-Asahina Yoshino.
In the end, you have to take the Emperor somewhere were you know he'll be safe. For now at least, that is the Tower of the Crane. You wish you could trust the Unicorn...but if one of their daimyo was slain and replaced, how many more? As for the Asako...you respect the Master of Water for his power, but that man, isn't someone you know well enough to trust.
Careful not to disturb his wounds any further, you carry the Emperor in a bridal style out of the viewing room. The hallway and stairs are filled with corpses and blood. The Seppun and Moto gave their lives here. Your trained eye seeing what happened already. The Goju leads a group of its own here, disguised as Utaku to relieve the Moto.
Someone got suspicious...and then all hell broke loose, as a single Goju Shugenja called on the powers gifted by its foul lord to silence the area. The Seppun and Moto fell upon the Goju, a brutal narrow combat where no mercy was asked or given.
The Goju won, but you believe, granted with no evidence because the Goju don't leave behind bodies, that the it was a near thing. A single Goju left to finish the mission, out of however many that the False Utaku led here. Considering the circumstances, you have to admit that they did very well.
You push the thought away and focus on hurrying as fast as you can. It is fortunate that the Tower of the Crane isn't too far from here. The Daidoji and Shinjo guards lose control of their emotions when they see you. You don't care, you barrel into Yoshino's room.
Yoshino looks up startled from her meditative calligraphy. As you place the Emperor on her table, you give only one command.
"Save him"
She nods, and begins to call on the kami and her own knowledge. You turn to gather up as many of your own clan as possible. You have no idea how deep the rot runs, but you will kill every last thing in this castle before you allow another attack on the Emperor.
You owe him no less.
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You blink as you float along in the air, this is...strange, isn't it. Floating in air? Why would that be? A frown as you try to recall...Hisao, your name is Hisao. Why is it strange to float in air? Maybe it will come to you.
Without much thought you sit up, a gasping breath as you find yourself sitting in water, warm cleansing ocean water that tastes of too much salt. The soft sounds of the beach fill your ears. Sand, surf and distant birds making a quiet melody as you stand up. Yet, you can't help but think this is all very strange. For one thing, you're wearing a heavy winter kimono in the ocean, that can't be right.
Looking down you see the three holes in your chest...the Goju, are you dead?
No, you can't be, you have too much to do. Looking around again, you see a single path leading up a mountain from the beach.
Bereft, of other ideas, you begin to climb the path up. The holes in your chest begin to itch as you keep climbing, the steep path gradually turning into a simple cliff as you go up and up.
As you climb, as you travel, your mortal concerns seem to fall away. Nothing matters but the journey, each step, each stumble sends you forward, each bone shaking wind storm holding you back. Thought is an anathema here, there is only the world, you are it, and it is you.
The top of the mountain seems empty at first, only a man stands there. A massive giant of a man with simple beard and wearing Hida armor, but a man none the less. Yet, you feel yourself burning, not from desire or need, but from the sheer power that emanates from the man. Light unyielding, unblinking burning you from within, as you take a step towards the man.
Each step becomes harder, as your body continues to protest, continues to scream at you to run, to hide. This power, this purity is not for a mortal man. Not for you. That does not matter, for there must be a meeting between him and you.
So you walk, until you stand in front of him looking up and up at his form. A single named whispered in your mind. 'Yakamo'
"Lord Sun" You get out with a bow.
"Toturi IV" He returns.
His voice is not so different from your coronation, but it seems more pure here, more forceful.
"...To what do I owe the pleasure" You ask.
"You have sworn to kill a foe of all. I give you my blessing boy. I have no knowledge to give you, no tactics to impart. You have shown that you do not need it. Or perhaps, you do not desire it. It matters not to me"
"What is this blessing Lord Sun."
Where he got that tetsubo, you will never know. What you do know is that he threw it with enough force to send it flying into the distance, soon leaving your sight.
"In the Spine of the World, my Tetsubo now sits. Find it, and you will find a weapon that can kill the Shadow Dragon. That is my blessing Boy"
"...Thank you Lord Sun."
You want to ask why he didn't just give it to you. However, you suspect he has his own reasons and that asking the literal Sun why he did something would end poorly for you.
"Hmmph, I do have one more thing to say. Look to the north when the Sun fades."
You aren't sure what to make of that.
"Goodbye Boy." He says.
The mountain disappears from underneath your feet.
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You sit up in your bed, hand grasping for now empty air. What...how? Where were you? What?
Deep breaths, deep breaths Hisao. Moments pass as you take in your surroundings. Collapsed beside you is an Asahina, Yoshi something as you recall. On your other side. Doji Domotai sits in a perfect size, sword across her waist, her eyes following you perfectly.
She hasn't slept a wink, the dark marks under her eyes suggesting it's been a while. However, she is still focused, still prepared to move should anything happen at all that is a threat to you.
"Doji-san..." You say.
Your throat is dry.
"...How long was I out?" You ask at last.
"Two days my Emperor. It is good to see you wake." She answers.
"What happened?"
Domotai glances at her Asahina comrade.
"...There was an attack, not just on you, but on Lord Moto and Ikoma as well. There was heavy fighting in the Khan's tower, but the Khan himself yet lives, although his trusted advisor Moto Chen, perished. The Khan is furious, and heedless of the snow has called for a great ride to purge the Lying Darkness from his lands at all costs."
"And the Lion?" You ask.
Domotai shifts.
"Ikoma Otemi has perished, giving his life to save the heirs of the Shinjo family and several of their close vassals. It was a good death, but the Lion have retreated into mourning."
"Did anything good happen?" You manage to get out.
Domotai gives the wryest of smiles.
"My Emperor yet lives, most would consider that fantastic news. The Goju plot has failed utterly. With our survival, and the trick of Utaku Xieng-Chi revealed, the attempt to frame the Lion for the murder of the Unicorn and vice versa did not succeed at all. If anything they have become closer for the attempt. We were wounded, but not killed my Emperor. For that, I am grateful"
You let yourself smile.
"Thank you Doji-san, for protecting me. Let me get some water and then you can rest"
"Hai, my Emperor, I can keep going if you need it." She says.
"Perhaps, but a warrior without sleep is a warrior without an edge." You respond.
"...As you say" she admits.
You fall into silence as you set about eating and drinking away the last of your pains.
This has been a huge mess. The Shadow Dragon had nearly decapitated the leadership of the clans that would be most important to stopping them, and getting them to war on each other...and well nearly killed you. You had been naive, you won't let it happen again.
For now though, you need to focus on
[] Making sure the Lion aren't about to do something honourably stupid
[] Calming down Chagatai before he freezes to death in the snows
[] Solving the the things you actually came here to solve
