Read Online L5r - scroll 04 - The Phoenix by Stephen D. Sullivan - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Stephen D. Sullivan
Ads: Link
with kanji, birds, and flames. At the base of the bell lay a small bamboo hammer.
Everything within the garden stood ready, waiting for the entrance of the Council of Five. Isawa Tadaka, who had summoned the council, would lead them today. He looked at the masters waiting by the rail.
Isawa Kaede, Mistress of the Void and Tadaka's half-sister, stood calmly, as placid as the lotus flowers upon the River of Awakening. Next to her stood Isawa Uona, Mistress of the Air. Unseen wind tugged at Uona's hair, making it fall in pleasing curves around her pretty face. Behind them stood Isawa Tomo and Isawa Tsuke. Tadaka's brother, the Master of Water, had a mischievous glint in his eye. Tsuke looked grim—as always. The
Master of Fire knitted his fingers together and moved his lips as if whispering silendy. Even now, the Fire Lord catalogued and practiced pyrotechnic magic.
With a nod to his brethren, Tadaka stepped off the engawa and put his foot on the Road of Life's Passage. He stopped between the pillar and the dragon at the entryway.
"In fire from ashes we are born; in fire to ashes we return," Tadaka chanted after the ancient tradition. He took a handful of ashes from the bowl on his right and raised the fist containing them to his chest, just over his heart. The other Elemental Masters echoed his words and did the same.
Holding his fist tight, Tadaka walked the white sand path counterclockwise around the pool. The others followed—first Kaede, then Uona, Tsuke, and Tomo. At the foot of the wooden bridge, Tadaka stopped and bowed.
"We pass now from life to spirit," he said, placing his right foot upon the bridge and walking over it. The others stopped and did the same. Beneath the great torii, they paused and bowed once more.
"Out of the world and to this land we come," Tadaka intoned, "seeking wisdom and the guidance of our mother Amaterasu." He picked up the bamboo hammer with his left hand and struck the iron bell once.
A pure, clear tone filled the air. The hairs on the back of Tadaka's neck stood up. The air around the Elemental Masters shimmered, as if touched by fire. Tadaka bowed again and picked the first of the black lacquer bowls from its stand. He raised it to his breast with his left hand, just below the hand that held the ashes.
Stepping off the bridge, he walked to the platform on the far side of the grassy island. He crossed his legs, sat down, and watched as his brethren repeated the ancient ritual that he had just finished. They, too, seated themselves on the wooden platforms. Each faced toward the center of the space. Some days, a petitioner or guest might sit in the midst among them. Today's business was for the masters alone.
When all of them had been seated, Tadaka held up his bowl. He positioned his hand containing the ashes above the container. "I
come for earth," he said. "The power of stone speaks through me."
He opened his clenched hand, and a stream of rocks poured out into his bowl. When the stream stopped, he flexed his hand to show that it was empty and set the bowl down. He looked at Tsuke, seated to his left.
Tsuke raised the bowl and his hand in the same manner Tadaka had. "I come for fire," he said gravely. "I speak for the power of flame." He opened his fist, and fire poured into his bowl. It continued burning as he set the container on the grass before him. He turned to Uona, seated on his left.
She raised her bowl and hand. "I come for air," she said. "The power of the wind speaks with my voice." As she opened her fist, breezes shimmered between her hand and the bowl, and soft whispers filled the air. Though the others saw nothing in Uona's bowl, the noises continued as she set her bowl down.
Tomo raised his bowl and hand. "I come for water," he said, a smile creeping across his face. "The ocean's voice fills my words." He opened his fist, and a stream of water poured forth, filling his bowl. He set the bowl down and turned to his half-sister, Kaede, seated on his left.
Isawa
Everything within the garden stood ready, waiting for the entrance of the Council of Five. Isawa Tadaka, who had summoned the council, would lead them today. He looked at the masters waiting by the rail.
Isawa Kaede, Mistress of the Void and Tadaka's half-sister, stood calmly, as placid as the lotus flowers upon the River of Awakening. Next to her stood Isawa Uona, Mistress of the Air. Unseen wind tugged at Uona's hair, making it fall in pleasing curves around her pretty face. Behind them stood Isawa Tomo and Isawa Tsuke. Tadaka's brother, the Master of Water, had a mischievous glint in his eye. Tsuke looked grim—as always. The
Master of Fire knitted his fingers together and moved his lips as if whispering silendy. Even now, the Fire Lord catalogued and practiced pyrotechnic magic.
With a nod to his brethren, Tadaka stepped off the engawa and put his foot on the Road of Life's Passage. He stopped between the pillar and the dragon at the entryway.
"In fire from ashes we are born; in fire to ashes we return," Tadaka chanted after the ancient tradition. He took a handful of ashes from the bowl on his right and raised the fist containing them to his chest, just over his heart. The other Elemental Masters echoed his words and did the same.
Holding his fist tight, Tadaka walked the white sand path counterclockwise around the pool. The others followed—first Kaede, then Uona, Tsuke, and Tomo. At the foot of the wooden bridge, Tadaka stopped and bowed.
"We pass now from life to spirit," he said, placing his right foot upon the bridge and walking over it. The others stopped and did the same. Beneath the great torii, they paused and bowed once more.
"Out of the world and to this land we come," Tadaka intoned, "seeking wisdom and the guidance of our mother Amaterasu." He picked up the bamboo hammer with his left hand and struck the iron bell once.
A pure, clear tone filled the air. The hairs on the back of Tadaka's neck stood up. The air around the Elemental Masters shimmered, as if touched by fire. Tadaka bowed again and picked the first of the black lacquer bowls from its stand. He raised it to his breast with his left hand, just below the hand that held the ashes.
Stepping off the bridge, he walked to the platform on the far side of the grassy island. He crossed his legs, sat down, and watched as his brethren repeated the ancient ritual that he had just finished. They, too, seated themselves on the wooden platforms. Each faced toward the center of the space. Some days, a petitioner or guest might sit in the midst among them. Today's business was for the masters alone.
When all of them had been seated, Tadaka held up his bowl. He positioned his hand containing the ashes above the container. "I
come for earth," he said. "The power of stone speaks through me."
He opened his clenched hand, and a stream of rocks poured out into his bowl. When the stream stopped, he flexed his hand to show that it was empty and set the bowl down. He looked at Tsuke, seated to his left.
Tsuke raised the bowl and his hand in the same manner Tadaka had. "I come for fire," he said gravely. "I speak for the power of flame." He opened his fist, and fire poured into his bowl. It continued burning as he set the container on the grass before him. He turned to Uona, seated on his left.
She raised her bowl and hand. "I come for air," she said. "The power of the wind speaks with my voice." As she opened her fist, breezes shimmered between her hand and the bowl, and soft whispers filled the air. Though the others saw nothing in Uona's bowl, the noises continued as she set her bowl down.
Tomo raised his bowl and hand. "I come for water," he said, a smile creeping across his face. "The ocean's voice fills my words." He opened his fist, and a stream of water poured forth, filling his bowl. He set the bowl down and turned to his half-sister, Kaede, seated on his left.
Isawa
Similar Books
