By Rusty Priske
Edited by Fred Wan
Togashi Satsu sat in his austere chamber, meditating. To an outside observer, there would be some question whether he was alive, as his breath was slowed to imperceptibility. No muscle twitched and no hint of sound came from between his lips. He was as the mountain beneath them all: immovable, impenetrable, enduring.
A tattooed monk entered Satsu’s chamber without giving notice. He stood in front of the Dragon champion and waited, head bowed.
“Yes?” Satsu’s eyes opened after he spoke.
“Lord Satsu-sama, the families and orders are represented, as you asked. Mirumoto Mareshi brought a second with him, however. And Hoshi Wayan did not arrive as instructed.”
“Yes.” If Satsu was surprised that his instructions were not followed to the letter, he gave no notice. “Please inform them that I will be there shortly.”
“Hai, Lord Satsu-sama.”
The monk left the room to follow his master’s instructions.
Satsu stood, his movements fluid and graceful. He walked to a screen which he slid aside, and entered a curtained area. He was in a large chamber but hidden from the view of the room’s other occupants, due to the heavy curtain. He could hear them speaking, however.
They were wondering amongst themselves why they had been summoned and why there was no Hoshi among them. One sounded angry with Wayan for not arriving. Another seemed intrigued.
Satsu concentrated. His flesh trembled. He frowned. The transformation was becoming more difficult. Each transformation was a greater challenge than the last. He concentrated again and his body became malleable. He began to change.
Hitomi Kagetora paced. “For Wayan not to respond to the summons is an insult to Lord Satsu and the entire Dragon clan! Such an insult should not go unaddressed!”
“Please, Kagetora-san,” Tamori Shaitung tried to calm the angry monk, “It is not our place at this time. Let Lord Satsu question Wayan’s actions. Not us.”
Kitsuki Iweko looked on, mulling something in her head. “Hoshi Wayan’s actions are curious, though. They are quite unlike him. We should not assume all is as it seems.”
“And it is not.” Satsu’s deep voice resonated across the room as the great curtains were pulled back. Behind them was revealed Satsu in the form of a large dragon. His scales glistened in the candlelight and his eyes betrayed pools of deep black.
The six others in the chamber dropped to the floor in supplication to their great leader.
“Please rise. We have important things to discuss. First, Mirumoto Mareshi.”
The Mirumoto daimyo stepped forward and bowed deeply to his champion. “Yes, Lord Satsu.”
The Dragon’s great head lowered to look down on the samurai. “I summoned you before me. Yet you brought Mirumoto Kei as well.”
“Hai, Lord Satsu. With apologies, I meant no disrespect. My duties as Mirumoto daimyo are often filled by Kei, as we had previously discussed, and I felt that she should be apprised of anything from a gathering such as this.”
Mirumoto Kei stepped forward and bowed even deeper than Mareshi. “I will leave, Lord Satsu, if that is what you wish.”
Satsu leveled his gaze at Kei. “I do not. I wished you to attend. I invited the daimyos of all families. In fact, I have something for you. Step forward.”
Kei straightened and moved towards the great Dragon. As she did so, a monk appeared from behind Satsu, carrying a sword case. He placed it on the floor and vanished from whence he came.
“Open it.”
Kei did as instructed and discovered a finely crafted katana. She glanced at Satsu before gingerly picking the sword up from the case. “I recognize this sword.”
Satsu nodded. “It is Yogen. It was the final gift of Tsi Xing Guo, the Fortune of Steel, to our clan. Mirumoto Ryosaki was the first to wield it. You will be the second.”
Kei’s eyes darted between the sword and her champion. “This is too great a gift, Lord Satsu. I am simply…”
Satsu cut her off. “You are simply the most gifted Dragon General of your generation. You will bear the sword with dignity and skill. This is not a gift. This is your duty.”
Kei bowed deeply. “It is a duty that I am proud to undertake, Lord Satsu.”
As Kei and Mareshi stepped back, Satsu said, “I would like to compliment all on their success in the war against the Crane, now that the war is now over.”
Mareshi bowed and said, “Your orders have been executed, Lord Satsu, though not always understood.”
Satsu’s head dipped towards Mareshi. “Understanding is its own reward.”
“Just so, Lord Satsu.”
“Then let me reward you, Mareshi. Elements within the Crane were engaged in treason, and we fought to expose them. Doji Domotai is taking steps to end the crimes, so our intervention is no longer required. Further, our choice to end the fighting allowed the Crane to begin their redemption, by discharging their duty at Toshi Ranbo.”
“The throne remains empty, Lord Satsu. There will be more bloodshed.”
Satsu’s eyes saddened. “That is certain. There is nothing to be done.”
Mareshi’s voice rose slightly, “You could –”
A flash from the Dragon’s eyes stopped Mareshi in mid-sentence. “Rokugan will endure, with whomever the gods see fit to place on the throne. Now, I see that Hoshi Wayan did not answer my summons. He will not be answering them any longer.”
The assembled company reacted to that indifferent ways. Kagetora looked angry while Iweko asked, “Has something happened to him, Lord Satsu-sama?”
“Yes, but not in the way you believe. Wayan has drifted away from us, and all of humanity. He did not answer the summons because he no longer sees the relevance in doing so.”
“Then I will show him the relevance!” Kagetora shouted, to the surprise of the others in the room.
“Kagetora-san!” Shaitung interjected. “Do not raise your voice in the presence of Lord Satsu!”
Satsu shook his head. “It is all right, Shaitung. He knows not what he does.”
