by Nikita Thorn
A group of assassins tried to fight their way through, but the cavalry broke out into a two-row formation and had them cornered against a wall. In a final hail of arrows, the last of the assailants fell in a long wail, and it was all over in the matter of minutes.
Seiki could not help but be impressed by the efficiency of the whole operation. Compared to the procession guards, these elite soldiers seemed a completely different class.
“Did Lieutenant Kato actually slip away to get help during the fight or did he just fade and came back right now?” Mairin wondered, as she observed the lieutenant, who was now ordering his men to tend to the wounded. He seemed like a man two-thirds on his way to his middle years, and Seiki just now noticed that the blood on the lieutenant’s armor and sleeves—either his own or the enemies’—had dried rather than faded, giving him a battle-worn look.
“He rides off just before the end of the first wave,” said Ippei. “I wondered the same thing and finally kept an eye on him when I did this last time on my kitsune. I actually Dashed after him to see how far I could go, but I couldn’t catch up with his horse.”
Mairin was shaking her head to herself. “I really can’t imagine you as a kitsune.” She thought for a moment, her eyes still observing Ippei’s expression. “Silver,” she guessed.
“Silver gray,” said Ippei.
Mairin seemed pleased. “Pretty close.”
Ippei gave an amused shrug.
“Fur color?” Seiki ventured.
“Yeah. We come in different color variations,” said Mairin. “Different colors give you a different stat boost. We were all ash-colored pups before we got to pick at Level 5.”
“So that’s the real kitsune Perk,” Seiki inferred, out loud.
“Exactly,” said Mairin. “Not just free rides!” She shot a glance at Ippei.
Seiki had not seen that many kitsune around, at least not in fox form. Thinking back, he remembered that the last one he encountered in East City was rather yellowish.
“White gives you extra health. Silver gray gives you half attack and half dodge. You pick whatever depending on your play style. But it doesn’t really make that big of a difference right now until we can go Nine-Tailed.”
Mairin then looked at Seiki, cocking her head in thought. “As for you, Seiki…”
Before she could get to her conclusion as to what color kitsune Seiki should be, Lieutenant Kato approached them and dropped down on one knee in front of the Ambassador. Seiki moved out of the way and Mairin quickly pulled Ippei off the carriage.
“Forgive me, Lady Ambassador, to have allowed you to come so close to danger,” said Lieutenant Kato. “These are the Shogun’s personal guards, who will accompany you to the East Gate, where the Fuoka Honor Troops are waiting to escort you home.”
The Ambassador nodded, causing the gold and silver jeweled pins in her hair to jingle and reflect in the sunlight.
“Thank you, Lieutenant,” said the Ambassador. “Who would have thought they would dare carry out such an audacious attack right in the city. Dark powers have indeed grown strong beyond your West Gate.”
She then gestured to Seiki and his two companions. “Luckily, these brave people protected me, to whom I express my highest gratitude.” She turned to look at each one of them, a gentle smile in her eyes.
“You did pretty well yourself.” Ippei grinned. “Now that was something I had not seen.”
“Please don’t mind him, Lady Ambassador,” said Mairin.
“Let us tend to the living first.” The Ambassador gracefully stepped out from the carriage and held her light pearl in the sun to help those injured by shadow arrows, as well as disperse the remaining shadow patches on the ground.
As Seiki watched the dark spots evaporate, a thought occurred to him. “What if it’s night and it’s all shadows?” he asked Ippei.
“Oh, then that’s hell,” said Ippei. He let out a little chuckle as he thought of something. “You ever heard of the Arc of Eclipse?”
Seiki shook his head.
“Not sure about the name,” continued Ippei. “It’s a unique bow with the ability to turn day into night for a few minutes. Someone pulled a prank once and used it to fire an arrow over the whole army when they were riding into battle with the Demonic Clan.” Ippei laughed. “Utter slaughter. Some old Beta players are still sore about that.”
Like in a lot of situations Seiki had encountered, there were just too many things where explanations would be more than welcome, so he simply stuck with the most basic question. “You can actually go into battle with the Demonic Clan?”
The concept sounded intriguing, especially since Seiki now remembered vaguely that earlier Ippei had mentioned something about their army of shadow horses, which he was sure would be quite a sight to behold.
