By Shawn Carman and Rich Wulf

Northwest of Kaeru Toshi

They had come from nowhere. There had been no sign of their approach, though Kei had mobilized her forces the instant the scouts failed to return. A wave of Unicorn in bone-white armor exploded from the woods around the Dragon patrol, crashing into her withdrawing troops with a savage fury. The Unicorn had tired of the Dragon’s presence in their war, and made their displeasure known in their own unique manner. The Dragon’s smaller forces, more accustomed to swift strikes and withdrawals throughout this war, were at a grave disadvantage.

A squadron of Unicorn cavalry charged the Dragon command unit, screaming the name of their Khan. It was a battle cry that Mirumoto Kei had become sadly familiar with over the past few months. “Fall back!” she shouted to her officers. The Dragon obliged, spreading their ranks thin in an instant and robbing the Unicorn of a cohesive target. It was not a completely successful evasion, sadly. The Unicorn likewise divided and rode down many of Kei’s men, though more than one White Guardsman fell in the dust beside a Dragon. She could not stop even long enough to properly register their deaths, but in the hours that followed the battle she would relive this moment and mourn them properly. They would be avenged, assuming she survived.

A huge horse bore down on her, its rider lifting a broad scimitar high. Kei hurled herself to the side at the last moment, stepping across the horse’s front to the side of the Moto’s off-hand. The horse missed by inches, and Kei could smell the perspiration from the creature’s thick coat. The Moto attempted to strike her as he passed, but Kei darted to one side and met his blade with her katana. The force of his strike threw him off balance, and her wakizashi darted out at his nearest stirrup. The Moto growled in fury as he tumbled off his horse with a thud and an angry grunt.

The Moto was on his feet in an instant. He glanced around desperately for his sword, finding it at Kei’s feet. He drew a short knife and scowled at her, resigned to fight even with an inferior weapon. Kei took two measured steps back and gestured toward the fallen scimitar with her wakizashi. He moved forward warily and snatched it in one hand. With both blades, his stance was a strange mirror to Kei’s Niten style. She recognized the markings on the man’s armor as those of an officer. Around them the battle seemed to calm as both Unicorn and Dragon turned to see this confrontation between their two leaders.

“Foolish Dragon,” he said with a snarl. “You should have stayed in the mountains. This is not your battle.”

“And this is not your land,” she replied. “You should have stayed on your plains.”

“I am Moto Taidjut!” the Moto shouted, raising his blades. “I command the fifth legion of the Khol’s Southern Wind! Know that I will drive your clan from the Kaeru Fields before your blood is dry!”

Kei drew a sorrowful breath. “I am Mirumoto Kei, servant of the Righteous Emperor,” she said. “I take no pleasure in your death, Taidjut-san.”

Taidjut’s face twisted in rage at her words, and he shrieked a keening, blood-curdling battle cry. It was a mad sound, the sound Kei imagined the souls of the damned might make if they were released from Jigoku. He twirled the two blades in a whirling circle, leaving part of his guard open to attack. As he drew close, he swung the blades in wider arcs, but Kei turned aside with a smooth movement, narrowly evading the blows. She lashed out with katana and wakizashi, locking four blades for a brief second. Just long enough for Kei to kick the larger man squarely in the midsection and drive him back a few steps.

Taidjut gasped for breath and shifted his stance, carrying his blades low and to the side. He darted forward again with surprising speed. Kei struck with her katana, and he moved to block it. He countered with an off-hand strike, but she had anticipated this maneuver. She brought her wakizashi down with a savage chop upon his short blade, shattering the inferior weapon. Flipping the short sword in one hand, she cut upward across the Unicorn’s mid-section, the sword’s tsuba making a strangely crisp clinking sound as it sheared the lacquered plates of his armor.

Taidjut’s eyes widened and he stared into Kei’s.

“Dragon steel is stronger than I thought,” he whispered with a smile, a trickle of blood escaping his lips.

