My Clan -
Otosan Uchi is in flames and the Emperor is dead.
Just before the battle, we entered the throne room with Shinsei by our side. The palace halls rang with the scream of madmen, and the castle stank of rotting filth. We followed the Scorpion through the halls of the palace, to the heart of darkness. I saw the look on her face as she stared into the eyes of the thing on the throne. She has known him, lived here with his madness, and she remained. Whatever else I may say of her, she is no coward. The beast that was our Emperor was waiting on his Emerald Throne, and when we entered the room, he was laughing. The battle was joined.
When it was over, two men lay dying upon the floor. At my feet, faint life struggled in the heart of the Master of Earth. I reached to drag him from that place, but he shook me away. The darkness which had placed claim upon his soul so long ago had come to take him now, and the light of my hand was more than he could bear. He asked for no words of comfort, cried no piteous cries of pain. One soft name, and then, nothing.
Outside the palace, my sister led the Crab against the Dark One's legion. Phoenix spells and Lion bushi scattered across the field like confetti at a festival, and the wall of the palace were stained with blood. The fight was brave that day, though many Crab lost their lives on the fields around the palace - on both sides. I spoke to O-Ushi, and she told of men under her command who would be struck down fighting the horde, only to rise in their defense moments later. She spoke of the Daidoji who fought by her side during the battle, how he stood with her when the bodies of their enemies had the faces of their own kinsmen, and she knew in her heart why our ancestors called them "Iron Cranes."
Now the battle is over, but our fight has only begun. We have torn down the terrible banners and destroyed the dark magics that once tempted our brothers, but there is still much of the Shadowland left outside the Wall. Root out this evil! Rebuild the barrier that stands between Rokugan and the darkness. We must remember the oaths our ancestors swore and this time, we must not fail them. Among their ancient voices I can hear the battle shouts of my brother, and I know he will give us strength to recover what we have lost.
But there is one thing more. Something I did not tell Toturi when the Clans met on the field to crown him Emperor. I searched among the dead on the Imperial plain before we led our men away, and I saw the face of every man who died upon that field.
The face of Kuni Yori was not among them.
Otosan Uchi is in flames and the Emperor is dead.
Just before the battle, we entered the throne room with Shinsei by our side. The palace halls rang with the scream of madmen, and the castle stank of rotting filth. We followed the Scorpion through the halls of the palace, to the heart of darkness. I saw the look on her face as she stared into the eyes of the thing on the throne. She has known him, lived here with his madness, and she remained. Whatever else I may say of her, she is no coward. The beast that was our Emperor was waiting on his Emerald Throne, and when we entered the room, he was laughing. The battle was joined.
When it was over, two men lay dying upon the floor. At my feet, faint life struggled in the heart of the Master of Earth. I reached to drag him from that place, but he shook me away. The darkness which had placed claim upon his soul so long ago had come to take him now, and the light of my hand was more than he could bear. He asked for no words of comfort, cried no piteous cries of pain. One soft name, and then, nothing.
Outside the palace, my sister led the Crab against the Dark One's legion. Phoenix spells and Lion bushi scattered across the field like confetti at a festival, and the wall of the palace were stained with blood. The fight was brave that day, though many Crab lost their lives on the fields around the palace - on both sides. I spoke to O-Ushi, and she told of men under her command who would be struck down fighting the horde, only to rise in their defense moments later. She spoke of the Daidoji who fought by her side during the battle, how he stood with her when the bodies of their enemies had the faces of their own kinsmen, and she knew in her heart why our ancestors called them "Iron Cranes."
Now the battle is over, but our fight has only begun. We have torn down the terrible banners and destroyed the dark magics that once tempted our brothers, but there is still much of the Shadowland left outside the Wall. Root out this evil! Rebuild the barrier that stands between Rokugan and the darkness. We must remember the oaths our ancestors swore and this time, we must not fail them. Among their ancient voices I can hear the battle shouts of my brother, and I know he will give us strength to recover what we have lost.
But there is one thing more. Something I did not tell Toturi when the Clans met on the field to crown him Emperor. I searched among the dead on the Imperial plain before we led our men away, and I saw the face of every man who died upon that field.
The face of Kuni Yori was not among them.
Yakamo
My gentle cousin -
The war is over, and we are coming home. On the plains of Otosan Uchi, the armies of Rokugan united against the Dark One, struggling in one last battle against the forces of the Shadowlands, and we were victorious. But the battle left us with heavy losses - losses which seem almost too much to bear.
When the dawn came, Toshimoko led his men - all wearing the mon of the Imperial Guard - onto the field of battle. It was all I could do to keep our Crane army alongside him. He fought with the fury of a man possessed, his katana striking deep into the heart of that unearthly fray. Beside me, the Lions rampaged against a horde of undead, and I saw Tsanuri draw her steel against the remains of the Crab, Amoro. Then the lines closed around me and I had no time for thought. Four times the Phoenix were cut down by the strange magic of the Dark One, and four times they rallied behind Scorpion lines. Phoenix defended by Scorpion, a strange sight, but a welcome one. As the shugenja cast their spells, the jade flew above my head and into the archers on the walls around the palace. Tides of arrows returned fire, and I saw many shugenja fall beneath their burning rain. Despite their valiant struggle, I fear the Phoenix have taken the heaviest wounds of all.
As the sun rose, it seemed as if a tide turned within the battle. I saw the battle-maidens of the Unicorn driving the undead toward us, and we cut the zombies down like chaff before a woodsman's axe. The spirit of the legion was breaking, their servants were racing into the woods, making for the south. Goblins, mujina - all were fleeing, and I knew that somewhere deep within the Emperor's palace, we had won. When the Thunders came forth from the keep, I counted their number. Nine had entered the palace to fight the evil within. Only six had returned.
Three men lay within the funeral pyre on the plains of Otosan Uchi, but I had eyes only for one flame. Today I watched my brother's body burn. When I was young, our father called me into his chambers before I was sent to study war with the Daidoji. "My son," he told me, "some men put faith in the things of steel - the sword of strength and skill. Others say that the path lies in the eyes of a great soul - the sword of the spirit."
Now that soul lies in flames on the field of the Emperor's palace.
The Empress stood before the pyre as well, and in her hand I thought I saw a braid of black hair and white. Strange times make strange allies. I have heard Toturi will give the Scorpion back their house, their place in the Empire. Perhaps not, I do not know. The Crane have enough houses of our own to rebuild.
If we are to have again what we have lost in this war, it must be through faith. Let us return to the lands of the Doji and regain our way, and our hope will renew the soul of our people. I swear to you, if it takes all my strength, I will lead us beyond the flames and to a new beginning.
The war is over, and we are coming home. On the plains of Otosan Uchi, the armies of Rokugan united against the Dark One, struggling in one last battle against the forces of the Shadowlands, and we were victorious. But the battle left us with heavy losses - losses which seem almost too much to bear.
When the dawn came, Toshimoko led his men - all wearing the mon of the Imperial Guard - onto the field of battle. It was all I could do to keep our Crane army alongside him. He fought with the fury of a man possessed, his katana striking deep into the heart of that unearthly fray. Beside me, the Lions rampaged against a horde of undead, and I saw Tsanuri draw her steel against the remains of the Crab, Amoro. Then the lines closed around me and I had no time for thought. Four times the Phoenix were cut down by the strange magic of the Dark One, and four times they rallied behind Scorpion lines. Phoenix defended by Scorpion, a strange sight, but a welcome one. As the shugenja cast their spells, the jade flew above my head and into the archers on the walls around the palace. Tides of arrows returned fire, and I saw many shugenja fall beneath their burning rain. Despite their valiant struggle, I fear the Phoenix have taken the heaviest wounds of all.
