One week ago, deep in the Shinomen Forest

The only sign of the scout’s passage was the sudden rustling of underbrush, which quickly settled back into silence as the Nezumi raced through the forest at incredible speeds. The creature had been running for more than two days without pausing, his incredible ability to go without food or rest for short periods nearly exhausted even as he approached his destination. Almost without conscious thought, Kr’chan launched himself over a large pit, sailing through the air to land on the opposite side, never losing a beat. He was very near the warren, and instinct had taken over, leading him through every nuance of the terrain.

Finally, completely exhausted in every possible way, the scout Kr’chan came to a halt on the forest floor, his chest heaving with exertion, panting heavily as he struggled to fill his lungs with air. He lifted his head and made a loud clicking sound.

After a moment, there was a rustling from the underbrush, and a trio of Nezumi warriors emerged. The one in front sniffed the air cautiously. “Kr’chan?” she asked. “That you?”

“Must see the chief,” Kr’chan wheezed. “Must see him right now!”

“What happened?” the warrior demanded, her fur bristling. “Purple humans coming?”

Kr’chan’s whiskers twitched curiously at that comment, but he had no time to ask after recent events. He started to step forward, but his exhausted limbs could not hold him up any longer. He stumbled and fell to the ground with a thud, sending a cloud of dirt and leaves into the air as he did so. “Chief,” he rasped. “Must see chief!”

The Tattered Ear pack boss looked at the exhausted scout with an expression that was a mix of maternal concern and skepticism. Finally, she turned to one of the two warriors accompanying her. “Go get Manithith,” she said, turning back to Kr’chan’s dozing form. “Hurry-hurry!”

Kr’chan came awake with a start, trying to rise to his feet before he even understood that he had been dreaming. Unfortunately, his body refused to obey, and all that he accomplished was to lurch unsteadily to his feet and then immediately slump back to the ground in a painful heap. He grunted, more in irritation than in pain, and glanced around, resisting the urge to fall asleep again. “Chief?” he asked.

“What happened to you?” a voice answered. The form of Manithith leaned forward in the darkened warren, concern etched on his features. “Rememberers say you nearly dead. Might still die. What so important that you take scout away from tribe like this?”

“Was in the big-stone mountains near Crab lands,” Kr’chan explained, his voice weak with fatigue. “Looking for new lands to use during summertime, as chief said.” The scout drew something from the rough bag hanging on his hip and held it out to the chieftain with a shaking paw. “Take this,” he said.

Manithith took the partially-eaten rice ball with a curious twitching of his whiskers. “Why you not eat this? Rememberers say you no eat in days.”

Kr’chan shook his head feebly. “Scent,” he said. “The scent.”

Manithith sniffed the rice ball skeptically, then his eyes widened. “I know this scent!” he chattered excitedly. “This scent from when went to see humans with Zin’tch!”

Kr’chan nodded weakly. “There is more,” he rasped, beckoning the chieftain to lean closer. Manithith did, and listened as the scout told his story in a breathless voice. When he finally finished, he slumped back down into an exhausted slumber.

Manithith stepped out of the alcove into the greater Tattered Ear warren. He glanced around the assembled tribe, who stared back at him with concern, uncertain as to Kr’chan’s state or the reason for his manic run. “Scouts,” Manithith said. “Need two, fast-fast runners.”

Many scouts stepped forward, and the chieftain pointed to the two fastest. They stepped forward, tails twitching eagerly. Manithith took a bag and shoved the rice ball into it. He took up a stick and began gnawing on it, preparing a message for Zin’tch as he did so. As he gnawed on the wood, he explained to the scouts what he wanted them to do.

Their young eyes were bright with excitement as their chieftain spoke.

The Emerald Champion’s Residence in Toshi Ranbo

The private quarters of the Emerald Champion were quite large, even if they were not particularly lavish in their decoration. There had been but a single Emerald Champion in the years since Toshi Ranbo had become the new Imperial City, and thus the eclectic style of decoration that was so evident at the Emerald Champion’s castle north of the ruins of Otosan Uchi was not present here. The Emerald Champion was not a man mired in comforts, at least not in recent years.

Yasuki Hachi stood in the doorway of his private chambers for several moments before finally crossing the threshold and closing the doors behind him. He had not been in the Imperial City for months, and while the servants had made certain his room remained clean and undisturbed, there was still a vaguely musty scent that came of the rooms having been unoccupied for so long. He tried to think of the last time he had been in his own chambers, and for several moments he literally could not remember. Had he been gone that long?

“Welcome back, Hachi-sama.”

Hachi turned to the door. He had not granted anyone permission to enter, and had not even heard it open, but of course that was not surprising in this case. He smiled wryly. “Hello, Norachai,” he said. “It has been too long.”

