The Army of Fire continues to press farther south, swinging the brunt of their offensive away from the heavily defended Dragon provinces and instead wreaking havoc throughout the peaceful Phoenix lands, destroying many priceless treasures and sacred sites in the process.
The War of Dark Fire, Part 10
By Shawn Carman
Edited by Fred Wan
It was the dead of night on moonless evening at White Oak Castle, but the blaze of fire kept the sky illuminated as if it were dawn. The buildings that surrounded the castle itself were fully immolated, and the castle itself had already begun to smolder from the cinders that had spread. The Shiba defending the castle had fought valiantly in the face of the invaders, but in the end there had been too few shugenja on hand to counter the strange and sinister magic wielded by the Dark Oracle’s forces.
As of yet, the great white oak that gave the castle its name had yet been untouched. Now that the resistance had been largely dispatched, however, a number of the Yobanjin raiders had gathered around the tree and were waiting, some in obvious horror and others with an obvious sense of anticipation. After only a few moments, a particularly large and powerful-looking warrior arrived, laden with weapons from conquered enemies. He examined the tree with an expression that vaguely resembled malevolent lust. “The chieftain says that the Dark One has instructed us to desecrate this tree,” he said, his voice booming to the dozens of men gathered before it. “It is a sacred relic in Rokugan. A pale, sickly, albino relic that does nothing but remind us of their stomach-turning weakness!” There were cheers. “I say let us turn their weak stomachs and let them foam with impotent rage!”
“Uhn,” one of the men near the officer said, suddenly clutching his head. “Gah!” He swooned, then fell to his knees. “Grragh!”
“I am not interested in your precious instincts or your supposed ’second sight,’ boy,” the officer sneered. “This is war, not the tent of some old matron who has decided that you are some sort of…” the man’s voice trailed off as the younger man lifted his head to meet the officer’s eyes.
Blood streamed down his face, and his eyes were wide with terror. “Run!” he whispered hoarsely. “Run!”
The officer glanced up for a moment to see if any of the others had noticed the younger man’s fit, but none seemed to. Instead, they were looking from one to another curiously as a loud clicking sound filled the air. It was muted somehow, as if being issued from behind a thick cloth, but it was loud enough to be heard across the courtyard and very clearly alien to this place. “What is that?” he demanded.
There was a terrible chuckling sound and then the air itself shimmered as it did during the heat of the day over the burning sands. A man simply emerged from nowhere, and as he parted the thick, opaque air, the younger officer with the nosebleed cried out in pain and collapsed unmoving on the ground. “This is the birthplace of my mother,” the newcomer said, trailing a finger absently across his own youthful features. “This place is not for such as you to destroy.”
“Stupid priest!” the officer spat. “Did you come here alone? Your life is now measured in breaths!”
The newcomer stared at the Yobanjin with such malice that the other man took a half-step backwards. “The Onyx Champion does not brook such disrespect, particularly from a barbarian animal such as yourself. If it pleases you, however,” his features split into a terrible smile, “I did not come alone.” The priest held both hands aloft, both bloodied and dripping with ichor. As he did so, the clicking became louder, and the air shimmered and parted again, this time in a much larger area. The still-unmoving form of the young man on the ground spasmed once as the curtain between worlds parted, then he was still.
From the space between worlds, a hideous monstrosity that resembled no natural creature, but was closest to an insect, emerged. It was massive, and continued to come through the portal with legs after legs, seemingly without end.
Isawa Fosuta laughed. “Kill that fool first, Sentei,” he rasped in the hot night air.
The screams began almost immediately, and within moments, the Yobanjin army was withdrawing from the castle.
Asahina Beniha sat bolt upright on her mat, a strangled scream caught in her throat. She wiped perspiration from her brow and tried to collect her thoughts. She reached out for the cup of water that was on the nearby table, but her hand was shaking too badly to try and take it. Beniha slowly turned the other way and looked at the small book that sat upon the desk near her largely ceremonial daisho stand. It was a strange book, one filled with what might be described as nonsense, and yet she could not stop herself from reading from it at least once a day. She had received the book in a strange garden where she had met a number of other samurai and an entity that claimed to be an avatar of Ryoshun, the Tenth Kami.
A garden where she had received the Talisman of Yume-do.
“Was it real?” she whispered to no one in particular.
