01 A Hot Summer At War

Conflicts between Lion and Crane have been common for centuries. This is necessarily so for the two most influential clans in the Emerald Empire, the two clans which are, respectively, recognized to be the Right Hand and the Left Hand of the Emperor, at the court of the palace of Otosan Uchi.

However, these altercations have been as ephemeral as distributed across the border between the two clans.

In this, the current hostilities are quite unusual. It's been a few weeks since the battles taking place between Shiro Matsu (Last Breath Castle) and Shiro Daidoji (Son of The Crane) have followed one another, the seasons change, from late spring to early summer.

Rokugan Map Conflict Area

Summer that welcomes everyone with a heat mixed with humidity, and if the season is sustainable in normal times, the fights that follow each other day after day are nothing less than exhausting.

It is in this context, at the exit of the mountains which separate the country in two, and in the heart of the fields of culture, that end at the same time a long day, and yet another skirmish between the two forces in presence.

Due to the current war between the two military powers, the road to the imperial palace is completely blocked for the clans of the Scorpion, Crab, and the Unicorn.

At the heart of the Shiro Daidoji, the military command of the Crane meets to put in place a new strategy. A crucial moment for KAKITA Itsumi who will have to prove himself as commander of the DAIDOJI troops which will be mobilized the next day.

Meanwhile, TOGASHI Suzume remembers the words the Dragon addressed to him, as he has just crossed the mountains and sees in the distance what remains of the battle of the day, the walls of the Shiro Daidoji revealing itself on the East.

Finally, ASAKO Inara and SHIBA Yoshi docked a few hours ago on the shores of the Crane clan, both sent by the Council of Elemental Masters, to discover the origins of the troubles felt and revealed by the Kamis. It is by the light of the setting sun that they perceive the doors of Shiro Daidoji, as well as the promise of hospitality that they hope for.

---

The master-student duo crested a hill overlooking yesterday's battlefield.

"Why must we come here Suzume-sensei? This place is a mess! This Lion Clan is always looking for others to bully. I do not understand why the Emperor tolerates them."

Suzume turns to the younger Ise-Zumi, a fatherly smile on his face.

"We come here because where there is strife, people are suffering, and we are here to alleviate this suffering. As for the Lion Clan, though we may not understand it, they have a place in the Empire. Their warring ways may seem strange to us, but the day will come when their military might will be sorely needed by the Empire."

Sakura had a pouting expression on her face.

"I still don't like them sensei. If they want to be useful to the Empire, I say we throw the whole lot on the other side of the Kaiu Kabe and have them fight to their heart content over there. Let them be useful to the Empire by clearing out the Shadowlands!"

Suzume scanned the horizon, noticing the gleaming walls of the palace of the Crane in the distance, but this is not what interested him, he spotted a small village in the shadow of the fortress. It was a perk of being a monk that peasant were more willing to open up to you, and peasant saw and heard a lot. A valuable source of information, and a different point of view on the events which transpired.

"Now, now Sakura-san. Fighting the horrors of He-who-Must-Not-Be-Named is the ancestral duty of the Crab Clan. How do you suppose the Hida would feel if we suddenly dropped the whole of the Lion Clan in the Shadowlands? They would probably take it as an insult that we do not trust them to protect us from the foul creatures of this dark realm. Not to mention that they would be the one who would have to deal with whole armies of Lost Lions later on..."

Sakura opened her mouth to protest, but realized her master was right...

"I'm sorry sensei."

"It's fine. We will head to this small village over there... Fortunes rise, Empires fall, but the peasants are always asked to shoulder the burden. We will go talk to them. Come Sakura-san, we must hurry, lest we fall on a patrol of your Lion friends."

Suzume said in jest. Sakura merely rolled her eyes and followed her teacher towards the village. Meanwhile The prophetic words of Togashi Nobusuke-dono echoed in Suzume's mind, haunting his every thoughts...

"When both hands of the Hantei fight.
Darkness will fester in the heart.
Amid the home of honor's might.
Will seek to tear Rokugan apart.
Blades will be drawn at night.
Souls from this land will depart.
When both hands of the Hantei fight.
In this the tenth one will take part."

The skies had been clear, the waves calm and the winds fair, yet with every hour spent at sea the heart of Asako Inara had grown a little more uneasy. The wheeling gulls with their laughing cries had not lifted her spirits; even the sight of a distant pod of porpoises, sleek as quicksilver dancing in the sunlight, had not been enough to break through her melancholy. That, she knew, is not a good sign.

