The conclusion of the epic saga of the Dark Oracle’s invasion of the Emerald Empire, as the Army of Fire pushes forward toward the Imperial City.
The War of Dark Fire, Part 16
By Shawn Carman
Edited by Fred Wan
The Lion troops stretched out nearly as far as the eye could see along the edges of the Dragon Heart Plain. It was something of an illiusion, of course; Akodo Shigetoshi had ordered the units to stand farther apart than normal in order to increase their ability to move in multiple directions at once on short notice. It was impressive to look upon all the same, and one of the most inspiring things that Ikoma Otemi had ever seen. He had been many things in his lifetime, and seen many glories, but none were greater than the Lion Clan as it readied for battle.
The Lion Clan Champion rode up beside Otemi and surveyed the formations, nodding in approval. “A glorious sight,” he said, mirroring the other man’s thoughts. “Have the Crab gone?”
Otemi nodded. “Hikita went to assume command of the combined forces, as per Benjiro’s orders.”
Shigetoshi frowned slightly. “I would prefer to have Benjiro present, I think. He is a worthy ally. What do you know of this Hikita?”
“Easily one of the most unpleasant men I have ever known,” Otemi answered at once. “But he is a seasoned veteran of countless battles, and his tactical knowledge is sound. His men may not like him, but he will lead them to victory.”
The Champion nodded slowly, almost grudgingly. “If that is your assessment of him, then I trust it. It seems a shame to lose Benjiro to such a dangerous gambit, however.”
“You do not believe it will succeed, then?” Otemi asked.
“I am not certain,” Shigetoshi said. “However, I feel strongly that it should not be attempted at all. Victory should be achieved on the field of battle, not through subterfuge.”
Otemi considered it for a moment. “It could be generously described as a feint,” he said after some thought. “To call it subterfuge seems somewhat uncharitable. It is not inherently deceitful, I think. Merely… questionable.”
“If I have any influence on the matter, the plan will never have the opportunity to be enacted. I do not intend to allow the Yobanjin to leave this plain alive.”
Otemi smiled. “With the Crab coming from the west and the Lion from the south, I imagine there will be little opportunity for escape.”
“The Dragon from the north as well,” Shigetoshi said. “And the Phoenix from the east. Plus the Shogun’s forces are said to be arriving within a few hours. Doubtless the battle will still be raging.”
“The Dragon and Phoenix?” Otemi was incredulous. “They have suffered so much. Why commit to such a battle?”
“Their honor demands vengeance for their losses,” Shigetoshi answered. “And I intend to assist them in settling their debt of honor on a grand scale.”
* * *
One week previously, at Kyuden Bayushi
Elsewhere in the castle, the multitude of attendants at the Winter Court of the Divine Empress were engaged in a number of contests, discussions, and elaborate distractions, all designed to draw their attention away from the fact that a small number of extremely influential delegates were missing. Those few men and women stood together in the center of the palace’s garden, discussing matters of great import. As he had feared, Doji Nagori had spent the last several moments watching the color of Kitsu Kiyoko’s face change slowly to something that might be best described as a deep crimson.
“How dare you suggest such a thing?” she finally said in a low, menacing voice. She was glaring balefully at Yasuki Jinn-Kuen, the Crab representative, who had just finished outlining a plan he had to protect the Empress from attack by the Army of Fire. It was a difficult proposition, given the Empress’ intent to return to the Imperial City despite the massive conflict brewing only slightly north of there.
Jinn-Kuen appeared completely unfazed by the young woman’s ire. “I dare because I believe the intent of our meeting was to determine how we could protect the Divine Empress from potential harm stemming from her actions. I did warn you that you would not care for it, if I recall.”
“This is blasphemy,” Kiyoko insisted. “Treason at the very least!”
“Do not be ridiculous,” Bayushi Paneki interjected smoothly. “No one is suggesting anything so drastic as treason. Treason would be to attempt to prevent the Empress from doing as she wishes, or disobeying her laws. Jinn-Kuen has suggested neither.”
“I should not be surprised for a Scorpion to support such a notion,” Kiyoko said, her anger still evident. “It bears the characteristic Scorpion distrust of honorable means.”
“Be careful that you recall in whose house you stand, little girl,” Paneki said calmly. “I will not forgive another such comment.”
Kiyoko’s eyes blazed, but she said nothing.
