Kenshiru’s Journey – Story 3

In the Lands of the Phoenix

When they eventually reached the lands of the Phoenix clan, Jinsho, Kenshiru, Shiniko and Takashima were welcomed and congratulated on their success in the Topaz Championship and in their resolution of the murder of Retsu. They were offered the opportunity to retain their status as Phoenix magistrates by completing the appropriate training and they accepted. As Daidoji Uji had hoped, although Takashima had not been part of the adventures so far he also received the offer of becoming a magistrate since by this time he was one of the group.

During the two or three months it took to finish the training Kenshiru discovered some things about Jinsho that he had not previously been aware of. The Shiba family, to which Jinsho belonged, were all bushi. So it transpired that Jinsho was one of the only Shiba ever to become a shugenga. This had earned him both notoriety and scorn. Many of the Shiba family, including some of his immediate relations, viewed him as a great disappointment. However amongst the shugenga his magical talents had already drawn attention. He was regarded as having great potential. So much so that he had the auspicious distinction of being chosen as the protégé of the Elemental Master of Fire.

Collecting Taxes

For their first assignment as magistrates they were tasked with travelling around the Phoenix clan lands assessing the taxes. It didn’t sound very exciting. Basically it meant visiting a series of towns and determining whether they had satisfactorily gathered the taxes required by the Phoenix daimyo. If for any reason they had not met their quota their excuses would be assessed and either a fair compromise would be arranged or they would be encouraged to dig deeper. The actual collection of these taxes would be done later.

So Jinsho, Kenshiru, Shiniko and Takashima trundled off into the Phoenix countryside, stopping at the various towns along the way. Many had gathered the money required, some had insufficient funds but offered livestock in trade. In a couple of cases the group accepted a reduced payment in light of some hardship the village had recently suffered.

Everything was pretty routine until they came to a medium sized town that had no taxes to offer. The town elders were hugely apologetic explaining that after the taxes had been collected from the outlying villages the soldiers returning with it had been attacked by bandits. All the money had been stolen. ‘There was nothing the poor townsfolk could do about it’ they pleaded. They were ill equipped to go against armed bandits.

Although there was something slightly suspicious about the elders the young samurai agreed to investigate. After all they were magistrates and it was their responsibility to deal with the situation whether there really were bandits in the area, or whether it was some elaborate deception by the elders to get out of paying the taxes.

The headman of the town claimed that the soldiers had been ambushed in a clearing about half a day’s journey away. He himself did not know where this clearing was exactly but his young granddaughter Miko, who was about seven or eight years old, had played there many times. In fact, although Miko would not admit it, the disobedient child had been missing the night the soldiers were attacked and he believed that she had been in that area and may well have witnessed part of what happened. He would instruct her to take the young samurai there so they could begin their investigation.

Although the exact details were slightly hazy Kenshiru felt that there was something odd about the account of events that was given by the elders. It seemed that they were quite definite about some aspects of their story, when it was not clear how they came by the information, yet on other occasions they were strangely vague and unhelpful.

Having tired of trying to clarify the situation the young samurai decided to accept the head man’s offer and go and see for themselves.

The Site of the Attack

The next morning Jinsho, Kenshiru, Shiniko, Takashima and Miko, the headman’s granddaughter, set off into the woodland surrounding the town in order to investigate the site of the bandits’ attack.

During the journey Miko was timid and quiet, she did not appear ‘disobedient’ as described by her grandfather. She rode with Jinsho whom she appeared to have developed an attachment to after he had introduced himself. Her face had lit up when he had asked her if she would like to ride on his pony with him. Occasionally she would point out some landmark and whisper to Jinsho what it was. Kenshiru tried to stay alert in case there really were bandits in the area.

After a few hours of travel along the forest road they came to a clearing where there were signs of a skirmish. Miko tugged at Jinsho’s kimono and whispered something to him.

“This is the place”, Jinsho said.

The group of young samurai dismounted and looked around.

Takashima and Kenshiru searched the ground, puzzling over the various marks and tracks, and trying to determine what had occurred there. All they could say with any certainty was that it did look as though there had been a skirmish. Though it could have been staged. Too much time had passed and the bodies had been removed. All of which only served to confuse the issue. Kenshiru felt that there was something nagging at the back of his mind but he couldn’t quite decide what it was. Meanwhile Jinsho and Shiniko had been quizzing Miko on what she knew. Although this had not proved very successful Jinsho had discovered that Miko had a secret friend nearby. An old ‘Dragon Man’ with ‘Painted Skin’ who lived in a shack not far from the clearing. Jinsho believed that Miko was referring to someone from an insular sect of the Dragon clan, called the Ise Zumi, who covered their bodies with magical tattoos. Few members of this sect travelled beyond their mountain homeland and Jinsho had always wanted to meet one. However because it was a secret Miko would only show him, otherwise the Dragon Man would be angry with her. Kenshiru did not like the sound of the two of them going off alone but Jinsho would not be deterred. Against Kenshiru’s better judgement Jinsho left them at the clearing and went with Miko to ask the Dragon Man if he knew anything.