Kei said nothing. The Dragon general shoved the dead man off her blade, whispered a quick prayer for the Unicorn, and turned to lead her men from this place before the Unicorn regrouped. 

Dragon Clan base camp

Kei dropped her satchel on the low table with an unceremonious thud that sent dust flying into the air. She removed her battered helm and placed it on a rack, absently tucking a lock of sweat-streaked hair behind her ear as she did so. She wanted nothing more than to rest, to sleep away the fatigue that had settled into her bones months ago and showed no sign of leaving. That would not happen any time soon, of course. It might never happen. Kei had seen far too many men lose their lives unnecessarily in this war. Some of them she had killed. She often wondered if it would be her fate to see her mountain home again or if she would die amid a sea of corpses on a sun-blasted battlefield near a city that she had never even heard of until last year.

There was a flicker of light from the tent’s entryway, but no accompanying sound of rustling fabric. “Come in, Arai,” Kei said wearily. “Have you assessed our losses?”

“I have,” he said quietly. The stocky young warrior had the broad, rough features typical of a Unicorn, from his mother’s side. This war had been harder for him than most, fighting his own kin, but his courage and dedication had never wavered. “Our losses are considerable, particularly among the command staff. The Unicorn targeted your unit specifically. Their scouts must have been monitoring us.”

Kei closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Perhaps we might yet be able to fulfill Naseru’s desires here. A frontal attack on the Lion and Unicorn forces where they meet on the fields before Kaeru Toshi may be enough to weaken their mutual positions sufficiently that they must withdraw.” Kei’s voice was low as she spoke the words. There was no way the remaining Dragon forces would survive such an encounter, but their objectives here would be met. “Have we reached the critical point, Arai?” Kei asked. “Is there no other way for us to continue?”

“We have not reached that point yet, Kei-sama,” the scout answered. “Our forces are yet large enough to continue. The men are prepared to fight as long as we can.” He paused for a long moment, and Kei almost swore she saw a small smile spreading across his lips.

Kei raised her eyebrows. “And?”

“A shisha arrived from the Imperial Legions,” Arai answered. “Three divisions will arrive in a thirty days, seconded to your command by order of the Emerald Champion.”

The young general released a shaky breath and seemed to relax, if only for a moment. “Hachi-sama,” she said gratefully. “I had hoped he would show his hand.”

Arai’s features darkened. “With respect, general, he should have taken action long before now.”

Kei looked at the scout with a strangely blank expression. “Do you believe the Dragon incapable of performing the duty Satsu-sama and the Emperor have placed before us, Arai?”

Arai did not hesitate. “I would gladly die to achieve our purpose,” he said quietly, “I just wonder why the Emerald Champion apparently does not share our dedication.”

Kei rose, advancing on Arai with a deep scowl. “Are you blind, Arai?” she hissed. “Have you forgotten the terrors that have stalked the Empire in the last year? Have you forgotten what happened in Gisei Toshi? Would you turn the Emerald Champion away from the Bloodspeakers to interfere in this little war?”

“This war is not so little to the men who die in it,” Arai replied, though his eyes moved to the floor.

“Death I can accept,” Kei said darkly. “Failure, I cannot. We will not fail here.”

“But so minor a gesture,” Arai said. “Will two Legions be enough against the Khol or Ikoma Otemi’s forces? And what do the Scorpion plan?”

“It does not matter,” Kei said. “The only reason this war has progressed this long is because the Emperor has been unable to show his true strength. The arrival of two legions signifies the Emperor is prepared to show that strength. Not even the Scorpion would defy his edict. When Hachi’s forces arrive, this war will be over.”

“With all due respect, that is little consolation, Kei-sama,” Arai replied. “With the situation as it stands, thirty days is more than enough time for either Lion or Unicorn to carry the day.”

“Then we must maintain the situation until the Emerald Champion arrives,” Kei said grimly.

Arai acquiesced with a short nod. “How shall I distribute the troops, general?”

“Dissolve the units that have suffered the most losses and redistribute them to replenish the rest,” Kei said. “Twelve units, total.”

