02 Bloody Dawn Before The War

The first rays of the sun were beginning to appear on the horizon, and already the Shiro Daidoji was in full swing, due to the preparations for the day's fighting.

Reiko, still injured in the side, Hidekatsu, Suzume, still injured in the leg, and Sakura had just arrived there, escorted by the patrol that had stormed into the village. With them, the few peasants / attackers who had survived, shackled and taken prisoner. The authority of the Emerald magistrate was manifest over this small troop, being the expression of the authority of the Emperor himself, and it was evident, from her decided and severe step, that the emissary of the imperial palace was determined to get this whole story straight, as soon as possible.

To the four Samurai who had lived through the night's clashes, a number of questions remained unanswered for the moment:

- When asked why the village elders did not alert the authorities, the explanation was that they were afraid of reprisals and of losing their children. It was, in any case, what KAWANABI had been able to draw from the terrified peasants in their houses.

- "If these attackers were the sons and daughters of the older peasants, who had welcomed the two monks, how could they have been so corrupted? And more importantly, by whom?"

- "Who was this shadow spying on the night's clashes from a distance?"

- "What was the implication in this affair of the two clans clashing?"Itsumi had just come out of the last meeting with his peers, officers of the Crane army, to take stock both of the night that had passed, but also to review the day's strategies. It was time to move on to his squad, and practice the ambush tactics they had devised.
However, ASAHINA Yukiyo had participated in this meeting, and the revelations of the Shugenja weighed heavily in the mind of the young commander. Could it be possible that both the Crane Clan and the Lion Clan were both manipulated?
Walking through the yard, he had a front row seat to witness the return of the patrol he had sent out that night to investigate the strange noises that had been reported to him. With, at their head and recognizable by her uniform, a magistrate of Jade.

Inara, as for her, and in spite of a trying night, awoke well before dawn, and it was feverish that she came to observe the ambient agitation in the place, at the entrance of the fortress.
Out of the corner of her eye, she recognized, half hidden in the shadows, the silhouette of the Scorpion Ambassador who, too, was watching the preparations underway.

Inara woke as the first light of predawn broke through the inky darkness. The young mage smiled, alert and aware all at once, and stood, closing her eyes and listening. She was not the first to rise this day.

She didn't linger long over the morning's necessities, changing her robes and arranging her hair into something elegant but still comfortable. Gingerly, she unwrapped the cloth from her hands, examining them closely; though still a little sore, they had mostly healed during the night. She would have to thank Yukiyo for that, if she was lucky enough to see her again.

Inara ventured into the hall, surprised by how active the castle already was, and everyone was in such a HURRY. She made her way toward the castle gates, hoping to slip outside and walk alone before the sunrise, but the ambient activity only seemed to increase as she drew closer. The courtyard was buzzing with activity - Crane soldiers, escorting a small group of shackled prisoners, two samurai whose families were unknown to her but seemed to be of the Dragon clan, and........ an Emerald Magistrate?

Well, that's different...

Abandoning the thought of her morning walk, Inara scoured the area for a familiar face. Specifically, she was looking for Itsumi, but she didn't see him; most likely, he was with his troops, busy with the work of the military. But she did take note of a shadow among shadows, watching the unfolding drama intently, and from a much better vantage point than she could claim. She was suspicious at first, and a little worried, until she recognized the cold yet fiery gaze of Akami, the Scorpion ambassador. Enigmatic, aloof, cunning, quite possibly dangerous in the wrong circumstances... and the only familiar face in the crowd, which made her the closest thing to a friend Inara could find. She walked over, making sure Akami saw her approach, and bowed. "Good morning, Bayushi-san. I hope the day finds you well." She couldn't hide a slight smile, despite her best efforts to keep her face impassive. "What's happening here?"

Reiko was troubled.
She had a wealth of experience to draw from, dealing with rabble rousers, petty criminals, political conspiracies and even, on one memorable occasion, with some pacifists that wanted to effect change through love.
She knew peasants. She knew soldiers. She knew officers. She knew lords -and quite well. but she didn't know -she frowned as the thought entered her mind- Shugenjas.
She had realized that she faced at least one of them, maybe even a maho tsukai, after examining the small patch of grass where an unknown observer had stood while she, Kawanabi, the monk who had introduced himself as Togashi Suzume and his charge Sakura had fought the villagers. He had probably controlled them, and fled as the Crane patrol appeared.
Now, as she was arriving to Shiro Daidoji, she finished leaving instructions to the officer in charge of the patrol.
"And of course, while I see this doctor, I need you to find the Duty officer in charge here, and any and all shugenja that might be in residence. I'll see them as soon as I'm able. Kawanabi, draft a message ordering a ceasefire in the name of the emperor, to be sent with my authority to Last Breath Castle." She said, turning towards her aide.
"At once Matsu-dono"
She knew he was up to the task, and considered if she should send him along with the messenger to make sure the Lion officers complied with the ceasefire. She resolved to talk to the representative of the Crane first, and decide later.
"You can have someone escort me to the castle's doctor now." She told the officer, and allowed herself to show some of the pain she felt, now that the important business was taken care of.

