Rin-Ne

The Anime/Manga scene and I have been leading a pretty estranged relationship of late. Besides picking up the latest volume of "Blade of the Immortal," there isn't much reason for me to peruse the manga section at my local Borders. By chance, I noticed "Rin-Ne" by Rumiko Takahashi. Takahashi, in my humble opinion, is the greatest Japanese writer since Murasaki Shikibu.

She's responsible for hit classics like "Inuyasha," "Ranma 1/2," and "Maison Ikkoku," but my favorite will always be "Urusei Yatsura." "Rin-Ne" is her latest series, started in 2009. While the first paperback was just published, readers can go online to read translated chapters as they're published in Japan, simply by visiting here.

The story involves Sakura Mamiya, a girl who can see ghosts, who meets a strange classmate, Rinne Rokudo, a half-human, half shinigami, who leads spirits to a floating Wheel of Reincarnation. Now, while the whole school girl mets half-man, half-something else sounds familiar, it does distinguish itself from past series. The first eight chapters (which make up volume one) delve into the two main characters. The humor aspects are toned down (for now) with only Rinne's abject poverty and the introduction of Rokumon in the later chapters as running gags.

All in all, it's a very promising series, but what else can you expect from Rumiko Takahashi. I'm just glad there's something I can look forward to something again in the manga section...


(Except "Blade of the Immortal," of course.)

The Forbidden Temple of Khyber Gorah – Chapter Eight: Starving Hysteria

“Zoey!” Sara struggled as Lee held her back. She watched as the frail form disappeared into the darkness below.

“There’s nothing we could do,” said Lee. “And without the bridge, we can’t go back.” He slowly released her. “We can only keep moving forward.”

Sara sank to her knees. “Please give me a moment.” Neither said anything for a moment; they quietly secured their winter clothing before entering the next room. The merciless cold assaulted them as Lee opened the door.

The room was an inclining set of stairs that disappeared around the bend. Lee was about to enter the room when Sara said, “Wait.”

She brushed aside the snow covering the stairs. “There’s a mechanism here, probably a trap.”

“It’d work too,” added Lee. “If it weren’t for the ice covering the wall.” He pointed to small holes in the wall, barely visible beneath the sheen of the ice.

“Just watch your step,” said Sara.

The stairs led to a large, expansive room. There was an opening on the top of the roof; snow gently trickling down. Towards the middle of the room was a large altar surrounded by some ritual statues, all covered by a thin sheet of ice.

“This must have been their main meeting area,” said Lee. “They must held meetings or even worshipped in this very room.” As he said this, the very floor beneath him shifted as his weight pushed down on it. Sara grabbed Lee before he fell, and they both watched the circular slab stop at a perpendicular angle to the floor. Warmth and light radiated from beneath the floor. Sara and Lee peered down to see a seething river of lava flowing in the catacombs beneath the temple.
“Or maybe they sacrificed people here,” added Sara dryly.

Lee walked up to the altar. “If only I had time to study all this. Just think of what we could learn about these people.”
“I just want to find this item and get off this damn planet,” said Sara, not bothering to hide her weariness. Lee pointed to something behind her. Sara turned slowly to see another white creature, similar to the one that attacked Zoey earlier. White fur had camouflaged it within the piles of snow.

Lee started to take off his backpack. “I probably have a…”

“Can’t you see?” cut off Sara. “It’s no threat to us.” She started to make a low-pitched whistle. It eerily resonated throughout the large chamber. Sara slowed walked towards the creature, while continuing to whistle. The creature did not move; its eyes followed Sara as she got closer. When she was close enough to touch it, the creature laid down in the snow. Sara ran her gloved hand along its side, feeling its prominent rib cages and shallow breathing.

Sara continued her strange medley as Lee summoned the courage to get closer to the creature. Eventually, the creature, once fierce and terrifying, closed its eyes, and Sara stopped whistling.

“What did you do?” asked Lee.

“It was half-starved and suffering from hypothermia. The best thing for it was to just let it sleep,” said Sara. She absently rubbed its head. She sighed inwardly.