As the sun rose, it seemed as if a tide turned within the battle. I saw the battle-maidens of the Unicorn driving the undead toward us, and we cut the zombies down like chaff before a woodsman's axe. The spirit of the legion was breaking, their servants were racing into the woods, making for the south. Goblins, mujina - all were fleeing, and I knew that somewhere deep within the Emperor's palace, we had won. When the Thunders came forth from the keep, I counted their number. Nine had entered the palace to fight the evil within. Only six had returned.
Three men lay within the funeral pyre on the plains of Otosan Uchi, but I had eyes only for one flame. Today I watched my brother's body burn. When I was young, our father called me into his chambers before I was sent to study war with the Daidoji. "My son," he told me, "some men put faith in the things of steel - the sword of strength and skill. Others say that the path lies in the eyes of a great soul - the sword of the spirit."
Now that soul lies in flames on the field of the Emperor's palace.
The Empress stood before the pyre as well, and in her hand I thought I saw a braid of black hair and white. Strange times make strange allies. I have heard Toturi will give the Scorpion back their house, their place in the Empire. Perhaps not, I do not know. The Crane have enough houses of our own to rebuild.
If we are to have again what we have lost in this war, it must be through faith. Let us return to the lands of the Doji and regain our way, and our hope will renew the soul of our people. I swear to you, if it takes all my strength, I will lead us beyond the flames and to a new beginning.
Kuwanan
My kinsman -
I will tell you what I remember.
I stand at the doorway of the great battle, and I see them fight - Toturi, the Crane, the others...valiantly stuggling again and again against an evil they cannot possibly understand. I look into the shadows across the room, and I see hooded eyes fixed on mine. Waiting to see if I will join the battle. I look in this eyes, and I realize. He knows. I turn my face to the battle again, my hands filled with blood, and I watch the Dark One fall beneath their blades. I witness the death of two Thunders as their blood spreads in an ocean of scarlet on the floor. And when the battle is done, I look on as the others free the Crab from his chains. I search his eyes as they help him stand, but in them I find nothing.
When they leave, I stay in the throne room. I look at the broken chains, the shattered throne. I stare into the eyes of each of the four dead men on the floor, and as I do, I reach down to the broken body of Togashi, and I take his swords from his side. I know them - the weight, the brightness of the steel. Memories of the day of their forging surface in my thoughts. Memories that are not mine. There is a soft noise in the shadows near me, but I do not look. I am drawn back in time, to the place where I sat, watching the crowning of the first Hantei. To the day when my brother, Satsu, died from the Crab's tetsubo. A movement, and I see the faces of men who died a thousand years ago. They change, and I see the face of the Crab. There are soft footsteps across the throne room, but I turn away. There is nothing left for me now.
Some time after, I walk into the brightness of the morning, out of the Palace. I leave with four swords at my side. No one else should bear them. No one else can carry their weight. I look down from the palace wall and see my brother, Daini, with his Naga. Let him stay with them. Perhaps their sleep will be kinder than my awakening. Toturi stands upon the wall, watching the last of the fighting below. I stand near him, placing my hand along the stone at my feet like a crouching spirit, and look down at my men. Dragon blood was spilled across those fields. Something stirs in me, and I wait for it to speak - but it is silent, and the swords rest uncertainly in my grasp.
But what I remember most occurred before the fight, before we entered the Palace. At the last moment before the others arrived, Togashi put his hand on my shoulder and his eyes met mine. That was when I looked beneath his steel mask for the first time. I could see his face - his thoughts. In his eyes was the image of his destruction. The face of death was my own.
His swords are heavy in my hands, my own daisho shifting at my side with each step I take. His voice - my voice - rings in my ears, and it's laughter is unfamiliar and strange. I close my eyes and his broken body flashes against the darkness. It was not until I saw the sun again that I realized my black hand still held his bleeding heart.
No one should have to carry four swords.
I will tell you what I remember.
I stand at the doorway of the great battle, and I see them fight - Toturi, the Crane, the others...valiantly stuggling again and again against an evil they cannot possibly understand. I look into the shadows across the room, and I see hooded eyes fixed on mine. Waiting to see if I will join the battle. I look in this eyes, and I realize. He knows. I turn my face to the battle again, my hands filled with blood, and I watch the Dark One fall beneath their blades. I witness the death of two Thunders as their blood spreads in an ocean of scarlet on the floor. And when the battle is done, I look on as the others free the Crab from his chains. I search his eyes as they help him stand, but in them I find nothing.
When they leave, I stay in the throne room. I look at the broken chains, the shattered throne. I stare into the eyes of each of the four dead men on the floor, and as I do, I reach down to the broken body of Togashi, and I take his swords from his side. I know them - the weight, the brightness of the steel. Memories of the day of their forging surface in my thoughts. Memories that are not mine. There is a soft noise in the shadows near me, but I do not look. I am drawn back in time, to the place where I sat, watching the crowning of the first Hantei. To the day when my brother, Satsu, died from the Crab's tetsubo. A movement, and I see the faces of men who died a thousand years ago. They change, and I see the face of the Crab. There are soft footsteps across the throne room, but I turn away. There is nothing left for me now.
Some time after, I walk into the brightness of the morning, out of the Palace. I leave with four swords at my side. No one else should bear them. No one else can carry their weight. I look down from the palace wall and see my brother, Daini, with his Naga. Let him stay with them. Perhaps their sleep will be kinder than my awakening. Toturi stands upon the wall, watching the last of the fighting below. I stand near him, placing my hand along the stone at my feet like a crouching spirit, and look down at my men. Dragon blood was spilled across those fields. Something stirs in me, and I wait for it to speak - but it is silent, and the swords rest uncertainly in my grasp.
But what I remember most occurred before the fight, before we entered the Palace. At the last moment before the others arrived, Togashi put his hand on my shoulder and his eyes met mine. That was when I looked beneath his steel mask for the first time. I could see his face - his thoughts. In his eyes was the image of his destruction. The face of death was my own.
His swords are heavy in my hands, my own daisho shifting at my side with each step I take. His voice - my voice - rings in my ears, and it's laughter is unfamiliar and strange. I close my eyes and his broken body flashes against the darkness. It was not until I saw the sun again that I realized my black hand still held his bleeding heart.
No one should have to carry four swords.
Hitomi
To my comrades-in-arms among the fortresses of the Lion,
You know me. You heard my voice in council, and you know my heart. Those of you who have served in my legion know that I sought only to lead my people as I felt my oath demanded. I stood at the gates of Otosan-Uchi, attacked on all sides by my people, torn between loyalty and reason. I would have died there, beside my kinsmen. At the hands of my kinsmen. I would have died fighting for what I thought was our duty.
I was wrong.
When Toturi, the ronin, came before us and showed us the way that we had lost, we rallied and turned up on the palace with all the fury of a hundred storms. The gates opened, and the filth within the walls spewed forth across the plains in a battle like none I have ever seen. But with a wildness in their eyes and a strength in their hearts that was unmatched, ten thousand Lions took the field that day for Rokugan - and beside the forces of Crane, Crab and Unicorn we charged, praying it would be enough. Praying all would go well within its walls. I charged into the fray with Motso beside me, and a legion of undead parted before our blades. I tore away their porcelain masks and tried to ignore the faces beneath. Once they were familiar faces.