Possessed? Itsumi thought, listening to the brief on the nights occurrences. He told his leadership about Inara and the Shujenga and the vision given to him by the Kami but he was steadfast in his determination to end this conflict between Crane and Lion with a decisive two front, pre-dawn attack.

He bowed and left to find his Sergeant, "The main force will initiate the attack at first light. We will hit them in the rear at dawn."

Itsumi thought of the glory he could achieve in this battle and resolved himself to challenging a Lion commander in a duel. A wry smile crossed his lips as he led his troops to position.

After the magistrate was done with him, Suzume had gathered his gear from Obaa-san's ruined house, before heading to Shiro Daidoji. "I am in your debt Matsu-sama. Had you and your entourage not arrived when you did, me and my pupil would surely have been overrun.. Suzume struck polite conversation with the magistrate as the group was marching through the night to Shiro Daidoji. "Those imprints were very odd, and the way the grass and bark were affected. Very strange. In all the sights I've seen in my travels, this is a first." Suzume turned to check on his pupil, Sakura was keeping her distance, the Unicorn in her still not wanting to hang around a Lion... This made Suzume smile, his pupil still had much to learn.

Same road through the gate, two different directions, one group entering the fortress, the other getting out to take on their own duty. The two groups crossed paths as the magistrate gave her orders to DAIDOJI Nobunaka.


As planned for the rotation of the command of the Crane forces, the management of the fortress fell back to his Daimyo, while the KAKITA officers positioned themselves on the battlefield.
And so, having to show up to report on the night's activities to DAIDOJI Uji, the lieutenant gave orders to his troup to take care of the magistrate and the elder monk, and to put the prisoners in detention. At the same time, KAWANABI Hidekatsu and TOGASHI Sakura mingled with the crowd present, to fulfill their respective obligations.
Establish a ceasefire for the first, learn about the current situation of the castle for the second.

In a few minutes, the 2 guests were taken to an austere room, suitable for conducting battalion meetings.
The Daimyo of the DAIDOJI family was the first to invest the place after the 2 foreigners, and if his mere presence ensured silence when he entered a room, he did not fail to notice the presence of a magistrate of the Emperor, recognizable by her uniform. However, and all the more so because a war was in progress, his posture was severe and firm, and he himself hardly seemed in the mood to listen to nonsense.


"What does all this mean? Why is there a ceasefire order when the enemy is at our gates?"

It was in the silence that followed that a female voice was heard. The door left open revealed ASAHINA Yukiyo, in reverence in front of her lord, and awaiting his permission to enter.

"DAIDOJI-Dono, our guests have requested care. May I come in and provide it?"

The Daimyo, his eyes still on Reiko and Suzume, only waved his hand to invite her to do her work.

Focused on his task and duty, KAKITA Itsumi was driving his nearly 200 warriors squad to the area planned for the pincer ambush. There was that fierce feeling, before a battle. It seemed to Itsumi that even nature and the kamis were silent to become spectators of the clashes to come. He could almost already smell the scent of iron in anticipation.
Once in position, his squad camouflaged itself, and the first movements of the Lion army were not long in coming.
From his location, the young KAKITA could observe how the Lion troops positioned themselves to face, in the distance, the Shiro Daidoji, while he and his fighters found themselves masked by the trees, on the side of the approaching army.
The plan was simple on paper: under Itsumi's command, they were supposed to attack first, once the rest of the Crane forces faced the Lion's army, taking advantage of the surprise effect to rush in and create a diversion. Surprise helping, and the Lions, assaulted on two sides, would miss a reaction time and would, in the end, be forced to divide themselves to face the double charge.

The barely rising sun shrouded the hustle and bustle of the fortress courtyard, in its final preparations for the main part of the day. An agitation that two women observed, a little apart, the youngest waiting for her eldest to respond. The first one, ASAKO Inara, was curious about this entirely military effervescence, her own clan being of a very pacifist nature.
BAYUSHI Akami, meanwhile, was neutral with respect to this swarm, unimpressed by the deployment of the Iron Cranes.