She walked in silence, reflecting on the journey as she and her companion Shiba Yoshi followed the curve of the river north toward the Shiro Daidoji. She had been dispatched by the Council of Elemental Masters into the heart of the Crane lands to seek the counsel of their allies in securing a lasting peace for the region. The Council had confirmed what she had previously only privately sensed: the kami, ever the friends and allies of the Phoenix clan, were reflecting the unease and uncertainty the humans were feeling as palpable fluctuations in the magical fields of the world. Inara had noticed it first as a subtle feeling of distance from her kami friends, and later in their behavior as they came less and less often when she invited them to dance.

Doubtless the Council had felt it too, and they feared it was a warning of worse to come. The potential loss of the kami if the war forced them to withdraw further was a risk the Phoenix shugenja could not ignore, so when the Council called, she had immediately begun making preparations for the journey south. But the Council's words, and the dark warning they carried, weighed on her heart. The threat of war and the destruction it brought in its wake was not lost on her, but it seemed too large and too heavy for her to move. So she focused instead on what she knew and what she loved, and pressed on for the sake of helping her friends return to peace, and comfort, and joy.

She had lost track of the time as they walked, taking a bit of comfort in Yoshi's reassuring presence beside her. But finally, just as night was beginning to fall in earnest, the lights of the castle came winking into view. Inara suddenly found herself looking forward to food, rest, good company, answers, and the chance to wander the halls of the esteemed Crane libraries. Not necessarily in that order, she thought to herself, looking to her traveling companion with a smile that surprised her in its intensity. Maybe this won't be so bad after all.

"Gather the lieutenants," Itsumi Kakita orders his page. He pushes through the flap of his command tent, unrolls a map of the area, keeping the corners down with smooth black stones, and studies it for fourth time tonight. The candle light flickers as he sets a small fire beneath his tea kettle.

The Black Scrolls are real? he wonders, reflecting on what his Damiyo has told him. Why would the Lion Clan be interested in collecting those? darkest of magic scrolls?

He steeps the tea when his lieutenants step through the tent pouring each a cup.

"Gentlemen, the enemy has declined our offer of a duel to settle this conflict with honor and so our Damiyo wishes us to position ourselves north of their formations. Tomorrow at first light our main force will engage the Lion from the south. We will then strike from behind from the north, breaking their formation and routing them back to Last Breath Castle where we will place them under siege."

He looked into their eyes to gauge any hint of apprehension or cowardice but these were Daidoji officers they were reliably fearless Soldiers, "If you have no questions, then gather your Soldiers, we leave in one hour. We have a lot of land to cover in a short period of time."

His officers left him and he sat to meditate and enjoy his tea. He stared at his opulent, golden, lacquered armor on its stand but thought better than to wear it for a mission that relied so much on speed. He donned his more common Ashigaru armor, his katana and his Soldier pack and left his tent to meet his company. The Daidoji would bring bows, arrows, spears and swords. A commander must command.

If the Lion is collecting the Black Scrolls, they can't be allowed to collect them all, lest they summon demons or open a portal to the Shadowlands..." he shuddered at the thought of such superstitions being true, but none the less, the aggressive actions of the Lion Clan could not be tolerated in this time of turmoil.

The fields of agriculture between the two fortresses are devastated, unfortunate witnesses of the battles which took place there.

The sun is about to set, the two armies have returned to their respective headquarters, Shiro Matsu for the Lion army, Shiro Daidoji for the Crane troops.

Even if the night is near, the tension and the agitation are at their height, between the setting up of security for the night and the preparation for the conflict planned for the next day.

Conflict area detailedThe same is true in the hamlets of villagers around the two palaces. The people present are in a hurry to finish their jobs, their faces drawn and exhausted, so that they can return home. As the two Dragons move silently and slowly through this poor and rural setting, it is clear that the faces that welcome them are suspicious when observing them, and it is easy to understand that the population present fears for themselves and for their harvests. Strangely enough, the two newcomers only notice the presence of peasants over 30 years old, with a few young children here and there, but no young adults in the area. Among them, a villager, obviously the oldest of the hometown, is content to observe the surroundings, and keep an eye on the teacher and the student.
Old woman Iwae

At the same time, the two emissaries of the Phoenix clan arrive in front of the East gate of Shiro Daidoji, and do not fail to be stopped by the guards on patrol, access to the palace being closed for the night. In front of them, three guards, not to mention the archers who surely do not fail to attend the scene from the ramparts.
The Three Guards (forget the back)
"Stop! Who are you and what are you doing in this place?"
The order is final, the Bushis putting their hands on their weapons. But feeling the relics of the current war, feeling the ill-being of her intangible friends, and feeling the suffering of the earth, all of this made Inara exhausted much faster than usual.

