Occasionally, the calls of forest wolves echo all around me. I can only wonder and respect the power of what we mortals call, Mother Nature, and wait impatiently for sunrise to see what she has done.

My wait was truly rewarded. Like the woman that she is, my valley has been changed. A veil of pure white powder snow two-feet deep covers the land as far as the eye can see. The winds no longer blow and everything outside appear to be suspended in time.

Across the small room, large flames billows from my blazing stone fireplace. The sweet scent of pine fills the room as pine tar drops into the flames sending sparks dancing like butterflies into the air. Yet, I sit here wrapped in three thick wool blankets and shake. I am cold to my very bones. My eyes once as sharp as that of a hawk can barely see the papers just inches from my hands. I must hurry before my mind forgets all that has happened. Listen well to my words.

Koen if you are reading this letter, then my 132-year-old eyes no longer look upon the snow-covered mountains of Tibet. I have made a grave error in allowing one so evil as Genghis Khan to remain on this Earth. I had lived my whole life in China and trained many Ninjas. At one time I thought I was the most dangerous man alive. Oh! How wrong I was. In the area of Mongolia called, The Steppe, someone more deadly than I was born. Rumors say he born was early in 1165 under a falling star. I do not know if this is true or not. But, in the Year of the Tiger 1206, at the age of 40, he became the ruler of several small Mongol tribes.

The leaders of the Sung Dynasty paid no attention to this leader of barbarians. Everyone in China knew they were always fighting among themselves. Also, their wastelands were all beyond our sphere of influence. That was another mistake, to think that distance would keep us safe. We felt the area of the Mongols called The Steppe was too far away. Besides China was the center of Asia. Trade brought in vast sums of wealth. Our landmass had stretched over several countries and from sea to sea. Also, our mighty armies had defeated every foreign invader.