"Good morning, Damsel of the Phoenix. The day finds us, as you can see. Well or not will be its decision."
While she had spoken her first words without looking away from the courtyard, now she was observing Inara, and pointed to the scene with a discreet gesture.
"We suspect you are still unwilling to tell us what brings you, in these troubled times, to the heart of a Crane's fortress. So maybe you can tell us what you think of all this?"

Suzume bowed low to Uji, remaining politely silent, remembering his place as a monk. This whole ceasefire was probably the Emperor's doing, and as such, it was probably wiser to let Matsu Reiko explain things.

Only when Yukiyo took care of their wounds did Suzume finally talked, bowing and thanking the shugenja for her work. "Thank you so much for your care Asahina-sama. I was getting embarrassed of staining such a beautiful palace with my blood."

Reiko bowed to the Daymio, not as low as an underling would, but not quite as an equal would either.
"What does all this mean? Why is there a ceasefire order when the enemy is at our gates?"
She was taken aback by his rudeness. That was when the healer arrived. Her timing impeccable, it gave time to everyone to stop and compose themselves.
Reiko frowned and decided to give Uji a chance to save face.
"I don't understand Daidoji-sama, how could there be a ceasefire and you not know about it? I thought you were the ranking military commander here... unless... Could it be that DAIDOJI Nobunaka overheard my private orders to my aide?
She paused, and let that sink in.
I'm sure that can't be right of course, but if that is indeed the case my lord, I have to explain to you that I have only ordered for a message to be drafted for the Lion clan. There is no ceasefire for now.
She frowned again with the emphasis on 'for now', reminding everyone present that, as a representative of the emperor, it was well within her rights to order one, and, indeed, enforce it. It would have been rude to say it though.
As for the enemy at your gates, the Lion army encamped it front of your gates is ideally positioned to intercept it, as soon as peace is struck, but I did not think you knew about the Maho-tsukai that is plaguing this region yet."
That last phrase visibly shocked the Daymio twice. When Reiko intimated that the lion wasn't the enemy, he was visibly angered, because as subjects of the emperor, the worst they were supposed to call each other was 'rivals', and he knew that by noticing the discrepancy, she had put him in a delicate situation. But it was the mention of a maho-tsukai (however premature on Reiko's part) had shocked him to his core.

"We suspect you are still unwilling to tell us what brings you, in these troubled times, to the heart of a Crane's fortress. So maybe you can tell us what you think of all this?"

Again with the "Us" nonsense, Inara thought to herself. It made her uneasy, but in the category of things that had transpired since sundown yesterday, it hardly made the list of her chief worries, and the possibility of possession seemed more like a paranoid fantasy than anything close to reality, now that the sun was shining again. She would have to find time to ask someone about that, though... but until then, she turned her attention to what Akami had asked.

She frowned, unable to hide her distaste. Violence and conflict were somewhat inevitable in the world, but the Phoenix rarely involved themselves in such matters. And when they did... for just cause, always... the Phoenix war machine moved with deadly efficiency. She herself was no fighter, though she understood and could even accept that conflicts between the clans happened. What she could not understand was the pomp and circumstance, the posturing, the threats, the shows of force and the dance of advance and retreat. And she most certainly did not understand the thrill, or the appeal, that could bring someone to believe that war, when it happened, was anything less than tragic.

She chuckled dryly and glanced back to Akami. "If I may be honest, my Lady, to me all of this seems about as trivial and childish as I most likely seem to you." She sighed, a moment of anger flashing behind her eyes. "The Lion and Crane will distract each other with their war, accomplishing nothing, while the people suffer and the land cries out in pain." She stopped short, remembering her place. "Too honest, perhaps. I pray you will forgive my rudeness. I just... fear that all of THIS-" she said as she gestured toward the Iron Cranes, marching about aimlessly in their elegant cobalt uniforms, "-will not be enough to stop what I was shown in my visions."

Smiling affably at the monk, the Shugenja applied strips of cloth to the wounds of the two guests of Shiro Daidoji. She just whispered a brief response so as not to disturb her Daimyo.
"You should see the garden of Shiro Tsuma, they are exquisite."

From these same bands sprang a sensation of freshness, and, in the rising heat of a day in the heart of summer, which almost bordered on coldness.

While Reiko was obviously unresponsive to what was going on in front of their eyes, Suzume noticed that the fabrics gave off a slight sheen as soon as they came in contact with water from a nearby cup. Upon closer inspection, the water itself seemed to move, precisely as if something was swimming within it. Additionally, while the tissues were soaked in blood, the water remained clear and did not appear to tint scarlet.