Shortly afterwards Kenshiru remembered what was bothering him. Why he wondered had little Miko been sent as their guide? Surely there were others far more suitable. The elders had implied that they were not exactly certain where the clearing was and that she was the only one who knew, but all you had to do was follow the road, and if they didn’t know how to get here who had come out and retrieved the bodies? Kenshiru began to wonder if they should go after Jinsho and make sure he was all right.

The Dragon Man

Jinsho and little Miko trotted through the woods until they came to the start of a path that appeared from nowhere amidst the undergrowth. It twisted and turned into the thickest, darkest part of the forest. At various points along the path Miko would stop and instruct Jinsho on how to proceed. “Watch me”’, “Do what I do”, “Don’t walk on that stone”, “Keep to the right”, “Jump over this” and so on.

It didn’t take long before they were in another clearing where the leafy canopy parted to reveal an ancient and rickety old shack.

“Don’t be scared”, Miko said taking Jinsho’s hand.

She led him forwards towards an opening that appeared to be the doorway and then called out “Hello. It’s me, Miko. I’ve brought someone to see you.”

After a moment Jinsho thought he could detect movement from somewhere inside, or was it only a shifting of the shadows that were visible through gaps in the dilapidated wooden structure?

“Hello” Miko called again.

There was a pause and then a gravely voice responded from the darkness.

“I told you not to bring anyone here” it accused. The sound was hoarse, as though the speaker was not used to exercising their vocal chords.

“But I had to” Miko protested.

“It’s not Miko’s fault” Jinsho put in “I asked her to bring me.”

“You should not have come” the voice warned, “You do not understand what is going on here. Now leave.”

Jinsho ignored the warning and took a step closer. “I must speak with you” he asserted.

A figure stepped into the light. He was a large man. His torso was bare, and all across the weathered grey flesh of his body were tattoos of magical beings and creatures. A white porcelain mask obscured his face.

Jinsho froze.

“There is only death here”, the Dragon Man said.

It was only then that Jinsho realised that amidst the Dragon Man’s tattoos were patches where his flesh had begun to rot away. That this and the greyish colour of his skin marked him as someone who was already dead. Jinsho gasped.

The stench of death and dark magic assailed him. How had he not noticed it before?

“Now you begin to understand” the Dragon Man wheezed from behind the mask “Nothing here is what it seems”. He gestured towards Miko.

Jinsho turned and then staggered back. His knees nearly buckled as he saw through the illusion.

The child that stood beside him wore a white porcelain mask. Blank eyes stared out from behind the featureless surface. Its dead skin had begun to rot away.

Jinsho’s skin crawled. He now realised that both Miko and the Dragon man were animated corpses, zombies, the walking dead. Some terrible evil had befallen them.

“Who has done this to you?” he managed.

The Dragon Man trembled for a moment as though he were exerting great effort. His voice was strained when he replied. Each word was forced out between clenched teeth.

“He… is… called… the… Night… Master”

As he spoke, clouds rolled across the sky and a chill wind began to blow from nowhere. It whipped at Jinsho’s kimono and scattered leaves and blossom from the nearby trees.

“There… is not… much… time”, the Dragon Man continued. “I cannot… resist… him… for… much longer. You… must… put… the child… to rest. The mask… destroy… the… mask.”

Jinsho looked from the Dragon Man to the child. Although she was an abomination he could still see little Miko there. He wavered. Could he strike her down? It was the merciful thing to do. He reached for his katana. Though his hand shook he steeled himself and in one quick movement he drew the sword and brought it down across Miko’s head. The mask cracked as the blade bit deep into her skull. The memory of this act would haunt Jinsho for a long time after. He pulled the katana free and Miko’s body fell to the ground. Jinsho stood over her tiny form and wept for what he had been forced to do. But she was free now.

The Dragon Man spoke once more.

“You did… what… had to… be done… She is… at peace… now… You have… my… thanks… but you… must leave… before… it is… too late. The… Night… Master… controls… the town… He will not… will… not…”

Suddenly his frame was wracked with spasms. Jinsho watched as he struggled against the Night Master’s control. When it subsided the Dragon Man’s voice was clear and threatening.

“He will not allow you to live” he finished.

He stepped forward. The dark slits in the mask that were his eyes glowed with evil menace. Jinsho backed away.

Meanwhile, back at the clearing Kenshiru’s feelings of concern regarding Jinsho’s safety had increased when the sky clouded over and the wind picked up. He decided that he was no longer prepared to leave Jinsho to his own devices, but just as he was about to set off to find his friend Takashima indicated that someone was approaching. Soon all of them could hear the sound of armed men marching towards them along the road that led in the direction of the town. Kenshiru, Shiniko and Takashima readied themselves to meet this potential new threat. A dozen guards entered the clearing and spread out to face them. Their captain demanded an explanation of what the group was doing there. The guards had apparently been sent from the town to defend against a party of samurai who had been pillaging the area. As the group of young samurai fitted the description they had been given they found themselves in a somewhat tense situation. Although in the end they were not forced to fight the guards the time it took them to explain prevented them from going after Jinsho.

