From Shiro San Kakita the three left, returning to the small village where it had all began for them.
The peasants had begun to rebuild the village. The castle of Doji Yachoda remained a ruin. The peasants left it alone, not even going up there to search through the ruins. It had acquired a reputation of being haunted.
In the village they met a Ronnin, a Shugenja named Miki. She was in search of her teacher, the monk Soronshu. They shared information about the man, and the three learned that the monk who had met them was a powerful Phoenix Shugenja, but he had not been seen in Phoenix lands for a long time. That was why Miki was searching for him.
She would leave on her own the next day. While I have asked, curious about the young woman, no one seems to know what happened to the Shugenja Miki, once of the Isawa family.
Another visitor was discovered in Shirokozuko. Akodo Takashi, come to meet Mitsurugi.
The two warriors faced each other. Not so long ago they had fought each other on the battle field, Mitsurugi had taken the Lion Clan banner, had cost them the battle, had forced the Lion's to retreat. It was a great dishonour. Yet Mitsurugi was also his friend.
It was Mitsurugi who asked Takashi to walk with him. Together they left the village as the sun set, leaving Hiro and Agashi behind.
I do not know what they talked about. No one ever will. No, that might be wrong. One might know. Somewhere in the darkness, far from the village, the two met Soronshu. He may know what they talked of, what allowed the two to come to an agreement. Or maybe it was the monk who gave them reason to work together.
He told them what they knew already. The Lion Champion was dead. Matsu Tsuko had taken over the clan. Without doubt the Lioness would lead her clan to war against the Crane. The Empire would be put into great danger, the Shadowlands still threatened. If the Lion and the Crane destroyed each other, only the Empire's enemies would benefit.
The two Samurai, the Crab and the Lion asked what they could do. "How can we stop that?" Mitsurugi asked. "The Lion will attack, no matter what."
"The Lioness leads the clan," Takashi said. "She will not be stopped."
"There is a way," Soronshu told them. "In a village, three days journey from the Kaiu wall, there you will find Asa Namida, the Tears of Morning. It was the Sword wielded by the Lion Thunder. The Lions will show great respect towards the one who holds this blade. With it you might just be able to stop what is about to happen."
He told them how to find the village, and more about the sword, Tears of Morning.
When the two Samurai returned to Shirokozuko they told Hiro and Agashi that they would go to the Shadowlands to retrieve the Tears of Morning. They explained to the other two why they were doing this, and what Soronshu had told them. Hiro and Agashi decided that they would accompany the two to the Shadowlands to retrieve the blade.
As morning came the four of them set out from Shirokozuko. They left Crane land after a time and entered Lion land. They were heading for Beiden Pass.
At that time, within Lion lands, there was a bandit chief and his men who were causing a great deal of problems for the Lion. They had operated with impunity for almost a year, their very existence an insult to Lion honour. They were led by a man named One Eyed Toshi and he was responsible for much of the bandits success.
It was this group that attacked the four as they travelled.
Ambushed, a hail of Arrows fell among the group, wounding them, one of them almost killing the Unicorn's horse. From farther up the road more Arrows fell. A call came from the forest, ordering them to give up all their valuables. The samurai drew their weapons and charged to do battle. Hiro and Takashi charged into the area where the arrows that had felled Hiro's horse had come from. Mitsurugi charged towards where the other arrows had come from. Agashi remained behind and used his tattoos to save the Unicorn's steed.
The fight was fairly brief, a few bandits were wounded, but there were still many more. Mitsurugi encountered a young woman with a bow. Her name was Niyuko. She was high above him in a tree and he was unable to reach her. Then One Eyed Toshi showed, demanding that the group surrender their valuables.
Mitsurugi refused and words were exchanged. It led to both men dropping into their stances, ready to duel. Blades were drawn, a flash of steel, and as Mitsurugi sheathed his blade one Eyed Toshi fell to the ground, terribly wounded, but not yet dead.
The Crab samurai tossed his heavy purse to the ground and turned away from the bandits. The bandits, their leader down, were unwilling to continue the fight. The samurai left, continuing their journey.
Of course that was not the end of it. The girl with the bow, Niyuko, was the daughter of One Eyed Toshi. She eventually took her father's sword and followed after the departing Samurai, planning on getting her revenge. It would seem even the bandits in the lands of the Lion understand something of honour.