As the Shugenja worked, the two wounds healed little by little, imperceptibly. That healing was much faster, however, than they would have with simple rest. It was so gentle that, apart from the receding pain, neither Reiko nor Suzume noticed this miracle healing.

Especially since the conversation with the Daimyo easily monopolized all the attention.
"Lady Magistrate, if your orders were private, as you say, perhaps you should have expressed them in private rather than expressed them publicly in front of my soldiers."

That was not a question, and the tension was palpable, it was not the habit of the Crane Clan to be so abrupt. The Lioness in the heart of the magistrate roared with indignation, ready to respond with her blade.
But Reiko had not risen thus in the hierarchy of the Emerald Magistrates by indulging in anger, and she did not fail to understand that these words of DAIDOJI Uji, more than bravado, were especially there to regain aplomb after the revelations she made one instant ago.
"Maho-Tsukai you say? Legends. Tales to frighten children in the kingdom. Stories the empire hasn't heard from in decades. And that doesn't change the fact that the Lion's troops are preparing on our border, and being at war with us, you'll forgive me for calling them, in fact, enemies."

Crossing his arms, his gaze plunging directly into Reiko's eyes, the Daimyo however chose to open the discussion and the possibilities.
"Your words are serious accusations, and if they turn out to be true, it would, of course, require our full cooperation to resolve such a problem.
Do you have proof of your allegations ?"

The Scorpion ambassador no longer expressed the slightest interest in the coming and going of the military. On the contrary, she was giving her full attention to the young Phoenix, with such intensity that Inara felt herself exposed by this woman.
"You are correct on one point. This is all child's play, they are waging war but have no idea why. This creates chaos in the harmony of the Empire, and only serves the interests of the enemies lurking there. What do you know about the current conflict ?"
In a gesture inviting the Phoenix' Shugenja to walk a little in her company, Akami did not let the opening of young ASAKO get lost, and continued her questions.
"You were talking about a vision, would you like to accompany us in our Taishikan, and tell us more about it ? We would be curious to know what your wise Elders of the Phoenix urge."The inducement seemed, if not friendly, at least polite and cordial, but was Inara ready to approach the claws and dart of Rokugan's most secretive clan like that?

The young commander's small troop had dispersed among the trees to benefit from the surprise effect, the sentries in position to monitor the enemy army. They had had to prepare earlier, and all enjoyed the moment of calm before the clashes. Everyone took the opportunity to rest a little, calm their minds and their fears, knowing that this day would perhaps be their last.

It was only for the sake of rigor and safety that Itsumi had placed a few sentries at the rear of their position, more to make sure the Lions would not attack them from behind.

So the alert became known from several factors. A pungent smell at first, carried by the wind. A second clue took the form of forest animals rushing at a gallop through the ambushed troop, in the direction of the plain. Sentries running up, breathless. And before they could even start their report, Itsumi had picked up something.
If this was not an aspect that he had chosen to develop, preferring the ways of art and saber, the fact remained that the commander had a certain sensitivity to the presence of the Kamis, and what he heard left no doubt in his mind.
He had heard this strange song before, on winter evenings when warm flames burned wood to fight the cold.
He heard the same song now, in the forest, but much more voracious and ferocious.
Much more unleashed and out of control. And coming straight to his men.
"DAIDOJI-Sama ... A fire is raging in the heart of the trees, and it is heading straight for us. At the rate it is moving, in 10 minutes we will all be surrounded by flames! "

Suzume bows low again. "Pardon my sudden interruption Uji-dono, I was in the town that was attacked. The peasants who attacked us fought like people possessed, little more than madmen working on instinct alone. As I was fighting for my life and the one of my student, I noticed a figure by a tree observing the scene, and though it was far away, I could sense vile intentions emanating from this being. Though it was gone by the end, when the peasants all fell to the ground, like puppets who's strings got cut, the earth and bark where the figure stood had been strangely altered... almost as if it was in process of being turned to ash... Reiko-sama here failed to notice the figure, but she witnessed everything else I just described, and though I would never dare to correct you on matter of legislature Uji-dono, I must remind you that as a samurai, an Emerald Magistrate at that, her word should be proof enough..."

"You are correct on one point. This is all child's play, they are waging war but have no idea why. This creates chaos in the harmony of the Empire, and only serves the interests of the enemies lurking there. What do you know about the current conflict ?"