As the Dragon Man bore down on him Jinsho began to ready a spell. It was difficult to maintain his concentration but he was not confident that he could deliver a blow with his sword that would shatter the Dragon Man’s mask. This was a far more powerful opponent than the little girl Miko had been. He focused all the energy in the spell until the last instant and then released a ball of fire directly at the mask, fracturing it with the heat. The Dragon Man fell back and lay still.

But it was not over. A strange ichor began to ooze from the wood of the shack. It spread quickly. Though he was weary from using all his energy to cast the spell Jinsho moved further away. The substance hissed and bubbled and gave off an acrid sulphurous stench. Where it spilled onto the ground the grass withered and blackened before being consumed by the growing tide. In only moments the remains of the shack collapsed and were devoured. The bubbling grew more agitated as though it was about to erupt or explode.

Jinsho turned and ran.

He remembered the care with which little Miko had shown him how to approach the Dragon Man’s home but there was no time for such caution. He offered a prayer to the fortunes and ran full pelt down the forest path. He ran so fast that he was barely aware of the traps that he triggered on route. Darts flew past behind him and a tree trunk crashed down where he had just been standing. The fortunes smiled on him (Or maybe it was just the fact that the traps were intended to stop someone entering not leaving) and he reached the end of the path unharmed.

Crashing through the undergrowth Jinsho burst out of the trees into the middle of the tense debate that was going on in the clearing. He waved his arms and shouted breathlessly “Look out it’s going to explode.”

There wasn’t even enough time for the startled onlookers to recover from their surprise before there was an enormous rumbling and a loud roar. The ichor exploded.

A large yellow-black cloud appeared over the trees behind Jinsho and shortly afterwards droplets of sticky goo that had been scattered by the explosion, rained down from above. It was not long before the substance began to sizzle and burn anywhere where it made contact with cloth or skin.

Quickly Jinsho dug deep into his magical reserves and called to the water elementals for rain to cleanse the area. He was already exhausted but he managed to summon enough magical energy for the spirits to answer him before he collapsed on the ground. The heavens opened and torrential rain beat down washing the ichor away.

When the rain stopped the guards had no more desire to argue. They were disturbed by what had gone on and wished only to leave the area. Their captain decided that the four young samurai were obviously not the ones he had been sent after and begged their permission to continue his mission elsewhere. Jinsho was unconscious from exhaustion by this time so it was Kenshiru who decided to let the soldiers go. He did this even though he had his suspicions that the town elders had deliberately sent them out with the hopes that they would attack the young samurai by mistake.

Kenshiru and Takashima explored the forest in the direction that Jinsho had emerged from but found only a large area of charred and barren ground. There was no sign of Miko or the Dragon Man. After conferring with Shiniko they decided to return to the town so that they could all get cleaned up and so that Jinsho could recuperate from his ordeal. They hoped that when he recovered he would be able to tell them what had happened.

Return to Town

Jinsho had still not regained consciousness by the time the party had reached the town so they left him at a teahouse to rest and paid for a geisha to take care of him. Although at this stage they all could have done with a bath, Shiniko, Takashima and Kenshiru went in search of the elders. By then they were fairly convinced that the townsmen had been deceiving them and wanted to get to the bottom of things.

Led by Kenshiru, they marched into the town hall to discover the elders in some distress. The elders had obviously anticipated or been warned that the young samurai were coming for them, and they wailed and begged, pleading for mercy to be shown to the townsfolk. They said that they had been responsible for the deception in order that they could pay the taxes demanded by their new overlord the Night Master. There was not enough money to pay him and the Phoenix clan. The dishonour was theirs. Such disloyalty to ones daimyo is punishable by death.

“Who is this Night Master?” Kenshiru demanded.

The elders cowered and refused to say anything more. They feared what he might do.

“Is he such a coward that he hides behind villagers rather than facing us in person?” Kenshiru continued, baiting his unseen adversary.

The response was not what the young samurai might have expected.

As one the elders doubled over, writhing and screaming in pain.

Kenshiru could only wonder at what power the Night Master held over them. Though they had sentenced themselves to death by being disloyal to their daimyo they did not deserve to die in such agony. It was a grim decision to make but Kenshiru drew his wakizashi and began executing them with quick, clean strokes. After a moments hesitation Shiniko and Takashima followed suit. As each of the victims was executed a black leech like creature, that had been attached to the base of their neck, fell off and shrivelled up on the ground. One by one the screams fell silent.

Afterwards Kenshiru sought out the captain of the town guard; a man called Togo, and explained what had happened. It was already late evening so he instructed Togo to keep his men vigilant during the night and gather the people together in the town square the next morning.

The three young samurai returned to the teahouse where they washed and changed their clothes. By the time they had finished Jinsho had regained consciousness so they joined him for a meal. They discussed their experiences and puzzled over who the mysterious Night Master might be.

Though Togo seemed a trustworthy and dependable fellow Kenshiru did not sleep well that night.

