WHAT DOES NOT KILL YOU
26th of Akodo in 1123 (Month of the Horse) – Matsu Shànzi (yep, that’s me) As the hour of the Goat (2-4 PM) crested into its turn for the afternoon. The gloom of the location made it seem much later. The Lion, Crane, Scorpion, and Dragon fine themselves at the end of a rest from a battle. The plan was hastily made but it worked far better than expected. It is often cited that no plan survives contact with the enemy but this one pretty much followed the beats of a dance. Prisoner is rescued, most wounds are mended, and tea was had. They are awaiting the rise of their new Phoenix companion before moving out. Not sure when that will be it was decided Doji Hoto san would stay behind with the Phoenix shugenja while the rest of us press on ahead.
Upon entering a courtyard that had a stream running through it. The trio came upon an emergent combat scene. A tall samurai – almost six and a half Shaku – was beginning to engage with one of three Emarald Shades they have seen prior. The Lion ordered his Dragon cousin forward as the Scorpion and he readied their bows and began practical training for Airi san. They had studied kyujutsu when they were young but this yumi bow was a stark reminder of how long ago that was.
“I thought Eiji went home,” mumured Donoha san, “must be someone else. This one has wany more hair on their head and I don’t see any Nezumi.”
Leave it to the Kitsuki to see a battle and run up to the samurai within as though they had been long wartime companions. He was not quiet with his greeting to his new, and very large brother-in-arms. The world’s strangest Dragon samurai he is indeed. Arrows from Asahi san and Airi san began to chase down their forward companion. Raining injuries upon the shades, as Donoha nearly finished one off while the Crab was engaged wwith another. The shades made no noise so the battle had an eerie quiet to it, save for the shifting of feet, swings of weapons, and the twanging song of the two yumi.
This time it was Donoha san that got the assist from one of Asahi san’s arrows finishing off the shade but consuming the arrow in the process. Being freed up he spun around the Crab and killed the one hanging on by a thread and then came to rest at the last one. The Crab looked infuriated!
The Crab samurai crushed the last shade in a single blow!
Exchanging names the trio were now acquainted with Hiruma Gombei 蛭間 権兵衛, a bushi warrior of his clan. He too, bore the oft seen tetsubo the Crab are known for. Then Gombei san made a terrible mistake with this Dragon. He asked about his Crab gifted and inherited Oath-Hammer. Donoha went from mysterious to a person that had found someone that liked the same stuff they did!
Bayushi Airi san was treating Gombei san’s wounds from the blows the shades left. Never any blood just the feeling of frostbite when the inky blackness cuts you. Donoha san explained to Gombei san how his family came into possession of Chikai kodzuchi 誓い小槌 the Oath-hammer. An ancestor had defeated a Crab wielding a Kaiu blade. Rather than keeping it he took the time to learn of the family and returned it so the honor of his opponent could be nurtured in the next generation. In return they presented him with the hammer that made the blade. Its been in Donoha’s family for several generations and he was tasked with never letting it out of his sight.
Donoha san went on to explain he was developing his own version of the Dragon Niten style called O-Niten where the Wakizashi is replaced by either a kodzuchi (hammer) or masakari (one handed axe). From there he went on and explanation of the components of his sword, Mittsu Tamashī 三つ魂 the blade of Three Souls. Made from blades that had lost honor so they could restore reincarnated as Mittsu Tamashi. From the Phoenix there was Asako Katsumi & Shiba Tsukasa. Tsukasa had died protecting their assigned to a Phoenix Shugenja. Katsumi committed seppuku when he learned of the blade failing he had made. From fallen warriors on the Kaiu Kabe (Carpenter’s Wall) he had blades from Hida Shimazu, Hida Nagahide, Hiruma Kenji, Hida Moriyama, Kuni Asakura, and Yasuki Saigo. From the Lion he had the current reigning Ikoma Daimyo’s wakizashi and his Yojimbo’s katana. It is said the Daimyo still favors Donoha to this day. Considering he also gave him his name during their gempukku.
The dotsugi (copper joinery) saya (scabbard or sheath) prompted Gombei san to bring out a kintsugi (gold joinery) sake set that when its owner poured sake it NEVER RAN OUT! Wait till Doji Hoto san hears about that! Well not until the owner chooses to empty it. This was proof though that a item made from joinery could be awakened and have a spirit or spirits in them. Had his cousin not reminded them they were now wasting time since Airi san had finished the wound treatment, it would have been hard to stop him. From here Donoha san’s “Kitsuki Method of Ichi-Maru” tracked the path with info from Gombei san about a temple with activity in it and more shades. Once the group arrived they began to make a plan to deal with everyone before moving on to Shiro Mori Kage (Forest Shadow’s castle).
