Worthy Souls

By Brian Yoon
Edited by Fred Wan

Kitsu Katsuko reached out her hand and touched the tips of the high grass. The grass rippled as the wind gently flowed over the land. A feral grin stretched over her lips as she surveyed the open terrain around her. The plains stretched out as far as the eye could see, unmarred by signs of human contamination. The pristine view felt like a breath of fresh air and she greedily drank in the sight. She was a samurai, a member of the warrior caste, yet battle did not come naturally to her. This sense of tranquility was much more to her liking.

She stood now in one of the fields of Yomi, the Realm of Blessed Ancestors. It was one of her favorite locations among the vast Spirit Realms, and she visited it as much as she could manage. She had missed this sight. It was a peculiar yet pleasant feeling to travel to the other Spirit Realms. Her father Kitsu Juri had trained her extensively in order to hone her gifts and as a result she grew to be one of the most skilled sodan-senzo of her generation. There were few opportunities to travel to the Spirit Realms and the effort was tremendous, so Katsuko savored the rare occasions when she was able to do so. She strongly believed it was a sodan-senzo’s duty to be available in the Spirit Realms should an ancestor need to pass along a message to the mortal realm. However, since she had assumed the title of Kitsu family daimyo after her father’s murder, more and more duties had consumed her time. She had not crossed the boundaries between worlds in many months.

An inexplicable chill traveled down her spine. She looked around her for the source of her sudden unease. It was quite easy to spot the newcomer in the ever unchanging field. A single female approached her from the distance. The grass parted in front of the figure, as if her sheer presence was enough to shape the form of Yomi itself. Katsuko watched with interest; few things in Yomi were outright dangerous to travelers, and she could handle herself against the occasional shutsudohin that might threaten her life. It was most likely a shiryo, a soul of a Rokugani samurai that had earned her place in Yomi. The arrival of a Kitsu sodan-senzo in the other realms often drew interest from its denizens, and Katsuko waited to greet the spirit.

The stranger drew closer to Katsuko, and the young shugenja frowned. Now that the shiryo was closer, she could notice more details about the ancestor. She was clad in archaic battle armor of the Lion Clan. The armor bore her personal mon in clear view across her chest, as if to announce to all exactly who she was. Katsuko drew in a startled breath. In an instant she knew who stood in front of her. Without waiting for acknowledgement from the ancestor, Katsuko fell to her knees and kowtowed deeply. Only a handful of Lion samurai had ever been capable of crossing the veil into Yomi, and the burden of doing so was great indeed. To have stepped across the border between the worlds and encountered someone such as this… it was the dream of every sodan-senzo that had ever drawn breath.

“Kitsu,” the spirit said.

“Lady Matsu-sama,” Katsuko whispered. She kept her head bowed in front of this legend.

“Listen and obey, Kitsu,” Matsu said curtly.

Kitsu Katsuko listened carefully. Her face paled at the task set before her, but how could she refuse a command from one of the greatest heroes of the empire?

Kyuden Miya
Thousands of soldiers marched in unison as they stepped through the gates of the castle. Banners proudly proclaimed the mon of the Lion Clan as they fluttered in the wind. Some of these units had fought on the front lines of the Battle of Shiro Moto, but one could not tell them apart from the others. Each soldier bore immaculately clean armor and they glistened golden in the sunlight. Hundreds of men watched in silence, and only the sound of heavy footsteps echoed echoed through the castle.

Two of the spectators stood atop the castle walls as the Lion army slowly funneled into the city. Matsu Kenji, clad in full armor, held her helm in her hands as she followed Miya Taihu. Kenji did not quite know what to make of the taciturn man. The man had a reputation as one of the greatest engineers in recent history. His innovations on castle design were ingenious and his work improved upon those of his ancestors in nearly every way. Kenji ruefully remembered the conversation she had with Akodo Shigetoshi, the new Lion Clan Champion, before she left for the Imperial city.

“We must court the favor of the Miya,” Shigetoshi had said as he opened and closed the war fan in his hands. The fiddling was the only sign of the Akodo’s eagerness for action; his face and voice only radiated calm, calculated planning. “Taihu has a reputation for being unsettling in person. Be demure, Kenji-san. Our plans require us to rally more than merely troops.”

