"This is an outrage!", Toturi cried. The Crane diplomat sat down and lit the single candle at the center of the table; a whiff of smoke rose from the flame. He hoped the warm smell might help to calm his Emperor. The two men where in a lavish council room, not far from the tournament field where the attempt on Toturi's life had just happened not ten minutes ago. The Emperor stood, his fist clenched around the assassin's scroll, which he had delivered just before he had disappeared. Pacing back and forth, Toturi had just finished reading it a second time.
"How dare that bastard, Shoju!? It's nothing short of a... a..."
"An 'outrage', my Lord?", Yoshi finished.
"To say the least!!", Toturi added, "Not only did he try to have me killed, but then to do this! How dare he?!"
"You'll forgive me, my Lord", Yoshi said, "but I am still unaware of what it is he's daring... Besides trying to kill you, that is."
Toturi was in no mind to read it aloud to the Crane. He thrust the rolled up paper into Yoshi's chest nearly dropping it before he could grab a hold of it. Calmly opening the scroll, he read the thing, then once again to make sure he had read it correctly.
"By Lady Sun! This is grave!", Yoshi raised his light blue fan to his face. He did not wish the Emperor to see his grin, "This is an open declaration of war! He says the throne is his, and he plans to come and retake it!"
"I am not blind nor incompetent! ", Toturi barked, "I know what it says!"
The diplomat bowed low, "Forgive my impertinence, my Emperor. I did not mean to insinuate either."
Toturi glowered for a second, then continued on, "What's worse is that he should have it delivered in front of half of Rokugan, during the tournament to decide the new Emerald Champion! I have to go out there and tell them we are to prepare for war!"
"And you're worried that this bad news is at an inopportune time?"
"'Bad news' is putting it lightly!", the Emperor remarked, "And when is it ever an opportune time to decree that we're at war?"
"You'd be surprised..."
"What?", Toturi said, "Speak up! I didn't hear you."
"Merely an observation, my Lord.", again from behind his fan, "Perhaps you should simply decree that you have an important announcement that will concern the new Champion. His first task, if you will."
"It seems that telling them something like that would only create an overpowering sense of anxiety, and anticipation in them."
Yoshi simply said, "Exactly."
When Toturi returned, he did as Kakita Yoshi had recommended he do, and now wished he had done other wise. The murmurs and whispers had begun anew as the Emperor sat back down on his throne, and he wished they would stop. Anger seethed within Toturi, but he composed himself so as not to seem out of control. He allowed them to whisper. It was because of the whispering he did not, at first, hear the ethereal voice of the cloaked one that was standing beside him.
"...ware my Lord. All is not well."
"I am aware of this!", he said flatly, his composure already beginning to slip.
The cloaked one's hood began to move down slowly, finally resting his gaze at the man sitting before him on the Jade throne. Toturi found himself glaring angrily at the dark eyes that were deep within the hood. The samurai did not glare back, but simply looked ever on. It wasn't more then three seconds before Toturi sighed, and shook his head,
"I am sorry, old friend. My anger get the best of me."
"Of this I am aware, my Lord.", the voice said in it's silent way, " But I fear you have misplaced a part of you. Perhaps in the pressures of assuming the throne. Be careful you do no lose it completely."
The Emperor sighed again this time in contemplation, "Perhaps you are right. I should be having you council me instead of Cranes."
"Perhaps, my Lord," the dark figure said dryly, "but I'm not as easy on the eyes as they are."
Toturi chuckled.
The chops were drawn as the last two samurai, Mirumoto Uso, and Matsu Gohei, prepared to conclude the Test, and find out who would be the new Emerald Champion. Everyone had finally settled, and resolved that they just would have to wait to hear the news until after the tournament. Dark clouds had been forming in the skies, but a group of shugenja had assured their Emperor that they would not form into rain. However that was five minutes ago, and these clouds seemed to grow worse by the second now. Distant thunder boomed from somewhere far away.
The two finalists readied themselves. Bokkens at their side, a nearly wild expression on the Lion's face, a look of certainty to the Dragon's. The judge approached the side of the ring, and as he issued the mark to begin several things happened. A crack of thunder boomed overhead, the two samurai leaped to their task, and were suddenly flung to the ground by a wave of pressure that flew from a rift opening in the tournament field. The sky became darker then day was ever meant to be, and from the rift came the shambling, wailing forms of the undead.
Doji Shizue, who sat beside Toturi, stood and put her hand on his arm in alarm, "What is going on!?"
Toturi drew his blade, "More 'bad news'."
Screams came from every where, as hideous denizens of the Shadowlands pored from the rift. Ogres, goblins, trolls, and a score of undead samurai began attacking anybody they could get to. Toturi's guard began circling him immediately, and samurai drew their katanas and jumped to the defense of Otosan Uchi. The undead samurai kept coming, and it seemed from Toturi's vantage point that one in particular seemed to lead their assault. Moto Tsume towered over all the other undead there. His glowing, fiery skull was unmistakable, and he screamed a terrible scream, sending most men wailing in to fits of terror.
"My guard! Listen to me!", the Emperor screamed so they would all hear, "We must all fight these abominations, or else we will all fall... and that includes me!"