“As you command, Kei-sama.”

“Where are my advisors?” Kei asked, glancing around the tent as if she had just noticed the two were missing.

“Takeo is inspecting the men under his command,” Arai answered. “Kichi is recovering from… the exertion.”

Kei closed her eyes again. The kikage zumi’s wisdom had been invaluable, but his illness grew worse by the day. In the safety of the Hitomi monastery it was no concern, but with each day that passed in the field his cough grew worse, his golden gaze a bit weaker. Kichi spoke of it little, but she knew it would only be a matter of time before his soul went to join his Lady. “Tell him once more that he may return to the High House of Light.”

“You know he will not,” Arai said. “He accepts his role in this. As do we all.”

“That notion brings me little comfort,” Kei said bleakly. “Return in an hour, Arai. I must take a short rest, then I will have orders for you.”

The scout bowed deeply, and was gone in an instant.

An hour’s rest did little to ease Kei’s exhaustion, but it helped her set her thoughts in order. Bleary-eyed, she nevertheless rose and prepared the maps that she and her advisors might try and anticipate the movements of not one, but two armies and try to guess the motivations of a possible third – the mysterious Scorpion. Despite the extreme circumstances, Kei believed in the abilities of her advisors. She would wish them at her side in any conflict.

“Takeo,” she said, “tell me of Sukoshi Zutsu, the village Paneki spoke of.”

Mirumoto Takeo nodded, fatigue clear in his eyes just as it was in hers. “It is a small Lion holding that lies between Kaeru Toshi and the Lion stronghold at Shinrai Toshi. Under normal circumstances, it holds no significant strategic value whatsoever.”

Kei frowned. Bayushi Paneki had warned her of an impending battle in the village of Sukoshi Zutsu, a village she knew little of despite spending over a year in the area. “What value does it hold, then, that both Unicorn and Lion would mass their troops as if for some great conflict?”

“The reports are confirmed, then?” Takeo asked. “The Scorpion’s words were truthful?”

“Paneki has no reason to lie,” Hitomi Kichi said with a dry chuckle. The old monk sat in the corner cross-legged, arms folded across his bare tattooed chest. His face was pale, his brow shining with sweat. “That particular form of deceit is not a part of the Defender.”

“My reports confirm the area is indeed significant,” Arai added. “The Unicorn massed their forces in the village after their feint toward Shiranai Toshi. They are currently diverting a significant amount of their troops toward that area. Likewise the Lion are moving several divisions to the south as well. It all supports what Paneki-sama told Kei-sama, though we do not yet know why both sides are moving toward the village.”

“We must have more information as to why this village is so important if we are to gamble our position here,” Kei said.

“There is a hidden truth that escapes us,” Kichi said. The monk spoke slowly, considering every word. It was an oddity for Kei, whose experiences with other Hitomi had led her to perceive them as brash and violent souls. “If we take action without comprehension, destiny will abandon us.”

Takeo scowled slightly, his disdain for such the monk’s riddles an issue he had long since ceased to belabor. “The Lion are simple to predict,” he said. “They merely defend what is theirs. It is the Unicorn who pose a threat to us at this point. Their tactics are erratic, and clearly they have taken a personal interest in our presence here. If there is uncertainty, then it lies with them, not with destiny.”

“All things are destined to be,” Kichi answered.

Kei considered everything for a moment. “With all due respect, Kichi-sama, the days of omniscient Togashi are over,” she finally said. “The Dragon must find their own path now. Lord Satsu has commanded us to do whatever is necessary to end this slaughter, and I shall do exactly that. Still, to engage either foe without the necessary information would be pointless. Do not underestimate the Lion. We have invaded their territory as surely as the Unicorn have, and if they have not yet struck out at us it is merely because we have not given them opportunity. To ignore them would be that opportunity. We need more information on the Unicorn’s movements and purpose here.” She glanced at Arai. “Find out what value Sukoshi Zutsu has to our enemies, Arai-san.”

The scout only bowed.

