Foshi, Lion Lands

Under normal circumstances, the village of Foshi was a boring sort of place. Well protected in the hearth of the Lion territory, it was a place for farmers and craftsmen. The Lion wardens insured that Foshi remained safe and secure. Vast legions of Matsu troop relied upon the products of Foshi to remain strong and unchallenged. So it was the Lion preferred Foshi to remain stable and uneventful. Of course if you happened to be a Unicorn, Foshi was a great deal less boring.

Especially if you happened to be a spy.

Shinjo Fuyuko’s mission had been a simple one. She was to watch the city of Foshi, monitor its supplies and where they went. If the Lion seemed to be preparing for war again, the Khan intended to be the first to know. Fuyuko was alone here.

One skilled scout might go unnoticed, even by vigilant wardens. If caught by the Lion, her presence might lead her clan to war again, and would certainly lead her to death. Fuyuko was well trained and capable, a skilled archer and deadly swordsman, but even so this was no mean task. It was incredible responsibility but she was not afraid – until now.

Fuyuko knelt in the bushes at the edge of the woods, looking down at a farmhouse in the valley below. The house was consumed in flames. Black smoke curled from the wreckage. The bodies of several heimin farmers lay scattered about the fields. Two figures in hooded black robe stood near the farmhouse. Two warriors in the armor of Lion samurai stood nearby; even from here Fuyuko could see their stiff gaits, their flesh ravaged and desiccated by foul magic. The tsukai had killed the wardens who once protected this field and turned them against their charges.

The scene was horrible. These were most assuredly Bloodspeakers, moving against the Empire on behalf of their master, Iuchiban. Fuyuko felt a slow rage boiling within her. She wished to see justice served, but knew such an act would be ultimately fruitless. The Lion wardens would soon see the smoke and would come to investigate. If she helped, she would only be threatening her position here.

Then Fuyuko saw other plumes of smoke on the horizon. This was not the only farm that burned today.

Then Fuyuko saw the old man and the two children that huddled in the shadows of the burning house. The Bloodspeakers had not yet seen them, but if the fire spread their hiding place would not be secure for long.

Fuyuko drew her bow and fired before she realized the decision had been made. Her shot took one of the Bloodspeakers in the back of the head. The other turned with a curse as she fired a second arrow; this one merely grazed the tsukai’s shoulder. He pointed at her and spoke a twisted spell; pain surged through her body and her left arm went dead.

The zombies charged toward her, wielding the katana they had carried in life. They were slow and clumsy things, animated by imperfect magic. She drew her sword in one hand as she dodge the first one’s blow, taking off the second zombie’s head with a savage stroke and kicking it back toward it master. The first recovered and struck at her again, grazing her hip. Fuyuko grunted in pain and slashed it across the belly, a blow that would have killed a man but did no real damage to the creature. She struck out again and cut the zombie from hip to shoulder just as she heard the tsukai complete another spell. More pain surged through her body and her right leg went numb.

Collapsing on the earth, she looked up into the triumphant eyes of the Bloodspeaker. He opened his mouth to speak, to gloat over his victory. In that moment, Fuyuko drew her tanto and hurled it into the man’s chest. He fell to his knees, his taunting words forgotten. He collapsed dead beside his comrade.

The old man and the two children ran from their hiding place forward Fuyuko. “Fortune’s bless you, sama!” the old man said, rushing toward her with tears in his eyes. “We prayed to Bishamon, but we feared he did not…” the old man paused briefly when he saw her obviously Unicorn features. “Thank you for saving us, sama,” he said, kneeling before her.

Fuyuko focused her thoughts on her current situation. She was unable to walk, unable to escape until the Bloodspeaker’s curse faded – if indeed it was not permanent. What would she do when the Lion troops discovered her here? She doubted that saving the lives of three peasants would be enough to turn aside their wrath. As she wondered what to do, she heard the march of the troops in the distance. An army was coming, no doubt Lion soldiers, roused to destroy Bloodspeakers. Part of her wanted to go to the Lion, to warn them what they faced, but she knew such an act would be pointless. They would not listen to a Unicorn.

“We can help you hide, sama,” the old man said, his words halting as he spoke. “I know there is only a reason a Unicorn would be alone in Lion lands… but we owe you our lives.”

Fuyuko looked at the old man in surprise. “I cannot ask you to betray your lords to aid me,” she said.

“Nor would I have asked to risk yourself to save us,” the old man said.

Fuyuko could not find the words, so she merely said “Arigato.”

The old man helped her stand, hopping awkward on one leg with her good arm wrapped around his shoulder. As he helped her move off the ravaged field, she glimpsed the banners of the approaching army. Fuyuko saw several Lion standards, but the commanders were not Lion at all. They bore the symbol of the Legions – the mon of the Emperor. The Eighth Imperial Legion, commanded by Horiuchi Nobane, had arrived.