Once they were men - just soldiers, like you or I - but now they had become abominations. Food for a Lion's blade.
Even when the zombies disarmed me and thought to place upon my own face the mask of their Master, I fought with nothing but my hands and my courage. I thank the Seven Fortunes that it was enough, and I ran their once-Crab leader through with his own rusted blade.
Many men died on the field that day, but those who survived - Gohei, Agetoki, and the rest - showed the Shadowlands the strength of a Lion's heart.
Remember them, my brothers, when you speak of this day to your children.
Remember not only the seven who entered the gates of the Palace, but the thousands who died on its fields. Their sacrifices were just as great.
When the bodies of the dead were burning on the plains, I went before Toturi and offered him my life. He looked into my eyes and said, "To tread on the sword that defends you is an offense to the soul of bushido. Rise, daimyo of the Lion, and take your place at the council of your peers." I stood beside the daimyos of the great clans of Rokugan, and I felt like a falcon among eagles.
I am a soldier. I was not raised to be a politician, nor a leader of men. I swore my blade to the Lion, and to the Emperor. Now that Emperor commands me to lead you into the future that is before us. If you choose, you can follow me there, and we will fight as soldiers. Side by side.
You know me. You heard my voice in council, and you know my heart. Those of you who have served in my legion know that I sought only to lead my people as I felt my oath demanded. I stood at the gates of Otosan-Uchi, attacked on all sides by my people, torn between loyalty and reason. I would have died there, beside my kinsmen. At the hands of my kinsmen. I would have died fighting for what I thought was our duty.
I was wrong.
When Toturi, the ronin, came before us and showed us the way that we had lost, we rallied and turned up on the palace with all the fury of a hundred storms. The gates opened, and the filth within the walls spewed forth across the plains in a battle like none I have ever seen. But with a wildness in their eyes and a strength in their hearts that was unmatched, ten thousand Lions took the field that day for Rokugan - and beside the forces of Crane, Crab and Unicorn we charged, praying it would be enough. Praying all would go well within its walls. I charged into the fray with Motso beside me, and a legion of undead parted before our blades. I tore away their porcelain masks and tried to ignore the faces beneath. Once they were familiar faces.
Once they were men - just soldiers, like you or I - but now they had become abominations. Food for a Lion's blade.
Even when the zombies disarmed me and thought to place upon my own face the mask of their Master, I fought with nothing but my hands and my courage. I thank the Seven Fortunes that it was enough, and I ran their once-Crab leader through with his own rusted blade.
Many men died on the field that day, but those who survived - Gohei, Agetoki, and the rest - showed the Shadowlands the strength of a Lion's heart.
Remember them, my brothers, when you speak of this day to your children.
Remember not only the seven who entered the gates of the Palace, but the thousands who died on its fields. Their sacrifices were just as great.
When the bodies of the dead were burning on the plains, I went before Toturi and offered him my life. He looked into my eyes and said, "To tread on the sword that defends you is an offense to the soul of bushido. Rise, daimyo of the Lion, and take your place at the council of your peers." I stood beside the daimyos of the great clans of Rokugan, and I felt like a falcon among eagles.
I am a soldier. I was not raised to be a politician, nor a leader of men. I swore my blade to the Lion, and to the Emperor. Now that Emperor commands me to lead you into the future that is before us. If you choose, you can follow me there, and we will fight as soldiers. Side by side.
Tsanuri
My Phoenix kinsmen,
It is with a sad heart that I must send this letter. Never before has the fire of the Phoenix burned so low, and yet it is I that must preserve its meager flame. Many of our kin have fallen in this war against the darkness.
With the passing of the Elemental Masters comes the beginning of an age of sorrow. The Prophecies of Uikku have been realized. As it was written, so has it come to pass that the heart of the phoenix will be engulfed in black fire, and four burning feathers shall fall to earth. The battle at Otosan Uchi showed all Rokugan that despite our loss of the Masters of the Elements, our spells could still strike with deadly force and our shugenja could fight with a courage that rivals the Lion and Crane.
Great work is needed to salvage the remains of the Isawa Library and to teach the youth of our Clan, for with them lies our chance to be reborn. Katsuda has returned to me with good news - the first good news since I took the Ancestral Sword. He has spoken to Naka Kuro, and the Grand Master has agreed to return to our mountain fortress, to teach the next generation of Masters.
Since the fall of Fu Leng, Norikazu has remained in the ruined library of our people. Entranced by visions and fevered dreams, he writes by day and night. With this new age comes new prophecy.
I look, as the sun sets, into the growing darkness on the burning plains of Otosan Uchi, and Ujimitsu's last words still echo in my mind. We are not alone. We will survive. Through time and faith, the Phoenix will be reborn.
The greatest deeds of our Clan are yet to be realized, but that time is not now. Now, we must rebuild our palace and reflect on that which has come to pass. We must ensure that never again will the taint of the Shadows darken our future.
Only when this is done can we return again and seek our place among the Clans. That is our true destiny.
When the Thunders returned from the darkened halls of the Emperor's palace, Hida Yakamo came to me and spoke of the battle. He told me of the last moments of the Master of Earth, and how his courage gave them the chance to succeed against the darkness. The Scorpion warriors who stood between our shugenja and the undead horde are not to be blamed for the death of our Thunder. They held back the evil and fought by our side, and though they may be honorless they are not cowards. It is not their house that should be condemned; it is Kachiko alone who should bear the burden of the dead, and it is she who should join them. Remember this, if nothing else.
I have rallied our clansmen that have survived to begin the long journey home. As your Champion, I command you, and all who follow you, to return as well. Return and join us in the reconstruction of our homeland. Leave behind the taint of the Shadow, for we have learned the price of its power.
It is with a sad heart that I must send this letter. Never before has the fire of the Phoenix burned so low, and yet it is I that must preserve its meager flame. Many of our kin have fallen in this war against the darkness.
With the passing of the Elemental Masters comes the beginning of an age of sorrow. The Prophecies of Uikku have been realized. As it was written, so has it come to pass that the heart of the phoenix will be engulfed in black fire, and four burning feathers shall fall to earth. The battle at Otosan Uchi showed all Rokugan that despite our loss of the Masters of the Elements, our spells could still strike with deadly force and our shugenja could fight with a courage that rivals the Lion and Crane.
Great work is needed to salvage the remains of the Isawa Library and to teach the youth of our Clan, for with them lies our chance to be reborn. Katsuda has returned to me with good news - the first good news since I took the Ancestral Sword. He has spoken to Naka Kuro, and the Grand Master has agreed to return to our mountain fortress, to teach the next generation of Masters.
Since the fall of Fu Leng, Norikazu has remained in the ruined library of our people. Entranced by visions and fevered dreams, he writes by day and night. With this new age comes new prophecy.
I look, as the sun sets, into the growing darkness on the burning plains of Otosan Uchi, and Ujimitsu's last words still echo in my mind. We are not alone. We will survive. Through time and faith, the Phoenix will be reborn.
The greatest deeds of our Clan are yet to be realized, but that time is not now. Now, we must rebuild our palace and reflect on that which has come to pass. We must ensure that never again will the taint of the Shadows darken our future.
