcome, I trust Detective Yuri-san told you that you were needed by me? That is why you are here, yes?”

Kosami placed both his palms together and bowed to Tokugawa after stopping in front of him. “Yes, he has told me, sire.”

“How are things at the café, Kosami-san or should I say Hakuseki…”

Kosami slightly flinched as he heard that word...that name. “Please sire, I wish not to be mentioned by that name anymore. I have left it to rest along with job that came with it. I no longer do that kind of “service” any more.”

“Yes, yes, well you may have changed, but the threat these Meiji Ishin Revolutionaries pose has not changed.” Tokugawa sighed and pressed his fingers against his forehead in distress as he continued. “For so many years I have reigned fairly, I have given the Daiyamo’s equal land, people, and resources. Yet still some threaten to join the Meiji and even worse, Korea. Where did I go wrong, Kosami-san? Have I done something to displease the ancestors who have cased this curse upon me? What do you think Kosami-san? Truthfully.”

Kosami paused for a moment; his eyes set on the steam, which rose up from the wooden teacup. “I think, sire, that you have guided Japan honorably into the best prosperity it has seen in all its years.”

“Thank you Kosami-san, thank you.”

“One question, why did you call me here, to discuss this?”

“Umm, no Kosami-san, I wish to ask of you a favor. Not just for me, but for the fate Japan. I wish of you to go back as Hakuseki and stop the heart of the “Republic” revolutionaries…”

“No, no I can not fulfill your wish Tokugawa, I’m not who I used to be, I refuse to be the heartless and cold Hakuseki. Please, ask me something else, another task in Kyoto.”

“Kosami-san, must you make this old and proud ruler beg to you on his knees?!” he said as he got upon his knees, looking upward at Komasi, no longer the fearless ruler he had always pictured him as.

Kosami sighed and lightly nodded his head in acceptance. “But, sire, have I not erased the top members of the revolutionaries in Kyoto already? Who left is there to punish with my blade?”

Tokugawa joyously rose from his knees as Kosami accepted. “Oh, not in Kyoto dear Kosami-san, but in Seoul.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Kosami sighed as he looked back at the wooden sign of his café, which gently rocked back and forth in the wind. The streets of Kyoto were empty and peaceful as the sun sunk into the horizon. Brown leaves floated in a circular motion before breaking apart as they reached his feet. He hated the very idea leaving Kyoto and the peaceful life he had waited so long to earn. Yet still, he moved forward into orange-reddish sunset, knowing that his future was intertwined with the future of Japan.

[ChrisiusMaximus]

Its a very nice interesting start, do you play call ti power? CTP2 and has this influenced your story writing at all?

I like Civ3 the best of all the civ like games but there could be some improvements made. Assasins would certainly be one and so would the civ2 style civil war when you captured a capitol city.

Anyways a very nice srart and looking forward to seeing where you take this.