Read Dragon of the Red Dawn: A Merlin Mission for Free Online

asked the Cloud Dragon to take us there, so I bet she did. Come on, let’s find Basho.”
Jack and Annie stood up and started walking along the edge of the river. They walked barefoot through the mud, under dripping trees.
“Hey, there’s the clearing,” said Annie.
Jack and Annie headed toward the clearing beyond the trees and tall grass.
“Oh, no!” cried Annie. “Look!”
In the clearing, rain was falling on the charred ruins of Basho’s house. The shingled roof and the bamboo walls of the little hut had burned and collapsed.
“Where’s Basho?” said Jack, scared.
“There!” said Annie.
The famous poet sat on a log next to his banana tree in the gray rain. His clothes were blackened. His face was covered with soot. He clutched his writing box.
“Basho!” yelled Annie.
Basho looked up. A smile crossed his dirty, weathered face. “I looked for you by the river, but didn’t see you!” he said. “I am glad you are safe.”
“We’re glad you’re safe, too,” said Jack.
“But your castle! Your castle burned down,” said Annie.
“Yes. It burned before the miracle of the rain,” said Basho, sighing.
Jack and Annie sat on the log next to him. Through the smoky drizzle, they all stared at the rubble. Trees and plants dripped with rain. A pigeon cooed.
For a long moment, no one spoke. Then Annie broke the silence. “I’m glad you still have your banana tree,” she said. “I like the sound of the rain falling on the leaves.”
Basho looked up, but didn’t say anything.
“Yeah, and I like the sound of the river,” said Jack. “It’s louder now since the rain came.”
Basho tilted his head as if listening to the rain on the leaves of the banana plant and to the steady rushing sounds of the river. His face softened. “Yes, I like those things, too,” he said. He held up his wooden box. “And I still have my poems.”
“Don’t worry, Basho,” said Annie. “Everything can be built again.”
“And your castle will be even more beautiful than before,” said Jack.
Basho smiled. “I suppose that is why the ancients called our fires ‘the flowers of Edo,’” he said.
“What do you mean?” asked Jack.
“After something is destroyed by fire, a good new thing often takes its place,” said Basho. “Just as after the bleakest winter, beautiful flowers return with the spring.”
“I’m sure you’ll make many beautiful flowers,” said Annie.
“Thank you,” said Basho. “I am sorry, though, that you and Jack will not have a place to stay now.”
“Don’t worry,” said Annie. “We have to travel back to our own house.”
“How far away is that?” asked Basho.
“Very far,” said Annie. She and Jack stood up. “But we just need to get back to the Imperial Garden. We’ll know the way from there.”
“Good,” said Basho. He stood up. “Come, I will accompany you back to the garden.”
“Thanks, that would be great!” said Jack.
Basho picked up his walking stick. Then he led Jack and Annie along the bank of the river. Through the light drizzle, they saw a ferryboat moving upstream. Basho waved, and the pilot steered the boat to shore.
Jack and Annie followed Basho onto the ferry. The three of them sat together on a wooden bench. The other passengers stared at them. Many had ashes on their clothes and soot on their faces. Jack was relieved to see that no samurai were on board.
“Greetings, Master Basho,” the pilot said. The other passengers nodded respectfully to Basho. They smiled as if the presence of the great poet gave them hope.
“The rains were a miracle, were they not, Master Basho?” an old woman said.
“Indeed they were,” said Basho.
“I guess the Cloud Dragon showed up just in time,” said Annie.
“Annie,” whispered Jack.
Basho smiled at her. “I am afraid no one believes in the Cloud Dragon anymore, Annie,” he said. “But it is lovely to pretend, is it not?”
“Yes, it is lovely,” said Annie.
The rain stopped as the ferryboat traveled on up the river.