“Kiyoko-san,” Nagor interjected quietly. “No one here wishes to commit any act that could ever be considered treasonous. Surely you of all people must understand that. We have all stood in the presence of the Divine Empress, and basked in the light of her presence. She is and must remain the ruler of Rokugan. All we are discussing is how we can ensure that happens.” He paused for a moment, then nodded slowly. “I agree with Jinn-Kuen-san.”
Kiyoko looked astonished. “How can you say that? How can you agree to this folly? The Empress is infallible! She is in no danger!”
Nagori smiled sadly. “Every Emperor since the first Hantei has been infallible, according to our beliefs, and yet so many have perished by the hand of men. I do not believe that the Divine Empress can be mistaken, but nor do I wish to risk the intervention of gaijin in the Celestial Order.”
“What you suggest,” Kiyoko said, shaking her head, “is unthinkable.”
“I am not an old man,” Nagori said, “and already I have seen far too much of the unthinkable in my lifetime. I would not see it again.”
* * *
The battle had begun without the Phoenix.
Shiba Danjuro was as close to rage as he had ever been in his lifetime that he could recall. He looked back at the men under his command. They were clearly exhausted, and many of them had not eaten for at least a day or two. Their march across the Phoenix land had required them to investigate possible locations of an ambush, where the Yobanjin invaders might be concealing themselves until the Shiba forces passed them by. There had been no enemies laying in wait, but the sight of so many ruined and abandoned villages, shrines, and temples had been a terrible blow to the morale of his men. They had been fighting for months without complaint, and even now they offered none. They were simply exhausted, physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Danjuro could not blame them.
“Brothers,” he called to his men, sitting high on his horse. “Brothers, I know you are weary. I know this war has devastated our lands, our families, our very identity. The Phoenix are perhaps weaker now than they have ever been, and all because of the predations of these treacherous barbarians. Even now, the Crab and Lion stand against them, to keep them from pushing into the heart of the Empire. I am Phoenix, and I value life, but today I must take life in order to save the lives of thousands. I do so gladly, knowing that in the act, I bring peace to the countless Phoenix who have been murdered without cause.”
The men stirred, and Danjuro could see them rousing back to life even as he spoke. He drew his blade and pointed to the plains to the west. “The Shogun’s forces are somewhere behind the front line, surging forward to meet the battle. The Shogun is a lord whom I serve, and I know him well. When we ride into battle, our blades held high, our clan’s battle cry on our lips, he will hear! The Shogun will ride forward to meet us, and we will crush the enemy between us, ensuring peace and safety for an entire Empire! Who rides with me into battle today?”
The men roared, lifting their blades and naginatas high into the air.
“My life for the Shogun!” Danjuro shouted. “My soul for the Phoenix!”
Mirumoto Kei completed the final maneuver of her Dawn’s Light kata, an extended, graceful execution that she had always enjoyed in the dojo. To experience it on the battlefield, however, was something altogether different. Seven foes had met their deaths against her as she performed it, far more beautiful deaths than the animals deserved. She paused upon its completion to wipe a way an unsightly bit of ichor from her face, something that had splattered there during the fighting. When the battle was done, she would be purified. For now, she was a warrior, and warriors experienced such things without complaint. “Kenzo!” she shouted. “What is the status of the battle?”
Off to her left, the officer freed himself from his foes and glanced back toward the signalmen who constantly waved their small flags in rapid, complex patterns. “The Lion and Crab hold the line!” he shouted back. “The Phoenix arrive from the east, and the Shogun’s forces have been spied charging from the south! The Lion and Crab are preparing to part so that the Shogun’s cavalry charge can break the enemy’s front line!”
Kei frowned as she neatly scissored her blades, claiming the head of another enemy. “I will not see the Dragon marginalized in the battle to avenge our honor!” she shouted. “Kenzo, break this line!”
“Your command, my lady!” Kenzo shouldered his way through the Dragon front line and struggled to pass the heavy infantry. “Wotan!” he shouted. “Wotan!”
The elder shugenja’s hands were wreathed in flame, and he chuckled as he cast it in the direction of the enemy. Kenzo’s repeated shouting finally seemed to garner his attention, however, and he snarled as he turned. “What?” he demanded.
Kenzo’s eyes blazed. “Remember your place, old man,” he cautioned. “You are speaking to a superior officer.”
Wotan’s features twisted slightly, then relaxed. “Forgive me, shireikan,” he said. “The joy of battle sometimes… overwhelms me.”