Only when this is done can we return again and seek our place among the Clans. That is our true destiny.
When the Thunders returned from the darkened halls of the Emperor's palace, Hida Yakamo came to me and spoke of the battle. He told me of the last moments of the Master of Earth, and how his courage gave them the chance to succeed against the darkness. The Scorpion warriors who stood between our shugenja and the undead horde are not to be blamed for the death of our Thunder. They held back the evil and fought by our side, and though they may be honorless they are not cowards. It is not their house that should be condemned; it is Kachiko alone who should bear the burden of the dead, and it is she who should join them. Remember this, if nothing else.
I have rallied our clansmen that have survived to begin the long journey home. As your Champion, I command you, and all who follow you, to return as well. Return and join us in the reconstruction of our homeland. Leave behind the taint of the Shadow, for we have learned the price of its power.
Tsukune
Cousins,
The palace of the Emperor is freed from the darkness which has inhabited it for so long, and our battle against the Dark Lord is finished. The halls of Otosan Uchi have been rid of the undead which roamed them, and Fu Leng's taint has been removed from the throne. Once I longed to be the mistress of this palace, to rule from its Emerald Throne. I will be glad to leave its haunted halls.
Those halls hold the tale of the death of Fu Leng. The Thunders traveled through their dark passages, guided by Shinsei's own hand. When the fight was joined, the madman hurled magics strange and foul, and shook the floor with thunder. Although we fought him with the power of jade, he cast it back at us, destroying the Master of Earth. In the end, the Dark Lord died under the blades of the two friends: Toturi and Hoturi, though the throne room was blackened by the battle. With the death of Fu Leng, the corruption of the Shadowlands has begun to fade from Rokugan. The last Hantei's soul is at peace now, freed from the taint of evil which darkened his spirit. The Emperor's body was taken from the palace and thrown into the sea, headless and wasted by the dark magics of Fu Leng. There was no funeral pyre, no honorable burial - the body belonged to the Dark Lord, and there was no reason for homage.
Our failure to protect the black scrolls dishonors us still. Their taint has spread across the land, and their evil still threatens Rokugan's future.
Seek out these scrolls, and bring them to me, at any cost. A new guardian must be chosen - one who cannot be corrupted by their darkness. Cast out the evil of the shadows and let their energies be destroyed by the light. If they are left upon the face of Rokugan, I will personally take revenge on those who did not carry out my wishes. Hear, and understand.
Toturi called me before the gathered assemblage when he was made Emperor, and returned our house to its rightful position in the Empire. He has given us back our place in Rokugan, our seat in the Imperial court, and our Clan name.
Because we have no Champion, I will stand as the leader of our clan. For now, however, I must remain in the Imperial palace, assisting Toturi as he begins his reign. As my personal retainer, Aramoro will speak for me while I am away from our lands.
You will obey his words as if they were the words of my beloved husband.
The pyres on the plains of Otosan Uchi are fading with the growing light of the sun. Tomorrow will be Rokugan's first day under the rule of a new Emperor - a new start for our Clan within the Empire. In those flames I see the spirits of the Thunders who died to bring us that chance, and their blood is on our hands. The release of the black scrolls and the return of their Master was due to our weakness. We must begin this age with new strength.
Secrets still lie in the shadows, and it is our duty to seek them out, be they our allies or our enemies.
The palace of the Emperor is freed from the darkness which has inhabited it for so long, and our battle against the Dark Lord is finished. The halls of Otosan Uchi have been rid of the undead which roamed them, and Fu Leng's taint has been removed from the throne. Once I longed to be the mistress of this palace, to rule from its Emerald Throne. I will be glad to leave its haunted halls.
Those halls hold the tale of the death of Fu Leng. The Thunders traveled through their dark passages, guided by Shinsei's own hand. When the fight was joined, the madman hurled magics strange and foul, and shook the floor with thunder. Although we fought him with the power of jade, he cast it back at us, destroying the Master of Earth. In the end, the Dark Lord died under the blades of the two friends: Toturi and Hoturi, though the throne room was blackened by the battle. With the death of Fu Leng, the corruption of the Shadowlands has begun to fade from Rokugan. The last Hantei's soul is at peace now, freed from the taint of evil which darkened his spirit. The Emperor's body was taken from the palace and thrown into the sea, headless and wasted by the dark magics of Fu Leng. There was no funeral pyre, no honorable burial - the body belonged to the Dark Lord, and there was no reason for homage.
Our failure to protect the black scrolls dishonors us still. Their taint has spread across the land, and their evil still threatens Rokugan's future.
Seek out these scrolls, and bring them to me, at any cost. A new guardian must be chosen - one who cannot be corrupted by their darkness. Cast out the evil of the shadows and let their energies be destroyed by the light. If they are left upon the face of Rokugan, I will personally take revenge on those who did not carry out my wishes. Hear, and understand.
Toturi called me before the gathered assemblage when he was made Emperor, and returned our house to its rightful position in the Empire. He has given us back our place in Rokugan, our seat in the Imperial court, and our Clan name.
Because we have no Champion, I will stand as the leader of our clan. For now, however, I must remain in the Imperial palace, assisting Toturi as he begins his reign. As my personal retainer, Aramoro will speak for me while I am away from our lands.
You will obey his words as if they were the words of my beloved husband.
The pyres on the plains of Otosan Uchi are fading with the growing light of the sun. Tomorrow will be Rokugan's first day under the rule of a new Emperor - a new start for our Clan within the Empire. In those flames I see the spirits of the Thunders who died to bring us that chance, and their blood is on our hands. The release of the black scrolls and the return of their Master was due to our weakness. We must begin this age with new strength.
Secrets still lie in the shadows, and it is our duty to seek them out, be they our allies or our enemies.
Bayushi Kachiko
Brothers and Sisters!
We have bested the Dark Lord, and a new Emperor sits upon the throne of Rokugan! It was like no other war we have ever seen, here or in the lands or our ancestors. The battle before the palace was fierce and brave. Junzo's reinforcements, send to make the palace impenetrable, were crushed beneath the speed of our steeds. With flying hooves and swift arrows we circled the battlefield like Shinsei's crow, picking off units of Goblins and Undead. We watched as the Lion stood together after Toturi's command, and we charged by their side as the palace gates opened. It was magnificent!
But I could not stay to fight by the side of my Clan. Shinsei called my to battle the Evil One, and I followed. When we walked inside the palace I was not sure if we were ever going to leave. The creature which was our Emperor laughed when it saw us, and its laughter held the ringing sound of madness. As I watched Togashi and his brother collide, the hooded descendant of Shinsei reached out and touched my hand. I looked into his eyes and suddenly, for the first time, I knew we would win. It might not be my sword which killed the beast, but we would win.
When the Thunders finally charged the Emperor, the battle was fierce and desperate. The Phoenix's shards of jade flew through the air like lightning, and the swords - mine, the Crane, the Lion and the Crab - surrounded Fu Leng like a barrier of steel. I was knocked back early in the fight, my head reeling from the savage blow. That's when I first noticed. By the door of the room, Mirumoto Hitomi stood, the twelfth scroll clenched in one hand and the dripping heart of her Champion in the other. She was staring across the room, heedless of the battle we fought. It was as if she no longer cared who won. After the fight was over and the Emperor was dead, I turned to find her. She was standing over the body of her Champion, holding his bloody heart in her dead, cold hand and staring down at his face. The look in her eyes as she picked up his daisho was as empty and broken as the body at her feet.