Within this bandit group was a young, pretty man named Satoshi. It was his arrow that wounded Hiro's horse, and this would later lead to some problems. I can say little of Satoshi, he was a Ronnin who never said anything of his past to the others. Perhaps he was a Scorpion, there is a story about a young man named Shosuro Satoshi who was killed, along with his entire family, on their estate outside of Shiro no Shosuro.
It does not matter who he had been, what matters is who he was at that time.
Niyuko's mother came to him and told him that her daughter had left and what she thought that the girl planned to do. She asked Satoshi to go and get her and return her. Satoshi promised that he would and left the bandits, following after Niyuko who was following after the Samurai who were on their way to Beiden Pass, though they would eventually go out of their way to Kyuden Ikoma.
Niyuko caught up to and passed the samurai , putting herself on the road in front of them. When they found her blocking their way she challenged Mitsurugi to a duel, to avenge her father. Mitsurugi accepted, moving up to meet her. According to Hiro Niyuko drew and struck first, but it did not effect the Crab samurai. Mitsurugi drew and cut her down, but as with her father she was left alive.
Agashi treated her wounds and Takashi demanded that they take her along with them so as to turn her over to the authorities.
A few days later they stopped at a small village on their way. They stayed the night and left Niyuko there, telling the master of the Inn to care for her wounds and to turn her over to the magistrate when he came though. Then they left.
They had not gone far when they heard and uproar coming from the village. They turned back and went to see what was happening.
It seems that Satoshi had arrived and had gone to retrieve Niyuko. The master of the Inn would claim that the Ronnin had attacked him and he had run off to get help. From what Hiro told me of Satoshi I can't see that young man being so intimidating as to get an entire village up in arms. That is what happened though.
When they arrived they found Satoshi in a stand off with the villagers. The Villagers had Niyuko and threatened to kill her if he did not give up. He had the headman's wife and was threatening to kill her if they killed Niyuko.
Hiro and the others arrived and after a lot of talk and some not so subtle threats the group left with both Niyuko and Satoshi, saying that they would both be turned over, alive, to the authorities. The journey was complicated by Hiro's insistence that Satoshi was the one who had wounded his horse. The other's managed to clam this down, but it was very tense, according to Hiro.
After several more days of travel they reached Kyuden Ikoma where they set up in an Inn. Takashi went to a friend of his in the castle to tell him of what happened. His friend was overjoyed to hear such news. That two members of One Eyed Toshi's bandits had been captured was good news and reflected well on Takashi. He returned to the Inn to get Niyuko and Satoshi so he could bring them to the castle.
Niyuko had no intention of going, and Satoshi told Takashi to just take him and let Niyuko go free. Niyuko wanted them both to go free and began to fight with Takashi, pounding on him with her bare hands. He dragged her from the Inn, and, in a fit of rage, hit her. He must have hit her very hard for Niyuko's neck was broken by the blow.
A light rain had started to fall, and a small crowd had gathered. Takashi stood over the body of the woman, looking a little surprised, as if he had not expected such a thing to happen. Satoshi walked over to Niyuko's body and knelt down by her for a short time. Then he turned to Takashi and told him that he would avenge her death and demanded his sword back.
Takashi returned Satoshi's katana to him and prepared for the duel.
From what I have been told of Satoshi by Hiro he did not look like a warrior. He was a small, fine boned young man who looked more like a boy, or a young woman. Yet he was brave, and he had honour. For this reason I would doubt the stories that might suggest he was a Scorpion.
The rain began to fall a little heavier, and the sun was beginning to set, passing through a clear area of clouds, colouring the whole area with the red light of evening. The two samurai, the Lion and the Ronnin stood facing each other, neither moving.
There was a flurry of movement and a moment later Satoshi wiped his blade clean and returned it to his saya. Takashi stood for a moment, then fell forward.
The Ronnin walked over to Niyuko's body and picked it up, cradling her in his arms. He turned and walked away from the area. Several Lion samurai moved, as if planning on stopping him, but a look from his eyes was enough to make them stand back and let him pass. He left the city in that way.
Agashi saved Takashi's life, healing him before he bled to death on the street.
