Imperial Herald #14, Legend of the Five Rings History
Anvil of Despair
The chaos in the Empire led to a rise in banditry and criminal acts. The Unicorn Clan assumed a large role in trying to stop this tide of crime. The peasants gained a newfound respect for the Unicorn as the guardians of what little peace and security they retained.
Yogo Junzo, now a corrupt, undead minion of Fu Leng, reappeared in the Empire leading a vast army of goblins, oni, ogres, trolls, and other foul creatures. A portion of this force linked up with the False Hoturi, while the remainder began destroying the monasteries of the Brotherhood of Shinsei.
After months of combat, Toturi's army of Dragon bushi and ronin had become a battle-hardened force of incredible discipline and loyalty. The man once reviled throughout the Empire as the ultimate disgrace, honorable again, now led one of the most powerful military forces in the Empire, supported in large part by selfless peasants' gifts of food and shelter. Instead of turning his attentions to the petty civil wars the rest of the clans fought, Toturi set his sights clearly on the Shadowlands Horde, the true threat to Rokugan.
Mirumoto Hitomi engaged in an extensive, secret dialog with Togashi Yokuni. Afterward, Yokuni vanished from the Dragon lands and held a secret rendezvous with Kachiko. Kachiko knew a terrible, terrible secret: the Emperor had become possessed by a foul spirit, and the power and evil of that spirit could only come from one person.
The Emperor of Rokugan, Son of Heaven, was now the vessel of the dark god Fu Leng.
Yokuni told Kachiko that the return of Fu Leng was long prophesied. The wards against him kept strong by the closed Black Scrolls had now become so weakened that Fu Leng could physically control a mortal body. Out of revenge for his original defeat, Fu Leng chose to possess the Emperor himself. Fu Leng, however, did not know that the Emperor's weakness was not caused by disease, but by the poisons Kachiko continued to administer. Unable to take a new host, Fu Leng was trapped in a body unable to stand, unable to walk, unable to do anything other than scream in anger.
But the power of Fu Leng continued to grow as each Black Scroll was opened and read. Soon he would overcome the infirmities of his host body, and then the Empire would know an eternity of darkness.
Yokuni instructed Kachiko that a great cycle was ending and the future was in the balance. She must return to the palace, despite her horror, and continue to poison the Emperor's body, keeping Fu Leng as weak as possible.
Yokuni also revealed that the lineal descendant of Shinsei himself walked the Empire as they spoke. Shinsei's descendant was aware of his place in the cosmic drama as well - the Seven Thunders of legend had been reborn to face their ancient foe, and Shinsei's descendant would locate them, instruct them, and gather them together for the final confrontation.
While Kachiko was away from the palace, the guards at Otosan Uchi detected a massive fleet of ships sailing northward up the coast. Incredibly, the Crab Clan had constructed troop ships in secret and used them to move their army, unseen, north to attack the capital. Hot-headed but tactical genius Matsu Tsuko led the Lion Clan armies guarding Otosan Uchi against the Crab.
Before the battle began, a messenger appeared from the capitol. As Tsuko read the message, the blood drained from her face and she dropped to her knees, fists clenched. The message was simple: Tsuko was to allow the battle to be fought without her direction. There was no rational reason for such a compromise of the capital's defense, but the chop on the order was the one mark she could not ignore, the one sigil that commanded obedience.
It was the signature of the Emperor himself.
The armies clashed. The Crab forces ultimately won, for, despite the ferocity of the Lion bushi, without direction they could not maintain an effective strategy across the entire battlefield. The triumphant Crab army, led by Hida Kisada himself, strode to the great, oaken doors of the palace and hewed them from their mounts.
Kisada, Yakamo, and a small detachment of bushi entered the palace to confront the Emperor. They fought their way past the remaining imperial guards, finally locating the Emperor's inner chambers.
There was a bitter fight within. Yakamo emerged carrying the unconscious body of Kisada, who had the ancestral sword of the Hantei firmly lodged in his gut. The Crab army retreated as insane laughter echoed hollowly from within the imperial palace.