The Harsh Cry of the Heron

'Theirrealmisheldinbalancebytheirunion...BreakthatunionandtheThreeCountrieswillfallapart.'OtoriTakeoandKaedehaveruledtheThreeCountriespeacefullyforoversixteenyears,followingtheeventslaidoutintheepicTalesoftheOtori.Theyhavethreedaughters:Shigeko,fifteenyearsoldandheirtotheOtori,andMayaandMiki,thirteen-year-oldtwinswhohaveinheritedthesupernaturalskillsoftheirfather.KaedeknowsnothingoftheprophecythatTakeowilldieatthehandsofhissonandlongstogivehimamalechild.Nordoessheknowoftheboyhefatheredsixteenyearsago-aboywhoseheartisfilledwithhatredandwhoseskillsasaGhostmastergivehimthepowertoincitethedead.TakeoisdeterminedthatclanconflictswillneveragainravagetheThreeCountries,butwarriorsareborntofight:thewarlordAraiZenkohasdeadlyambitions,theEmperorhimselfhaschallengedTakeo'sruleand,despiteadelicatetrucebetweenthedeadlyTribeandtheOtori,revengestilleatsattheheartofrenegadeleaderKikutaAkio...Againstthesegatheringthreats,TakeodrawsstrengthfromhisloveforKaede,buteventhisisnotbeyondthereachoftheirenemies...