The group broke up at that point. Hiro led his horse from the city, perhaps following after Satoshi for they would meet. Mitsurugi had left earlier, planning of climbing to the shrine of the Thunders. Takashi returned to the castle to tell his friend of his failure. And Agashi, well Agashi just returned to the Inn to get something to eat and drink.
Takashi was told by his friend that perhaps he should not show his face around the castle for a time as price for his failure to bring the bandits in as promised.
At some point along the trail that led up the mountain, in the rain, Hiro and Satoshi met. Hiro never told me exactly what was said, but whatever animosity there was between the two was erased.
They climbed in the dark and the rain and eventually reached the shrine. There they found Mitsurugi meditating in front of the statue of the Crab Thunder. Hiro went to think and pray under the eyes of the Unicorn Thunder. As for Satoshi, he only stayed long enough to stare disdainfully at the Scorpion Thunder before leaving the shrine to return to Niyuko's body which had been left outside.
During that night a number of things happened, all important. It most likely started with Mitsurugi who, while in meditation, had a vision. He saw himself as a point of light, and there were other points of light that he was connected with. Two were very close, while another two were as some distance, almost beyond his range of perception, and there were others.
Of Hiro and Satoshi, they both felt something, similar to what Mitsurugi was going through. What Agashi might have felt is unknown, but Takashi woke up screaming, probably related to what was happening.
It was after this that Mitsurugi came to the conclusion that they were all tied together in whatever their destiny was. While Soronshu had made that claim, now he felt he had proof.
The next day Satoshi found a monk to perform the ceremony and Niyuko's remains were cremated on the mountain. The three samurai then began down the mountain. They met up with Takashi, who had chosen to still travel with the others, and Agashi. Mitsurugi demanded that Satoshi go with them and worked to smooth over all the rough edges that remained between the Lion and the Ronin.
The five of them soon put the lands of the Lion behind them as they crossed Beiden Pass into the Scorpion lands. The moved quickly, passing through Yogo Shiro, Ryoko Owari and a number of small villages without incident. It was only when they Shiro No Shosuro that they ran into trouble.
While Mitsurugi went off to stay with a family of peasants, the rest of the group chose a small but comfortable Inn. Why Mitsurugi chose to stay in a peasants hut is unknown, though Hiro thought he might have just wished to save some money, or perhaps he wanted a captive audience who he could tell his tales of the Shadowlands to. Whatever the reason, it was why he was not there when everything happened.
Agashi had gone out for a walk to look around the city when a man in a cloak bumped into him, so the monk later said. The man, a Scorpion Magistrate, was angered at the monk and challenged him to a duel, even though Agashi wore no swords, or any weapon actually. Agashi dealt with the man by burning him with a gout of his fiery breath.
The monk left the burnt corpse of the Magistrate behind as he made his way, unsteadily, back to the Inn where the others were.
Soon after he returned a group of Scorpion Samurai appeared to arrest the monk who had murdered the Magistrate. The others were not about to give up Agashi to the Scorpions, though I suspect that one or two might have wanted to from what Hiro told me later.
A fight ensued and the Scorpions were soon dealt with. The few that were not killed or grievously wounded chose to retreat to get reinforcements. The four of them realised that it was best if they went. They escaped the city, heading south, towards Shinomen Mori, the hidden forest.
Once they had found a place to wait Satoshi returned to the city where he found Mitsurugi and led him back to the others.
They spent the night avoiding Scorpion patrols and decided that they would travel through the forest to reach Crab lands.
Their journey through the forest was not easy, they often had to break a trail, and they soon lost any sense of direction. The thick canopy made it difficult, if not impossible, to use the sun or the stars for navigation. They had been in the forest for two days when they found a path.
Mitsurugi thought that it might be a goblin path, there were certain things about it that suggested that. Later the presence of Goblin bodies seemed to confirm this. Satoshi took to ranging ahead to ensure that he group did not walk into an ambush. He went off the path to do this, stating that any enemy would be watching the trail directly.
It was a good idea I suppose, but the Ronnin did not count upon the presence of traps. He tripped a lie for a trap and was hit by a tiny arrow that turned out to be poisoned. Once again Agashi helped to save another of his companions, using his tattoo to heal the damage the poison had caused.