Kagetora prostrated himself before the great Dragon. “My humblest apologies, Lord Satsu-sama.”
“Yes. Rise.” Satsu paused before continuing. “The change in behavior among the Hoshi and Hitomi has been noted by all, I trust. The Hoshi have become more distant by the passing day, while the Hitomi are becoming more aggressive and violent.”
Kei’s eyes darted to Kagetora before saying, “It is true, Lord Satsu. The Hitomi who fought beside us against the Crane behaved… oddly.”
Kagetora glared at Kei. “The Hitomi know when they see enemies of the Dragon and we know what must be done.”
“With all respect, Kagetora-sama, the Hitomi I saw did not help our cause at all. They threw their lives away needlessly. Even if they caused some losses to the Crane…”
“Then they were successful.”
“Not if our own losses were greater. There are few enough members of the Orders during times of peace. The loss of so many for a few Crane soldiers is unacceptable. I believe that if the war had not ended, the Hitomi would have fought themselves to extinction.”
Satsu spoke quietly, though his voice still filled the entire chamber. “They would have, and the fault is mine.” All in the room stopped and looked towards their leader. “I have long sensed a lingering imbalance within the tattooed orders. It was something that I had not foreseen, that even my grandfather had never foreseen. I chose to observe and allow the problem to unfold that I might understand it, but now I fear that what has happened may be irreversible.”
Iweko furrowed her brow. “But what has happened? Why do the Hitomi and Hoshi behave the way they do?”
“You know of Kokujin, and tales of others like him. No mortal men and women can bear the blood of gods and remain unchanged. This is the basis of our orders. Yet there are some who are overwhelmed by this gift. Traditionally, these people go mad and we must tend to them, else their madness become destructive. What is happening to the Hitomi and Hoshi is similar to this. The effect on the Hoshi is that they are becoming more and more distant, removing themselves much as my father did. They are a threat to no one but themselves. Hoshi Wayan barely recognizes the real world, anymore. He is becoming introspective to such a degree that he will likely become a hermit, to live out his days pondering the inner world, completely excluding the outer. Left alone, I believe all of the Hoshi will follow this path.”
Satsu paused. “The Hitomi are reacting in a different way. Lady Moon’s gift is creating a rage within them that leads to erratic behavior. Their path is more troubling to me, for many of the reasons Kei has noted. If something is not done, I fear many will be killed, not the least of whom will be the Hitomi themselves.”
Shaitung spoke softly. “What can we do? How can we aid their maladies?”
Satsu coiled and uncoiled his massive serpentine body as he considered the matter. “I believe that the orders’ connection to their patrons, both Lady Moon and the Celestial Wanderer, is the source of their ailment. A direct connection to the Heavens such as that created by pure divine blood is simply too much for the mortal soul to bear without being adversely affected. It has taken many years, but the burden is beginning to overwhelm our brothers. The Togashi have not succumbed because, unlike my father and Lady Moon, my blood is not wholly divine.” He paused for a moment. “The Hoshi and Hitomi orders will be absorbed into the Togashi. All who once bore those names will be given a new tattoo, using my blood. It is my hope that this will begin to counter the effects of the madness plaguing them.”
Kagetora could restrain himself no longer. “What? Dissolve the Hitomi order? By what right? We have dedicated ourselves to Lady Moon! I have followed Lady Hitomi since before you were born!”
Shocked silence filled the chamber. “Kagetora-san!” Shaitung exclaimed, color rising in her cheeks. “You are speaking to Lord Satsu! How dare you?”
Satsu slowly shook his head. “Kagetora-san, look within yourself. Listen to your voice. Do you truly believe that you would speak thus to me if you were in full control of your faculties? Do you believe you would even consider speaking in such a manner?”
Kagetora paused and suddenly the anger drained from his face, replaced by sorrow and horror. He dropped to his knees. “Lord Satsu. My apologies. I did not mean…” He straightened his upper body. “I have only ever lived to serve my Lady and the clan. To have spoken to you thus… my transgression is unforgivable.”
“I will decide that.” Satsu’s voice softened. “Kagetora-san, your words merely prove the danger that your brothers and the Hoshi all face. The three orders will once again become one, and our brothers and sisters who need our aid shall receive it.”
Kagetora shook his head. “I am sorry, Lord Satsu. I cannot abandon Lady Moon. I just cannot. Please give me permission to join her.”
“We will not abandon Hitomi, Kagetora-san. You will not have to join the Togashi. I think that would be greater punishment than any that could be devised. You may go to her temple and serve your days there. I will watch and ensure that you are taken care of. Your years of service to Hitomi and the Dragon clan are well regarded, Kagetora-san. You have been brave, noble and loyal. Go and serve Lady Moon with my blessing. You will be well remembered.”
Kagetora rose. He bowed once sharply to the might dragon before him, then turned to leave. He hesitated for a moment, then bowed a second time, this time to Shaitung. “You have fire, young one. Do not allow it to be tempered, nor to be stoked by any other than yourself. It can make you a pawn if you allow it, but it will make you stronger if you master it.”
“Thank you, Kagetora-sama,” Shaitung said, returning the bow.
“Thank you. For everything.” Mareshi bowed, and the others all followed suit, demonstrating their deference and respect for the old monk and his years of service.
For the briefest moment, it seemed as though Kagetora might be overcome by emotion. But in the end, the former lord of the Hitomi left the castle with his head held high, mourning not for what he had lost, but rejoicing for having gained a new life of servitude to his Lady.