The Lion-Unicorn border

In most battles that took place in this lengthy conflict, the forces were evenly matched. Wins and losses on each side were roughly even. The brilliant tactical minds and highly disciplined troops of the Lion were countered by the Unicorn’s unorthodox strategies and maniacal devotion to their Khan. Despite the bold claims of both sides, this war was almost perfectly matched.

In this skirmish, however, the Unicorn had stood no chance.

From his place of concealment across the plain, Mirumoto Arai and his two finest scouts had watched wordlessly as a larger force of Unicorn had broken themselves against the carefully orchestrated front line of a smaller Lion force. The Unicorn had underestimated the flexibility of Otemi, the new Lion commander, and were about to pay the price. The advantage of cavalry had been negated by Ikoma pikemen, and the flanking strategy of the Lion commander had cut off any hope for escape. The Unicorn commander, a man Arai recognized as decorated soldier named Moto Sanpao, had charged into the Lion’s midst with his personal guard, buying time for the remnants of his command to flee. It was a noble act, and one that Arai was sure would herald Sanpao to his ancestors, but Arai had seen so much death that it began to seem pointless.

The Unicorn survivors were so few that the Lion did not give pursuit. The Lion soldiers let them gather their wounded and flee the field. Arai and his scouts were a different matter, however. If the Lion saw them here, there would be no escape. “Hakahime,” he whispered, gesturing to the young woman at his side. She nodded wordlessly and rose from the plain, taking off at a dead run across the low hills that hid the Dragon from the Lion. Arai and the other man waited for several minutes to make sure that the Lion had not seen Hakahime, then rose and followed.

It was several miles before they found Hakahime. She crouched in the middle of the plain, studying the grass intently. As Arai approached, she glanced briefly at the horizon behind him and looked up questioningly. “No,” he answered, “they chose not to pursue. What have you found?”

Hakahime pointed to the grass. “The survivors rode north until this point, then turned southeast. They remained here for a few minutes at least.”

“Waiting to see if there were pursuers,” Arai nodded. “Sukoshi Zutsu is southeast of here.”

“There is more,” the young woman insisted. She strode a hundred paces across the plains and gestured to the grass. “Heavy horses have ridden through this area not long ago. They were laden far too heavily to be soldiers.”

Arai frowned. “A supply train perhaps? There is no trail here.”

“No,” Hakahime agreed. “This path was used only once, and not long ago. The grass is broken, but not flattened.”

“They are changing the path they take to avoid detection,” the master scout observed. “They are moving supplies from the village to the front lines.”

“From where?” Hakahime asked.

“From the only staging ground the Unicorn have in the area,” Arai answered. “The Unicorn are moving more forces into the area through Sukoshi Zutsu.”

“Why?” Hakahime asked, looking at him intently. “It is said the Khan already risks too many of his troops in this conflict. Why would he commit the rest of his armies here?”

“There are Unicorn among the Emerald Legions,” Arai said, standing and looking off to the north with a dark look. “He does not need to commit his forces… only keep them here long enough to win this war in thirty days.”

Dragon Clan military headquarters

“A supply base? Are you certain?” Takeo frowned, unconvinced of the scout’s findings.

Arai nodded. “I have reviewed the limited accounts we have of the war’s early days. What information there is supports both Paneki’s account and the trails we found south of Kaeru Toshi. The village is no longer a mere camp, it is about to become a major staging ground for the entire Unicorn army.”

Kei gestured to the scrolls scattered across the map table. “When the Unicorn first attacked Kaeru Toshi, they failed to seize it in the first battle. The Khan’s forces pulled away and moved south, toward Shinrai Toshi. While the Lion were already enraged that the Unicorn would dare attack Kaeru Toshi, they reacted even more poorly to the thought of losing a city that has been rightfully theirs for centuries. They began fortifying their position there by drawing troops away from other nearby holdings, including Kaeru Toshi itself.”

“Such as Sukoshi Zutsu,” Arai added.