I think - I fear - she has gone mad.
When we returned from the Emperor's throne room, the field was littered with corpses. Literally hundreds of men, even thousands, from every clan in Rokugan were scattered on the plain before Otosan Uchi. The stories Yokatsu and Yasamura have told me about the oni who tore through their lines are enough to make the fiercest Lion turn pale. Yet they survived. Yasamura even has oni's teeth strung and tied to his saddle. He says that they will remind him of his destiny, but I think they are to remind him that he is still alive. I have learned that destiny isn't something that can be forgotten easily.
Toturi was made Emperor shortly after the battle had ended. The sun shone down on the plains, and the blood on the grasses was redder than the flames of the pyre they built for the bodies of the dead. "A new beginning," Toturi said, "A new age." An age downing in fire, blood and madness.
An age dawning in destiny
We have bested the Dark Lord, and a new Emperor sits upon the throne of Rokugan! It was like no other war we have ever seen, here or in the lands or our ancestors. The battle before the palace was fierce and brave. Junzo's reinforcements, send to make the palace impenetrable, were crushed beneath the speed of our steeds. With flying hooves and swift arrows we circled the battlefield like Shinsei's crow, picking off units of Goblins and Undead. We watched as the Lion stood together after Toturi's command, and we charged by their side as the palace gates opened. It was magnificent!
But I could not stay to fight by the side of my Clan. Shinsei called my to battle the Evil One, and I followed. When we walked inside the palace I was not sure if we were ever going to leave. The creature which was our Emperor laughed when it saw us, and its laughter held the ringing sound of madness. As I watched Togashi and his brother collide, the hooded descendant of Shinsei reached out and touched my hand. I looked into his eyes and suddenly, for the first time, I knew we would win. It might not be my sword which killed the beast, but we would win.
When the Thunders finally charged the Emperor, the battle was fierce and desperate. The Phoenix's shards of jade flew through the air like lightning, and the swords - mine, the Crane, the Lion and the Crab - surrounded Fu Leng like a barrier of steel. I was knocked back early in the fight, my head reeling from the savage blow. That's when I first noticed. By the door of the room, Mirumoto Hitomi stood, the twelfth scroll clenched in one hand and the dripping heart of her Champion in the other. She was staring across the room, heedless of the battle we fought. It was as if she no longer cared who won. After the fight was over and the Emperor was dead, I turned to find her. She was standing over the body of her Champion, holding his bloody heart in her dead, cold hand and staring down at his face. The look in her eyes as she picked up his daisho was as empty and broken as the body at her feet.
I think - I fear - she has gone mad.
When we returned from the Emperor's throne room, the field was littered with corpses. Literally hundreds of men, even thousands, from every clan in Rokugan were scattered on the plain before Otosan Uchi. The stories Yokatsu and Yasamura have told me about the oni who tore through their lines are enough to make the fiercest Lion turn pale. Yet they survived. Yasamura even has oni's teeth strung and tied to his saddle. He says that they will remind him of his destiny, but I think they are to remind him that he is still alive. I have learned that destiny isn't something that can be forgotten easily.
Toturi was made Emperor shortly after the battle had ended. The sun shone down on the plains, and the blood on the grasses was redder than the flames of the pyre they built for the bodies of the dead. "A new beginning," Toturi said, "A new age." An age downing in fire, blood and madness.
An age dawning in destiny
Kamoko
Old friend -
This day, on the plains of Otosan Uchi, the seven great clans joined again in war - but this time, against an unholy enemy that had taken the emperor's palace. In the twilight beforethe battle, I walked through the armies looking at the faces of old companions, gathered for one last struggle. The fear was so thick you could cut it with a tanto. An army of Lions stood on one side of the hill, their banners ready for the charge, and yet another stood before the gates of the palace, ready to receive. madness. On the wall, undead soldiers marched in stiff mockery of life, and their rotting flesh stank on the wind.
In the morning I heard rumors that Shinsei had returned, that he had gathered a new group of thunders and they had gone inside the palace to face the Dark Lord within his walls. Well enough. I had my own battle to fight. I drew my sword beside a group of Crane planning to assault the northern wall. When the fighting began, the great gates of the palace were flung open and we were surrounded by oni, beasts without name. Insanity reigned on that battlefield, not strategy. The dead rose even as they were cut down, and the gibbering chatter of the soldiers of the Emperor filled the air. Darkness, hurled down from the walls of the palace, fell upon the fields and where it landed, nothing remained. The Lion charged the gates, cutting down the zombies with steady hands, and I saw the Unicorn arrows fly past me, imbedding themselves into a massive oni. The Crane around me screamed as a huge beast with three tongues lifted them from the ground one by one, tearing their bodies and leaving them in shreds upon the blood soaked ground. My blade was hungry that day, and I killed with a lunge and a prayer.
When it was done, and the dead finally stayed down upon the field, I stood among the blood and the flames and looked up at the walls of the palace. There, far above me stood two figures - the first sign of life from that dark place.
I raised my weapons, blood drenched and dark with death, and screamed my victory to the sky. We had won.
The eta brought the bodies of the dead from the palace, draping them in white cloths and building pyres of the scented wood to send them to their rest. Noble men, with noble burials. I asked Toturi what to do about the thousands who lay rotting on the plain of Otosan Uchi, and three bitter words were his reponse: "Burn them all." When the wind was right, I stood alone, a burning torch in my hand and the Emperor's fields stretching out before me. Looking out at the dead I saw the faces of the past - Morito Tokei, with his arrogant laughter and his quick smile. The men who fought at the battle of Beiden Pass. The lost souls who stood their ground at the palace of the Doji so that their families could escape the horde. Yotsu Seiki, whose courage shamed greater men that I. Young Tokiuji...
All my friends. Your lives have led the way. Yours and those of the countless hundreds who lay on the darkened fields of the emperor's palace. There were no pyres, no tearful goodbyes, no shrines to immortalize their deaths.
I threw my torch among the waving grasses and watched the plains of the Emperor burn.
Farewell, brave souls. You will be remembered.
I remember you.
This day, on the plains of Otosan Uchi, the seven great clans joined again in war - but this time, against an unholy enemy that had taken the emperor's palace. In the twilight beforethe battle, I walked through the armies looking at the faces of old companions, gathered for one last struggle. The fear was so thick you could cut it with a tanto. An army of Lions stood on one side of the hill, their banners ready for the charge, and yet another stood before the gates of the palace, ready to receive. madness. On the wall, undead soldiers marched in stiff mockery of life, and their rotting flesh stank on the wind.
In the morning I heard rumors that Shinsei had returned, that he had gathered a new group of thunders and they had gone inside the palace to face the Dark Lord within his walls. Well enough. I had my own battle to fight. I drew my sword beside a group of Crane planning to assault the northern wall. When the fighting began, the great gates of the palace were flung open and we were surrounded by oni, beasts without name. Insanity reigned on that battlefield, not strategy. The dead rose even as they were cut down, and the gibbering chatter of the soldiers of the Emperor filled the air. Darkness, hurled down from the walls of the palace, fell upon the fields and where it landed, nothing remained. The Lion charged the gates, cutting down the zombies with steady hands, and I saw the Unicorn arrows fly past me, imbedding themselves into a massive oni. The Crane around me screamed as a huge beast with three tongues lifted them from the ground one by one, tearing their bodies and leaving them in shreds upon the blood soaked ground. My blade was hungry that day, and I killed with a lunge and a prayer.