* * *
Ikoma Hanshiro frowned as he rolled up yet another scroll. He had already pored over dozens without any true measure of success, and he was finding the process both tedious and frustrating. If only he were at home, the thought occurred to him for what must have been the twentieth time since dawn, this would not have been an issue. Surely the Ikoma records would contain the information that he required. Hanshiro glanced out the window to observe the position of the sun, then began replacing the scrolls. It would be time for him to resume his duties in the main courtroom very shortly, and he had no more time to dally.
As he strode through the corridors, Hanshiro reflected on the oddity of his appointment. Given his background and previous postings, it was his opinion that he should be participating in the northern war rather than serving as the head of the yojimbo protecting the Imperial Court delegation. He would never question his orders, however, no matter how much he thought they might be inefficient; his lord Hagio was young, and questioning his authority could have disastrous results even if Hanshiro did not consider such an act anathema of the greatest magnitude.
The court was just beginning to reconvene as Hanshiro arrived in the vast primary audience chamber of Kyuden Bayushi. He bowed his head respectfully to Kitsu Kiyoko to ensure she saw he was in place and that her people would be protected. Not that it was required, of course; he had determined within the first few days of court that the Bayushi were sincere in one thing only, and that was that they wished the court to be secret and protected from any potential scandal within their lands.
Just before the court had broken for a brief recess, word had reached them regarding a series of devastating losses in the Phoenix lands, even as it seemed that the Dragon lands were finally making greater strides against the invading armies of the Dark Oracle. The sacred White Oak Castle had been devastated by a large invading force, although some accounts indicated it had fled before the destruction was complete. No one could offer an explanation as to why this might have happened, but then the Yobanjin had thus far proved chaotic in a way that Hanshiro found almost disgusting. Shortly after that, the Phoenix delegation informed the court that Michia Yasumi was being preemptively evacuated, although the libraries there were too large for any hope of relocation on such short notice. The Shiba were planning to defend them, and Hanshiro prayed fervently that they would be successful. The loss of a treasure such as the Kanjiro library made him nearly nauseous simply thinking about it.
Immediately before the recess, however, perhaps the worst news of the lot had broken. With tears in his eyes, the young courtier Asako Kanta had informed the court that Shinsei and Sumai Mura, alleged to have been the home of Shinsei during his time in the Empire prior to the Day of Thunder, had been razed to the ground. The response among those assembled had been immediate and visceral, and someone in one of the delegations had actually wailed in grief at the news. The Chancellor had insisted upon a brief recess of an hour in order to allow everyone to assimilate the news. Now that time was at an end, and the court had come together once more.
Bayushi Hisoka stepped before the court. “On behalf of the Phoenix,” he began, “it is my pleasure to present to you the august personage of Moto Xiao, one of the countless scouting patrols that the Unicorn Clan Khan appears to have dispatched throughout the northern mountains during this time of conflict.” He glanced across the room. “I need not remind you, of course, of the great heroism of these men and women over the past weeks and months, and of the Khan himself as his army pacifies the mountains near the Badger lands. We are all inspired greatly by the actions of the Khan and his men.” Here the Chancellor stopped to bow slightly to Xiao, who appeared monumentally uncomfortable, but returned the gesture. “Tell us, Xiao-san, of your patrol’s recent actions.”
The surly Moto frowned. “My unit was until recently scouting the Dragon Heart Plain,” he said. “One among our number sacrificed herself to prevent a force of Yobanjin from reaching the ruins of Shiro Chuda.”
“Surely she rests now with her ancestors in glory,” someone among the delegates muttered.
“Since that time we have largely kept to the most rural areas,” Xiao continued. “Until recently, that is, when we saw the impending assault against the Phoenix village. One of my men is something of a theologian, and he impressed upon us the urgency to try to preserve some of the treasures from the village. We entered and secured the documents he identified, and he retreated from the village with them. The rest of us stayed to assist the Shiba, but the battle was hopelessly one-sided.”
“Did you suffer great losses, Xiao-san?” Shiba Yoma asked.
“Only three of us escaped to rejoin our comrade,” the officer said with a bowed head. “The Shiba… refused to abandon the village. None of their number survived. I am sorry, Yoma-sama.”
Yoma nodded. “It was their choice. Neither they nor I harbor regrets, I am sure.”