“Let’s get going. If we don’t find this item and a way back to your camp, we’ll end up just like that poor creature.” Lee didn’t have a reply for Sara. He wordlessly chipped off the ice on the turning mechanism for the door to the next room. The door eventually yielded to them, revealing a room of stairs similar to the one they had just exited.

The stairs were identical to the previous ones, right down to the trigger switch and the iced holes in the wall. They proceeded silently to the top of the stairs, where, unfortunately, one of them stepped on a second one. They looked around to see some half-frozen booby trap in action, but nothing happened.

Neither of them looked up to see the large shaft above their heads or the wall of spikes falling down upon their heads.

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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.

Comments on Chapter Seven

So, how do you like the "artwork" for the new series?

For the Daring serial, I made everything black and white and used Poster Edge to give the pictures a "drawn" look to them. This was, of course, to make them resemble the illustrations found in yon ol' pulp mags.

Now, we sprung ahead into the age of color! The pictures are treated to give them a painterly look to them. Besides looking stylish, it helps cover up my clumsy alterations to the pictures.

I haven't done the math, but I'm hoping the new serial will have more illustrations than the previous one. Pictures are nice, because they help break up the monotony of words and actual content.

The Forbidden Temple of Khyber Gorah – Chapter Seven: The Deep Divide

The two women said nothing as the stranger approached them.

“It’s all right now,” he said. “It’s dead.” He was referring to the large creature that lay dead before them. He slung his rifle over his back.

“You have us at a disadvantage, I’m afraid,” said Sara.

“My name is Lee Edwards,” said the stranger. “You are the troubleshooter that I was expecting, right?”

“Of course,” replied Sara, before Zoey could say anything.

“I must admit that I was only expecting one of you.”

“This is my assistant,” said Sara. “Given the hostile environment, I thought the extra pair of hands would come in handy.”

“I guess,” said Lee. “And you are?”

“This is Zoey and I’m called Sara.”

“Nice to meet you,” said Zoey weakly.

“It’s a miracle your friend survived that attack. Let’s get her to a warmer area.”

Edwards led the way as Sara and Zoey followed. On a private channel, Zoey asked, “So, now what?”

“It looks like our mysterious opponent is still one step ahead of us. But we are in the right place, I’m sure of it now. Keep on your toes.”

The ground rumbled under their feet; Zoey clasped at Sara to maintain her balance. “What was that?” Sara asked Edwards.
“The sun’s gone,” he replied. “The planet’s orbit is decaying. Any moment, it could collide with another planet or an asteroid field.”

Lee led them through the snow until they reached a large mountainous region at the end of the forest. Built on top of the incline was the temple of Khyber Gorah. The temple was massive and stretched upward, covering a great deal of the mountain. Unfortunately, snow and ice covered most of the temple, which time had started to eat at its stone walls. It looked more like a castle than a temple to Zoey.

As they approached it, Zoey could make out the large doors, easily three times their size. A small crack was left open between the two doors, just enough for them to squeeze in.

Immediately, the heat hit them full on. Lee had set up a number of heaters plugged into a portable generator. Sara and Zoey removed their jacket and face coverings as they looked around. The small antechamber within the doors had a flight of stairs that led to another door; this one was smaller and shut tight.

“It’s taken a long time just to thaw out this much,” said Lee as he sat by the fire he had set up in the middle of the room. Sara and Zoey joined him, enjoying the sudden change of temperature. Lee removed his jacket to reveal a face covered in dirt and a week old stubble. He was only a couple years older than Zoey, but he looked much older. “I know that you may be put off by my name, but there’s nothing to worry about.”

“What do you mean by that?” asked Sara.

“I assumed you knew about the allegations against my father, Paul Edwards.”

“Who was he?” asked Zoey.

“Dr Edwards worked with a group of scientists, who were terrorized by one of their own,” said Sara. “That man named himself The Spectre and wanted to use the device they were creating to seek revenge those who had wronged him.”
Lee could not cover the surprise look on his face. “How did you know that?”

“I happened to meet your father shortly before his death,” said Sara. “Richard and I were helping him in exposing the Spectre.”
“By Richard, you mean Rick Daring?” asked Lee. Sara nodded. “Then, you know that my father was innocent.”
“Of what charges?” asked Zoey.