“I assure you that I can be quite civil when the need arises,” Kenji had responded indignantly. After meeting Taihu, she regretted her hasty boast. Simply put, Taihu was one of the most infuriating men she had ever met. Though he said little, his compliments seemed to always be formed around a kernel of insults. Only his high standing, and the fact that she was not sure he meant offence, had prevented Kenji from responding. Taihu may have been useful, but not so much that he could be permitted to question the honor of the Lion.

“I must commend you, Kenji-sama,” Taihu said abruptly. Kenji quickly shifted her attention to the engineer but she could not figure out what he could have possibly meant. The Miya’s eyes were still fixed on the movements of the Lion soldiers, and she could see that nothing had changed. She braced herself for yet another of his comments.

“What do you mean, Taihu-sama?” Kenji asked.

Taihu gestured briefly at the Lions who continued to pour in to the city. “I see that your men must spend a significant portion of their time training in learning to march in parade. They look so splendid.”

Kenji counted to three in her head and politely shook her head. “Perhaps I did not fully understand what you said, Taihu-san. We Lion are the strongest warriors in the Empire. Our training is comprehensive.”

Taihu raised an eyebrow in mock surprise. “No wonder, then, that the Lion have such a reputation as being warmongers. You must spend your entire life training for war to have time to fit such aesthetic concerns into your training.”

“Samurai are warriors,” Kenji responded, her voice rising. “It is no surprise that we train for war.”

Taihu stared at Kenji for one long moment before shaking his head. “I apologize, Kenji-sama.” He continued on without waiting for a response from the Matsu. “I do not often think on the nuances behind my words. I simply meant to praise your men for the display of order and deadliness. I find that a threatening facade is effective in breaking the opponents’ morale. A castle wall that looks indestructible to the enemy has nearly completed its purpose before the first shot is fired.”

Taihu gestured to the courtyard below and the Lion army. “A thousand brilliant swords striking in unison. That is a sight that will inspire fear from the most disciplined army. That is the castle I will construct for your clan, Kenji-sama.”

“I am sorry to interrupt your meeting, my lady, yet this message could not wait another moment,” a voice came from behind the pair. Kenji and Taihu turned to face a Lion youth, barely out of her gempukku. She bore the Ikoma mon and a messenger’s satchel by her side. Kenji bowed apologetically to Taihu and greeted the Lion with a solemn nod.

“What is so important to interrupt a daimyo’s private meeting with a member of the Imperial family?” Kenji asked.

The messenger paled and bowed deeply. “A message from Kitsu Katsuko-sama,” she said. “I was told that it is a matter of supreme importance. You must return home at once, Kenji-sama.”

Kenji frowned and accepted the scroll. The message was sealed with Katsuko’s personal mon. She broke the seal and unfurled the scroll. She quickly scanned the contents and looked up at Taihu. “I am sorry, Taihu-san, but I must go,” she said politely. “We must continue our conversation next time. Until then, I swear to you that this Lion legion will protect this land and help your endeavors, whatever they may be.”

The Hall of Ancestors
The Halls of the Ancestors was comforting in its austere silence. Statues of the most famous warriors of the Lion Clan lined the walls, each marked with a small inscription of the name. It was one of the most revered buildings in the Lion lands and one that the majority of Lion samurai traveled to at least once a year as a pilgrimage.

Kenji walked through the halls but did not stop where she normally prayed to certain ancestors. Instead, she headed directly for her destination at the very end of the hallway. Everything in this room was familiar to her, as her mother had taken her often in her youth to pay homage to the great leaders. There was simply one statue in the middle of the room, in sharp contrast to the multitude of statues in the hallway. It was the statue of Matsu, the fearsome warrior who faced Fu Leng in the deepest chamber of his lair. Many samurai-ko who intended to join the elite Lion’s Pride spent hours locked in prayer in this room, yet the two figures kneeling by the statue were certainly not neophytes.

“Katsuko-san,” Kenji said quietly, “what is so important that it would interrupt a command given by the Lion Clan Champion? And Benika-chan, what are you doing here?”

Matsu Benika bowed to Kenji but remained silent. Katsuko responded in her stead. “She is here for the same reason as you, Kenji-san. You were both commanded to enter this room, and so you have arrived.”