Inara froze as though pierced by the Scorpion's gaze, but returned it steadily, turning Akami's words over in her mind. Chaos in the harmony of the Empire. Those words rang true, making the hair on the back of the young Phoenix's neck stand on end. She gathered her thoughts for a moment, accepting the invitation to walk with the other woman, and spoke when they had left the Iron Cranes behind.

"I know little of these enemies of which you speak, not much more than dark rumors. But... 'chaos in the harmony of the Empire...' I could not have described it more clearly. The kami of these lands are... troubled. Either they lie in silence, or they cry out in pain. It is a nearly constant feeling here, though it has begun to reach even into Phoenix lands. To find the source of that chaos, and thus a way to restore the kami to their rightful harmony, is why I chose to come."

Akami was silent for a long moment, lost in her own mysterious thoughts. Finally, she continued. "You were talking about a vision, would you like to accompany us in our Taishikan, and tell us more about it ? We would be curious to know what your wise Elders of the Phoenix urge."

Inara trembled a little, remembering, and feeling a bit vulnerable. She couldn't decide which she preferred... the feeling of the kami pulling the memories from her mind, or the way Akami's words seemed just as capable of cutting to the heart of the truth. Neither was particularly comforting. "The Council of Five knows far more than they have told me, Bayushi-san, but as I said, there are dark rumors spreading through the lands. And, given what I've been shown, I am inclined to believe them, or at least consider that they may be inspired by reality." She looked up to meet the Scorpion's gaze once more, deciding all at once that the elder ambassador could be trusted. "It is not wise to speak of such things here, I think," she said. "I will go with you, and I will tell you what I know."

A look of consternation crosses Kakita's face as the feint scent of smoke greets his senses. He looks around sharply at the animals fleeing, concerned they might give away his position. He turns to greet his sentry as if by sixth sense, Kami... he says beneath his breath.

As he is briefed he measures the distance between his Platoon and the treeline. They were deep enough to conceal their movements and on the other side of a small hill. He noticed a commotion began to rise through the ambush party and he knew that he had to act decidedly to quell any panic.

I had planned for such an unexpected turn of events he thought to himself.

He marches past the sentries to the center of the camp towards a bag where two long leather bags held 4 red fireworks, "Gather your arms! Keep a level head! This fire is a sign from the Kami that we are to take the initiative! Take only what you need for battle! What you leave behind will serve as sacrifice to the Gods! We will each be made wealthy from the fat of the Lion!"

Katika tosses a firework, one each to three nearby Soldiers, and marches to the treeline with his sword on his hip, determination in his eyes. Brazenly he steps out from the tree line. Giving himself ample birth from the edge that his firework signal not get lost. He slams into the ground and strikes his flint on his dagger, sparking the fuse.

The device explodes in the air a brilliant ruby color, signalling to the main force that the battle was about to begin. His Soldiers quickly followed suit. He waited for his Platoon to exit the tree line. He expected chaos but they were disciplined and ready to fight. He walked down their line and back twice, looking each in their eyes before taking position in the center and began to march, front to the enemies back.

Reiko's frown was deepening. She was seething with anger. She had given the daimyo the opportunity to recover his composure, and save face, and in response he had dared doubt her word. Togashi Suzume was talking to the Daimyo in a reasonable voice, and Reiko focused on what he was saying when she heard her name.

Reiko-sama here failed to notice the figure, but she witnessed everything else I just described, and though I would never dare to correct you on matter of legislature Uji-dono, I must remind you that as a samurai, an Emerald Magistrate at that, her word should be proof enough...
His interjection had saved her from being too aggressive with the Daimyo. She got back to what she had wanted to see the daimyo for:
Uji-dono, this is a grave matter. The involvement of a third party, be it really a maho wielder or merely a scheming manipulator concerns me greatly. It would go some way to explain the length of the present conflict, and pose the question of motive. I therefore... request... that you enter a ceasefire with the Lion clan.
No one missed the hesitation at the word request, and Reiko could have sworn she saw the beginning of a smile fleetingly appear on the lips of Suzume.
As previously discussed, my aide is currently drafting orders for the Lion clan to abide to a ceasefire. Furthermore, I will require the services of a shugenja to aid me in investigating, as I myself am completely blind to supernatural manifestations.