A Scorpion with graying temples and a frightful skull mask emerged from the ranks. “That you would have sacrificed yourselves for such a treasure is commendable,” the man said, “even more so when one considers that many of your men were likely, as are many Unicorn, adherents of the Shi-Tien Yen-Wang rather than disciples of the Tao. Would that be correct?”
“Study of the Tao is still mandatory among the Unicorn dojo,” Xiao said, his tone mildly defensive, “but yes, many of my men were followers of the Lords of Death.”
The man nodded. “I have only recently arrived, and my work has kept me sequestered from the Empire at large for some years now. For those among you unaware of my position, I am Soshi Tishi, the Imperial Librarian. I need not speak to men and women of your status about the threat that has continued to plague our Empire’s body of knowledge over the past few decades. It seems every conflict has those who seek to destroy the accumulated knowledge of our society for their own nefarious purposes.” He paused for a moment and took in those nodding in agreement. “Toward that end, with the sanction of the throne, I have been in the process of constructing a vast library in a hidden location, where duplicates of some of the Empire’s most important works can be stored without fear of their destruction by malcontents and blasphemers. With the consent of the Empress, and the support of my Champion Bayushi Paneki, I have extended an invitation to the Keepers of the Elements to study at the library and make use of our efforts, much of which involves the Little Prophet’s writings. At their discretion, we will duplicate and distribute a large number of our rarer works to whomever they believe could benefit from its wisdom.” Here he bowed to the Phoenix. “With the permission of the Phoenix, I would take these sacred works recovered from Shinsei and Sumai Mura, secret them within the library, and ensure their duplication at the hands of the Keepers.”
Shiba Yoma nodded. “The preservation of knowledge is essential to the advancement of any society. The Phoenix enthusiastically agree.”
“Thank you,” Tishi said with a bow.
The group seemed pleased, murmuring appreciatively with the news, and even the Phoenix delegation’s spirits were lifted. Hanshiro expected that their spirits would be lifted even further in a few moments, when one among the Lion delegates, a young man named Kitsu Tinshu, would step forward and speak of the deeds of his ancestors, one in particular. It seemed that one of Tinshu’s ancestors had assisted in dispatching a dark spirit that had plagued White Oak Castle generations ago, and in reward, he had been granted a small cutting from the great tree itself. Further, Tinshu’s family had cultivated the tree and grown one of their own in their private estate within the Kitsu provinces. They now wished to return it to the Phoenix, a maneuver that would gain incredible favor for the Lion with that clan, and which the delegation’s leader Kiyoko had been thrilled to endorse.
Hanshiro was less sure. Something seemed wrong to him about the entire affair, but he could not attribute it to anything save intuition. His research had been limited by the private library the Ikoma had brought with them, and as such he had been able to discover very little about Tinshu’s lineage. He knew that he had a brother, Tenshin, who served with great distinction in the Ikoma army, but beyond that he could not trace the man’s lineage beyond a few centuries prior. In only one place, an old and seemingly forgotten scroll that had been crinkled up within a seemingly empty scroll case, could Hanshiro find any record of lineage that might reveal Tinshu’s past.
Hanshiro did not know why the name “Shimizu,” which he had never heard before, should fill him with such dread. But it did.
* * *
The Yobanjin scouts looked carefully over the mid-sized city, nestled safely between the Phoenix mountains and the vast Isawa Mori. Or those who dwelled within it had always believed that it was safe, at least. Now they were scrambling to flee for their lives in the wake of the news that the attackers from the north had bypassed the strange place called White Oak Castle and continued south.
“Pathetic,” one of them sneered, watching the Phoenix leave the town in droves. “Why don’t they stay and fight?”
“Just as well,” another said. “The chieftain will be furious if we fail to capture another objective. His punishment will be… considerable. We must succeed. This city must be destroyed.”
A third frowned as he glanced down from the foothills at the city. “Hard to say how many defenders might be there. These samurai can be tricky.” He gestured toward the back. “Better ask him.”
“What is the point?” the second muttered, but the first had already gotten up and retrieved a battered form from between two of the others. The man was slumped unconscious, covered nearly from head to toe in a second skin of dried blood and still bleeding from what appeared to be a half-dozen wounds that had only been half-heartedly dressed.
“Wake up!” the scout bellowed, slapping the man across the face. “Wake up, fool! We need information!”
The prisoner roused somewhat, but his only action was to raise his head and glare ominously at the scout with the one eye that was not swollen shut. He did not speak. “He never says anything useful,” the second scout said. “We should kill him and be done with it.”
