The Race to Volturnum
Monk
Driven back. The losses are great. The Crab and the Lion suffer greatly, but today the Crane and Dragon were nearly decimated by goblin attack. I have never seen so many of the creatures. They covered the ground like a blanket, rolling and heaving as they charged over each other. I could see their iron boots crushing each other if they fell, forgetting their own people in their rush to do us harm.
More than three thousand samurai died today, and I saw the Champion of the Crane fall. He will fight again, but one of the creatures cut him with its foul knife and he was overcome by the onslaught. He was dragged out before the oni could kill him. Wounded, a Fox archer aided him--or he might never have escaped.
We will have our hands full fighting the Taint, when this is done.
I do not want to tell them, but many of those who fight so bravely here will not be allowed to cross the wall when we return. They will have gone too far. I fear the mass seppuku that waits in their future, but I fear more that they should fail.
I am a healer, not a bushi. I do all I can to heal their wounds.
I cannot save them as well.
--Hsi Tsu