“Forgive my intrusion, commander,” the Scorpion said with a bow, “but I half expected the rumors to be false. It has been so long since you were here, I did not believe them.”

Hachi nodded. “I can see why you might doubt it, but I have returned. For the moment, at least.”

“Everything has been well, then?” Norachai asked.

“As well as can be expected,” Hachi answered. “The peasant uprising in the Dragon lands was handled by the Mirumoto, although it took some time to ensure there would be no reoccurrence. We restored order to Shutai after a significant increase in bandit attacks in the area, and that in turn led us to the Forest Killer bandits in the Shinomen Mori. It took nearly a month of hunting to find their outposts, and half again that long to track down the stragglers.” He paused for a moment, reflecting on the tasks he had performed over the past few months. “I suppose that is why I am so exhausted.”

Norachai’s smile widened. “The Forest Killers have plagued the Scorpion, Crab, and Unicorn lands for generations. If you have broken their power, then you will have earned considerable favor with the clans.”

Hachi wiped his face with a cloth. “When I was younger I imagined that it was the clans who sought the Emerald Champion’s favor. I cannot decide if I was hopelessly naïve or if things have merely changed in recent years.” He looked at Norachai with a somber expression. “Tell me of the Emperor,” he said.

Norachai nodded. “The Emperor entered seclusion some months ago,” he said. “He has been indisposed since that time. The Empress and the Imperial Chancellor have overseen the Imperial Court in his absence.”

“Why has he entered seclusion? Did he say?”

Now it was Norachai’s turn to frown. “There was an… incident in court. Hida Kisada brought a Lost samurai to the capital.”

“What?” Hachi demanded, rising to his feet. “I had heard of the Lost’s petition, but no one said that one of them entered the court! How is that possible? Did the wards fail?”

“No,” the Scorpion magistrate answered. “He was bound in jade, which suppressed his Taint to the point that it did not elicit a fatal response from the wards. The Lost, called Daigotsu Soetsu, has been a guest of the Scorpion ever since, as you know. I have heard that he suffered some rather severe health issues from remaining within the court chambers as long as he did, although he has since recovered.”

The Emerald Champion shook his head. “Why he survives I do not understand.”

“Nor do most,” Norachai admitted. “The Emperor seemed prepared to sentence him to death, but the Jade Champion begged a private audience, and afterwards the Emepror’s mood was markedly different. He retired to contemplate ‘matters of enlightenment,’ so that he could rule in a just manner on the Lost’s petition.”

Hachi shook his head. “What could Sekawa have said to him to have such an effect?”

“That is a matter of great interest among the courtiers in the city,” Norachai said.

The Emerald Champion drew a deep breath and released it, his shoulders sagging as he did. He took a long drink of water from the clay bottle on his table, and thought for a moment. “What is the mood in the city?” he asked.

“Tense,” Norachai said at once. “The Shogun’s forces arrived less than two weeks after the Emperor’s seclusion began. Kaneka claims he came to secure the city from any who would attempt to take advantage of the Emperor’s absence. He remained long enough to set up a heavy guard cycle, then disappeared.”

“Disappeared?” Hachi asked.

“His lieutenant, Shiba Danjuro, claims that the Shogun is meeting with his generals any time that someone attempts to gain an audience with him.” The Scorpion shrugged. “I believe he is not within the city, and Danjuro is deliberately concealing this fact.”

“For what purpose?”

“Who can say?” Norachai seemed unconcerned about the mystery. “Danjuro is clearly not a deceitful man. If he is lying, he is doing so under orders from the Shogun.”

“Kaneka must have returned home to aid in the war,” Hachi said. “I have heard it is at an end, so perhaps he will return soon.”

“I do not think so. I have heard that the Council asked him to remain apart from the conflict during its early days, and by the time they desired his help he had already moved his forces to the Imperial City and would not leave it unprotected to return.”

Hachi looked askance at the other man. “How can you know all that?”

Norachai smiled and said nothing.

“Right,” Hachi said. “I should have known better than to ask. So if the Shogun is absent, where can he have gone?”

Norachai shrugged again. “He could be anywhere.”

“I imagine there have been problems with his men coming into conflict with the Imperial Guard.”

“It will doubtless surprise you to learn that they have not,” Norachai said, surprise evident in his own voice. “In truth, apart from the tension I mentioned, his men have ensured that there is little to be concerned about. People seem to feel more at ease with all the additional protection.”

Hachi nodded. “I have noticed much the same throughout the Empire,” he admitted. “The Imperial Legions serve the Shogun in all but name, and their presence has been a positive influence on the Empire ever since the ‘blood hunt’ ended.” He paused for a moment. “It seems that my initial assessment of the man was wrong.”

“So it would appear,” Norachai agreed.