“No,” the first scout snarled. “He has to suffer for his temerity. If he cooperates, we give him a quick death. Otherwise, he has to watch his people die.” He grabbed the prisoner by the hair and drug him to the rocks, his bound hands and feet scrabbling across the rough rock. “How many defenders?” the scout demanded.
The prisoner looked down at the city. “Four,” he said.
The scout let out an inarticulate snarl of rage and rapped the prisoner’s head against the stones. “How many?” he demanded again.
“Hard to say,” the prisoner said, spitting blood on the stone ground. “Untie my hands so I can count on my fingers. It will only take a moment.”
“Idiot!” The Yobanjin smashed the prisoner alongside the head, dropping him to the ground. “You cannot win!”
“Just kill him,” the second scout repeated. “Finish it, for the gods’ sake.”
“He’s…” the prisoner sputtered, “…not man… enough.”
The first scout’s face twisted into a mask of absolute rage, and he drew a blade as if to fulfill the man’s wish. “No,” the third scout said sharply. “Cut his feet loose and bind his mouth. He goes into the city with us.” He looked back to the city. “Perhaps a little wanton death and destruction will weaken his damnable resolve.”
For all their bluster and muscle, the Yobanjin were highly gifted at infiltration, and even burdened by their prisoner they made their way easily into Michita Yasumi without being detected. Anything that crossed their path died quickly and quietly, not only several obviously harried Shiba defenders, but a handful of innocent merchants and craftsmen who had the misfortune to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. After what seemed like an eternity in the city, the leader of the scout patrol knelt beside the exhausted prisoner. “Despite what you have said,” he whispered softly, “I believe that you know this city. I am going to ask you once and once only, and then I will have finally decided that you are of no more use to me.” He leaned in close. “Where is the Kanjiro library?” He reached up and pulled the man’s gag off.
The prisoner spat again. “You know I’ll see you in hell before I ever tell you,” he said, his voice completely unafraid. “Why do you bother?”
The scout’s face hardened. “Very well then,” he rasped, and drew his knife. He frowned then, seeing the expression in the prisoner’s eye. “Do you welcome death so much?”
“It is not death I welcome,” the prisoner said. “I just know that we are not alone.”
The scout frowned for a moment and then his eyes widened in realization. There were several wet thudding sounds as the others around him were struck with multiple arrows in rapid succession. The scout took his eyes from the prisoner for only a moment, but that was all that was required.
The prisoner slipped his rope-bound hands around the scout’s neck and then drove both knees upward into his chin with incredible force. The barbarian’s head snapped back at an angle that was terrible to look at, and the wretched snapping sound was like something out of a nightmare. By the time the prisoner finally released his captor, the man’s head was hanging at an angle that nature could never have intended.
One of the figures that melted from the shadows knelt and neatly sliced the prisoner’s bonds. “Todori-sama,” the man said, his voice thick with emotion. “I had begun to despair that we would ever find you alive.”
“It has been weeks since I was taken,” Hiruma Todori said. “Why were you still looking?”
“Benjiro-sama instructed us not to return unless we could find you or confirm your death,” the Hiruma samurai replied. “I had feared the latter.”
“You will have to do exactly that.” Todori struggled to his feet but would accept no assistance. “Tell Benjiro that I died ensuring the Kanjiro library would not be taken.”
“What?” Hiruma Tama asked, his mouth hanging open. “My lord, you cannot be serious!”
“The Army of Fire will be here in moments!” Todori hissed. “They want something in that library, and as far as I am concerned that is enough reason to ensure they never get it! It cannot be emptied so it must be destroyed.” He took a dai-tsuchi and a bow from one of the other scouts. “I will set it ablaze and remain inside to ensure none of them enter and survive.”
“Do not do this!” Tama pleased.
“It is done,” Todori said. “You have your orders.” He turned and headed to the library, his face grim. When the blow from behind struck, he was rendered unconscious instantly.
“Take him,” Tama barked. “I will see to the library.”
“This is treason,” one of the scouts said darkly.
“My wife died in childbirth. I have no family,” Tama said. “My shame dies with me. Now take him to Benjiro.”