The Daimyo took his time. Long, silent breaths, a heavy, meaningful look. He reflected on the words of the monk and the magistrate, and above all on what that might imply. It was obvious that this whole story seemed impossible to him to conceive, and that the link between this attack on a village and the ongoing war was by no means irrefutable.
But at the same time, if the threat of a Maho-Tsukai in the region was real, it was something that couldn't be taken lightly, either by the Cranes or the Lions.
And the Ise-Zumi raised an important point: the words of the magistrate were marked with the seal of authority.
A few minutes elapsed without one or the other of the parties present breaking the ambient silence. Which ended when the Daimyo uncrossed his arms, and finally decided to answer, his hoarse voice echoing through the room.
"Both of you, monk and magistrate, you pose a problem for me. Blunt and rude as it is, it's the truth, and you know it. I hear you speak of an attack in a village not far from here, and my soldiers seem to corroborate your statements, on this point anyway.
I have no reason to doubt what you have just gone through, nor what you testify to have seen. On the other hand, I find it difficult to understand what would be the link between this isolated attack, perhaps set up by brigands, and the ongoing war with the Lion Clan."
He raised a hand to interrupt the objections he sensed coming, and continued in his speech.
"But you're right, TOGASHI-San. The Emerald Magistrates, representatives of the Emperor, therefore also represent his authority. As such, your words here are direct orders MATSU-San, and we will do as you say. A cease-fire will be transmitted. I am afraid, however, that without your direct intervention, this call for a truce will not be heard by the Lion clan, as they may suspect a trap on our part. Your direct intervention, therefore, and also urgent, since our two armies are about to clash again.
Moreover, it's up to you to shed light on these suspicions of blood magic, and it stands to reason that you will have the full cooperation of the Clan.
You asked to meet our Shugenjas. ASAHINA Yukiyo, here present, is the representative of our priests, and will know how to answer your questions, or at least, guide you in order to find the beginnings of answers.
That being said, I have to wonder now about the presence here, and in these times of war, of the presence of an envoy from the distant mountains of the Dragon clan. Would you like to enlighten me on this subject?"
Throughout his statement, his gaze kept alternating between the two guests, pausing to indicate to whom his sentences were addressed.
"It is all the more curious that an emissary of the Phoenix clan joined us yesterday, at the very beginning of the evening."

---

A young Phoenix, indeed, who found herself in the company of the ambassador of the Scorpion, and evolving in the heart of Shiro Daidoji, in the direction of the mentioned Taishikan. In doing so, she had the opportunity to discover the decorations inside the fortress, between the weapon rooms and the residential quarters, the children who took refuge in their houses when they passed around, when the parents watched them with suspicion.
As she advanced, she did not fail to notice that the decor darkened, or more exactly, that the sunlight was deliberately subdued to favor the surrounding shadows.

BAYUSHI Akami waited until she walked in the midst of these artificial shadows to bounce back from what Inara was saying.
"Dark rumors you said? Either you said too much, or not enough. But you can't decently leave us hanging around like this. Speak freely, Damzel of the Phoenix, you need not fear prying ears in these places."

A strange choice of words from the Scorpio, as they both walked among the surrounding population. Strange choice of words especially, while Inara had the impression that the surrounding shadows were very slightly moving.

---

Outside the castle, History was on the move, it seemed, and its first steps were those of a small troop of ambushing soldiers, whose commander had taken the initiative to change the plans of an entire clan.
It was unthinkable, in terms of military strategy, that a group of soldiers face the front, a few hundred against thousands. It was a sure defeat. But was it really?
Whatever his chances, a young Crane officer was determined to defy the certainties.
Despite the fire that had precipitated his decision to act, luck smiled on him in that the Lion army had yet to notice the soldiers charging them from the flank.

Quick to react and to obey orders, they had rushed into the attack even before the fireworks had been fired, and had already reached the plain, halfway in the distance between them and the enemy soldiers, when the 4 red arrows exploded in the sky with a thunderous sound.

This was the signal that informed the Lions that they were being attacked from an unforeseen angle. But this was the most formidable military army in the entire empire. After the first seconds of chaos and surprise, information circulated in the heart of this organization, and a detachment ended up splitting up to come and face the new threat.

And although the Lion warriors were still a little disorganized, they clearly outnumbered the troop of 200 Crane fighters led by KAKITA Itsumi.

The same chaos spread through the heart of the Crane army, forced to react to the signal sent by Itsumi's scouts, and the latter also launched an assault on the main Lion force.

Suzume bowed low once again.

"Yes Uji-dono. I suppose my presence here would seem strange. I was sent here on order of my lord, Nobusuke-dono. An ancient prophecy was recently unearthed, and my lord is worried it might explain the current conflict. If I may..."

He then turns to the servant who was carrying his belongings, motioning him (or her) to bring them to him. Suzume then opens his travelling bag, making sure his katana is in plain view, denoting his noble birth, before producing a scroll.