“I think I would like to speak to Sekawa regarding his conversation with the Emperor,” Hachi said. “Is he within the city?”

“He is,” the Scorpion answered. “I anticipated your request and spoke to the Jade Champion on that matter a week ago. He asked to be informed of your return, whenever that might be, and that you two speak at your earliest convenience. I will dispatch a servant to inform him that you will be at the Imperial Palace within the hour, if you wish.”

Hachi nodded, then stopped. “The Imperial Palace? Not the Jade Champion’s residence?”

Norachai shook his head. “Sekawa-sama believes the two of you should meet with the Empress.”

The Imperial Palace

Perhaps no one else among the Imperial Court had been as glad to see the Imperial City relocated as Yasuki Hachi. Otosan Uchi was a grand and regal city, that much could not be disputed. It was also closely tied to too many bad memories, and as such he had never been able to find comfort anywhere within its borders. Although he would have gladly laid down his life to keep the former capital from falling to Daigotsu and his forces, he was much more content in Toshi Ranbo than he had ever been there.

“Hachi-san,” the Jade Champion said as Hachi entered.

Hachi quickly slid the doors to the private audience chamber closed behind him, then bowed respectfully to Asahina Sekawa, who returned the gesture, before kneeling before the dais at the head of the room. The woman sitting atop it smiled and nodded her head. “Rise, Yasuki Hachi,” she said. “I am pleased you have returned to the Imperial City at last.”

“Thank you, Empress. I regret my lengthy absence, but my duties have been many of late.”

“Many indeed,” Sekawa agreed, “and yet well performed all the same.”

“True,” Toturi Kurako agreed. “Many have wondered as to your whereabouts over the past months, but we have kept close account of your activities. The Emperor has been greatly pleased with the fervor with which you have maintained and enforced his laws.”

“It is my wish only to serve, Empress,” Hachi said. “I deeply regret that I was not on hand when the Lost’s… representative was brought before the court.”

“An unfortunate episode,” Kurako said, “although fortunately the Jade Champion was on hand for that unpleasantness.” She glanced sidelong at Sekawa. “Even if his response was not what many of us expected.”

“My duties have become more complicated of late,” Sekawa offered. “I only counseled the Emperor as he had instructed me to do. I imagine that Hachi-san knows something about complicated duties.”

“I do,” Hachi admitted, “although I find it difficult to imagine a complication of such magnitude that I would consider allowing the Lost to gain entrance into the Imperial Court.”

Sekawa raised an eyebrow. “I suppose you would have had to have been here.”

Hachi frowned at the comment, but the Empress intervened. “I entertain enough incessant squabbling during court, thank you,” she said mildly. “We have more pressing matters to discuss.”

The Emerald Champion nodded. “The Emperor’s seclusion,” he began. “We must ensure that he is properly protected. Do you have any inkling as to when he will emerge? There are many matters that would benefit from his attention.”

“My husband shall return to the court when he deems it appropriate,” Kurako answered. “In any event, that is not the matter I wish to discuss with you.”

Hachi glanced at Sekawa, who bore a similar perplexed look. “What might that be, Empress?”

“The Shogun’s forces,” she answered. “They are an ongoing threat to the city’s security, and I wish to see them removed.”

Hachi drew back slightly at this comment, and struggled for a moment to find a response. “Empress, are you certain that they pose a threat to the city? My experiences with the Shogun’s forces abroad have been positive, and my agents in the city report that the city is extremely well protected.”

“My experiences have been similar,” Sekawa added. “I know that many in the court doubt the Shogun’s motives, but he has given us no reason to be suspicious.”

“Of course he has not,” Kurako said. “He was a Lion. He knows not to reveal his assets until the battle is at hand. He will give us no reason to suspect until he is prepared to strike, and by then it will be far too late. I want his people dealt with before that ever happens.”

Hachi drew a deep breath. “If that is your order, my Empress, I will of course comply, but I think doing so places this city and the Emperor in more danger. There are many who would seize the chance to strike at the Imperial City while the Emperor is hidden away, unable or unwilling to respond, and even discounting his forces, Kaneka has a brilliant tactical mind. There are few in the Empire who would dare draw his wrath if they believed moving against the city would do so.”

“I trained with the Akodo as well,” Kurako said, perhaps a bit too sharply. “This city is well protected, and in any event, the Emerald Champion has returned. The Shogun’s presence is no longer needed.”

Sekawa frowned and seemed prepared to say something else, but there was a sudden commotion at the doorway, and an Otomo functionary slid the door open suddenly.

“No one is to disturb us,” Kurako said sharply. “What is the meaning of this impudence?”

“Forgive me, Empress,” the Otomo said, dropping to the floor with his forehead against the floor. “There is… you are needed at court.”