“After the whole incident, the media claimed that my father had assisted the Spectre in his deeds and was partial to blame for everything. Of course, they never gave any solid proof to back their claim, but then again, they didn’t need to. Everyone believed them.”

“Couldn’t you give them any evidence to prove otherwise?” asked Zoey.

“They wouldn’t listen. So, after I finished my bachelors, I took this job when no one else would, to prove that we Edwards are a reputable bunch.”

“I’m afraid this could be more serious than just your good name,” said Sara gravely. “My friend was just kidnapped by members of an organization called the Cabal, the same people who created the Spectre debacle. They hoped to force me to help you uncover whatever remains in this temple. We’re dealing with manipulation on a grand scale.”

“And you think that they also smeared my father’s name in order to get me to come here?” Sara nodded. Lee thought this over and eventually shook his head. “It doesn’t matter. I’m here now, and I have a job to do.”

“That’s the spirit,” said Sara.

“I can’t believe it,” said Zoey. “We’re on a dying planet due to the manipulations of a secret society, and you’re telling me that things could be worse.”

“Well,” said Sara. “They could.”

“If I may interrupt,” said Lee. He took them to the door leading inward. He turned the large round mechanism in the door, and it slid open. Sara could hear gears grinding within the walls. The next room was built into the mountain, where a natural chasm separated them from continuing onward. Withering rope bridges had long ago fallen apart, leaving no way across except for one. A select number of heaters lined the room, keeping the temperature at a decent level.

“I’ve just finished a new bridge across,” explained Lee. “They used this in case invaders ever broke into the first section of the temple. They’d just cut the bridges and separate themselves from their attackers.” He indicated a new bridge crossing the chasm.

The three of them climbed onto the new bridge, feeling rather sound under their feet. “You did this all by yourself?” asked Zoey.

“No,” said Lee. “I came with four androids, but they’ve all broken down because of the cold.”

“Is it bottomless?” asked Zoey of the crevice.

“I really don’t want to find out,” replied Lee.

The ground rumbled again, this time much more aggressive.

“It’s getting worse,” said Lee needlessly. They held onto the railings helplessly as the shaking continued. The artificial bridge was not holding up as well as they were. They could hear the structure creaking and cracking.

“Move it!” yelled Sara as they started to run across the bridge. Lee was the first to make it to the other side, followed by Sara. Zoey was not so lucky as the bridge fell apart under her feet, and she was sent spiraling into the darkness of the pit below.

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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.

The Forbidden Temple of Khyber Gorah – Chapter Six: Eternal Winter

Doctor Zeitgeist sat at his imposing desk, sipping from the coffee brought in by his servant, Ragdin. His phone rang as he expected it to. He turned on the speaker.

“Well?”

“No good, boss.” It was “Scarface,” his chief lieutenant. “I tried to nab the girl back by tampering with the security system, but it encased them in glass, and I couldn’t get to them before the police arrived.”

“I’m very disappointed,” said Zeitgeist. “But the game still goes in our favor. She may unwittingly do my bidding without any persuasion. Follow and observe from a distance. No more interference unless they deviate from the plan.”

“As you command.”

The line went dead.

“Sara? Sara?”

Sara’s eyes slowly opened at the sound of her name. Strong hands helped her to her feet.
“Take it easy. It’ll take awhile for the gas to wear off.” The young man wore a shirt and tie with a leather jacket over top. His face was covered by his unruly hair and a 5 O’ Clock shadow. His name was Maximilian Sebastian Orwell Maddock, but he was known as…

“Junior?”

“So, you remember me, Sara?”

“It hasn’t been that long, has it?”

“It’s been long enough, I dare say,” replied Junior.

“How’s the gang doing? Are they…?”

“I’m afraid that we haven’t done much together,” said Junior. “Not since Daring disappeared.”

“No sign of him, then?”

“I don’t understand how he could just disappear like that. If something happened to him…”

“I haven’t stopped looking,” said Sara. “We will find him.”

“What happened to Daring?” asked Zoey as she struggled to her feet.

“He disappeared about a year ago,” said Junior. He gave Zoey a warm hug. “It’s good to see you again, Zoey.”