Kenji frowned. “I came here out of respect for you and your powers, Katsuko-san, but do not believe that you have the authority to issue commands to the Matsu daimyo.”

“No,” Benika said softly. She pointed at a small, nearly insignificant urn next to the statue. “Katsuko-sama did not call us.”

Kenji’s gaze fell upon the urn. Her breath caught in her throat. She had seen the item only a handful of times, and she vividly remembered Matsu Benika, tattered and wounded, carrying the artifact upon her return from the Tomb of the Seven Thunders.

The ashes of Matsu, the Lion Clan Thunder.

“Benika speaks the truth,” Katsuko said.

Kenji stared up at the larger than life statue that towered over her. She mused, “When I was a young girl, I used to idolize Matsu and all the tales of her exploits. I believed that she was exactly what I wanted to be when I became of age. When I first learned of the Kitsu sodan-senzo and their abilities to speak to the ancestors, I asked them if they could grant me an audience with the Lady.” Kenji looked down at Katsuko, and her gaze sharpened. “I was told that no sodan-senzo had spoken to the Lion Thunder since her death.”

“That is true,” Katsuko admitted.

“What has changed?” Kenji demanded. “Have your skills improved so much over the years that you were able to do what no other Kitsu has accomplished? Is it because of the ashes? If the ashes granted you such powers, why has it taken you so long to commune with the Thunder?”

“I cannot answer you because I do not know the reason!” Katsuko replied. Kenji stopped, taken aback by the sudden outburst. Katsuko visibly calmed herself and continued. “I crossed the veil to walk the fields of Yomi. Matsu appeared out of nowhere and demanded that I summon her to the mortal realm. She specifically called out your name, and that of Benika-san, to be present when I call her to Ningen-do.”

“Lady Matsu asked for me?” Benika said incredulously. Kenji smiled. It was a silly reaction, but even the fact that Matsu knew her name made her feel lightheaded.

“I do not know why she wants you in her presence, Kenji-san. I have simply followed all of her demands as best as I am able. Here, in the Halls, I will have the closest connection to Yomi as I can. It will be a difficult summoning. Please remain silent.”

Katsuko sat down on the floor and closed her eyes. Benika and Kenji knelt in front of her and waited for what seemed like an eternity as Katsuko silently concentrated on the ritual. Kenji’s legs had long since grown numb when finally everything changed. The candles around them flickered violently. An otherworldly presence charged the air within the room with palpable strength. Kenji’s breath quickened, and she tried to calm herself. Katsuko opened her eyes. They now glowed with a light so bright it hurt Kenji to look upon it.

“Lady Matsu-sama,” Kenji said. She bowed deeply and Benika followed suit.

“Kenji. Benika.” Katsuko said in a voice entirely unlike her own.

“I am honored you know of my existence, Matsu-sama,” Benika said reverently.

Katsuko nodded. “I follow the exploits of those who bear my name with particular interest. You two have performed adequately, but do not become complacent. My respect is not easily given. You, Kenji, acted appropriately in slaying Satomi, but her death should not have been delayed for so many years.”

“Yes, Lady Matsu,” Kenji said.

Katsuko’s sightless gaze turned to the samurai kneeling next to Kenji. “And you, Benika. Though the Emperor fell, you enacted his will. Do not think the return of my ashes, alone, prompted me to act. The Matsu family’s devotion to bushido, including your actions at the Tomb, is why I warn you of the coming strife.”

Kenji narrowed her eyes. “Of what do you speak, Lady Matsu?”

“The Celestial Heavens will no longer bear mortals as the Sun and Moon. Yakamo and Hitomi have transgressed against the laws of Heaven, and Heaven knows no mercy. They shall be cast down, and they shall be judged. And they shall not be alone.”

Katsuko fixed Kenji with a piercing glare. “The wrath of the Heavens will not end with them, Kenji. They will mete justice upon the land, until the gods have dominion over the lands once more. Be prepared. The Lion must not be caught unawares, for they and they alone are worthy.”

Without further comment, the dominating presence disappeared. The light from Katsuko’s eyes faded away until they were once more her own. Her eyes rolled up into her head and she collapsed on the floor.

“Suitengu’s thumbs,” Kenji whispered.

Benika simply nodded.

*

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