When it was done, and the dead finally stayed down upon the field, I stood among the blood and the flames and looked up at the walls of the palace. There, far above me stood two figures - the first sign of life from that dark place.
I raised my weapons, blood drenched and dark with death, and screamed my victory to the sky. We had won.
The eta brought the bodies of the dead from the palace, draping them in white cloths and building pyres of the scented wood to send them to their rest. Noble men, with noble burials. I asked Toturi what to do about the thousands who lay rotting on the plain of Otosan Uchi, and three bitter words were his reponse: "Burn them all." When the wind was right, I stood alone, a burning torch in my hand and the Emperor's fields stretching out before me. Looking out at the dead I saw the faces of the past - Morito Tokei, with his arrogant laughter and his quick smile. The men who fought at the battle of Beiden Pass. The lost souls who stood their ground at the palace of the Doji so that their families could escape the horde. Yotsu Seiki, whose courage shamed greater men that I. Young Tokiuji...
All my friends. Your lives have led the way. Yours and those of the countless hundreds who lay on the darkened fields of the emperor's palace. There were no pyres, no tearful goodbyes, no shrines to immortalize their deaths.
I threw my torch among the waving grasses and watched the plains of the Emperor burn.
Farewell, brave souls. You will be remembered.
I remember you.
Ginawa
My Friends -
Today we celebrate the destruction of an evil which has plagued our land for the last three years. The dawning of battle has come upon us, and in its aftermath, we have remained. Rokugan has stood together against a common enemy, our weapons no longer threatening one another, but turned toward the greater foe.
When the Thunders went into the palace that dark morning, I looked up at the sky and felt the wind upon my face. I have been in many battles, but this... this was different. Here there would be no tactics, no maneuvering, only courage against darkness. I looked at the faces of my companions as we walked through the empty halls of Otosan Uchi. The descendant of Shinsei led us on, his black crow flapping like a piece of the night that had been given wings. A legend, given form. I felt the cold wind again and could now help but shiver.
When we met with the Emperor, the battle was fierce. The blood ran in my eyes, tears of the damned, and I fought like a man possessed. When the Dark One cast us back, I thought I would fight no more. I thought that there was no hop - that valor alone was not enough. It was then that I saw her.
Perhaps it was the blood, or perhaps it was my own weakness bringing shadows from the past in my time of need, but I saw her by my side. And with the rush of the tide in my ears - or the roar of a lion's courage - I found myself able to stand. With blood in my eyes, and the faint touch of Tsuko's distant hand, I struck at the heart of the beast. I felt my blade pierce its body as Hoturi's sword severed its head.
I was glad to leave that foul place.
Outside the Emperor's palace, the fields were darkened by blood and war.
Many men stood outside those walls and faced the evil horde, and many of them fell. Good men, men of honor whose lives have forged a new Rokugan.
Outside the Dark Lord's throne room, I climbed the walls of the palace and looked down at the remains of battle. I watched the rising sun glistening from the dark blood that covered the field. The bodies of the dead were innumerable. Among them, I could see the fallen banners of friends.
But despite all odds, we had prevailed. Tsunari, of the Ikoma, still fought below me on the field. Hida O-Ushi and Daidoji Uji, fighting side by side.
On the edges of the battle, Unicorns drove packs of goblins into ambushes made by Yoritomo's men, and Phoenix shugenja stood, defended by Scorpion samurai. It is a strange dawn, that has brought so much death and yet so much hope for a new beginning.
It is a new day, and a new age. The dawning of a new destiny. Those who have lived to see this day can raise their eyes to the Sun Mother and thank the Fortunes for their lives. Those who did not - Isawa Tadaka, Hida Sukune.
Hoturi - my beloved friend, with his laughter and flashing eyes, who knew me so well...
And Tsuko.
The ten thousand men who lie dead on the battlefield below. We must remember their names with honor. You have asked me to lead you, to bring meaning to their death and to our own lives.
Therefore I saw, stand by me now as you have done before, and we will bring back the splendor or Rokugan's past glories. We will purge the last of the Dark One's taint from the land, and we will raise upon this foundation a bright new future.
I swear it.
Today we celebrate the destruction of an evil which has plagued our land for the last three years. The dawning of battle has come upon us, and in its aftermath, we have remained. Rokugan has stood together against a common enemy, our weapons no longer threatening one another, but turned toward the greater foe.
When the Thunders went into the palace that dark morning, I looked up at the sky and felt the wind upon my face. I have been in many battles, but this... this was different. Here there would be no tactics, no maneuvering, only courage against darkness. I looked at the faces of my companions as we walked through the empty halls of Otosan Uchi. The descendant of Shinsei led us on, his black crow flapping like a piece of the night that had been given wings. A legend, given form. I felt the cold wind again and could now help but shiver.
When we met with the Emperor, the battle was fierce. The blood ran in my eyes, tears of the damned, and I fought like a man possessed. When the Dark One cast us back, I thought I would fight no more. I thought that there was no hop - that valor alone was not enough. It was then that I saw her.
Perhaps it was the blood, or perhaps it was my own weakness bringing shadows from the past in my time of need, but I saw her by my side. And with the rush of the tide in my ears - or the roar of a lion's courage - I found myself able to stand. With blood in my eyes, and the faint touch of Tsuko's distant hand, I struck at the heart of the beast. I felt my blade pierce its body as Hoturi's sword severed its head.
I was glad to leave that foul place.
Outside the Emperor's palace, the fields were darkened by blood and war.
Many men stood outside those walls and faced the evil horde, and many of them fell. Good men, men of honor whose lives have forged a new Rokugan.
Outside the Dark Lord's throne room, I climbed the walls of the palace and looked down at the remains of battle. I watched the rising sun glistening from the dark blood that covered the field. The bodies of the dead were innumerable. Among them, I could see the fallen banners of friends.
But despite all odds, we had prevailed. Tsunari, of the Ikoma, still fought below me on the field. Hida O-Ushi and Daidoji Uji, fighting side by side.
On the edges of the battle, Unicorns drove packs of goblins into ambushes made by Yoritomo's men, and Phoenix shugenja stood, defended by Scorpion samurai. It is a strange dawn, that has brought so much death and yet so much hope for a new beginning.
It is a new day, and a new age. The dawning of a new destiny. Those who have lived to see this day can raise their eyes to the Sun Mother and thank the Fortunes for their lives. Those who did not - Isawa Tadaka, Hida Sukune.
Hoturi - my beloved friend, with his laughter and flashing eyes, who knew me so well...
And Tsuko.
The ten thousand men who lie dead on the battlefield below. We must remember their names with honor. You have asked me to lead you, to bring meaning to their death and to our own lives.
Therefore I saw, stand by me now as you have done before, and we will bring back the splendor or Rokugan's past glories. We will purge the last of the Dark One's taint from the land, and we will raise upon this foundation a bright new future.
I swear it.
Toturi
It is done. The war is over.
All has come to pass as my ancestor foretold. The darkness of the Shadowlands has been defeated on the plains of Otosan Uchi, and its leader has been crushed by a new generation of thunders. It is time to rebuild.
Remember the Tao, my friends, for its prophecies are not finished. For all things, there is a time and a place -- each season, each life, and each death. Our preparations were not in vain, and we must help the new world to begin. The Clans of the Empire are broken, wounded and weary. Our place now is to help them rise again - to build a better future from the ruins of the past.