“You never visit,” replied Zoey. “You’re almost as bad as Sara.”

“My apologies,” said Junior. “But something always comes up at the last minute.”

“And no clues about Daring?” asked Zoey to Sara.

“None. No note. No ransom. None even claiming credit.”

“Why not refresh yourselves and then we can talk about why you came here in the first place?”

An hour later, Sara, Zoey, and Junior were sitting in front of a computer terminal.

“Khyber Gorah?” asked Junior as he typed in the entry. “The most relevant search topic is a very old one. According to legends, there was a Temple of Khyber Gorah. Monks of some kind inhabited the place, trying to expand their bodies and minds. It’s said that something fell from the sky into the temple, and so after, the monks exhibited talents beyond their capabilities.”

“What became of the monks?” asked Sara.

“It doesn’t say,” replied Junior. “Sometime after their ‘enlightenment,’ they dispersed throughout the stars, creating different sects. The mysterious object, if it exists at all, was locked away in the temple, guarded by untold booby traps.”
“Where is the temple located?” asked Sara.

“That’s the thing I can’t figure,” said Junior. “You said that the Cabal might be interested in it. The thing is the sun in that solar system went supernova one year ago. The planet, which luckily survived, is uninhabitable. Without a sun, the planet would make our arctic regions look like a summer getaway.”

“But you could take us there, couldn’t you?” asked Sara.

“Well,,,”

“No problem, right?” asked Zoey. “Nothing’s impossible for a member of the Brilliant 5.”

Junior sighed.

Junior led them into a storage room. “Well, if you’re so gung ho about going to visit a dead planet, then you’d better dress the part.” He pulled a large box off one of the shelves. “Luckily, Teresa designed a whole bunch of gear from extreme weather.”
He spread them out on the table before them. “You’ll need to wear at least three layers of this heavy thermal fabric. All of your body parts must be covered, or the cold will freeze it right off. There’s also a matching balaclava to cover your head.” He held up a pair of goggles. “These are for your eyes. Double reinforced.”

Junior then picked up a small box, no bigger than the palm of his hand. “Since there is no longer a sun, not only will it be cold but virtually no light as well.” He opened the box to reveal a pair of dark contact lenses. “These are designed to absorb as much light as possible to maximize your visibility. They’re also the last line of defense against the cold in case something happens to your goggles.”

Junior also gave them two devices that fit snuggly on their throat. “Communicating will be a lot easier with these. They pick up the vibrations in your vocal cords and transmit them to your earpieces. Any questions?”

“When do we leave?” asked Sara, who wasted no time in helping Junior pack the flying saucer with supplies. Whether their mission bothered Sara at all, no one could tell, but Zoey was fearful of this bleak place they sought but kept brave for Sara’s sake. Sara offered for Zoey to say behind, but Zoey declined.

“You need someone to keep you out of trouble,” replied Zoey.

The trip itself was rather uneventful. The Brilliant 5’s flying saucer was a technological wonder and a smooth ride as well. The only turbulence they experienced was when they entered the dead system. The two women started to put on their survival gear as the saucer neared the planet. After they had put on their multiple layers of protection, Junior double checked each of them to make sure they didn’t miss anything and then helped them with their cumbersome backpacks,

“Remember,” said Junior. “Nothing came be exposed to the cold.” He lowered the saucer through the planet’s atmosphere. “I’ll keep a low orbit and if I don’t hear from you in twenty four hours, I’ll came back.”

“If you don’t hear from us in twenty four hours,” said Sara, trying out her new throat mike. “Then, it’ll be too late.”

Junior landed the saucer in a clearing. “I found a faint power source about a mile north of here, in the woods.”

“Thanks, Junior,” said Sara and walked down the ramp.

“Well,” said both Zoey and Junior. He held out his hand, but Zoey pulled him into a full hug.

“Take care,” was all Junior could think to say as Zoey walked down the ramp.

Even bundled up, the two women could feel the sharp wind cut them to the bone. The sky was dark; without a sun, it was an eternal night. A thick layer of snow covered the ground and the surrounding dead trees. The air was thin, like in high-altitude areas. They silently trudged through the snow until a bloodcurdling howl echoed through the forest.
Zoey stopped in her tracks. “What was that?”