* * *
“The loss of the Kanjiro library is a dreadful tragedy, one of many that we as an Empire have been forced to endure of late,” Shiba Yoma said to the assembled court. He could sense the despair even in his own delegation behind him as he spoke, and he would not have it. There had been too much loss and suffering already, and despair could only exacerbate the situation. “None here can deny that, and surely none can feel the loss more sharply than my brothers and sisters among the Phoenix. But the question that must be posed when presented with such pain is this: what must we do in the face of it?”
“From this vantage point,” Ide Eien added, “it seems we can accomplish precious little save to lend what support we can to those waging the war in the north. It is upon the strength of their blades that our hopes must rest, that the Empire will suffer no more terrible losses.”
“With all respect and admiration for you, Eien-sama,” Yoma said, “I strenuously disagree. There is more that we can accomplish here, and more that we must accomplish if the long-term effects of this war are to be negated.”
“Really?” Yoritomo Sachina seemed somewhat incredulous at the notion. “What exactly would you propose, Yoma-sam? Should we draft a stern letter to the Dark Oracle, perhaps threatening a blockade of his trading ports?”
There was some light-hearted laughter at that, which in truth Yoma was grateful to hear. He smiled at Sachina without malice and continued. “Hardly, my lady. No, we must set an example for the remainder of the Empire. We are looked to as leaders and masters by many, and we must accept that burden without pause.”
Many nodded. “Are we to simply accept the devastation visited upon us by this enemy?” he continued. “Are we to cow and weep and tear at our clothing in grief? I have been as guilty of this as anyone, given the terrors visited upon my people, but no longer. I will not stand by and allow the Dark Oracle to believe that he has succeeded in weakening our resolve, not even for a moment.”
The murmur of agreement was stronger now, and he did not stop. “I will be writing to every ally I have cultivated over the years, perhaps even those who consider me an enemy. I will call in every favor that is owed to me, every measure of good will I have earned in a lifetime of service. Every bit of this I will call upon, and in doing so I will begin rebuilding the knowledge lost in the Kanjiro library. I will see to it that the sacrifice of so many men and women, Phoenix, Dragon, Unicorn, Crab, and Lion, is not in vain. When the Army of Fire is pushed from our borders, they will be forgotten. There path will be healed and rebuilt, and it will be as the Dark Oracle’s attack was little more than a bad dream.” He paused and looked around the room for effect. “That is what I plan to do. Who will join me?”
Every voice in the room agreed in unison.
* * *
Beniha said on her mat in her private chambers, having meditated late into the evening long after the rest of the castle was sleeping. She had been unable to put aside the vibrant dreams she had suffered periodically since her departure from the spirit garden months previously, and she had determined that it was long past time that she must learn more. And thus, she had waited until nightfall. Drawing a deep breath, Beniha sensed that it was time, and she cast her mind outside of her body almost without fully intending to.
At first, the sensation was incredibly disorienting, and she fought against the panic that welled up within her. Even as she struggled, however, part of her felt completely at ease, as if this were an incredibly familiar sensation. She willed the fear to recede, and embraced the familiarity of it all. Beniha could sense the dreams of those around her, hear their inner monologues as if they were whispering them aloud, and knew without question that if she so wished, she could easily cast her mind into their dreams, living them along with the dreamer. There was some degree of temptation involved, for Beniha had struggled with curiosity her entire life, but she put it aside; it was both invasive and offensive to consider such a thing.
Curious about the north, Beniha willed her spirit to move across the Empire, and it did with incredible speed. The land beneath her blurred into a dark-blue pastiche of mountains, forests, and lakes, until she found herself observing the Dragon mountains beneath her. She sense the worried dreams of the Dragon, the nightmares of their children, and the strange, jumbled dreaming of the Yobanjin warriors, filled with a mixture of regret, self-loathing, jubilation and exultation.
And then she sensed something else altogether.
It was a massive, powerful presence within her ability to perceive, something that slumbered as surely as those in the next room, yet different. Beniha allowed her spirit to draw nearer to it carefully, attempting to ascertain what it might be. She was careful not to draw too close or allow her scrutiny to be detected, but ultimately…
WHOSE SPIRIT STIRS AGAINST US, an impossibly loud and powerful voice demanded. WHO TREADS UPON OUR SLUMBER?
“A child of dream,” Beniha whispered, aware that her voice and her spirit were impossibly far from one another. “I do not wish you harm.”
SUCH A WISH WOULD MATTER LITTLE TO US, the voice returned. WE ARE BEYOND EVEN THE HAND OF THE REALMS.
