Ruins of the Past
by Rich Wulf
Otosan Uchi was silent today, as it usually was of late. The city sat lonely, a ghost of its former self. Once the glorious heart of the Empire, it was now empty all but forgotten. Six years ago the armies of the Dark Lord had laid siege to this place, unleashing their god Fu Leng into the Celestial Heavens from the Emperor's own throne room.
The Lion Clan proclaimed the city cursed for the evil it had unleashed. Their armies scoured the Shadowlands Horde from the streets, destroying everything in its path. When all was said and done, few remained who would dare live within the cursed city.
Kasuga Keita was one such person. The shabby little man held a dirty tatami mat to ward off the rain as he shuffled through the streets of the Imperial City He shot a furtive glance both ways as he peered out of a darkened alleyway. The little merchant's eyes were wide, his head cocked to capture any sound that might be heard above the storm. Though the Swords of Yotsu patrolled these streets vigilantly, there were many areas that were still unsafe — some of the dark god's children still dwelled in the Imperial City despite the Swords' best efforts to get rid of them. No sense in making a wrong turn and being devoured by a goblin, especially while he still had business to complete.
A subtle cough sounded from across the street, drawing Keita's attention. He looked over and saw a tall figure in robes of blood red and black, a mask of black stone covering his face. He seemed unaffected by the rain, regarding Keita with a calm and patient gaze. He held a small paper lantern in one hand, its pale flickering light illuminating a small corner of the broken city.
“Greetings, Jin-sama,” Keita said, hurrying toward the man with an eager merchant's smile. “I am pleased you made it here safely:'
“I was not worried,” the man replied in a toneless voice. “My guardian keeps me quite safe”
Keita realized then that a large armored figure stood just behind Jin. He, too, wore a mask- an iron warrior's mempo. Behind it. his eyes seethed quietly. Keita quickly looked away, wondering how he had not seen such an intimidating warrior until now,
“He looks very capable, jin-sama,” Keita said quickly. “Yes he is,” Jin replied. “Now let us move on to business. Have you obtained the resources I require?”
“Yes I have,” Keita replied, nodding rapidly. He unshouldered the heavy sack he carried over one shoulder, letting it hit the earth with a thump. “This was not easily acquired, though the fact that you paid in advance allowed me to smooth over the ruffled feathers along the way:”
“Of course,” Jin replied. “Even in a land that prides itself on honor, one would be surprised what doors will open when a few koku are placed on the table. Open the bag, please. I would like to see my merchandise”
Keita nodded. He unlaced the satchel, throwing it open and looking up with a proud grin. Jin's eyes widened. The light of his lantern reflected green off of the substance within.
“Jade,” Jin said, his voice trembling slightly. “Pure, untarnished jade. The bane of corruption. I can sense its purity, like the first winter's snow”
“Er... yes,” Keita said. “I am glad that you are pleased with your purchase. Now if that is all, I shall be returning to my ship. I do have other customers to attend”
Jin looked up, a strange gleam in his eyes. “A moment, Keitasan,” he replied. “I have one more resource I need to obtain from you. Voitagi?”
The samurai emitted a fierce animal shriek and lunged forward, drawing his katana and slashing the air before him with one swift movement Keita blinked in terror; for an instant it seemed as if the samurai had missed. The Tortoise felt a sticky warmth spread down the front of his shirt. He touched his throat, and his fingers came back bloody. Keita's legs grew weak and he fell to his knees as he realized Voitagi had cut his throat with a single stroke. The samurai seized the back of his collar and dragged him forward, laying him across the bag of jade.
“Before you die, Keita, a small lesson in the nature of the universe,” Jin said. He reached up and drew away his mask, revealing a grotesque, fleshless face. Strands of blood and sinew trailed from the mask, and un wiped them away casually with a silken cloth. “Some would say that obsidian is the essence of all corruption in this realm, and that jade is purity They are wrong. Obsidian is merely the husk left behind once jade's purity is gone. Do you know where the power of corruption truly lies?”
Keita looked up at Jin in feeble terror, unable to speak even to cry out for help.
Keita knelt beside Jin and picked up a finger of jade, holding it up in his light The merchant's blood now stained the green stone. “The true source of corruption is that which lies within us all , blood' The strange man spoke a word in a language Keita did not understand, and a red light flared deep inside the jade. In seconds, black veins spread through the stone. A sharp ping echoed as a crack split the jade. The stone quivered in Jin's hand, as if in pain. Jin only chuckled.
“This should be more than sufficient, Voitagi,” Jin said. “Since Fu Leng's return, this city is still strong in dark magic. The doorway to Jigoku is yet unlocked.., this should be sufficient to open it”
Voitagi replied with another odd metallic shriek. He looked down at Keita, then at Jiri, with the eager expression of a well- trained dog waiting to be rewarded.
“Of course, my friend,” Jin said in a warm voice. “Do with the Tortoise as you please. All we need is the b1ood”
Voitagi let out another fierce cry and stepped forward. Keita looked up at the samurai pathetically, his glazed eyes pleading for mercy.
He found none.
“Aoiko did you hear that?” Matsu Ferishi asked. She looked up in surprise as lightning flashed above the city. Amidst the thunder, a fierce shriek could just barely be heard.
