Chapter 8.1 Sakishima Islands

The Sakishima Islands. They are located in the East China Sea, almost on the border with China, and are washed by the storms of the Pacific Ocean. There are many similar islands not only in Japan, but there are also many of them all over the world.

This is a group of small islands with self-names, which, in order not to bother, have been collected into one name, in this case — the Sakishima Islands. On some of the islands, tourism is well developed due to the wonderful climate, which means it is an excellent place to sunbathe and frolic in clean, clear water. Dive, see beautiful fish, taste local unusual products. In general, I was sitting in a humming airplane doing self-tuning or something like that.

The point is that when I turned twelve, I was presented with a fact: I would spend four months on one of the Sakishima islands, with the Mori family, with my future wife. I had already forgotten about the girl doll. This is the first main official purpose of my trip. The second is to practice the Onmyodo methods, because to be a member of the Miyazaki clan (Mori is a junior vassal in this clan, there are also "lesser ones") means to be a full-fledged Onmyouji.

Later, after conversations with the head of Mori, I learned that onmyouji shamans are divided into several ranks, depending on their strength, knowledge, and experience. But even an average onmyouji can earn a lot of money in Europe and America, because the number of masters there has decreased significantly, especially in Europe.

But this does not make the services of a master who can remove evil intentions, the evil eye, evil spirits and ghosts, and some curses any less necessary. And it's not uncommon for even rich simpletons to "subscribe" to masters from Japan, China or Korea to cleanse a mansion or castle of some kind of paranormal dirty trick. I repeat, they pay VERY well for such work, within limits of course, but this is not unloading wagons. In short, I definitely have nothing against it.

My classes will continue on the island, even Kenjutsu, although the teacher did not fly here, a local master who studied in Okinawa will work with me. Their styles there are somewhat exotic, and the teacher said that would be useful for me. Well, he doesn't recommend bullshit.

Anyway, in early June I was sent by private amphibious plane to a closed island. Closed because on that island and the three closest to it, a lot of important goods are grown and produced, used in rituals and potions, and the Miyazaki clan makes a lot of profit from it.

So I've been shaking in a buzzing piece of aluminum for an hour now, because these planes aren't the fastest. It's funny that the seaplane flew very close to the missile carrier of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces. It was interesting to see something like that, and for the first time in two lives, it's a pity that I didn't have a camera with me.

Oh yes, another important detail about such islands. From the lessons of geopolitics, I learned that the world knows about real magic, but outright lies are forced upon the masses, and people do not have the abilities. Those with paranormal abilities are very quickly identified, tracked almost from birth, and immediately put to use. Thus, the true state of affairs is hidden from the eyes of the masses, exposing charlatans or, at best, good magicians. So, about the islands.

Well, and not only that. In the world, in high and expensive offices, everyone who needs it knows about magic and uses its products. Well, as far as possible, because most of the magical gadgets are in conflict with the technology of electrical circuits. However, no one will throw away or, God forbid, destroy such things — everyone uses what they can.

Among the rich, very, very influential and important, various strange drugs, tinctures, powders and potions are well known. Or have you ever wondered why oligarchs and top politicians rarely get sick? And if they do, is it just for show? Well, in the world there are special zones, places, islands where gifted people live and breed fabulous animals and plants, insects, and all this for medicines and cosmetics that literally heal everything and restore youth.

Such zones are protected from attention, erased from maps, satellite photos, in short, hidden by all means. This is a long-standing cooperation agreement. And so I fly to an island surrounded by three others. All the islands are connected by bridges and communications, but hidden from ordinary people by a barrier, accessible only to the gifted or those with a special pass and an escort.