They continued on, not sure what they were going to find, when they came upon a small, walled village. The village was called Sannokue, and the group was made welcome there, but not trusted completely. Shiro will not tell me much of the place, saying it was likely destroyed when everything happened. It is, or was, a pleasant place, its headman was a monk named Hanze. Later Hiro and the others would learn that Hanze was a famed weapon smith, well known in Crab lands for the fine blades he produced.
There was a school of the fighting arts there, but none of the group were allowed to see the fighting style that was practised there, nor spar against any of the students.
From what Hiro said, and more importantly from what he did not say, I think he might have met someone there, someone who meant something to him. Other than that, I know little of this village.
The next day, well rested and with directions that would take them from the forest into Crab lands, the five Samurai left Sannokue behind them.
Not long afterwards they were attacked in the forest by a large group of goblins led by an ogre. While the goblins were many, they did not stand much of a chance. Mitsurugi's nodachi would cut two or three of the beasts in half with one strike. Takashi fought as one would expect a Lion to. Agashi's fists and feet took down many of the creatures. Satoshi's blade always struck, though it took him two, some times three strikes to kill one of the creates. The Goblins were unable to touch him though as he spun around their attacks.
It was at this time that Hiro's abilities were first seen. During the Goblin's initial charge they were cut down with arrows. Hiro's Arrows were blue streaks that seemed to explode when they hit the goblins and later, when he used his sword, the lightning like energy crackled around the blade, killing many more goblins.
The ogre showed up last and was dealt with quickly. More than thirty goblins lay dead around them, and the ogre. Their spirits were buoyed by their victory.
Afterwards Satoshi would discover the goblin's camp while scouting, but it was deserted.
Finally, after many days in the forest, they emerged from under its canopy to find themselves on the Quiet Wind Plain. They crossed the grasses without incident where they arrived at Kaiu Shiro.
Mitsurugi took the lead of course, he was the one who would be handling things. Unfortunately he was not in high standing at the time for having failed the mission, to that point, he had been sent on. He was met by Hida Shingo, a mid level officer in the army stationed there and was taken for a private audience with someone within the castle. While exactly what happened there is unknown, it resulted in Mitsurugi becoming involved in a duel that he ended up losing, though fortunately, for the others, he was not killed.
While that was happening the rest of the group met up with a Shugenja named Asako Muto of the Phoenix clan. He had come to the Crab Lands in order to learn more of the Shadow Lands. On hearing that they were planning on journeying into the Shadowlands he asked if he might accompany them. The group, after asking around a little, decided that the Shugenja's presence could only help them and agreed.
Mitsurugi returned with horses and supplies for the journey. What he had not managed to get was jade, and the others, having no real experience with the lands beyond the wall, were trusting him completely.
Outfitted, they crossed the wall with the aid of a Kaiu samurai and started in towards a village that had been lost to the Shadowlands a thousand years before. They travelled for the entire day and then set up camp. Hiro has tried to describe the Shadowlands to me, but I do not feel I can do his description justice. It is a horrid place, where everything is dangerous and one should not go there lightly.
During the night they were attacked by strange, pale creatures. The swords of the Bushi seemed to have little effect there were so many of them, but the spells of the Shugenja were of help, as was light from torches that they had brought with them. The things were afraid of the light and would not approach too close.
They did not get any rest that night. They left their camp, moving quickly, hoping to avoid the things that followed just beyond the light of the torches.
Finally the sun rose, casting its feeble light across the landscape. They rested then for a few hours, though none of them were feeling well. It was the first sign of the taint, slowing creeping into them. Mitsurugi should have ensured they had jade. Two more night were spent in the Shadowlands and they were getting close to the place where they had been told the village was.
Around midday they arrived at the village, or the ruins of it. There were signs of battle that had been fought there, and among the wreckage Mitsurugi found the body of his brother, missing for nearly two years. His lifeless hands still grasped a weathered battle standard.
They gathered together the wood they had brought with them, and anything else they could find to burn the body. There was some concern that they might use up all the wood which they should use to keep the night creatures away.
Agashi soon settled the debate by using his fiery breath to reduce the body of Mitsurugi's brother to ashes.