"Ah, here it is..."

He then turns around and humbly offers it to Daidoji Uji, holding the scroll in front of him in both hands, bowing low while waiting for Uji the read the words inscribed inside...

"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."

Inara followed Akami through the streets, smiling serenely and enjoying the touch of the morning air. Barely an hour after first light and already the heat and humidity had begun to rise. She found herself thinking fondly of her mountainous homeland, and the promise of cooler climes when she returned. But that only made her wonder again what was driving the Lion and Crane to the utter madness of waging war in the sweltering heat of summer... and could it have any connection to the darkness and fear she had been sensing?

She shook herself free of the memories, turning her attention to her surroundings. More often than not, that helped to take the edge off of her racing thoughts, but what she found was the passing faces of adults and children alike watching the two ambassadors with suspicion as they walked. Inara hid a pang of sadness behind what she hoped was a comforting smile. Though she did not have any desire to bear children of her own, the young Phoenix nonetheless adored them, and rare was the day that had passed before she set out for Shiro Daidoji that she did not have some young Asako or Shiba seeking her company for a song or a story or to share in a walk or adventure in the forests. The trepidation she found on their small faces was uncanny, and sadness flashed to a moment of impotent anger that they grew up in the shadow of war. No wonder they were frightened.

As they continued on, Inara noticed first a drop in the ambient light surrounding her, then a drop in the temperature as they passed into an area of deepened shadows. "Fascinating," she said aloud, distracted for a moment by the architecture.

Akami interrupted her musings right before she wandered off to explore the shifting shadows. "Dark rumors you said? Either you said too much, or not enough. But you can't decently leave us hanging around like this. Speak freely, Damsel of the Phoenix, you need not fear prying ears in these places."

Inara glanced around at the people milling around nearby. None of them seemed particularly interested in her, which she had to admit was better than being treated with suspicion and fear. She chose a place to settle down, far enough away from them that she could be relatively sure of a bit of privacy, yet close enough to make it clear that she didn't mistrust Akami's assessment of their safety.

She started from the beginning, telling the Scorpion lady how the kami had become more distant, and how rumors of war and darkness had reached Phoenix lands. She told of her journey south to Shiro Daidoji, her meeting with Itsumi, and the terrible vision she had seen. She told Akami how she had asked the water kami to show Itsumi what was happening around the castle, the battle with the peasants and the strange emptiness in their eyes. She told of meeting with Yukiyo and the ritual to allow the kami to show her all of what she had seen.

"I don't know what any of this means," she admitted. "The clans are all acting in their own best interests. They ignore the fact that the best outcome for all can only come if we work together. And... in whatever this darkness is... I sense a threat that seeks to drive us apart, that will take advantage of the infighting, and it will be for the ruin of all." She finally looked up to meet Akami's eyes; the Scorpion was watching her in silence, measuring her words. Inara dropped her defenses. "Let me speak plainly, my Lady. I am here on behalf of the Council, to speak to the Crane and find a way through this crisis. But I care nothing for war, or politics, or that tradition says you and I should have so little in common that speaking of such things should be dangerous. I may be here to treat with the Crane, but I have nothing but respect for the Scorpion clan. You protect your own, and I admire that." She paused, speaking carefully, praying her next words would not be mistaken for a threat. "The Lion/Crane conflict has begun to affect my home, and I want more than anything to protect my land, my family, my friends. But there is no promise that this will not spread into the realm of the Scorpion, Bayushi-san, and though I do not doubt your ability to protect your borders, it would grieve me to know your people came to harm if I could have given you warning, and I did not."

Reiko frowned, and pondered for a while. This prophecy was troubling. First, blood magic, and now a prophecy... She really hoped that she would find flesh and blood culprits, as Onis and Kamis were far outside her expertise... At length, she looked at Suzume.
I imagine there are several possible interpretations for this prophecy, but for you to come now, the council probably favours one, would you like to share it? And doesn't it strike you as odd that you and a phoenix would come here at the same time? Are we going to learn that a scorpion, a crab and a unicorn have approached the lion clan?
She turned to address the daimyo.
I would talk to that phoenix emissary if at all possible, and then I will go to the lion's officers and tell them about the truce. I will get to the bottom of this.
Would you like to join me Suzume-san?

Suzume turned and bowed to the Emerald Magistrate.