In response to the young Kakita's order, his men and women are urgently active to put in place the preparations of their leader. It is therefore planned that Daidoji troops will leave by the eastern gate of the fortress, then bypass the Lion army from the north.
Undoubtedly, very few soldiers will be able to sleep this night. The Iron Cranes are far too aware of their role in the Crane clan not to know that they will have to locate the places as scouts long before the bulk of the troops will join them.
While Kakita Itsumi thought he could take advantage of a few minutes of respite to gather his thoughts and his determination, a young Daidoji, barely an adult, and barely 15 years old for a few weeks, rushes to him.
"Kakita-Sama! The guards announce the arrival of two Samurais, it seems from the coast. They wear flamboyant red attires, but we do not know who they are."
The young messenger obviously ran to bring the news as quickly as possible. She spoke quickly, her words tumbling out as she wheezed and struggled to breathe.

---

One last time, Suzume makes sure his katana, the symbol of his noble birth, is well camouflaged among his baggages so as to not intimidate the peasants. He enters the village and makes his way towards the old woman. If she is not the village's headwoman (chenin) she definitely will know who the headman is and be able to give direction to Suzume. As he nears the elderly woman with a warm smile, making sure not to show teeth, he politely bows his head and offers the traditional Rokugani greeting "Have you eaten rice today Obaa-san?" adding the polite honorific for an elderly woman, which translates to "grandmother". "I have travelled far from the Dragon mountains, hearing rumors of war. I must admit that what I see here worries me. How are the inhabitants of this village faring?"

Asako Inara sighed, trying to ignore how starkly her companion’s smile contrasted with his watchful, almost worried posture. She knew he was trying to reassure her, but his wariness and continued silence only reminded her of the urgency of their mission. Pulling her attention from the inner world of her thoughts to her more immediate surroundings, she caught the faint scent of fire and death on the wind, and she shivered. Except for her own footsteps, the forest was far too quiet; most of the kami had fled, and those that remained were anguished, and mourning. She closed her eyes, trying not to think of it, and focused as she walked on the sounds of life rising from the castle ahead.

Finally, the trees cleared, but the gates of Shiro Daidoji stood closed ahead of them.

"Stop! Who are you and what are you doing in this place?"

She gasped and pulled back a bit. The three guards had materialized seemingly out of the deep blue of night itself, and stood looming like lapis shadows in the dark. She steadied herself, taking a deep, calming breath and clasped her hands in front of her as she bowed low.

"My name is Asako Inara, Daidoji-sama," she said. "My companion and I are here to seek the counsel of your lord, and we humbly ask your hospitality for the night." Normally, she would have been more careful with her words, more guarded, but she was exhausted. It may have simply been muscle fatigue, but it felt as if the pain and weariness of the land leached from the soil into her very bones. "We have critical news from the Council of Elemental Masters, regarding the kami and the tide of the war."

Itsumi looks up from his tea, the steam comforting on his face, and sips, "Send them in." he answers in a measured tone. He pours two more cups of tea for his unexpected guests, ready to offer it to them.

"Taniguchi, do not let on to our visitors that I am in any rush. Understand?" he dismisses her with a wave of his hand before returning to his tea.

If they are spies I mustn't make them suspicious of my plan. he smirked ever-so-slightly at the glory he would earn should his plan go well. He cleared his throat and took another sip of tea, composing himself for his visitors.

The old woman sets tired eyes, although hardened by age and experience, on the two travelers of the Dragon. Resting on her cane, a discreet smile appears on her face to the efforts of the elder of the two to be polite.
"It is rare that people show much interest in us peasants, young man. Even more rare that they show politeness.
A little bit this morning, a little bit tonight. We, the people of the village, ration ourselves as best we can in these difficult times."

With a slow and nevertheless assured step, and the families meeting and gathering inside the houses, Iwae made a sign to the two young people to accompany her, thus offering them her hospitality.
"Come, you seem to come from far away, you will appreciate having a place to sleep. However, I apologize in advance, we can not do better than to offer you a simple bowl of rice for each of you."