They prepared for night, fearing an attack, searched the village, looking for signs of the sword they had been promised would be there, and rested while they waited.
As night fell the Shugenja said he had communicated with his Master, Soronshu, and that great things would happen that night, though he did not know what those great things were.
Those that were on watch noticed about the same time that those who were asleep were woken by it. A strange green light seemed to surround them, and off in the distance they saw a warrior, lined with the green light.
The six got to their feet and drew their weapons. They began to walk towards the warrior, feeling a sense of waiting around them, a sense of watching. Off to their side a spot of pure, white light appeared, and it grew, matching pace with them. The four Samurai and the Monk formed a line, the Shugenja walked slightly behind them, as if not part of it. The white light matched the five, and began to take on human form.
I cried when Hiro told me of this, of how Yui appeared then, with them, a figure of light, with her swords, ready to fight with them. I was so glad my cousin managed to be there for her destiny.
And then they could all see the warrior, a man Mitsurugi identified as his father. A man who had been missing for a long time. A man who had given himself over to the fallen god.
He looked at them and asked, "Where is the seventh?"
"There are no others," Mitsurugi called out.
"If the seventh is not here than you can not truly win," the warrior laughed.
At that moment Hiro tells me he felt something break within him. The bond he had shared with all the others was gone, fragmented. They all felt a twist as the path of destiny they had been on was twisted to something new.
Who was the seventh? Hiro tells me it was the Ronnin Hashi. It was unfortunate that he was not present.
The battle began. Agashi and Takashi ran past the warrior towards a building that had appeared. There were searching for the Tears of Morning. They left the others to deal with the Warrior, Mitsurugi's father.
He was a deadly enemy, wielding a huge sword with all the strength and skill of a Crab Bushi. The weapons and spells of the others struck him, and bit into him, but they did not seem to make any difference.
Satoshi was the first to fall to that sword. He forced himself to his feet with the last of his strength, blood pouring from his wounds, and struck once again at the Warrior. The Warrior's return strike finished him off.
Hiro's horse was cut out from under him in one blow, leaving the Unicorn to fight on his feet.
Yui's form was torn apart by his sword blow, sending her spirit on to wherever happy place it was destined for.
At that time Agashi and Takashi returned. Takashi carried the Tears of Morning, the sword of the Lion Thunder. He drew it from its sheath and charged into the battle. He lifted the sword and swung it at the Warrior. Nothing happened.
"Fool!" The Warrior laughed. "Do you think I could guard that sword for so long and not learn of its powers." Then he struck Takashi, sending him sprawling back.
Agashi attacked, leaping at the Warrior. The Warrior cut him in half. While the Warrior had hurt them, they were not done for yet. They fought on, taking wounds, but finally killing the Warrior. Even as he was collapsing to the ground he choked out that it was not finished, not yet.
Of the six who had gone into the Shadowlands, only the Shugenja Muto, Takashi, Hiro and Mitsurugi remained. According to Hiro, Mitsurugi chose to remain in the Shadowlands after that, to continue his fight.
The truth? Hiro told me, though it will be many years before any in the Empire but he and I know this. If dead, Mitsurugi's new wife would be in the same position that she had been before he married her. Alive, she could continue with her life.
Mitsurugi's father had said he would enjoy killing Mitsurugi. To deny him, Mitsurugi had taken his own life. I think he might have also done it to atone for his mistakes. For sending Hashi away. For bringing the group into the Shadowlands unprepared. Possibly for many other things. In the end, he died with honour.
The sense of watching and waiting seemed to pull back, giving those that remained a sense that they were alone.
They gathered the bodies together and burned them all, then scattered the ashes about. The sun was just raising when Muto, Takashi and Hiro left the village, carrying with them the Tears of Morning.
They finally left the Shadowlands, crossing back over the wall, almost getting killed in the process. All three carried the taint of the place with them.
Takashi took the sword and began the long trek back to Lion lands.
Hiro left him to return to the lands of the Unicorn. Rumours of war had been with them for some time and he wished to return to his clan in case fighting broke out. He made a short detour at Takashi's request and took news of what had happened to Takashi's sister, Akodo Niya.
Muto went into the Kuni Wastelands, wishing to continue his education. What happened to him is still a mystery.