"Perhaps, who can truly say... From what I know of prophecies is that they are vague because they tell of a future which may come to pass instead of a future which is certain to come to pass. The actions of mortals can always change the course of history. All that I know is that my Champion, Nobosuke-dono, who is skilled at seeing the future, as all Dragon Clan champions have been since Togashi-kami himself saw that trouble coming, and finding this old prophesy greatly troubled him."

Suzume stops and thinks for a moment.

"My Lord did told me a cycle had to be continued in order to stop the meddling of a tenth kami. I guess you could consider that the Lion Clan, also known as the Emperor's Right Hand, and the Crane Clan, also known as the Emperor's Left Hand, are meant to be fighting as they do so every year. It is a sort of cycle after all... So is the peace which ends up being commanded by the Emperor every time they fight. The question now is, which of those two cycles does the maho-tsukai seek to break? And are we helping his plans in putting a stop to the fighting?

The revealed katana did not fail to attract the attention of the Daimyo, the latter recognized a work of quality, although far from the artistic standards of the Crane clan. Thus, this young monk was born into one of the noble families of the Empire, and was therefore not a vulgar peasant elevated to the rank of monk. Which also explained, in part, why he was sent by the Dragon. As for this prophecy ...

And it seemed Reiko was troubled too. However, she said something, about the different clans that came here, that caught Uji's attention. There was no news, as of yet, from the Crab and Unicorn clans, at least regarding the ongoing war. The Scorpion, on the other hand ... What was this decimated convoy, a few days before the start of the fighting between Crane and Lion ?

There were too many questions in the air since the monk and magistrate had started talking. And far too many unanswered questions. Maybe it was time to start looking for them, especially if the threat of a Maho-Tsukai in the vicinity became more and more real.

And so he bowed politely to his hosts.
"You should get ready to go now, both of you, if you don't want the day to turn scarlet again. I will notify this Phoenix emissary to accompany you, and I will make the same request to the Scorpion's Embassy, you will probably have questions for them too. Hoping that you will end up revealing the whole truth about what is going on right now.
Obviously, a detachment of Iron Cranes will also accompany you, for your safety, and to guarantee you access to the High Command of our army."

And while he took the leave, his orders to do so did not take long to be implemented.

---

Akami stopped, not far from a window through which the pale light of the early morning passed, and took the opportunity to examine Inara again. She had planned to lead the young Phoenix to the heart of the embassy, to be more ceremonious, to flatter a little the sense of customs and traditions of this child. And now this same child was giving her a speech that was at the same time touching, naive, and despite everything full of hope. More surprisingly, she didn't seem to be lying, when it was more common for people to keep secrets. Amazing, really.

She had no time to respond, however, as a guard wearing a Scorpion mon, younger than Inara, approached running, scroll in hand, and apparently urgent.
He only stopped his course for a few moments, while the ambassador allowed him to approach, before he handed the scroll to Akami and informed her of the latest events in the fortress with an inaudible whisper.
The forty-something gave a few moments to the scroll that had just been delivered to her, before turning her eyes back to the young Asako.
"We are afraid, Damzel of the Phoenix, that you will have to wait to tell us the end of your story. By order of the Emperor, through the intermediary of an Emerald Magistrate, you are expected in the courtyard to join the battlefield, and will, for this, be accompanied by one of our followers. When it comes to imperial authority, this takes precedence over everything, including our little friendly conversation. We pray that we can resume this exchange soon."

Without even looking in the direction of the figure that had just revealed her existence in the hallway, a few steps behind the Scorpion ambassador, she sent him a new mission, placing the roll of parchment at his disposal.
"Tohi-San, accompany our young friend, will you? And see what this Magistrate wants, since your presence, it seems, is also required."

---

It was evident that the Lion army knew how to adapt and react to the unexpected, as they organized themselves to face the load of the 200 Crane soldiers, by seconding a contingent of warriors for this purpose.

But even they could not be fully prepared for the brutal assault within seconds of Itsumi's troop climbing the last hundred yards.

And so it was in an imperfect formation that these blue warriors interfered with their enemy, taking advantage of the holes to further advance their attack.

Very quickly, Itsumi and his men found themselves in the heart of the battle, exchanging swords and spears with their opponents, and very quickly, each of them lost all notion of what was happening beyond a few meters around them.

For Itsumi, amid the cries and sounds of confrontation, it was no longer really a question of commanding now, surrounded as he was by 5 opposing soldiers.
He easily realized that each of these warriors, fought one by one, would be no match for him. In the fray of a war, alone against the number, on the other hand, it mobilized all his art and his training so as not to find himself put in difficulty.

He was going to have to react and be creative if he was to succeed in gaining the advantage.