It is in silence that the two Dragons follow the old lady in the heart of the small village, and it is in silence that they realize how palpable the answer to the last question of TOGASHI Suzume is: the effort of war between the Lion and the Crane depletes the available resources, the peasants have never been rich people, but the signs of poverty and dilapidation of the places are obvious and alarming, and it is a safe bet that the rationing reports starvation.

The shock of this reality is clearly visible on the face of TOGASHI Sakura, she who is however of a smiling and cheerful nature, coming from a nomadic people and therefore more used to that people take care of each other.

The dean finally invites them to enter a small straw house, a room or two barely larger than the other neighbors.
"Please, TOGASHI-Samas, take a seat" she invites them to sit down before serving them a bowl of rice.
"War rumors yes ... War proven in fact.
Fighting every day, ruined crops, difficult times ahead, and without mentioning ...
But come on, you must be tired and hungry, eat, eat."
Since she returned with her two guests, her behavior has changed imperceptibly. She obviously has understood that she was not dealing with peasants, and shows the necessary respect, but something in her way of being gives the impression ... of a mother discreetly watching over children?

---

Meanwhile, ASAKO Inara and SHIBA Yoshi introduce themselves to the guards, Inara even showing a zeal of politeness completely unconscious. Thus, to hear themselves called DAIDOJI-Sama by the young shugenja, they cannot hold back a somewhat abrupt laugh. After which, the one who seems to be the head of the three decides to refuse entry to the two new arrivals.
"War precisely. You will understand that it is impossible for us to ..."


He doesn't have time to finish his sentence as a kid slips between the two other guards, a little breathless, and comes to put a hand on the chief's arm to attract his attention.
He stares at the young messenger, keeping the two Phoenix in his field of vision, and continues in a dry tone
"What do you want Hina-Chan? You can see we're busy."
The very young adult responds to this invective at a frantic pace, a veritable logorrhea which escapes from her mouth without her retaining a single letter.
"KAKITA-Sama wishes to meet these people, I have been asked to accompany them to him."
As she turns to the two visitors and bows to them, her rant continues at full speed.
"Please, Gesutos-Dono, please follow me, I will lead you to meet Lord KAKITA Itsumi."Two of the guards, including the chief, then give way to the two Phoenix ambassadors, hiding in contrite silence, while the third prepares to escort TANIGUSHI Hina with the lady ASAKO and the yojimbo SHIBA.

Then remembering the instructions she received, she therefore took a roundabout route, passing through more residential areas and avoiding military districts.
Nevertheless, the agitation within the palace is clearly audible, and there is no doubt, in the ears of the two mediators, that the Crane army is not sleeping. Refraining from comments on the subject, they therefore accompany the adolescent in the corridors of the palace, until finally arriving in a room subtly decorated with wood engravings, and in which is a small ebony table, a servant behind this same table preparing tea and having some catering foods.
The young TANIGUSHI briefly disappears, returning less than 5 minutes later in the company of KAKITA Itsumi.

Suzume smiled as his instincts had been right once again. It seemed that the old woman was indeed the village's headwoman. Suzume politely nodded "Thank you very much obaa-san, but we do not wish to be a burden to you and your people. Please, keep your rice, we still have some travel rations left. Though, I would not refuse a bowl of millet, or simple gruel if you have any to spare. And a cup of water, to wash away the weariness of the road."

The two tattooed monks follow the elder to her home, then kneeling on the simple straw tatami mats laid on the cold packed earth floor, sozume continued his conversation with the old woman. "Indeed, this is grave news which I'll have to bring back to my clan. What about other nearby villages? Have you had news of how they fare as well?".

Inara tried, and failed, to relax as they followed closely behind their young escort. The air was tense as a drawn bowstring, and the sound of heavy boots and the faint clang of steel on steel punctuated the night, rearranging what she knew as familiar into an unsettling syntax of sensation and emotion. The kami were silent, refusing to respond to even the most gentle of calls; she allowed herself to fall into Yoshi’s pace in a small attempt to remind herself that harmony might, someday, return to that place… and to reassure herself that she was not alone.

She walked in silence, carefully schooling her face into what she hoped was a mask of detached serenity. Breathe in, breathe out… Not easy, with the twin specters of war and desperate need circling like predators in the night, just outside the palace walls.

They arrived at their destination before too long, a sparsely furnished but comfortable room near the end of a long corridor. It was surprisingly cool inside, a welcome respite from the oppressive heat. She thought of the armies of the Lion and Crane, and wondered what prize could possibly be worth it to them that they would brave the brutal Rokugani summer to achieve their goals. The possibilities were... not comforting.