The words caused a slight twinge through Kenzo’s hand and wrist where he held his blade, but he ignored it. “Break the line, Wotan. A rolling wave.”
A feral grin appeared on his features at once. “I live to serve,” he said, and closed his eyes. His lips moved slightly as he began praying.
“Monks!” Kenzo shouted. He turned to find two of them making their way through the ranks. “The time has come,” he said. “Are you sort above concepts like revenge or do you want the chance to make them pay for what they did to your home?”
“The High House of Light is just stone,” Togashi Matsuo said. “It can be rebuilt. The order survives, and that is all that matters.”
Kenzo’s eyes narrowed. “Can I trust you to do the job or not, monk?”
Matsuo met his gaze evenly. “I know my place in the universe now, commander. You need not fear for my motivations.”
“That will have to do,” Kenzo grumbled. “I know you are ready, Hogai.”
The mountain of ink-laden muscle known as Togashi Hogai cracked the muscles in his neck, causing a terrible sound. “My friend Vedau claimed sixty-four of their lives before they took his,” he rumbled. “I will kill three times that many in his memory.”
Matsuo regarded Hogai with a slight smile. “You should find your place in the universe as well, my friend. It would do you good.”
“Bah,” Hogai snorted. “My place is atop the shattered bones of my enemies.”
Kenzo left the two of them to discuss whatever it was they were discussing. He could hardly stand to hear the monks talk, honestly, but at least Hogai he could understand. After a few moments of maneuvering, he was back on the front line. “Lady Kei!” he shouted. “The wave comes in a moment!”
“Ready the charge!” Kei roared. “Polearms to the front!”
The heavy infantry bearing an assortment of reinforced spears and polearms formed a seamless line immediately behind Kei and Kenzo, who refused to step back from the front. The Yobanjin readied themselves and prepared to rush again against the Dragon line, obviously hoping to claim the lives of two of the army’s highest-ranking officers, but were distracted by the sudden darkness that fell over them.
A massive wave of earth, rolling like water, rose above the Dragon army and passed over them without harming them. As it descended toward the panicked Yobanjin front line, the dozen tattooed monks standing shoulder to shoulder atop the wave became visible, the glowing green power of their tattoos evident in the dim light.
The Brothers of Jade spared none of the Dark Oracle’s minions.
* * *
“Great one! The samurai are too many! We must fall back!”
The Son of Fire shattered the officer’s head with a single strike, scattering his gruesome remains across a twenty foot area with an almost absent-minded backhand. “Forward!” he snarled, ash and smoke on his breath. “Crush them! Forward! I will hold the heart of this Divine Empress in my hands!”
The Yobanjin obliged their master, pushing forward despite the seemingly invulnerable front lines of their foes. Their samurai opponents, however formidable, were only human after all, and the Son of Fire was something altogether different. The Son of Fire hefted a large, tetsubo-like weapon and snarled. “The moment the line is broken, we push for the Imperial City,” he barked to his lieutenants. “It is within sight! We will not fail!”
“Great one,” one of his officers said, raising his voice over the clamor.
“What?” the Son of Fire demanded, his hand twisting into a half-raised claw.
“The Dragon and Phoenix push against our rear flank. There is no effective line of retreat.”
“There will be no retreat!” the Son of Fire roared.
“There may be no need,” the officer continued quickly. “One of your shamans has received word from a concealed scouting patrol. Word of the Empress, master.”
“What?” the Son of Fire demanded, suddenly intent on the conversation. “What of the Empress?”
“Great one, the scouts report that a single legion of samurai is moving away from the Imperial City via the south. They have formed a protective formation around a palanquin. It is the same one that the Empress arrived at the Imperial City in, my lord.”
A horrific look of pleasure appeared on the Son of Fire’s features. “Summon all the shamans,” he said. “Ready my private guard.”
* * *
Asahina Hira stood on the wall surrounding Toshi Ranbo and listened to the distant sounds of battle. The war was raging well out of range for any threat by archers, of course, so the Keeper of the Void had ignored the protestations of others and come up to listen. His sight was long gone, but he remembered enough from his youth to easily imagine what must be taking place to accompany the sounds he was hearing. “Dreadful,” he murmured.
“Leave it to a Crane to find war dreadful,” a voice replied. “What else are samurai intended for if not war?”
