The Shadow Shield

~ Short Japanese Fantasy Adventure story – part of a continuing saga of stand-alone tales by award-winning author, Charles T. Whipple ~

Now behold, I Hikarinomiko am called of Amaterasu to record the deeds of those anointed during the dark days of Toh rule, to write somewhat concerning the curse the wicked Toh placed upon the land, the loss of the sacred talismans of Amaterasu through which the Chosen One is proclaimed unto the people, the search to discover the talismans in their place of hiding, and the fearful battle against the Toh, their dark Yami bonzes, the creatures and demons the priests commanded, yeah even every dark beings of the underworld of Yami.

Therefore I have searched among the scrolls left me by she who preceded me, even the sacred Washinomiko, who has gone before and must surely rest in the bright fields of Amaterasu. Yea, I have searched, and Amaterasu has guided my hand. Yea, even as mine hand and mine mind were guided to record the beginning, even the calling and the sacrifices that did strengthen and sanctify the Seeker, so have they been guided also to record the works of Amaterasu in providing the Seeker with a Shielder, even a warrior honed upon the stone of Kage tradition and called by the spirit even from the land of Okuhida, where the people of the Sanka do call upon the ways of the Kage to preserve their kind.

As with the account of the Seeker, I will now lay aside my brush so those who read of the Shadow Shielder, a stalwart subject of Amaterasu, might search the accounts and come to believe in the might and sacred power of Amaterasu Omikoto, creator of all and ruler of Heaven and Earth.

Now behold, in separate scrolls, I have inscribed and will inscribe accounts of the labors and sufferings of the anointed of Amaterasu as they search for the sacred talismans. Until such time, I lay aside my brush again and bid each and all sayo nara, for the moment, sayo nara.