Writing The Samurai's Gift

[Alexander]

[i] Here's part 1 of a story I'm writing for Creative Writing class. I hope you like it. If you find the names familiar from, the story is inspired by the Oriental Andventures book and the world of Rokugan. [/i]

Junouchi swallowed hard as he walked up to the ancient wooden structure. The old Shinto temple creaked mercilessly in the night wind, the breath of the wind giving them life in the dark. Grasping his lantern, he boldly slid one door aside and walked into the old temple home. For years, the temple had been abandoned, shunned by it's old owners.

No one knew why wizened Hiroki Kitsu and Mamoru Akodo had left the Nitenshi village some thirteen years hence, leaving the temple behind. Some whispered that dark blood magic had defiled the holy temple that day, forcing the elders to flee. The less heretic attributed thier leave to some debt of honor or favor, and left it at that. No one knew for sure, however, and the temple had been left untouched by the fearful villagers since that time. Untouched - until now.

Young Junouchi peered around the room, light flickering aimlessly as the lantern's flame danced. The room was barren - the fire-pit once used by the priests to read the fortunes was empty of all but ash, no protective wards hung about the room to banish evil spirits, and the floor seemed worn and cold. A few doors left the room in different directions, but it was an old ladder to the second floor that Junouchi chose to brave. Arriving at the top floor with nothing more than a few creaks of the wood, he could see the many doors line the wall at even intervals, tunneling his vision down the corridor to the far door. Junouchi stared at the plain door for a second, focusing his courage before starting forward.

He stopped a few seconds later, picking up a piece of wood that had been left on the floor. He turned it over, and was suprised to see writing on the front. "Takahiro Motomori", the nameplate said, filling the boy's heart with dread. Last names were only given to a member of the noble class, and bearers of the Motomori name had not been seen in the village for many years. What business could a Motomori noble have had, living in an Kitsu family shrine?

He set the piece of wood down onto the floor, before speaking a soft prayer of apology to the noble's spirit. With that, he reached over, and opened the door.

Junouchi's heart stopped. Towering above him stood a single man, dressed in the great armor of a Samurai.

"I'm sorry, honored samurai! I did not intend to intrude upon you!" Junouchi gasped, backing away in fear. The samurai, however, made no move. Junouchi, confused, stared back at the towering figure. The samurai smiled, but to his suprise, it was a smile of kindness, not of cruel intent. That was when Junouchi saw the haze that seemed to spread back from the samurai's feet.

"H-honored samurai? Are...Are you a...spirit?"

Still smiling, the samurai took a small step back and bowed down low. Junouchi's jaw dropped as fast as his blood grew cold. For a Samurai to bow to a mere comoner like this was unheard of in Nitenshi village. Samurai were above and beyond the common folk - and now the spirit of a samurai had bowed and shown respect to him, a lowly commoner boy!

The samurai spirit rose from the bow, and stepped aside, as if granting Junouchi access to the room. Junouchi walked in, slowly but with growing confidence. In the center of the floor lay a suit of samurai armor - one just like the suit the spirit wore! Junouchi turned to face the samurai spirit, to find nothing. He was gone.

"May your spirit rest in honorable peace, kind samurai." Junouchi chanted. That done, he turned to examine the items still lying upon the hard floor. The armor seemed untouched by the passage of time, it's colors still vivid even in the dark. Unfolding the armor, Junouchi marveled at how easily it moved and how light the cloth and steel felt. He could not even find a mark or cut on it's surface, either. Nothing to suggest that the armor had ever seen battle. Wait. On the left shoulder - a Motomori family emblem! Just as the spirit had, he now realized.

"Spirit? Did you...give me your armor?" He asked out loud. He shuddered at the magnitude of such a gift. "I shall use it well!"

Even as he put it on, Junouchi began to wonder the wisdom of
his actions. His family would not believe him were he to come home with such a magnificent armor. No one would believe that a samurai had bowed to him - indeed, he might well be killed for suggesting it. Suddenly, the armor felt like a prison, contricting him alive as fate began to close in around him. All that remained was to put on the helm. Would this armor kill him, tear away his life like steel tore at the flesh?

"No," Junouchi said, his resolve returning. For at least a second, let him rise above his birth! "The spirit believed me worthy of his armor. I shall trust his judgement, and face my fate as he did!" With that, he lifted the helm high, and placed it firmly on his head.

[i]A cliffhanger. ^_^ [/i]

[Vicky]

WOWWW! That Is one super story!!! I really like the names and detail! Although I can't atmit it...You are such a better writter...than me.

[Sara]

[size=1]Heh...I think his [i]not[/i] immediately accepting the armor leaves for a more unexpected storyline, but still a good job.

You portrayed the setting very well, I think.

^_^[/size]