The commander nodded. “But the movement toward Shinrai was a feint. The Unicorn immediately moved toward Sukoshi Zutsu and captured it in less than an hour. The Lion have not contested it since, as Takeo pointed out, it holds no strategic value. In the grand scheme of things, it is unimportant.”

“Except to the peasants who live there,” Takeo said.

“By all reports they are well treated,” Arai answered. “The Unicorn caused no bloodshed when they seized the village and the Lion were distant lords at best. The Unicorn have fortified the village, even to the point of eliminating a bandit gang that had been plaguing the village for years. All in all, I would be surprised if the Lion even attempted to take the village back when this war is done.”

“And now the Unicorn have turned it into a central supply depot and staging ground for the entire war.” Arai rubbed his chin thoughtfully. “The Lion will have saboteurs behind Unicorn lines, trying to find the route between Shiro Moto and the front lines. When they discover the Khan’s troop movements, this little village will become a bloody place indeed… assuming Otemi does not already know.”

“Lion saboteurs?” Takeo said questioningly. “That seems a contradiction. Otemi is too honorable a man to indulge in such tactics.”

Kichi shook his head. “Otemi need not do so,” he said. “There will always be those who value the clan’s good above their own honor. They will willingly sacrifice themselves and their place in Yomi to ensure a Lion victory, even if their lord does not approve. It is the way of men.” The old monk smiled weakly and coughed into his hand.

“The Lion will attack Sukoshi Zutsu,” Kei said.

“Why do you say that?” Takeo asked. “All the Lion need do is defend themselves for thirty days. When the Emerald Champion arrives, all of this will be over. If the Unicorn know he is coming surely the Lion know as well.”

“Simple enough,” Kichi answered. “If the Lion’s rivals capitalize on the fact that the Lion could not win their own war, defend their own cities without the help of a Crane Emerald Champion, they will lose face.”

“So, pride, then?” Arai asked, astounded. “The Lion would slaughter themselves for pride?”

Kichi looked at Arai seriously. “What other reason is there to kill another man but pride?”

Arai looked back to his commander, finding himself unable to meet the monk’s strange golden glare.

“What will happen when the Lion attack Sukoshi Zutsu?” Kei asked, returning the subject to the matter at hand.

Takeo shook his head. “It will be a bloodbath, commander. The Khan will make his last stand here. The losses on both sides will be astronomical.”

“Who will win?” she asked bluntly.

Takeo shook his head again. “There is no way to say. The forces will be too evenly matched to predict the outcome. If we consider that the Scorpion intend on making their own play during this conflict, then we have no idea what will happen.”

Kei frowned. “Then what will happen if the Lion win?”

“They will retake the village and the Unicorn’s position here will be compromised,” Takeo said. “The Khan’s forces will be scattered, disoriented. Nimuro may decide to seize upon the advantage to avenge the insult the Unicorn offered in Kaeru Toshi and press ahead into Unicorn lands while the Lion forces are occupied. Given the unpopularity of the Unicorn’s actions in this war, it is unlikely the Emperor would stop him.”

“And if the Unicorn win?” Kei asked.

“The Khan will have gained an important foothold,” Arai said. “He will easily conquer Kaeru Toshi, or perhaps even Shiranai Toshi, pressing further into Lion lands.”

“So then the stakes have been raised here,” Kei said darkly. “Whichever side wins will mean total war for the Lion and Unicorn. This ends here.”

“Yes,” Kichi agreed. “But how to accomplish that? How does one win a war without winning?”

“The Khan’s officers are no fools,” Arai said. “Surely they know the Lion will come for them. They will move to fortify the village. If they can hold the area until the Khan’s armies converge there, the Lion will have little chance of success.”

“Then we must delay the Unicorn forces,” Kei said.

“That will shift the balance of power in favor of the Lion,” Takeo said. “Are you prepared to hand such a victory to Nimuro?”

“My fear was that the Unicorn armies would be crushed in Sukoshi Zutsu. If they are delayed, the Lion victory is not decisive. Even Nimuro would not dare to march directly into the Khan’s vanguard across unfamiliar terrain. An effective show of force against the vanguard of the Khan’s reinforcements may encourage him to take a more circuitous route, or perhaps consolidate his forces. Either will cost him valuable time.”