“Just the wind.” Sara’s voice came from the small transceiver in Zoey’s ear. “Nothing could survive in this weather.”
“There’s animals that live in the Antarctic,” replied Zoey.

“Good point. Let’s keep moving.”

They kept moving as fast they could, but they were moving into the wind. The cold burned their face despite the layers of protection. Suddenly, Sara grabbed Zoey’s arm and pushed them both to the ground. A large animal flew over them. It looked like a mountain lion covered in white fur. While still formidable, it was evident that the creature had not eaten in a while and planned on having the two women for dinner.

“When I say ‘Run…’” started Sara and turned to see Zoey had already taken off. Sara sighed inwardly and followed her. The creature wasted no time in going after its mobile meal. Sara and Zoey weaved in-between trees in the hopes of losing the creature, but it was unshakeable. The thick snow did nothing but slow them down.

Inevitably, the creature caught up with them. It leapt, using its powerful leg muscles, and pounced onto Zoey. She fell face first into the snow. The creature’s large jaws ripped into her backpack. It would only be a few moments before its sharp teeth would find Zoey’s tender flesh. Sara looked on, powerless to stop it.

A crack of thunder echoed the dead forest, followed by several more. The creature lurched forward and fell, dead. Sara helped a weary Zoey to her feet.

They watched a stranger, wearing similar survival clothes, emerged from the darkness. He held a high-powered rifle, wrapped in strips of cloth.

“I’ve been expecting you,” came his voice through their transmitters.

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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.

Swing And A Miss!

The Forbidden Temple of Khyber Gorah – Chapter Five: The Unexpected Ally

Sara ducked for cover as the gunfire went over her head. She was surprised to find the gunfire was actually coming from behind her. There was an electrical charge in the air as the armored men appeared out of thin air.

“Optical camouflage,” said Sara, unimpressed. “Let me guess. Federal funded paramilitary?” A pair of soldiers plucked her off the floor as if she was nothing but stray litter. The other four soldiers fanned out; the roar of their oversized automatics echoed throughout the warehouse.

“You have to stop this,” said Sara as one soldier stripped her of her vest. “We need them alive.”

“My men will get all information they need when they strip the hard drives,” said the leader. “I have to adhere to my platform of no tolerance. I am a man of my word.”

“The Attorney General, I presume?”

“Surely, you didn’t think we were the police?” replied the Attorney General. He removed his helmet to reveal a long, dark face with a shaved head.

“No,” replied Sara, not missing a beat. “The police aren’t this well funded. Unfortunately, I’m not in the mood for interdepartmental politics. My friend has been kidnapped, and I am certain these people can lead me to her.”

“I’ve been informed of your current situation, and I know you by reputation,” replied the Attorney General. “I, however, cannot let a civilian get in the way of my investigation.”

“Don’t you mean extermination?” asked Sara sharply. “Your men could have a harder time tying their shoelaces than taking out these criminals.”

“Extermination is exactly the right word for it. Criminals are a disease I can no longer tolerate in my city.”

“That sounds nice as a sound clip, but does killing the patient constitute a cure?”

“You misunderstand my metaphor. Society is my patient. These lowlifes are carriers that must be exterminated so that the disease does not spread.”

“I wish it were that simple, but I had experiences with these ‘lowlifes’ too. Some people run out of luck and are forced to do things they’re not proud of.”

“Everyone has a choice,” replied the Attorney General.

“It’s easy for you to say that. Let me guess: rich family, never had to work too hard for anything. Am I getting close?”

“This conversation’s beginning to bore me.” He turned to his second-in-command. “Put her in a holding cell until I’m done with the press.”

“Wait,” said one of the other soldiers. “One of them is trying to escape.” He leveled his rifle to the person climbing out of a window. Sara rammed her shoulder into him, knocking the rifle out of his hands. She struggled to take it from him, when another soldier brought the butt of their weapon down onto Sara’s skull.

Sara awoke hours later in an isolation cell. A guard came and brought her to an interrogation room. The Attorney General was already there, waiting for her.

“Please sit,” he said and Sara complied. “I could bring you up on charges of interfering with my investigation. Sadly, you still seem to have some friends in important positions, just enough to make this more of a hassle than I have time for.”