Blessing the People

By the next morning the young samurai had developed a plan. Jinsho and Shiniko had masterminded it. They decided that after they had addressed the town’s people and explained what was going on Jinsho would carry out a blessing. Each citizen would be required to come forward and bow so that Jinsho could say a quick prayer to protect them from the evil powers of the Night Master. As each person made their bow the watching samurai would be able to see if they had one of the black slug things on their neck. Kenshiru thought it was quite clever, though he wondered what would happen if a large number of the townsfolk were hosts as there were some two hundred people and it would take a few hours to bless them all.

The friends washed and dressed in preparation for the gathering. Kenshiru cleaned his swords. Mentally and physically they were as ready as they could be. Soon afterwards one of Togo’s guards came to inform them that the people were gathering in the square as instructed. He led the four samurai to the town hall. Inside Togo showed them the missing taxes, which he had discovered, hidden in a secret cellar. A number of large chests containing the money now stood in the centre of the hall. The young samurai were also pleased to hear that the townsfolk had chosen Togo as their new leader as he seemed the most competent and trustworthy individual that they had dealt with in the town.

Afterwards they all went out into the square. When everyone was there Jinsho stepped forward and addressed the people. He did not know how much they already knew so he told them everything that had been discovered about the presence of the Night Master and how the town elders had plotted to deceive the Phoenix daimyo. The elders had been punished for their crime and the towns people were not at fault, but the danger was not over. The Night Master was still close by, exerting his evil influence over the town. As a shugenga of the Phoenix clan Jinsho would offer the townsfolk protection by blessing each of them in turn, and then the four samurai, as magistrates, would seek the Night Master out and rid the town of his evil for good.

After Jinsho had finished his speech the people began murmuring nervously amongst each other. Many were obviously quite alarmed by the news. It did not help that the lands surrounding the town had until recently belonged to the Dragon clan and so the people had strong allegiances to the Dragon rather than the Phoenix. Although they had become subjects of the Phoenix daimyo they still did not entirely trust the Phoenix clan.

It was Togo who eventually brought silence to the throng. He stood before the people until a hush fell, and then in a loud voice he declared that the town would be honoured to receive Jinsho’s blessing. He turned away from them and knelt before Jinsho, bowing low. Jinsho placed a hand upon his head and offered a prayer.

“May the breath of the Dragon burn your enemies to dust, and may the wings of the Phoenix protect you from harm”
Then Togo stood and one by one the townsfolk followed his example.

One after the other the villagers climbed the steps of the town hall to where Jinsho was offering the blessings. Over each he spoke the same words and Kenshiru, Shiniko and Takashima watched for any sign of the Night Masters control. After a couple of hours of this it was hard to maintain concentration. Up to that point none of the people appeared to have been infected.

It was about that time that Kenshiru realised that Shiniko was trying to gain his attention. She nodded towards one of the men approaching Jinsho, and on closer inspection Kenshiru realised that the individual did appear to be acting somewhat suspiciously. It was hard to say what it was exactly but there was definitely something different about him. Kenshiru could not see his face because like many of the peasants he kept his head bowed low, averting his gaze.

Gradually he drew closer until he was the next in the line. He came forwards and bowed, revealing his neck. Kenshiru was barely able to suppress a gasp, for what he saw was not skin but thick black down. Whatever it was it was no man who knelt before Jinsho. Kenshiru stepped to one side and around behind the creature, moving the other villagers back.

“Who are you?” Jinsho demanded.

The creature did not respond.

“Speak. Are you friend or foe?”

Slowly it raised its head. The eyes were jet black and a beak protruded where its nose and mouth should have been. Kenshiru drew his sword; Shiniko and Takashima were not far behind. Suddenly it stood and they fell back slightly, allowing it some room. Overhead the clouds began to darken. The creature spread its arms and dark feathers began to sprout from its skin until they were no longer arms but powerful wings. They began to recognise it for what it was, a Tengu, one of the mythical storm ravens. It flapped its wings and launched itself up into the sky. Black clouds boiled overhead and someone screamed out “The Night Master is coming”.

The Wrath of the Night Master

A bolt of lightning crashed from above, scorching the ground not far away. In terror the townsfolk began running from the square towards their homes. Togo steadied his men and tried to control the panic. As the people fled the Tengu spiralled higher and higher before disappearing amongst the blackness.

Day turned to night and the heavens opened. Rain lashed down in torrents, but the four samurai stood on the steps facing the wrath of the storm. The lightning struck again. It was even closer this time.

“This is no natural storm,” Shiniko yelled over the howling wind as Togo rejoined them. He had sent his men to be with their families but intended to stand with his new allies against whatever threatened the town.

“Maybe we shall finally get to meet this so called Night Master” Jinsho agreed. Almost in response to his words two more bolts of lightning crashed down. The second striking the foot of the steps on which they stood.

The others turned and climbed towards the relative sanctuary of the town hall but Kenshiru hesitated, peering into the shadows across the other side of the square. It was impossible to see through all the rain but Kenshiru had thought that he could see movement out there. Now it was gone. After a moment he followed the others inside.

Outside the storm rampaged through the town like a huge beast. Again and again mighty gusts of wind and rain crashed against the walls of the town hall shaking the building with their ferocity. Kenshiru wondered if the structure would hold.