Hira tilted his head to the side. “It is a simple matter to forget the many aspects of our status that are often overlooked, commander Omura. Piety, education, the pursuit of the arts… are these not the duties of a samurai as well?”
He could sense the frown from the Mantis commander, so recently promoted to the position as head of an Imperial Legion. Many found it disconcerting that he could recognize their voices even if he had never spoken to them. If they were blind, they would understand. “Perhaps they are,” Omura agreed, “but right now my Empress has need of my blade. I can worry about the rest later.”
“Hmm,” Hira said. “Would you indulge me a moment and describe the battle? I have some questions.”
“I am no storyteller,” Omura protested.
“Simply tell me what you see,” Hira pressed.
Omura stared at the chaotic mess for a moment. “I see fire,” he finally said. “A tremendous amount of it. From here it is as if the northern mountains are burning…” his voice trailed off.
“What troubles you, Omura-sama?”
Yoritomo Omura licked his lips. “The fire,” he said quietly. “It is a lie.”
The shamans had done their job well. The thick plumes of smoke they summoned were unlike any natural vapors that arose from burning materials. They were so thick as to be virtually impenetrable, and made it impossible for the warring armies to see one another more than a few feet from each other. The fighting ground to a halt as it had rolled across the battlefield. At the same time, many of the other shamans had rendered the blessing of fire’s speed on the Son of Fire and his attendants, some several hundred in number. They were not many, but they were enough for this task, heavily blessed as they were with the various gifts of the Dark Oracle.
The Son of Fire and his men quickly exploited the darkness to skirt around the far eastern edge of the battlefield and circle the Imperial City, until the legion his scouts had reported were in sight. They bore Scorpion colors, which filled the Son of Fire with rage. Pathetic enemies, one and all. As his forces leapt to the attack against the Scorpion, his rage only grew. The enemy seemed to fall before them almost without contest. Perhaps his grudging acknowledgement of the worth of samurai as warriors was in error. The Dragon and the Phoenix had fought with incredible tenacity and honor despite the horrors that had been visited upon them in his master’s name. The Unicorn had successfully prevented his forces from traveling down the path known as Exile’s Road in order to destroy their northwestern holdings. Could it be that only the northern clans possessed a warrior’s mettle? Strange.
The Son of Fire’s men rained flame and molten steel on their enemies as he approached the palanquin and the sextet of Imperial guardsmen who defended it. The commander of the Imperial Legion that surrounded the palanquin attacked, but the Son of Fire batted him aside like a child’s toy. The Seppun guardsmen charged, but he immolated them with a gout of flame from his searing maw. “Now,” he roared, “death to the Child of Heaven!” He drew in another breath and belched flame upon the palanquin, engulfing it in fire at once. “The Dark Oracle is victorious!”
The entire side of the palanquin shattered and flew outward. There was a blur of motion from within, and then something struck the Son of Fire with such force that he was driven back several steps, boiling blood trickling down his chin. “What devilry is this?” he demanded.
Two armored men emerged from the palanquin, their armor smoldering from the flames. “I did not think you would actually be stupid enough for this to work,” one of them, a large, bald Crab warrior said. “Amazing.”
“He’s nothing more than an animal,” the Lion answered, and rushed with his blade held high for the killing strike. The Son of Fire willed his fist to be wreathed in the Dark One’s black fire and parried the strike, breaking the blade as he did. He simultaneously kicked the man in the midsection with all the strength he could muster, sending him flying backwards to smash into the burning palanquin, sending ash and embers into the air.
“Setai!” the Crab shouted as he moved into position to attack.
“Worry for yourself, fool!” the Son of Fire bellowed. “This deception was pointless! When you are dead I will attack the city and kill your Empress regardless! Nothing can stop me! I am… AARRRGH!”
Shosuro Naname darted in from behind the Son of Fire and sliced the back of his leg deeply with his blade. “No escape for you, barbarian,” he hissed.
The Son of Fire plunged his burning hand down to crush the Scorpion’s skull, but it only dug into the earth as the warrior leapt away at the last moment. He spun back to intercept the Crab, but the massive warrior was faster than he anticipated, and another tetsubo strike to the head sent him reeling. His concentration faltered, and the black fire was gone in an instant.
Naname raced up the giant’s back and buried a dagger in the Son of Fire’s neck. “Finish him, Benjiro!”