“Who are you?” Beniha asked.
WE ARE SLUMBERING FIRE AND EARTH, FED WITH THE TRAPPED SPIRITS OF OUR BROTHERS. WE ARE MORE THAN WE ONCE WERE. WE ARE UNIQUE IN THE WORLD AND THE HEAVENS.
Beniha frowned. “What do mortals call you?”
MORTALS CALL US NOTHING, the voice insisted. THEY FEAR US, AS GODS MUST BE FEARED. There was a pause. SOME AMONG THEM CALL US THE KAMI’S VENGEANCE. THE NAME AMUSES US.
“The Kami’s Vengeance,” she muttered, “the great volcano of the Dragon mountains.”
WE HAVE KNOWN THESE MOUNTAINS FAR LONGER THAN THOSE WHO CALL THEMSELVES THE DRAGON, the voice said.
“Do others speak to you?” she asked.
WE SLUMBER, the voice answered simply. THOSE WHO DWELL WITHIN THE MOUNTAINS DO NOT KNOW OF OUR TRUE NATURE, ALTHOUGH THE MAD HUMAN SUSPECTS.
Beniha idly wondered who the mad human might be, but she did not press the issue. “You slumber,” she said. “You have no wish to awaken?”
OUR TIME WILL COME AGAIN. BUT IT IS NOT YET.
“There are many among the mountains now who wish to cause the land harm,” Beniha said. “They are the agents of the power that attempted to enslave you many years ago. Do you recall that?”
THE BLACKENED HAND OF THE ELEMENTS, the voice said, and Beniha thought she heard either resentment or fear. WE WOULD WISH TO VISIT PUNISHMENT UPON THEM FOR SUCH ARROGANCE.
“Your punishment would be well deserved, of that I have no doubt,” she said. “Would such require your awakening?”
OUR REACH IS VAST, EVEN AS WE SLUMBER. Beniha imagined she could feel the earth shaking as the spirits spoke to her. YOU WILL TAKE YOUR LEAVE NOW, LITTLE DREAMER, they said. WHAT MUST HAPPEN NOW IS NOT TO BE SEEN BY EYES SUCH AS YOURS.
“Once your vengeance has been had,” Beniha said, “return to your sleep. I will see to it you are not disturbed, if that is your wish.”
TO SLEEP WE SHALL RETURN, the spirits of the volcano agreed. FOR NOW.
* * *
Asahina Benika was mildly annoyed at how the morning had proceeded thus far. Following the incredible events of her experimentation the evening before, she had remained awake throughout the night composing a lengthy letter to the lord of the Tamori, a young man named Shimura, regarding what she had learned of the volcano the Dragon called the Wrath of the Kami. She had presented it to the Dragon delegation earlier in the day, and although Kitsuki Berii had been very gracious in accepting it, she could not help but feel that his reaction to her explanation of its contents was anything less than concealed bemusement. Not that she could blame him, of course; it sounded somewhat ridiculous even to her, but she could not escape the conclusion that it was genuine in every respect. The book was exactly what it had been purported to be, and she understood now that it contained great power that she was responsible for using responsibly. Had the oath she had taken to aid the Bearer of the Jade Hand been more than she believed at the time as well? She was no longer certain.
There was an air of excitement in the court chamber, Benika noticed instantly upon entering. The delegates seemed more animated than usual, particularly considering their previously dark moods the past few days. The defeats in the Phoenix lands weighed heavily upon them all, it seemed. “Hideshi,” she said in a low voice. “What is happening?”
Her yojimbo, dark and beautiful as always, turned to her with his traditionally cold and emotionless expression. “The Lion have moved to hold Tetsu Kama Mura in the name of the Dragon Champion, my lady.”
Hideshi pointed to the Ikoma stepping upon a small dais. “See for yourself, Benika-sama.”
“I wish to make it perfectly clear,” the Ikoma said in a smooth, even tone, “that this action taken by my lord Shigetoshi was done at the specific request of the Dragon Champion, Mirumoto Kei. Shigetoshi-sama has placed the resources of the Right Hand of the Emperor at the Dragon’s disposal in order to better facilitate the defense of the Divine Empress’ lands, and in her wisdom, Kei-sama has accepted. She has requested that the Lion ensure the safety of Tetsu Kama Mura in order to safeguard the supply of weapons and materials to her forces and those forces fighting in her name throughout the northern mountains.”