Suddenly there was a huge crack of lightning overhead. It struck the roof above and caused part of it to collapse inwards. The winds howled and rain lashed down from the open sky above. Rising towards a crescendo more gusts buffeted the heavy wooden doors that barred the hall entrance until they gave way. The doors flew open and the storm rushed in.

Outside there were shapes moving in the darkness. It was hard to make them out. The figures looked like people but they didn’t move right. They moved like animals. There were at least half a dozen of them just beyond the door and there were more behind.

As they came closer the young samurai could see their torn clothes and pale, rotting flesh. And their blank eyes staring out from behind featureless white porcelain masks.

They were an abomination. They were the walking dead.

They moved with surprising quickness and agility. They felt no pain. A handful of them were already through the doorway before the five companions could close with them. Kenshiru was under no illusion that if too many of them got inside he and his friends were in serious trouble. Someone had to close the doors before it was too late.

“Aim for the masks” Kenshiru shouted over the howling wind. He drew his sword and plunged towards the Night Masters minions.

Jinsho and Kenshiru reached them first. One of the dead raked the air with long talon-like nails but Kenshiru side stepped the blow and swung his blade down onto its mask with all his strength. The force of the blow drove the blade deep into the creature’s skull and the mask shattered. Its inanimate body flopped lifelessly to the ground. A second went after Jinsho, who was at Kenshiru’s side. Jinsho was not as fast as Kenshiru and the creature’s claws cut deep into his belly and he fell.

From the corner of his eye Kenshiru saw his friend go down and the creature raising its talons to strike again. He turned back from the doors and struck it down before it could deliver the killing blow, but as he did so he felt another set of claws rake across his own back. The walking dead were all around them.

The wound on Kenshiru’s back was deep but he gritted his teeth and turned back to face the new threat. He drove it back with the fury of his blows and then broke away in an effort to make it to the doors again. Kenshiru was the only one who made it that far. He sprinted across the last few metres and began to heave the doors closed. A second group of dead was bounding up the steps towards him. He did not have much time. Summoning all his strength he put his shoulder to the door and forced it closed against the wind. He managed to bar it just in time. The dead outside began pounding on the door, but it would hold them for a while. Long enough for him to help the others. The blood was warm and sticky on his back but Kenshiru forced himself to carry on.

Back in the hall only Togo was still standing, Jinsho had not moved, and both Shiniko and Takashima were down, trying to defend themselves against the remaining two walking dead.

Brandishing his katana Kenshiru charged towards the remaining dead and swiftly dispatched them.

The walking dead had left them in a sorry state. Jinsho, who’s magic could have helped to ease their wounds, was unconscious and near death. Both Takashima and Shiniko were alive but could barely stand let alone fight. Kenshiru was bleeding profusely and only Togo was unharmed. And it was not over yet. The door to the hall rattled and groaned with the weight of blows landing on it from the walking dead that remained outside. From what Kenshiru had seen there were at least as many again outside as they had already faced and this time there was only Togo and himself to stand against them.

Kenshiru knew he could not take another wound like the one that burned across his back. If the Night Master’s minions broke in the friends would be finished. He sank to his knees and sucked deep breaths of air into his lungs while he tried to think. The wind still howled around inside and outside the hall and rain fell from above washing the blood from his back. Then he had an idea. It was not a particularly good plan but it would have to suffice. It was the only chance that they had. If he and Togo could barricade the doors so that they would only open enough for the creatures to squeeze through one at a time then Kenshiru felt he could take them out one by one. The chests of money could be used to block the doors. Kenshiru summoned Togo and explained his plan. Togo looked dubiously at Kenshiru’s bloodstained kimono and asked if he was sure.

“I am sure” Kenshiru responded determinedly.

Together the two men dragged the heavy chests across to the doorway and positioned them so that when the doors opened they would hold them partially closed. Kenshiru told Togo that once he had lifted the beam that held the doors closed he was to put his shoulder to the left-hand door and push against it to slow the progress of the creatures attempting to squeeze through.

The beam was already beginning to splinter.

Kenshiru took his position before the doors and offered a silent prayer to the Fortunes while touching the small crab medallion that hung around his neck. It had brought him good luck during the Topaz Championship and he hoped it would do so again. Then he nodded to Togo who heaved the bar away from the door.

The doors swung open and thudded against the heavy chests. They held. The dead began forcing their way through. Kenshiru concentrated, waiting for the right moment to strike. Each blow needed to be focused. He could not afford to make a mistake. If he did not kill each creature with a single blow a second would be through the gap. He timed his first strike well and the creature went down, but Togo had not got sufficient purchase to hold the doors closed and the second was through too quickly. Kenshiru knew that failure was not an option, everything was depending on him. Though the second creature clawed him he struck with a smooth riposte that broke its mask in two. The second wound had left him in some pain however and there were still more of the walking dead to deal with. One by one they forced their way through the gap. Togo had adjusted his position so that he could get better leverage and was able to restrict their passage. And each one Kenshiru struck down with a single blow. He kept going until all of those that had remained outside were slain.

When the last one fell Kenshiru staggered and leant against the doors to avoid sinking to his knees. Somehow they had survived.