26th of Akodo in 1123 (Month of the Horse) – Matsu Shànzi (yep, that’s me)
Within the temple in the center of Mori Kage Toshi was four groups of san (three) Emerald shades each and in the center was another Maho Shugenja and six more shades. The four man team of Akodo Asahi san, Kitsuki Donoha san, Bayushi Airi san, and our newest member Hiruma Gombei san, elected to pull one group at a time since the dead seem to be attracted to the team leader, Akodo Asahi san. Then it became 4 against three. If only the Phoenix shugenja which Doji Hoto was guarding would have woken up events may not have turned out as they did. It’s hard at times to understand the Kharmic Cycle’s needs and turning of events.
After speaking with Hiruma Gombei san and Bayushi Airi san I have more respect for Donoha san and his itoko (cousin), Asahi san. In the third engagement, they had to engage with Emerald shades within direct sight of the Maho shugenja and their six shades. Since the shades make no noise they used hand signals and fought a slow withdrawl to drag them to an area to dispose of them! That is nine Emerald shades at this point the group had subdued due to their desire for Asahi’s flesh. However this battle of attrition took a heavy toll on our brave warriors. Asahi san was laid unconscious during that engagement and were it not for the healing arts of Bayushi Airi san they would have likely died.
My readers may forget that when you are stabbed by an Emerald shade. It pierces through all your garments and leaves no mark other than stinging frostbite on your bodies! You die from being frozen to death! When Asahi san came about no one pointed fingers about whom did or did not do something. There was a collective sigh and discussion about working on finding better timing.
This did not deter our group from going after the fourth group of the Emerald shades. They re-entered the temple once again, made it pass the Maho shugenja and the six Emerald shades protecting him for some dark purpose. The droning of chants echoed throughout the temple as the Maho shugenja was absorbed in their ritual.
Donoha and Gombei seem to develop a competition at first as to whom could get more shades. It quickly turned into one would weaken the shade and other would finish it off! Donoha was putting out comparable damage to a Crab samurai and their tetsubo! More often than not Asahi would have to hold off six strikes while the others finished off the Emerald shades. Less we forget the rise of the Crimson Archer – Bayushi Airi san! Her prowess with Hoto san’s loaned yumi bow was growing through trial by fire!
In order to reach the final grouping of the outer shades they had to scale a few crumbling walls. Once they caught Asahi’s scent they tried to walk through the stone wall to no avail. However, they put what passed for a foot on the wall and began to walk up and over it! In the cramped quarter the final Emerald shade laid low an already injured Asahi! When Donoha came for vengeance he injured but was taken down as well! Bayushi san saw the first strike and thought that would finish him! He stood up only to be put back down by the second strike!
Hiruma Gombei crushed the last one and together with Bayushi Airi san they took in the scene. Gombei san remembered saying, “I was supposed to be the shield, they are true swordsmen.”
Airi san inspected the bodies and Asahi san was conscious but talking in whispers! Donoha was breathing when he shouldn’t be at all! While Gombei san handled the bodies, Airi san carried his katana – Mittsu Tamashi (Three Souls) and the Oath Hammer so it would not be out of its master’s sight.
To say Doji Hoto was at a loss of words when they returned would be an understatement. The Phoenix shugenja was still convalescent and not awake. Introductions were made an both Airi and Gombei sans removed the Lion and Dragon’s armor. Setting it to their sides in as much a honorable fashion as could be done. Mittsu Tamashi (Three Souls) and the Oath Hammer were laid in front of the Dragon’s armor. Hoto san made tea and everyone got updated.
At the end of hour of the Monkey (Shiba; 4-6 PM) later Asahi san was awake and everyone made sure he did not move. Airi san offered her lap to rest his head when medicine needed to be taken. This way he could not choke on it or drinking the tea. In the back half of the hour of the Rooster (Bayushi; 6-8 PM), brought the sound many people were waiting to hear.
“Where is my sword and hammer?”
Donoha san open his eyes and rolled his head in the opposite direction of Airi san’s voice when she said, “Over there with your armor.” The Scorpion repeated the same treatment for Donoha but kept exclaiming he should be dead. He mused at the thought of the Kami of good fortune still favoring him.