Hida Benjiro lumbered in to do exactly that, but the Son of Fire twisted and grabbed Naname by the arm, ripping him off of his body and using him as a bludgeon to smash away the much larger and more heavily armored Crab. Naname was cast aside and lay unmoving on the ground even as Benjiro struggled to his feet. The Son of Fire kicked away the tetsubo and grabbed the Crab by his throat. “You are a powerful warrior,” he said. “Submit to me and stand at my side! You can guide me through the streets of the Imperial City, to victory!”
Benjiro’s eyes were steel. “No.”
The Son of Fire sneered, but nodded. “I will grant you a warrior’s death, then, as you deserve. You are the first in this war to wound me, and even on your knees, you stand tall.”
“I will be waiting on you in hell,” Benjiro snarled. “Pray you live a long life.”
“I will,” the Son of Fire said, raising a hand for the killing strike. “Have no fear of that.”
Akodo Setai emerged from the ruined palanquin, his armor melted and burned, his hair partially burned away and his face reddened from the heat. In one hand he held the handle of his katana, its jagged, broken blade jutting outward. In the other, the portion of the blade that had been broken away. Blood stained his left hand down to the elbow from where he gripped the steel blade.
The Son of Fire turned and released Benjiro to face this new threat, but the Crab sank his teeth deeply into the fire-hardened flesh of the man’s wrist and refused to release him. The Son of Fire attempted to bat Benjiro away, but could not.
Setai’s knees struck the Son of Fire’s chest as his leap came to its end. He brought both blade shards down with all his might, burying each of them into one of the Son of Fire’s eyes and pushing into the man’s skull. Entire inches of steel disappeared, but Setai did not relent, forcing them further. The Son of Fire gurgled and staggered. Setai released the blades and grabbed his head, forcing it as far back as he could before a final gout of molten flame burst forth from the man’s mouth, shooting into the air and showering down on the two samurai, burning the ruined plates of their armor where it struck them.
Benjiro struggled to his feet. Around them, the Scorpion slaughtered their enemies, all pretense of weakness and cowardice abandoned once the two samurai had emerged from the palanquin. “Setai,” he croaked. “Are you alright?”
“No,” Setai answered. “But it does not matter. He is dead, and I will live. As always.”
Benjiro nodded and left the Lion to collapse on the burning grass while he staggered over to Naname. The Scorpion was laying peacefully in the grass, his eyes looking up to the Heavens. “I cannot move,” he whispered, “so I cannot see. Is the Son of Fire dead?”
“He is,” Benjiro confirmed.
“Wonderful,” Naname said. “I really was hoping I would not have to get back up.”
The Crab warrior frowned deeply. “You… are a worthy ally. I was honored to fight alongside you today.”
Naname seemed genuinely surprised, and smiled slightly. “Thank you, Benjiro.” And then he was gone.
“Benjiro.” Setai opened a small, flame-proof bag at his belt and removed a pungent-smelling pouch. Benjiro nodded and retrieved a similar bag from his waist. Together, they tossed them onto the burning palanquin, and the smoke from it suddenly turned a strange, green color.
“Odd tricks the Scorpion have,” Benjiro observed. “Seems a shame to waste such a splendid palanquin.”
“The Scorpion prepared it for the Empress’ return to the Imperial City,” Setai said. “They claimed it had superior protection in the event of attack. I suppose it was no surprise they were returning it to the Scorpion lands.”
“A shame the Yobanjin misinterpreted that,” Benjiro said. “A costly mistake.” He looked back to the Imperial City. “Do you think they see the smoke?”
Setai nodded and closed his eyes. “Dejiko and Omura’s legions, Jimen and Noritoshi’s forces… they will all know the head has been severed. The Army of Fire has been defeated, they simply do not know it yet.” He opened his eyes again and looked at Benjiro. “You look dreadful.”
“At least I don’t look like something a fire oni ate,” the Crab grumbled. “Do you really think it is over?”
“The war is over,” Setai said. “At least until the next one.”
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Our Combined Strength [Spell]
0G
Fire Focus Effect: If your Personality in this duel is Fire: Draw a card.
Battle: Bow this Shugenja: Destroy a target unit with equal or less cards in it than the number of elemental keywords on your Shugenja in this army.
3FV
Radiant Steel [Item]
+3/+1 4GC
Focus Effect: This card has +1 Focus Value for each Weapon in your Personality’s unit.
Battle: Bow this card: Destroy a target Weapon or Armor.
3FV