Overhead the rain stopped and the storm broke. The dark clouds began to disperse and the sun came out. Kenshiru could only thank the Fortunes that for the moment it was over. But his heart was heavy for through the gap in the doors he could see the devastation outside. The town had been laid waste by the frenzy of the storm; no other building remained standing.

At that moment Kenshiru heard a muffled sob from Togo who knelt cradling one of the bodies of the dead that Kenshiru had slain. The mask had broken to reveal the bloodstained visage of a young woman.

“It’s my wife” Togo sobbed.

Kenshiru could think of nothing to say that would console him. He slumped to the ground, the exhilaration of surviving the battle drained from him. This was no victory. For the people of the town like Togo, if any of them had survived, had lost everything.

Aftermath

The town was laid waste around them. Only the town hall had survived the storm. The companions cleaned and bandaged each other’s wounds as best they could and tried to make Jinsho comfortable. He had at least regained consciousness on a couple of occasions and they were hopeful that he would eventually recover.

After seeing to their wounds Kenshiru decided that someone had to go out into the ruins of the town and see if they could locate any of the groups possessions, particularly their armour. As he was still the least impaired by his injuries Kenshiru volunteered. He was all too aware that there was no reason to believe that they had seen the last of the Night Master’s minions and it would have been of significant help if they had been wearing their armour in the last combat. If they were to go up against the walking dead again, particularly in their current state, Kenshiru wanted to make sure they were better prepared. Shiniko also insisted on going in order to find out what had happened to her horse, Tsuzano. And though Kenshiru tried to persuade her that he would look for the beast, she would not listen. In the end she, Togo and Kenshiru ventured out leaving Takashima watching over Jinsho.

Shiniko was overjoyed to find that Tsuzano was unharmed. In fact he and the ponies were wandering loose not far away. And, after a fair bit of searching, Kenshiru managed to salvage the remains of the group’s belongings. The armour was mostly intact though some items were lost or broken. Strangely one of the few things to survive apparently untouched was the finely crafted tea set that Kenshiru had been given by Megumi. It lay undamaged in its box right where Kenshiru had left it, though the building had collapsed around it.

Amidst the debris they also found some survivors although sadly only around thirty of the original two hundred townsfolk. Though to some degree this served to increase the determination of the young samurai to destroy the Night Master they tried not to reflect for too long upon the number of casualties. It was hard not to though, as the few pitiful refugees came to shelter with them in the remains of the town hall. Kenshiru tried to occupy himself with organising some defences but found it increasingly difficult to continue to ignore his wounds. Eventually he gave up and rested with the others.

At night strange noises could be heard outside. Perhaps they were just the sounds of animals, maybe a pack of wild dogs scavenging for food. The samurai could not see, and to their relief there was no second attack.

The next day they organised the survivors and set them to salvaging any food stocks that they could from amidst the devastation that had been their home. This above all else they would need to survive the coming weeks. Barricades were built around the town hall, fortifying it against attack.

Kenshiru was somewhat unsettled to discover a number of sets of footprints leading off into the forest that lay to the north. He did not like to think about the fact that they had not found many of the bodies of the dead townsfolk, but could not help wondering where they might be going. Kenshiru was careful not to let any of the survivors get wind of this.

Sadly Togo remained apart and withdrawn after he discovered that the Night Master had used his wife as one of the walking dead. Understandably he took it very hard and seemed obsessed with exacting revenge. The young samurai tried to reassure him that as soon as their wounds were healed they intended to go after the Night Master themselves, but Togo would not wait. On the second day he departed, they could not dissuade him.

It was over a week before the four companions were sufficiently recovered to think about following Togo. It would have been longer but fortunately Jinsho had begun to recover to the point where he was able to use his magic to quicken their natural healing processes. The Night Master had not made any more attacks and Kenshiru hoped that this was because whoever or whatever he was he had over-stretched himself when he had destroyed the town. It had taken immense power to generate the storm and raise the dead and if it had not weakened him he was a far more dangerous enemy than could be imagined. Though they were barely healed they had to challenge him while he was still weak. Kenshiru hoped this theory was sound because it might be their only chance. Either way it was their duty as magistrates to deal with the threat to the subjects of the Phoenix daimyo. They had not done a very good job of protecting the townsfolk so far.

The four samurai prepared to leave at sunrise the next day. Intending to follow the tracks that Kenshiru had found towards the Night Masters stronghold and put an end to his evil, or die in the attempt. For them it was a matter of honour.

In Search of the Night Master’s Stronghold

They did their best to look confident as they departed from the ruins of the town, in order to raise the spirits of the towns people, but the handful that watched them go were a forlorn and frightened band. Kenshiru hoped that it would not be long before aid arrived from nearby Phoenix lands. They had sent a messenger some days before, when they could be sure it was reasonably safe, and he should be returning soon. But they could not wait any longer. Their mission was clear. No true samurai seeks assistance in performing that which is his duty. When the aid from the Phoenix daimyo arrived they would be gone. The townsfolk would tell of how they had gone to face the Night Master. Either they would triumph or they would not return. That is how it should be.

