Kachiko walked down the ancient corridor, her footfalls making no sound, leaving no wake of disturbed dust behind her. When she reached the end of the hall, she stopped and stood still, her eyes closing, her fists clenched.

“If there are fewer than seven,” she whispered, her words echoing around her in the small corridor, “all is lost.”

The she turned left, to the stones of the wall. She counted three stones from the gate along the bottom and four stones up. She twisted and pulled until the latch gave way and the concealed panel slid aside. Then she pushed against the two heavy doors, amazed at how easily they opened for her. The night wind swept into the corridor, and for a moment, she was blinded by the swirling dust. When her vision cleared, she saw them and smiled.

“Welcome to Otosan Uchi,” she said, her voice ringing in the air.

They rushed in, and she saw that one of them was covered with blood. Two Phoenix maidens gently put him on the floor as his blood spilled into the dust.

“What...?” Kachiko began.

“Be silent, mother of lies!” shouted the older maiden.

Kachiko’s eyes grew narrow, but a warm hand fell on her shoulder. She turned and saw the ronin. “He clings to life by a thread. Take care.”

She shook her head. “No. This is not right. It must be only us. Only the seven and...”

“...and Shinsei,” whispered a cloaked figure from the shadow. Kachiko’s eyes widened and his own gleamed in the darkness.

“...and Shinsei,” she mumbled.

The hooded figure stepped forward. “She is right,” he said to the two Phoenix maidens. “You must leave him. We must walk alone, or we violate our destiny.”

“NO!” the older maiden screamed, tears running down her eyes, but the younger took her hand.

She cannot have seen more than ten seasons, Kachiko thought as she watched her gently pull the older maiden to her knees. “Tsukune, we must leave him now. Leave him with the Thunders.”

“Leave him with her!” Tsukune cried, pointing at Kachiko.

“We also leave him with Shinsei and the others. We all play our parts, Tsukune. We have played ours. Now it is their time. Let him go.”

Tsukune nodded and stood, adjusting the swords in her obi. She let the girl turn her away, but she took one last look at the wounded Phoenix Thunder and then looked at Kachiko. “All of this is your fault, Scorpion. All of it. I swear, lady of lies, if you live and he dies, I will teach you about revenge.”

Then the Thunders stood alone with Shinsei. Again.

There was a long stretch of silence as the Crane and the Crab lifted the shugenja to his feet. The Jade of the Crab’s hand lit the room as it came close to the corrupt Master, who winced from its light.

“Let me,” said the Unicorn.

“No, let me.” Kachiko took the weight of the wounded Phoenix onto her shoulders. He whispered from under his mask, “Do not listen to Tsukune. She is a samurai, a little too brash and a little too courageous.”

“She is a woman in love, Tadaka-san,” Kachiko replied. “I know precisely how dangerous she can be.”

“So do I,” said the Crane as he helped her hold up the wounded Phoenix. Kachiko’s gaze dropped to the floor.

Shinsei walked before them in the dust-filled darkness. He turned to the entrance and smiled under his cowl. “Ah, I was wondering when you were going to arrive.” The slick black flight of a crow flashed over the Thunders’ heads and landed on Shinsei’s shoulder.

“Now we are ready.”

Shinsei and his crow, Kachiko thought, all the childhood stories of the two cunning tricksters coming back to her from the past. She looked around and saw their eyes and knew the others were thinking the same. Then her eyes fell on a hand of black glass, and her smile was lost.

I will pay for my crimes tonight, she thought. Then she felt the wet cough of the Phoenix, and shuddered. Perhaps we will all pay.

From ahead she heard a distant laughter. The all stopped. All but Shinsei. His stride never broke. His crow called to them from his shoulder, urging them on.

“I am not afraid,” whispered the Unicorn.

“We are all afraid, battle maiden,” the Lion whispered as he stepped forward, following Shinsei and his crow. “But so is the thing that waits for us.”

The Thunders moved on, following Shinsei through the darkness. From up ahead, she heard the crow caw again.

The last time the Thunders walked with Shinsei, she thought, only the Scorpion returned.

She spoke aloud. “Not this time.” All the Thunders looked at her, but she kept her eyes forward, following the man with the crow, as they walked deeper into the darkness.

For two years, it has been building. Finally the storm has broken.

All the prophecies have come to pass. One Clan - the Phoenix - has fallen. Abuse of the dark powers made available to them has corrupted the entire Clan until only two remain. Another Clan - the Crab - has been redeemed. Having turned their back on the power of the Shadowlands, they are now led by the son of the Great Bear, Hida Yakamo. His jade hand is a symbol of their renewed strength and devotion to the Empire.

Now all that remains is the final test. Seven heroes, led by the hooded descendant of Shinsei, must face the darkest of all evils; Fu Leng. These “Seven Thunders” are Rokugan’s last hope. If they fail here, all of Rokugan will be plunged into an eternity of darkness. This is the moment thousands of L5R fans have been waiting for. For two years we have watched the story unfold, and at GenCon ‘97 the fate of the Emerald Empire will be decided.

Once and for all.