Kitsuki Berii stepped forward and bowed to the Ikoma. “Our esteemed colleague speaks the truth,” he confirmed. “Any suggestions that the Lion are exploiting the situation for their own benefit are grossly inappropriate, and the Dragon will defend the Lion’s honor to the death, if necessary. Shigetoshi-sama is a wise and honorable man to recognize that Kei-sama’s knowledge of the land and resources lends itself toward her ability to distribute the forces in the region, and Kei-sama is wise enough to know that when the Lion march, there can be only victory.” Here he bowed again to the Lion delegation as a whole, and retreated back to his ranks.
“As we speak,” the Ikoma continued, “Shigetoshi-sama and the forces under his command move to ensure the protection of the Dragon resources at Tetsu Kama Mura. May we all pray to the Fortunes for their guidance and favor, that the Lion victory there shall surpass all expectation.”
* * *
“The enemy is ahead!” the scouts called back to the command group. “The Army of Fire has forces already at the gate, my lord!”
Akodo Shigetoshi, lord of the Lion Clan, nodded. “Very well.”
At his right, Akodo Sadahige shifted in his seat. “This changes our plans considerably, I imagine.”
“Not particularly,” Shigetoshi said.
The officer frowned. “Forgive me for asking, my lord, but our agreement with Kei-sama was that we would secure Tetsu Kama Mura and assist in the evacuation of the ore being drawn from the mountains there. It is essential to the Dragon supply line, is it not?”
“It is,” Shigetoshi said. “The agreement I made with Kei, however, calls for us not to evacuate the ore, but to ensure that it is not intercepted and put to use against the Dragon. I was careful to ensure terms that stated exactly that.”
“And in return, Kei-sama will provide a portion of the ore to the Lion.”
Shigeotshi raised a hand. “That was her choice. I attempted to dissuade her, but she would not have it. We are not here for reward, Sadahige. We are here to see justice visited upon these vermin who have violated the Empress’ decree.”
“As you say, my lord,” Sadahige sai with a bow. “May I inquire as to how you plan to evacuate… excuse me, protect, the ore in question.”
“I considered a number of strategies,” Shigetoshi said. “In the end, I have selected the most forthright and suitable plan of action.” He turned to his subordinate with a completely emotionless expression. “We will destroy every Yobanjin in the invading force, burn all they possess, and leave nothing behind. Then, the ore will be well protected.”
Sadahige struggled to keep his surprise from showing. “That is a rather… simple stratagem.”
“In this particular case, there is no need for anything more complex. It is as Akodo’s Leadership said…”
Sadahige nodded. “The finest defense that can be mounted is an offense against one’s enemies.”
“Phalanx to the front,” Shigetoshi said to his signalmen. “These Yobanjin have seen their final sunrise. And besides, I hear that Benjiro’s forces are on the brink of engaging the barbarians soon enough. I wish to ensure that the first blood of the day goes to the Lion, not the Crab.”
Sadahige bowed from his waist. “As you command, my lord.”
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Your Shadowlands Personalities and Followers have +1F.
Reaction: After a Personality enters play from this province: Permanently give him Shadowlands.
Shinsei & Suma Mura / Unicorn
[Enlightened Scout]
Follower
F: 2, HR: 1, GC: 3, FV: 2
Cavalry * Scout
Recon Limited: Target a Province. After you destroy it by battle resolution this turn, you may put a Ring from your discard pile in your hand.
Michita Yasumi / Crab
[Retrieving Knowledge]
Action
GC: 0, FV: 3
Battle: Bow or destroy your target opposed Personality: Put a target Action card with a Battle ability from your discard pile into your hand. If your Personality’s Force was 6 or higher when you targeted him, you may take an additional Battle action.
Wrath of the Kami / Crane
[Wrath of the Kami]
Region
Mountain * Fire * Singular
Battle: If the current battlefield is at this province, destroy your target defending Personality, or bow him if he is Crane Clan: Destroy a target enemy Personality.
Tetsu Kama Mura / Lion
[Tetsu Kama Mine]
Holding
GC: 4
Mine * Singular
This card enters play paying 2 less Gold if you are a Lion Clan player.
Bow this card: Produce 2 Gold. If this pays for a Personality, after he enters play, you may create a +2F/+1C Weapon Item and attach it to him.