“So you hope,” Arai said.

“Arai, what do we know of the reinforcements?” Kei asked, ignoring his comment.

“The nearest group consists of two divisions of Baraunghar infantry under the command of Shinjo Rao, a ruthless and brutal commander if there any deserves such a title.” The scout gestured to the map, indicating where the Unicorn forces were moving. “The problem is the third division. Utaku battle maidens, commanded by Utaku Xiulian. They are highly decorated and extremely skilled. It is likely we can delay Taidjut’s forces, but if Xiulian believes their cause is lost, she and her Shiotome will fight to the last. We can spare them no mercy.”

“How to win without winning indeed,” Kei said.

“I will lead the attack against the battle maidens,” Takeo offered.

Kei examined her officer carefully. “Engaging the Utaku, even with cavalry forces, is a dangerous prospect, Takeo. Are you certain?”

“Certain, general.”

The woman nodded. She opened her mouth to say something, then seemed to reconsider. Instead she merely nodded silently at her advisor.

Takeo bowed. “It has been a pleasure to fight beside you, Kei-sama,” he said quietly. Takeo left the tent, moving quickly to organize his troops. Silence dominated the meeting for a long time. The Utaku were among the most feared warriors in all the Empire. Takeo was likely marching to his death, that much was clear, but there was no reason to accept it lightly.

“Bring me Tamori Tsukiro,” Kei said.

“Tsukiro?” Arai asked, shocked. Though the strange dragon shugenja had offered his services early in the war, Kei had refused to call upon him. The man had a reputation in conflicts such as these, and thus far it seemed Kei had been unprepared to escalate the battle to such a level.

Now, however, things had changed.

The plains north of Sukoshi Zutsu

The use of stealth, even in the direst of circumstances, had never sat well with Kei. A samurai did not skulk in the shadows like a thief. Two months after her appointment as commanding officer of the Dragon armies, Kei had been grudgingly forced to admit that Togashi Satsu’s orders to end the war by any means necessary would require her to employ unconventional tactics. In truth, she had had little idea where to begin.

Fortunately for the young commander, among her forces had been a seasoned scout with ample experience in such things. Mirumoto Arai, who had ironically been trained in Unicorn lands by Shinjo scouts, had quickly become one of her chief advisors. While she still found the methods he used extremely distasteful, she could not argue with the brutal effectiveness Arai and his men displayed on the battlefield.

The three divisions of Unicorn forces moving south presented a large target, large enough that Kei had mobilized four divisions, three of infantry and a fourth mixed between cavalry and dedicated archers. Two infantry divisions would place themselves in the Unicorn’s path, while the third would cut off a retreat and catch them in a pincer. The fourth division was split, with the cavalry waiting to engage the Utaku once they separated from the main force, and the archers behind cover ready to lay waste to whatever enemy drew closest.

The Unicorn forces pulled up short when they emerged from between the hills that blocked the Dragon from their view, but only for a moment. The force that cut off any possible retreat moved into place with amazing speed. The Unicorn knew within a matter of moments that they had no choice but to fight. That choice was apparently an acceptable one to the Unicorn commander, who signaled the charge at once.

Fully half the Unicorn reinforcements were cavalry, and they left the infantry behind to charge toward the Dragon front line. Kei shouted for her gunso to ready spears, but hoped they would not be necessary. The Utaku forces were at the cavalry’s forefront, riding like demons to crush the Dragon. When Takeo’s forces appeared on their left and crashed into them, they were unprepared. The Dragon, after all, rarely made use of cavalry. Horses, war, and mountains rarely mix well, Kei’s sensei had once told her. The advantage lasted only a moment as the Shiotome adapted to the attack, but Kei hoped it would be enough to give Takeo a chance.