Within the dark walls of Otosan Uchi, the Thunders gathered. Unsure of their future, their lives in conflict, they had the courage to bond together in this hour of greatest need. It was as we had always known -- facing the true enemy gave them the strength they lacked. I stood and watched as they fought the evil, knowing that this battle would decide the future. The men outside the palace, fighting the undead hordes - their lives hinged on what happened within that throne room. Their lives and the future of all Rokugan. We were successful, but even in our success, I can see another destiny starting to unfold. Evil is not bound to one Lord, but within many mortal men, and in their eyes - if you look closely - you can see the echo of darkness.
Those of you who did not witness the final battle must be told of the valor of your brothers. They stood on the plains of the Emperor's palace while I led the Thunders to their destiny, and many of them spent their lives to usher in this new beginning. Their names must be remembered with honor, and their lives must not have been sacrificed in vain.
Among the flames of Otosan Uchi lies the body of Tetsuya, whose quiet wisdom guided our order for many years. He strode onto the field alone, a single monk among so many factions. Undisturbed by the evil which surrounded him, he raised his hand against the undead with compassion and remorse. Even in this, he was a gentle man. Though they fell, Tetsuya walked on through the darkness, keeping the oni at bay while the Dragon troops marched forward. In the midst of the plain, he came upon a twisted creature, guardian of Junzo, whose body was half creature and half man. It pointed its blade at the Mirumoto troops, and bellowed a challenge, but Tetsuya raised his hand. The Dragons fell back, allowing Tetsuya to accept the beast's contest. All was quiet for a moment, and then, with the monster's scream of fury, the two struck as one.
His voice will be missed among the halls of our brothers.
When the time came to choose a new Emperor, the Champions of the Clans looked to me to tell them the way. But I did not make the choice. It was in their eyes, in the way they looked at Toturi, the way the men chanted his name when they saw him emerge from the palace. At the top of the wall, he looked down at Rokugan, and did not see them as seven clans. Instead, he saw them as a single nation. Toturi has forsaken his past and his old alliances, and taken up the cause of the people. He will rule them well.
My time among you is finished. The darkness has withdrawn, and the Dark Lord is beaten. For now. Let the word be spread among our order - all has gone according to the design of my forefather. Rokugan is again safe from the evil of the Shadowlands. Our vigil is ended. I return now to the anonymity from which I came, so that my sons and their sons will be hidden from the darkness. For, like the night that follows long after the new dawn, darkness will come again.
May the peace of the Tao be with you.
All has come to pass as my ancestor foretold. The darkness of the Shadowlands has been defeated on the plains of Otosan Uchi, and its leader has been crushed by a new generation of thunders. It is time to rebuild.
Remember the Tao, my friends, for its prophecies are not finished. For all things, there is a time and a place -- each season, each life, and each death. Our preparations were not in vain, and we must help the new world to begin. The Clans of the Empire are broken, wounded and weary. Our place now is to help them rise again - to build a better future from the ruins of the past.
Within the dark walls of Otosan Uchi, the Thunders gathered. Unsure of their future, their lives in conflict, they had the courage to bond together in this hour of greatest need. It was as we had always known -- facing the true enemy gave them the strength they lacked. I stood and watched as they fought the evil, knowing that this battle would decide the future. The men outside the palace, fighting the undead hordes - their lives hinged on what happened within that throne room. Their lives and the future of all Rokugan. We were successful, but even in our success, I can see another destiny starting to unfold. Evil is not bound to one Lord, but within many mortal men, and in their eyes - if you look closely - you can see the echo of darkness.
Those of you who did not witness the final battle must be told of the valor of your brothers. They stood on the plains of the Emperor's palace while I led the Thunders to their destiny, and many of them spent their lives to usher in this new beginning. Their names must be remembered with honor, and their lives must not have been sacrificed in vain.
Among the flames of Otosan Uchi lies the body of Tetsuya, whose quiet wisdom guided our order for many years. He strode onto the field alone, a single monk among so many factions. Undisturbed by the evil which surrounded him, he raised his hand against the undead with compassion and remorse. Even in this, he was a gentle man. Though they fell, Tetsuya walked on through the darkness, keeping the oni at bay while the Dragon troops marched forward. In the midst of the plain, he came upon a twisted creature, guardian of Junzo, whose body was half creature and half man. It pointed its blade at the Mirumoto troops, and bellowed a challenge, but Tetsuya raised his hand. The Dragons fell back, allowing Tetsuya to accept the beast's contest. All was quiet for a moment, and then, with the monster's scream of fury, the two struck as one.
His voice will be missed among the halls of our brothers.
When the time came to choose a new Emperor, the Champions of the Clans looked to me to tell them the way. But I did not make the choice. It was in their eyes, in the way they looked at Toturi, the way the men chanted his name when they saw him emerge from the palace. At the top of the wall, he looked down at Rokugan, and did not see them as seven clans. Instead, he saw them as a single nation. Toturi has forsaken his past and his old alliances, and taken up the cause of the people. He will rule them well.
My time among you is finished. The darkness has withdrawn, and the Dark Lord is beaten. For now. Let the word be spread among our order - all has gone according to the design of my forefather. Rokugan is again safe from the evil of the Shadowlands. Our vigil is ended. I return now to the anonymity from which I came, so that my sons and their sons will be hidden from the darkness. For, like the night that follows long after the new dawn, darkness will come again.
May the peace of the Tao be with you.
Shinsei
Victory!
Victory, at last, has come to us, and all that we struggled to acheive is ours!
We have stood before the Seven Great Clans, and we have shown them that they are not the onlyvoices in Rokugan. The voice of the Mantis, the voice of the lesser clans - our voice - has been heard. We have shouted from the battlefield, we have raised our standard on the hills and plains of this nation, and we have forced them to listen. From the fields around the Emperor's palace, our armies stood, risking death side by side with the regiments of the noble houses.
When I stood before their Champions and announced my place among them, they knew it was time to recognize the Mantis. All our clans, the united Alliance which has fought beneath our banner, we have won what should have been ours from the start. Our battle was on the field of the Emperor's palace - against filthy beasts and undead. We swarmed upon the field and gave them no quarter, no rest and no escape. The army of the Dark One was crushed beneath our heels.
Shugenja hurled spells from the rear, and samurai rushed the field to battle the enemy, eager for the fight. Glory was ours - all those who served the Alliance fought bravely, for though we were few, we were the ones who made the difference.
The armies of the Great Clans had been decimated by thier own bickering, and even at the end, just before the gates opened, Lion fought Lion in an insane battle. I led my own men before the great gates of Otosan Uchi, cutting zombies and other fiends down before our blades, and we were the first inside its massive walls. I will never forget the sight of the palace - once magnificent and stately, but now foul and corrupt.
Things which defy description poured down on us from the ramparts, splitting the heads of my comrades with thier rusted pikes. Brute strength and reckless force were thier weapons, and we were reduced to cutting at them as a fisherman cuts apart a shark.
I thought the butchery would never end; the horde was massive and eager, rushing toward us with death in their eyes. Those beside me who fell soon rose again, the hissing sound of the Dark Lord's gift filling their lungs as thier eyes lit with hatred.