Aoiko looked up with a thoughtful expression. Though among the youngest members of the Lion's Pride, she was already one of the most respected. Even so, she was still untested, and as the strange cry resounded through the city an enthusiastic smile spread across her face. “It sounds like trouble,” she said, hands tightening on the haft of her trident ‘Perhaps this journey will not be as boring as I feared it would be. Come, Kenji, let us find out what transpires while the others attend to their poetry”
“I can hear you, Aoiko-san,” Matsu Hyun said, glaring down at her fellow samurai. The tiny poet crouched atop a heap of rubble, a bundle of scrolls tucked under one arm. For the last few hours Hyun searched the ruins of the Imperial Library, recovering what scrolls she could find. The job was laborious and taxing, and the stubborn refusal of certain members of the Lion's pride to aid her had not improved Hyun's mood. “Matsu Nimuro assigned you as my protector and aide, Aoiko,” Hyun continued sharply. “If you cannot serve in the latter capacity, you can at least do your duty as a guardian and remain by my side”
Aoiko looked up at Hyun with a sour expression. “You have protection enough, Hyun,” she said, shrugging. “Surely you can spare two out of twenty while you dig through your rocks”
The sound of heavy footsteps sounded from nearby, and the three Lion samurai-ko immediately snapped to attention. Two men in full armor approached, both stained in dirt and grime. Both carried sheaves of scrolls like Hyun. The first was tall and lean, the other squat and stocky.
“Shigetosbi-sama,” Aoiko said, “Tadenori-san~ She bowed deeply to the lord of the Akodo family and his general. Flynn and Ferishi bowed as well
Shigetoshi returned the gesture, but regarded Aoiko with a sad, disappointed expression. “Rocks, Aoiko?” he said with a sigh. ‘These are not rocks, these are the remains of our Empire's glorious past. Many histories have been lost here, including the tales of past Lion heroes:'
“But why should we be made to gather them?” Aoiko replied. “Why not make peasants do this work?”
“For one who leans so heavily upon her grandfather's name, one would think you might have more respect for the past,” Tadenori said in a gruff voice. ‘Would you leave a farmer to tend the legend of Matsu Gohei?”
Aoiko's eyes widened and a look of anger flashed across her face, replaced immediately by a blush of shame. She bowed her head quickly. “1 apologize,” she said in a soft voice. “I had not thought of it that way:'
‘Then let us return to work,” Shigetoshi demanded. “This is only the first of seven libraries which require excavation. This will take a great deal of-”
Shigetoshi cut off abruptly as the sound of an explosive roar erupted from the south. Lion samurai immediately appeared from every nearby building and alley, gathering in formation around their leaders and preparing for combat
“What was that noise?” Ferishi asked, searching the shadows for any sign of a threat
“Oni!,” Tadenori said with a frown. ‘Demons from Jigoku, returned to the city”
Another roar sounded, drawing closer A trio of samurai in brown armor hurried from a nearby alley. Each wore the kanji for “one thousand” upon his armor, the symbols of the Swords of Yotsu, the guardians of Otosan Uchi. One clutched an injured arm to his side and limped on a bloody leg as a comrade helped him along. The other ran behind them with his katana drawn, looking back the way he came with an expression of terror. When the three saw the twenty Lion standing among the library rubble, hope dawned on their faces.
“Draw bows and fire,” Tadenori commanded, pointing toward the three samurai with his fan.
The three samurai looked at the Lion in shock as the Lion's Pride drew their bows and released. The arrows flew past the samurai and into the massive reptilian beast that followed them. It reared up on its hind legs and shrieked in pain as the arrows bit into its flesh, but it did not fall.
“Swords of Yotsu, make your way toward us!” Shigetoshi commanded in a booming voice. “Lion's Pride” Shigetoshi drew his katana and pointed it at the beast. “Charge!”
With defiant battle cries the Lion's Pride ran down the hill of rubble toward the demon. Shigetoshi ran beside them, his own blade held high. The demon glared down as they closed, and Tadenori put an arrow in its eye. With a broad stroke, Ferishi lopped of the creature's foreleg and Aoiko put her trident in its chest. The creature fell forward with a groan and Shigetoshi severed its head with one final blow. Falling into formation again, the Lion bushi waited for any sign of further attaclç and when there was none they retreated to the library ruins.
“Akodo-sama, thank the Fortunes that you and your soldiers were here,” one of the Yotsu said, hurrying forward and bowing to the Akodo Lord. “Dank magic is at work in the heart of the city — demons prowl the streets this night”
“How many demons?” Tadenori replied bluntly. His jaw was set firm, as if the old general were already piecing together tactics and strategies in his mind.
“I counted thirty or more,” said the wounded Yotsu. “Converging on the Palace ruins”
“Hyun,” Shigetoshi said, turning toward the poet “Ride to Kyuden Seppun. Tell the Imperial Legions what transpires here. Send help as quickly as you can”
Hyun nodded quickly and hurried away to her steed, still clutching the scrolls she had found.
“And what shall we do?” Aoiko replied. ‘We killed the first one well enough due to our numbers, but if there are thirty more...”
Shigetoshi looked at Aoiko with a determined expression. “Our clan failed to save this city once before. I shall die before I allow the Horde to defile its remains again” Shigetoshi looked from one samurai to the next, and each drew courage from his own. “Are you with me, sons and daughters of the Lion?”
“I am with you, Aoiko,” replied fiercely.
“You need not even ask, my lord,” Tadenori added.
The other Lion also gave eager cries of encouragement Though the fight ahead might be impossible and the enemy was unknown, they would not retreat
“And the Swords of Yotsu will fight with you as well,” said the injured samurai, his face still proud and defiant
“Then let us waste no time,” Shigetoshi said.