They were ushered inside, and with a bow, the young Crane girl turned and hurried off. The guard remained discretely outside the door – whether for their protection or to keep them under watch, Inara couldn’t tell. She gave a tight smile to the single servant standing behind the ebony table, and glanced around, clasping her hands behind her back to keep from fidgeting with the hem of her robes.

"Shiba-sani? I need to talk to--" she began, then froze, noting the yojimbo’s sudden change in stance.

Beside her, Yoshi had tensed almost imperceptibly. She had come to recognize the signs that he had heard something – the way he shifted his weight and adjusted his breathing to be nearly silent, the slight bend in his knees, and other instinctual adjustments she could barely see. His instincts had saved them both in the past, more than once, and she was grateful for that. Inara followed his gaze to the doorway, and moments later she also heard the sound of approaching footsteps. It wasn’t long before their young escort returned, this time accompanied by a tall figure dressed in a striking blue and silver uniform, a stunning marriage of functionality and elegance which embodied the careful control the Crane were renown for. Inara let out a quiet sigh of relief, and nodded reassuringly to her bodyguard. "Peace, Shiba-san," she said, then turned to face the Crane, bowing a little, managing this time to maintain some measure of apparent serenity. "Thank you for your hospitality, Kakita-sama, especially at this hour. My name is Asako Inara. My companion, Shiba Yoshi, and I have been dispatched by the Council of Elemental Masters. We come bringing news, and to seek your counsel."

Itsumi bows respectfully to greet his guest, "We have been expecting you, Inara-sama. Tell me what news you bring. And please, I invite you to sit." he gestures to a short table, pillows laid on the floor to sit.

If this takes too long we might not be in position by first light he thinks considering his timeline thoughtuflly, but we will make do. We always have.

The old woman was busy preparing the semblance of a meal for the evening, while chatting with her two guests. At the elder's polite refusal while she was serving the two bowls of rice to the monks, she smiled in thanks, but did not allow herself to be dismayed. So she divided the two portions into three, and offered two to the Dragons.

"Let me insist TOGASHI-Samas. Hospitality is the honor of the little people."

Sitting in front of the monks to share the meager meal with them, she took a few seconds to answer Suzume's last question.
"I could not answer you. In normal times, we exchange with the villages, in the direction of the mountains, the foodstuffs which we could need, but the fights of the Lion and Crane Lords cut us the access to the paths which we borrowed."

The glimmer of sadness in her eyes gave way to a spark of lively interest when she brought the subject of the villages further north.

"You who have crossed the lands of the Lion Lords, perhaps can you reassure an old woman about what happened to her son? He left north a few weeks before the conflicts started. I do not believe not that the war has spread as far, but you surely know more than I do? Please tell me that one of our young people is safe."

The faint glow of the only candle inside the small minka (traditional house) was enough to reveal to the discerning gaze that night had fully fallen outside. And with the night came a heavy, unusual silence, in which nature itself was silent.

Meanwhile, at Shiro Daidoji, a meeting between two Phoenix ambassadors and the officer in charge of the castle for the night had just started, ASAKO Inara and KAKITA Itsumi were taking a look at each other, while SHIBA Yoshi was finishing its examination of the premises .

Nothing very unusual in what he had been able to spot, the presence of two guards at the door, as well as two rather thin walls, enough for it to be possible to listen to what they would say from adjacent rooms. As the door closed behind the Crane representative, the young Shugenja and her Yojimbo had a brief glimpse of the moon revealing itself between two clouds. A magnificent vision of the Lord Moon in its form of celestial, beautiful, whole, and silvery star.

A vision that seemed harmless to Yoshi, but that made the impression of a fatal omen to Inara when she remembered the legends concerning the father of the Kami Lords, while a black cloud again covered the lunar radiance.

The night was just beginning, but already promised to be long ...

---

Suzume accepted and thanked the old woman "Well, in that case, far from me to rob you of that honor. Thank you very much obaa-san." Suzume grabbed his bowl, offering a small silent prayers to the kami before eating. "We did noticed some villages further north. They looked relatively untouched by the conflict, so we did not stopped there. I'm sorry to tell you that I have no news of your son, but given how peaceful things looked further north, there may still be hope for him. I must still stop by Shiro Daidoji tomorrow, but once my business there is concluded, I will start looking for your son. What is his name?"