To the left, oni of tremendous size and awesome strength; to the right, skeletons and the horde of undead; and beside me, my own dead soldiers tried to tear my weapons from my hands,
Standing among the ghoulish legion, my weapons whirling madly, I heard from the field a single wild howl, surpassing all other noises. It rose from the plain from a single voice, but was soon joined by others in a tremendous outcry. It was the sound of life, a spirit that had been threatened by extinction but was once again free.
I looked around me at the dead, and found that no more rose to test my blades.
The Dark One's power had been broken.
It was over - our victory was complete.
After the battle, with the fields of Otosan Uchi burning on the horizon, Toturi spoke to the gathered throng. With the blessing of Shinsei, he proclaimed a new Imperial reign over Rokugan, a reign which would signal a new era. He spoke of unity, and of peace, and he called me into the presence of the Champions, to stand beside them as was my due.
He kept his promise to our Clan, and our Alliance.
At last, I stood among the Leaders of the Great Houses of Rokugan, and I was their equal.
Our future is assured - our place in the Empire is certain. Our storms have changed the world.
Victory, at last, has come to us, and all that we struggled to acheive is ours!
We have stood before the Seven Great Clans, and we have shown them that they are not the onlyvoices in Rokugan. The voice of the Mantis, the voice of the lesser clans - our voice - has been heard. We have shouted from the battlefield, we have raised our standard on the hills and plains of this nation, and we have forced them to listen. From the fields around the Emperor's palace, our armies stood, risking death side by side with the regiments of the noble houses.
When I stood before their Champions and announced my place among them, they knew it was time to recognize the Mantis. All our clans, the united Alliance which has fought beneath our banner, we have won what should have been ours from the start. Our battle was on the field of the Emperor's palace - against filthy beasts and undead. We swarmed upon the field and gave them no quarter, no rest and no escape. The army of the Dark One was crushed beneath our heels.
Shugenja hurled spells from the rear, and samurai rushed the field to battle the enemy, eager for the fight. Glory was ours - all those who served the Alliance fought bravely, for though we were few, we were the ones who made the difference.
The armies of the Great Clans had been decimated by thier own bickering, and even at the end, just before the gates opened, Lion fought Lion in an insane battle. I led my own men before the great gates of Otosan Uchi, cutting zombies and other fiends down before our blades, and we were the first inside its massive walls. I will never forget the sight of the palace - once magnificent and stately, but now foul and corrupt.
Things which defy description poured down on us from the ramparts, splitting the heads of my comrades with thier rusted pikes. Brute strength and reckless force were thier weapons, and we were reduced to cutting at them as a fisherman cuts apart a shark.
I thought the butchery would never end; the horde was massive and eager, rushing toward us with death in their eyes. Those beside me who fell soon rose again, the hissing sound of the Dark Lord's gift filling their lungs as thier eyes lit with hatred.
To the left, oni of tremendous size and awesome strength; to the right, skeletons and the horde of undead; and beside me, my own dead soldiers tried to tear my weapons from my hands,
Standing among the ghoulish legion, my weapons whirling madly, I heard from the field a single wild howl, surpassing all other noises. It rose from the plain from a single voice, but was soon joined by others in a tremendous outcry. It was the sound of life, a spirit that had been threatened by extinction but was once again free.
I looked around me at the dead, and found that no more rose to test my blades.
The Dark One's power had been broken.
It was over - our victory was complete.
After the battle, with the fields of Otosan Uchi burning on the horizon, Toturi spoke to the gathered throng. With the blessing of Shinsei, he proclaimed a new Imperial reign over Rokugan, a reign which would signal a new era. He spoke of unity, and of peace, and he called me into the presence of the Champions, to stand beside them as was my due.
He kept his promise to our Clan, and our Alliance.
At last, I stood among the Leaders of the Great Houses of Rokugan, and I was their equal.
Our future is assured - our place in the Empire is certain. Our storms have changed the world.
Yoritomo
You decimated their ranks and destroyed their armies throughout Rokugan. Your strength was unmatched as you tore down their palaces, burned their land and destroyed their hope. The legions our undead filled the Imperial lands, and our Oni feasted on the flesh of the righteous. I heard your cries of victory at Otosan Uchi before the battle even began, screaming for blood and retribution.
Now you stand before me, explaining why we have lost.
They think they have beaten us. They think we flee in fear, that our battle is over and that they have no more need to be afraid of the darkness in our eyes. But this is what they do not know. This is what they fear, and this is what will give us the strength to rise again when the time is right.
After the death of our Lord, after they tore his head from his body and pierced his heart, I watched them go. Bloodied and weary they left the throne room, leaving the body of our Dark Lord unguarded upon the ground.
When all was finished and they had gone, I went to the body of the Emperor and I lifted his severed head from the ground. Its eyes rolled back and its blood spilled forth upon my face like tears of a forsaken god. It was then that I knew what I must do. Deep within the recesses of my soul, I can still hear our Master's voice. You, who follow him as I do, you know its call. I rose from that place, my hands stained black and the flames of his blood searing my eyes, but I did not falter. The palace was empty and I knew the way. He had shown it to me long before, in dreams and fevered visions.
Through dark tunnels and catacombs I traveled, until the sun had set. Then I climbed above, to the plains south of the palace, and I began the long journey home. Somewhere, within the Shadowlands, there is a place that calls me. A place so dark and evil that no mortal has approached it and survived.
A place which my lore and spellcraft always told me existed, but which I could never unearth. The dark hole in the center of the world, a festering pit of corruption and evil - now to become the grave of our Master, the Dark Lord.
I will take him there, and this time, they will let me find it.
And someday, when his wounds have healed and the chains they have put upon him grow weak again, he will rise. He will rise, and he will remember me. He will remember us all, and we will advance again from the Shadowlands to crush them for what they have done this day. Know this, even if you remember nothing else of the lessons Fu Leng taught -
Death is not eternal.
Now you stand before me, explaining why we have lost.
They think they have beaten us. They think we flee in fear, that our battle is over and that they have no more need to be afraid of the darkness in our eyes. But this is what they do not know. This is what they fear, and this is what will give us the strength to rise again when the time is right.
After the death of our Lord, after they tore his head from his body and pierced his heart, I watched them go. Bloodied and weary they left the throne room, leaving the body of our Dark Lord unguarded upon the ground.
When all was finished and they had gone, I went to the body of the Emperor and I lifted his severed head from the ground. Its eyes rolled back and its blood spilled forth upon my face like tears of a forsaken god. It was then that I knew what I must do. Deep within the recesses of my soul, I can still hear our Master's voice. You, who follow him as I do, you know its call. I rose from that place, my hands stained black and the flames of his blood searing my eyes, but I did not falter. The palace was empty and I knew the way. He had shown it to me long before, in dreams and fevered visions.
Through dark tunnels and catacombs I traveled, until the sun had set. Then I climbed above, to the plains south of the palace, and I began the long journey home. Somewhere, within the Shadowlands, there is a place that calls me. A place so dark and evil that no mortal has approached it and survived.
A place which my lore and spellcraft always told me existed, but which I could never unearth. The dark hole in the center of the world, a festering pit of corruption and evil - now to become the grave of our Master, the Dark Lord.
I will take him there, and this time, they will let me find it.
And someday, when his wounds have healed and the chains they have put upon him grow weak again, he will rise. He will rise, and he will remember me. He will remember us all, and we will advance again from the Shadowlands to crush them for what they have done this day. Know this, even if you remember nothing else of the lessons Fu Leng taught -
Death is not eternal.
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