“I will return when I am ready. There are other matters that require my attention, and I will deal with them first.”

“It… it has to do with the Emperor,” the Otomo said, clearly aghast at having to speak to the Empress in such a way. “Please, my lady, if the report that has just come in is true, the Emperor is in mortal danger.”

Hachi was on his feet in an instant, bowing quickly before the Empress. “Show me to the court,” he said at once. The Empress, her face suddenly drained of all color, nodded wordlessly, and the three quickly followed the Otomo back to the Imperial Court chamber.

“Silence!” Bayushi Kaukatsu was demanding as the three entered the court chamber. The Imperial Chancellor was not a man prone to outbursts, but his expression made it clear that something was terribly wrong. Hachi felt his heart sink at the sight. If Kaukatsu was alarmed, then the situation was dire indeed.

“What is going on here?” the Empress said. Her voice was quiet, but the tone was one of absolute command, so much so that the murmurs throughout the chamber dropped off to nothing almost immediately. There was silence in the room.

The Imperial Chancellor stepped forward and bowed deeply. “Empress, there is an unsubstantiated report regarding the Emperor. I am reluctant to give it any credence due to its… oddity. But you should hear it all the same. Refute it and I shall have the perpetrators removed for treason.”

“Who brings this information to the court?” the Empress asked. Unbelievably, Kaukatsu looked somewhat embarrassed. “The Nezumi ambassador, Empress.”

There was a moment of pristine silence, followed sharply by the whispering sound of fans being opened throughout the chamber. Kaukatsu gestured, and the attendants parted to give the Empress a clear view of Zin’tch, the One Tribe’s ambassador to the Imperial Court. The Nezumi inclined its head in a manner similar to that demonstrated by humans. “Empress-chieftain,” he said.

The Empress stared at the creature for a moment. “Tell me,” she finally said.

Zin’tch nodded and began speaking in his strangely accented manner. “The Tattered Ear chieftain Manithith, from the Shinomen, has sent word of a scout that returned from the mountains far south, in the Crab lands. This scout, his name is Kr’chan, was among the Tattered Ear who brought me to your warren when I first came to court. Kr’chan saw a single human warrior, not one of the dark humans but a human that was still ‘pure,’ enter the dark lands to the south.”

Toritaka Tatsune spoke up. “That is the name given to the Shadowlands by the Nezumi, Empress.”

Kurako nodded. “Continue, please.”

“The human threw aside a rice ball. Kr’chan picked it up to eat it, but he recognized the scent of the human on it. He recognized it from when he brought me to the city. Kr’chan brought the ball to Manithith, running for two days to reach the Tattered Ear warren, to tell. Manithith sent the ball here, so that Zin’tch could see if the scent was right. It is. This rice ball was held by the human Chief of Chiefs. The Emperor.”

There was a murmur throughout the chamber. Kurako was growing paler by the moment. “Tatsune, can this be true?”

The old Crab sensei frowned. “The Nezumi have an incredible sense of smell,” he admitted. “If one of their scouts gets a good scent of someone or something, he will remember it for years.”

“It’s true,” Yoritomo Katoa said. “The Chipped Tooth tribe serve aboard many Mantis vessels. They can find land by sniffing the air, even miles from shore.”

“Surely this cannot be true,” Doji Seishiro said. “The Emperor is not in the Twilight Mountains. He is within his chambers, in seclusion. Is he not?”

Kurako paused for a moment, then slowly shook her head. “He left the palace months ago,” she said quietly. “He has gone into the Empire in disguise, seeking enlightenment.”

There was no masking the gasps of shock throughout the chamber. Hachi turned to Sekawa. “The Shadowlands?” he said. “Why would he go there?”

Sekawa shook his head incredulously. “I do not know. There is nothing there that could help him in his search, unless…” he trailed off. “Unless he seeks the Tomb of the Seven Thunders.”

“That is a legend, nothing more,” Kaukatsu said.

“How can we know?” Sekawa said. “The Emperor must believe it to be true, or else he seeks something else entirely.”

“Can your scouts find him?” Hachi asked, looking at the Nezumi ambassador.

Zin’tch drew up proudly. “The Tattered Ear scouts are the finest in the One Tribe. Tattered Ear scouts and Crippled Bone guides can find anything, even in the dark lands.”

Kurako turned to Hachi with a mournful expression. “Please,” she said quietly, so that no one else could hear. “Can you save him?”

Hachi’s face was grim. “If not, then I shall die in the attempt.” He raised his voice “Great Clans! The Emperor has need of us! Send word that we have need of your finest warriors. Small groups, light and fast. Marshal to the Crab lands immediately. Anyone who bars your path shall face my wrath, and suffer for their crimes.” He turned to Kurako and Sekawa. “We ride to save the Emperor.”