For many hours they followed the footprints that Kenshiru had discovered on the edge of town. There were many of them and from what Kenshiru could make out they had not all travelled together. It was as though they had all come in the same direction, but at different times and not all following the same path. As the forest grew thicker, it grew darker, and became harder and harder to follow any specific tracks. Even dismounted Kenshiru found it hard to make them out. The four friends pressed on in the same general direction, hoping the Fortunes would guide them.

Day was turning to dusk by the time they found the remains of Togo. If they had not recognised his armour and polearm it would have been impossible to identify him. Bits of his body were strewn around the forest over a wide area, it looked as though a number of the walking dead had attacked him there and torn him apart with the ferocity of a pack of wild animals. Because of Rokugan beliefs regarding the dead the friends gave the area a wide berth but Kenshiru said a silent prayer for Togo’s spirit before they left. Togo had been a good comrade and Kenshiru was saddened to know that he was dead.

More determined than ever, the group pressed on into the twilight. None of them really felt like stopping. Kenshiru didn’t think he would sleep knowing what was out in the darkness.

The Quarry

After a while they heard the clanking of metal on rock from somewhere up ahead. They halted and Kenshiru went on alone to scout it out. Cautiously he made his way forward until he came to the edge of a depression. Below him was a deep quarry where somewhere between fifty and a hundred of the walking dead worked relentlessly at the stone. They seemed to be breaking off large blocks and loading them in carts. Kenshiru could see a deeply rutted track leading out of the quarry opposite where he hid. There were no sentries and the walking dead appeared totally absorbed by their task.

After Kenshiru had shown the others what he had seen they elected to wait until dawn before proceeding further. They found a spot nearby that was fairly secluded and settled down to rest for a few hours. Jinsho and Kenshiru took the first watch and Shiniko and Takashima the second. Though Kenshiru was reasonably convinced that the walking dead were too preoccupied to bother them he couldn’t relax. During his rest period he tried to meditate which gave some relief but not much. Every time the ponies made a sound Kenshiru thought they would be discovered, even though there was no way they could be heard over the ceaseless clanging of tools on stone.

By dawn they were moving again. At first they tried to parallel the rutted road that the walking dead drew their carts along but if the group went far enough into the forest not to be seen from the road it was too dense and the going was hard. Not only was their progress slowed to a crawl but also they made far too much noise clearing a path through the undergrowth. In the end Kenshiru suggested that they abandon that plan and use the road instead. Fortunately it wound a twisting path through the trees and so not too long a stretch was visible at any one time. As the walking dead did not seem to use it that regularly, Kenshiru went ahead so he could warn the others of approaching carts in time for them to get off the road. As long as they kept a reasonable pace they did not have to worry about the laden carts catching up from behind.

The first time they hid, they waited nervously expecting to be detected but the walking dead were completely oblivious. They didn’t even slow down. Kenshiru began to suspect that they would pay no attention to someone standing in plain sight. He assumed that the walking dead who had attacked them in the town had been sent to kill them where as these had been given a different task to perform. Still he was not foolish enough to put his theory to the test.

They continued unhindered for most of the day and it was nearly dusk again by the time they reached the edge of the forest. There before them stood a dark shadowy palace around which some twenty to thirty walking dead were building a high wall using the blocks of stone from the quarry. The friends had no doubt that they had found the Night Master and that he waited for them somewhere inside.

The Palace of Shadows

So Jinsho, Shiniko, Takashima and Kenshiru crouched at the edge of the forest watching the group of walking dead who were at work on the wall. Inside the compound the shadows had begun to lengthen as the late afternoon sun dipped towards the horizon. Soon it would be dark and Kenshiru did not want to have to wait around until morning. To stay there would put the group in danger of being discovered, and something told him that the Night Master’s powers were returning with the growing gloom. With a degree of determination that reflected Kenshiru’s desire to act soon Jinsho suggested that they dispense with caution and storm the main building before the Night Master could make ready for them. Kenshiru raised an eyebrow at this. He was uncertain whether the others would go for such a bold plan. If the Night Master was inside and could be slain before he could summon the walking dead then they would triumph. Once he was dead his hold over his minions would be broken and they would return to death. But if the walking dead arrived before he was finished it was unlikely that any of them would live to tell of the encounter. The group was better armoured than when they had faced the walking dead previously, but there were more of the creatures this time and the group was still carrying injuries from before. There was a lot that could go wrong. Even so something told him they should seize the moment.
Jinsho gazed back at him. He knew Kenshiru would not back down.

A samurai must be ready to face death for the glory of his family. Kenshiru was not about to show any fear.

“I’m ready, if you are” Kenshiru responded.

After a slight pause Shiniko and Takashima murmured their assent.

They decided that Jinsho, Takashima and Kenshiru would try and make it to the wall on foot and then run for the building that they believed housed the Night Master. None of them were particularly proficient at fighting on horseback so they would leave the ponies in the trees. Shiniko on the other hand would wait in the edge of the forest until they made their charge and then join them on Tsuzano. As one of the Shiotome she was a master horsewoman and the added speed and power she would gain from fighting on horseback might just give them an edge, particularly if things went wrong and they had to deal with the walking dead.