"But my Lord!", his yojimbo began, "Your safety is of the utmost importance! We must stay by your side!"
"Mikio-san," Toturi said almost serenely, "I will not put my station before the safety of my subjects. We either all fight, or we all die! No go!"
The samurai looked at Toturi, and allowed a slight grin to appear on his face,
"You heard your Emperor, men! Show them no quarter!"
The samurai guarding Toturi began cutting through the creatures rapidly, and their effect was almost instantaneously felt. Toturi made his way, slashing down goblin and skeletons alike, towards Tsume. He figured if Tsume fell, the rest would fall into disarray. Tsume was making short work of the palace guard, and any other samurai that dared to step to him. Blood stained the ground all around, and Toturi felt more and more anger with each step he took. Every opponent practically bounced off of him, crumbling to the ground, as he made his way within striking distance of the Horde’s leader. Finally he brought his sword down as quick as lightning towards the undead samurai’s skull, though it never made it’s mark.
Tsume with impossible speed turned and stepped towards Toturi wrenching his sword from his hand, and shoving him to the ground. Toturi sat bewildered at the monster’s skill, and power. Tsume, using Toturi’s blade, brought it down on him to finish the Emperor off. Realizing the certainty of his end, Toturi never flinched, waiting for death to come. That was why he didn’t miss the tattered form of his cloaked friend, once again, dart in front of his assassin’s steel. This time glancing the blow with his own sword. Tsume staggered back a few steps, assessing his new opponent. Tsume’s skull flamed in aggravation,
“Brave indeed, samurai!”, he howled, “But now you will die!”
The cloaked one, only stared back at the fallen Unicorn, and when it struck at him, he did not block it. Instead he stepped into the strike, and his blade found purchase in the undead Moto. Both had received slashes, and they staggered away from the other, squaring off again almost instantly. Tsume hunched down, and in realization his jaw opened. His opponent’s cloak slashed across it’s clasp, fell to it’s owners feet, revealing the undead form of Akodo Godaigo.
“Traitor!”, Tsume screamed, “Our Lord will hear of this!”
“Perhaps,” Godaigo said in his ethereal voice, “Allow me to send you on your way to tell him.”
Godaigo rushed towards the undead Unicorn, and Tsume readied to block. That was when he noticed his sword arm was on the ground; it being severed just below the elbow. With remarkable speed, Tsume sidestepped his assailant, and ran towards a already growing group of beaten and battered monsters.
“Goblin! Away!” Tsume hissed. Turning his head, he pointed his other hand to Toturi, Godaigo standing beside him, “Do no think this is the end of this, Lion Emperor! Fu Leng will consume you all, and have the thrown for himself!”, his eyes then met Godaigo’s, “Then you shall know misery without end, traitor!”,and then the goblin shugenja at Tsume’s side finished his spell, the rift appeared again, and swallowed them up. A crack of thunder boomed in the distance.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Finishing off the remaining undead took little time. After helping Toturi to his feet, the undead Akodo finished off an Ogre that had been giving a group of samurai some trouble. Mikio rushed over to Toturi, and made sure he was okay. Toturi nodded he was, and looked towards the carnage that was now his courtyard. Finally his eyes rested on the undead friend that had once again proven his worth, and it was then that he made up his mind.
“My people!”, Toturi raised his voice as he stood upon his dais, “The tournament is over. The last match was fought, and I now name the new Emerald Champion!”
The crowd, some weeping others tending wounds, many coming out of their hiding places listened to their Emperor. Most were still in awe that something so... so trivial was being discussed.
“I name Akodo Godaigo as the new Emerald Champion!”
Then the crowds murmuring grew very loud. Godaigo stood there, with his expressionless skull. He showed as much emotion as a faceless man could have.
“But he’s a monstrosity!!”, came the voice of Matsu Gohei, who had taken down many of the Horde himself, “And he’s a traitor to the Lion! You should know this!”
“Though that may be,” Toturi said, “but he has once again proven his virtue this day twice over. He knows the way of the Shadowlands, and he fights it at every turn! Now in this time of peril, with the forces of he-who-shall-not-be-named running rampant across Rokugan, who better than to be my voice!”
The Matsu glowered for a moment, then turned on his heel and walked from the courtyard. He knew not to speak out against his Emperor, but he’d be damned if he’d ever listen to the traitorous undead Akodo. Fuming, he stormed from the field.
“Hear me!”, began Toturi the First again, “I know this seems bizarre. That you should follow under such a strange Champion, but believe me. There are many who lack the courage and honor that Akodo Godaigo possesses. And so I have decreed. Akodo Godaigo shall help us in this war against the Shadowlands as the new Emerald Champion!”
Of course there is the matter of Shoju declaring war on Toturi, and claiming the throne as his own, and Toturi hadn’t forgotten about it. He just decided that while there may not really ever be a “good” time to decree being at war, there were definitely some times that were better than others.
As the Emperor finished, the courtiers and samurai that had fought beside the undead Lion alike cheered their new champion. The Shadowlands were terrifying, but they had all seen Godaigo protect their Emperor, and themselves, and their Emperor’s words were enough to drive them on.
And as they cheered, Godaigo continued to simply stand there with all the expression a faceless man could have.