Arai and his archers seemed to blacken the sky with arrows, if only for a moment. The remaining Unicorn cavalry, perhaps taken by surprise at the ruthless attack on their Utaku brethren, seemed confused for a precious few moments as the arrows rained upon them. In those moments, Kei signaled her men to charge.

The bulk of the Dragon forces broke into a mad sprint and collided with the Unicorn cavalry. Kei remained behind with a small force of reserves to direct as she saw necessary to shore up holes in the Dragon formations. In the distance, she could make out the final Dragon division charging into the Unicorn infantry. Her forces had superior numbers, but she had been forced to divide their focus to prevent any possible escape route. Such a tactic was risky, as it left them stretched thin. The next few moments would be crucial.

A small squad of heavily armed Moto infantry broke away from the Dragon and charged toward the archery forces. Kei swore under her breath as she watched her archers’ arrows thud harmlessly into the thick shields the men carried, or glance off their double-layered armor altogether. As the Moto reached the archers, she could make out the distinct forms of Arai and Kichi enter the fray as well. Arai’s strange, whirling combat style would take a terrible toll on the Unicorn, and she could see the strange flashes of light that accompanied Kichi’s form whenever he activated his tattoo magic. Such effort would take a heavy toll upon the monk when the battle was done, but for now he moved with the speed, strength, and grace of a warrior one third his age. Kei signaled for the reserves to stand down. The archers would need no help.

Takeo’s forces were not faring well. The Utaku had rallied and were cutting through the Dragon forces with surgical precision. Kei saw Takeo thrown from his horse, only to rise and challenge the Utaku’s leader. The woman leapt from her saddle, bowed, and cut him from hip to shoulder. With their commander slain the Dragon forces pulled back into a tight defensive circle. The Shiotome fell into a tight formation and pursued.

Then Tamori Tsukiro’s laughter echoed across the battle fields, and fire rained from the sky. The screams of Battle Maidens echoed across the plain.

Utaku Xiulian rode like the wind. She was enraged at the notion of leaving the battle, but knew full well that the Dragon were too many and there seemed no escape from the burning liquid that fell from the sky. She must reach Sukoshi Zutsu if the Unicorn were to have any chance against the coming Lion assault. She and her sisters raced across the rough ground, putting more distance between them and the Dragon with each passing second.

As she topped a small hill, Xiulian saw a lone man in green robes standing in the center of a small hollow, directly in the path toward the village. She felt the urge to run him down, but her instincts warned her that this was another trap. She signaled for her troops to stop, gesturing to the left and right to search for other Dragon. She glanced back at her rear guard, who held up three fingers. The Dragon were only a few minutes behind them. “Stand aside, Dragon!” she shouted. “Tell your comrades that we will not be stopped this day!”

“I have no comrades,” the man answered. “I am alone.”

“Then you are a fool!” she shouted.

“Some say so,” the man answered. “I am Tamori Tsukiro. I have served the great general Junnosuke and at his command many Phoenix did not rise from the ashes. I have warred against the Dark Oracle’s minions, and saw the servants of fire burn. It is my fire that has claimed the souls of your sisters. Turn back now, or burn.”

“If it was you who brought that fire, then you are mad to reveal yourself to me,” Xiulian said, drawing her blade.

“Abandon this war, Shiotome,” Tsukiro hissed.

“Kill him!” Xiulian cried.

Tsukiro smiled as the women charged toward him. He had been commanded to make certain that none of these Battle Maidens escaped the trap the Dragon had laid. There was only one way to truly be sure, and in the end it was not such a difficult thing. He adjusted the long sashes that crossed his chest, smiling at the faint chink of ceramic bottles.

The Unicorn were a hundred paces away. Fifty. Thirty. Ten paces.

Tsukiro opened his robe and let the sunlight gleam off of the dozens of flasks that lined the robes. The green fluid within them sloshed dangerously, and he felt a flash of heat from them even through the silk.

Utaku Xiulian showed no surprise, only leaned low in the saddle and pointed her lance at his heart. The shugenja laughed long and hard as the spear buried itself in his chest, and green fire erupted across the plains.