They checked their equipment and prepared to do battle.

Fortunately during the time it had taken to ready themselves the Walking Dead who were working on the wall had moved further away so it was easier for the group to make their attack undetected. Kenshiru led Jinsho and Takashima at a low crouch to the edge of the compound. The fact that the wall was unfinished meant there were a number of gaps where they could pass through. They selected one and moved inside. Shiniko and Tsuzano waited nervously in the trees.

They edged forward a little further and then signalled Shiniko to attack. As she spurred Tsuzano into a gallop they drew their swords and ran for the steps leading to the main building. In only a few strides Tsuzano was flying like the wind, covering the ground between them at surprising speed. He and Shiniko passed the other three as they neared their objective. There was a clatter of hooves as Shiniko urged Tsuzano through the doorway into the interior. Kenshiru was close behind them and he pressed on, taking two steps at a time in an effort to keep up, but when he got inside they were gone. The sound of Tsuzano’s progress came from the next room. As Jinsho and Takashima arrived there was the roar of an angry beast from somewhere ahead. They charged in.

Plunging through the doorway into another large shadowy room they could just make out Tsuzano and Shiniko trying to wheel around in the cramped space opposite. Ahead of them was a huge black silhouette. A figure that seemed to be a part of the darkness, merging with the shadows so that at one moment it was visible and the next it had disappeared. The outline rippled and shifted so that it’s exact position was not clear. They had found the Night Master.

Takashima and Kenshiru moved forward, flanking the creature to either side, while Jinsho pulled a scroll from his bag and made to cast a spell. Red eyes briefly flashed ahead of them as the creature turned from Shiniko and Tsuzano and fixed its dread gaze on Jinsho. It made some gesture with its large clawed hands and Jinsho faltered. The letters on the scroll that he had been reading from shimmered and disappeared leaving the parchment blank. He cast it aside and reached for another.

Kenshiru and Takashima had closed to do battle with the beast but their attacks were only an annoyance to it. Each time their blades struck the dark figure they passed through with little or no resistance as though they had not really struck it at all. Meanwhile the two samurai were forced to duck and weave to avoid the large talons that clawed the air around them. At least they were providing a distraction.

The words on Jinsho’s second scroll vanished, as had those on the first, so he decided to adopt another strategy. Taking a deep breath he began chanting and gesturing in the manner that would summon the elementals of fire. This seemed to get the Night Master’s attention as the creature snarled and began moving threateningly towards Jinsho. Kenshiru and Takashima did their best to delay the monster but it was only through Shiniko’s intervention that they held it for long enough. In the interim she had managed to steady Tsuzano and turn him around and now she charged across the room plunging her lance through the dark torso. The Night Master let out a scream of rage and pain, and Takashima and Kenshiru dived out of Tsuzano’s path to avoid being trampled under his thundering hooves as he and Shiniko disappeared back into the first room from which they had come. At that moment a gout of fire burst from Jinsho’s outstretched hands towards where the Night Master stood. Sadly the flames missed their target but instead they engulfed the nearby wall and set it to burn. The Night Master’s huge frame was clearly illuminated by the fiery glow. It was a horrifying sight. Takashima wavered slightly but steadied himself and did not run, Jinsho and Kenshiru stood firm.

Jinsho, having spent all his magical energy, drew his sword and moved to join his friends. They closed in again, encircling the wounded beast. Now they could see where it was, their blades bit deep when they struck it. Angered by the fire, the Night Master turned on Jinsho, forcing him backward under a series of heavy blows. The shugenga went on the defensive, parrying while Takashima and Kenshiru took the opportunity to do some damage.

Then suddenly Jinsho discarded any attempt to defend himself and raised his sword to deliver a mighty blow. Everything seemed to go into slow motion. Kenshiru knew that if he and Takashima did not stop it the Night Master’s blow would land and Jinsho would be dead. He summoned all his remaining strength and put everything into his strike. As the Night Master’s claws descended towards Jinsho’s exposed torso, Takashima’s blade bit deep. A moment later Kenshiru felt the resistance as his own sword carved through the creatures thigh just above the knee. The Night Master’s huge frame began to topple sideways, unbalanced by the loss of its limb. It’s claws raked the air just short of Jinsho as it crashed to the floor in front of him. Finally the shugenga drove his sword into the creatures skull as it lay writhing on the ground.

Everything was still, except for the growing flames, which hungrily spread across the floor towards the black carcass. The three samurai stood back and watched as it began to melt, then caught alight and was consumed.

Struggling to catch his breath after the exertions of the last few minutes Kenshiru turned to Jinsho and exclaimed.

“By the Fortunes Jinsho…what were you thinking?”

“I knew you would stop it before it killed me” he replied confidently.

Kenshiru opened his mouth to respond but could think of nothing to say to this. He’s mad Kenshiru thought to himself. One of these days he’s going to get himself killed thinking like that.

As the building began to burn more rapidly they hurried outside to join Shiniko. The bodies of the Walking Dead lay nearby. The Night Master’s reign was ended.