“So, then why are you here talking to me?” asked Sara.

“Have you ever heard of Khyber Gorah?”

“Who is Khyber Gorah?”

“The name came up in a number of encrypted files we recovered. It seems to be more of a where and less of a who.” The Attorney General looked Sara straight in the eyes. “It seems to be a little out of my jurisdiction, but perhaps you know someone who’d like to look into for us.”

“So, now I’m useful to you,” said Sara.

“Not at all. I just want you out off my planet.”

“That’s the second person who’s said that to me. I must be very popular. But make no mistake, I don’t approve of your methods.”

“Then, you’d be in the minority. People want their streets clean. They don’t care how.”

“The ends never justify the means.”

“We’ll see.”

The Attorney General’s last words echoed in Sara’s mind as she got out of the taxi. She was reluctant to let him have the last word, but her priority was to find Zoey and not to get caught up in the usual political nonsense. There were no messages at the front desk, and Sara rode the elevator up in silence. She unlocked the door with a swipe of her card key and paused at the threshold.

She could hear the sound of the television, even though she knew she had turned it off. She slipped into her room and quietly closed the door. Sara’s mind raced, trying to figure out who was in the next room. Surely, an intruder would not sit down and start watching television? She started to glance around for a possible weapon, but then stopped. She’d face this, like any problem, with her wits.

She walked into the room and without hesitation, said, “I hope you can explain yourself.”

“Hey, Sara,” replied Zoey, lounging on the coach. “Long time, no see.”

“Zoey!” Sara hugged her old friend as Zoey was getting up off the couch. “What are you doing here? I thought you were kidnapped.”

“Oh, I was,” said Zoey. “But I got bored and decided to leave.” She told Sara about the fire alarm and her attempt to escape.
“You faked fainting?” asked Sara. “Didn’t that hurt your feminine pride?”

“That and the twenty spot I gave the concierge to keep a secret that your ‘niece’ had come for a surprise visit. But I figured an ambulance would be the safest way to leave.”

“And how did you know where to find me?”

“That’s easy. You always stay here, whenever you can. I just had to discreetly ask about you.”

“Can you recognize any of your abductors?”

“I don’t know who the big cheese was, but the guy who was guarding me had a large scar on his face. I think he was called ‘Anton.’ There were two other thugs but I never saw them again.”

“Well, I might be able to shed some light on that.” Sara related her own near-abduction and the recent sting at the Cabel secret headquarters.

“So,” said Zoey. “I was basically going to be their leverage to get you to do their bidding.”

“Very likely, but what did they want me to do?” Sara pursed her lips as she thought. “Does the name Khyber Gorah mean anything to you?”

“Should it?”

“The Attorney General was generous enough to pass that nugget of information onto me.”

“To what end?” asked Zoey.

“So, I can do his dirty work for him.”

“And are we?”

“Not exactly. I need to find out who’s behind all this and make sure that they never come after you or me again.”

“But, Sara, where are we going to find out who this Khyber Gorah was?”

“In the greatest archive of accumulated knowledge,” replied Sara.

“You’re kidding me,” said Zoey as they walked the streets at night. “They have one of these here?” She was referring to the towering building that was just one of many branches of the Institute of the Brilliant 5.
“Of course,” said Sara as they strolled up to the gate.

“They look closed,” said Zoey, not impressed.

“Yes, they are,” replied Sara. “But being on good terms with the Brilliant 5, I have a security code that allows me 24 hour access to any facility.”

Unbeknownst to them, unseen hands were tampering with the wiring of the security system.
“Error, error,” squealed the computer system.

“What’s going on?” asked Zoey.

“I don’t know,” replied Sara. “I haven’t even put in the code yet.”

From underneath them, a glass dome encased the two women. “Error,” stated the computer. “Intruders. Subdue.”

“I don’t like the sound of that,” said Zoey. Her comment was followed by the hiss of gas.

“Cover your mouth,” said Sara, gasping for air. The two women struggled in vain, for there was nowhere they could go to escape from the gas that now surrounded them.

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Written by J M Emmons. The story and all characters are copyrighted by J M Emmons.