Ippei grinned. “That’s why we’re even doing this quest in the first place! It unlocks war events. You get your own bunch of guys who you train and lead into battle, who, mind you, are much better than these guards.” He sighed happily. “The best is when you get a military order from the Shogun and ride with your clan mates, commanding your own army. Biggest event we ever did was Taguchi Plains with over twenty thousand troops. Can you imagine that?”
Seiki could very clearly imagine twenty thousand people, who he was certain would resemble tiny specks of audience members crammed around a stadium, all screaming and chanting, as names flashed on gigantic screens in bright colors, and suddenly the vision made him nauseous.
“Typical samurai,” whispered Mairin to Seiki, before noticing his expression. Her eyes widened in concern. “What’s wrong?”
Seiki took a deep breath and pushed the thought away. “Nothing,” he said.
Still lost in his thoughts, Ippei did not hear them. “That was a long time ago.” He seemed to be talking to himself, before chuckling a bit wistfully. “Too bad the people I used to play with all grew up.”
Mairin was still looking at Seiki questioningly. But when he met her eyes, she pressed no more, burst into fox form and dashed off to run around Lieutenant Kato.
Seiki concentrated instead on the scene in front of him. The troops had replaced the Ambassador’s carriage horses. Lieutenant Kato rode toward Seiki and Ippei, and commended them for their excellent service to the Shogun. He told them to follow behind, ensuring them that the Shogun would hear about their bravery in defending the Ambassador.
Rear Guards [Level 5] Quest Progress: Stage 3. See the Ambassador to the East Gate safely.
“Counting on you to get a good word in for us with the Shogun, Lieutenant,” cried Ippei as the procession moved out again.
“Why does the Ambassador have the magic pearl?” Mairin wondered. She had fallen back in line with them behind the guards at the end of the procession. “And how is Shinshioka going to defend itself without the magic pearl if she takes it back home?”
“We have a similar thing called light essence,” said Ippei. “Alchemists, priests and whatnot in the palace actually make them. That’s why you can turn in rare ores at the palace for Shogun honors. Good reason to pick up Mining as a skill.”
“Then why isn’t everyone carrying them?” Mairin did not give up. “These light essence things?”
“Actually—” Ippei stopped himself and smiled. “You’ll see.”
“When?”
“In a hurry, aren’t we?” said Ippei.
They had turned right at the end of the road onto a slightly narrower street lined with shops, where several residents could be seen peeking out from behind shuttered windows. Passers-by stopped to bow and were told rather sternly by the troops to go indoors out of safety concerns.
Seiki had now gotten his bearings of Shinshioka and recognized they were in East City. There were only a few main streets in this part of the city that were presentable, and they traveled on one. Still, Seiki could make out the little alleys that broke off into the winding labyrinth of rundown buildings behind all the respectabl
e storefronts.
Another left turn at a large building with an open yard, which seemed to be a wine distillery, brought them onto a wide straight street with greenish knee-height lamp posts. At the end of the street was a large curved gate that was painted in a shade of deep blue-green. Once they drew closer, Seiki saw that it was in the shape of a dragon. Its body, decorated with carved scales, was spread along the length of the city wall in gentle waves and its head looked pensively backward and up at the north sky. This had to be the East Gate, the Gate of the Azure Dragon.
“Now,” said Ippei all of a sudden.
Mairin looked back at him. “What?”
“Now,” said Ippei again with a smile. “Answering your question.”
A chilly wind blew and a cloud seemed to pass over the sun. Yet, when Seiki looked up, he discovered that the sky was still clear blue without a hint of white. Nervous murmurs broke out among the soldiers. Then, someone pointed ahead, and Seiki watched as the shadow from a building in front of them grew long, as if some invisible hand had dragged the sun lower in the sky.
Lieutenant Kato could be heard yelling from in front of the procession. “Positions!”
The troops knew their duty and rushed into their double-crescent formation around the growing shadow, bows drawn. The horses grew restless and started to toss anxiously. Seiki readied his bamboo sword, but Ippei stopped him. “Not our cue yet.”
The shadow gathered on the ground like droplets of black mercury. It soon started to take on a shape, before eventually rising from the ground in the form of a large humanoid, about twice as tall as a normal person. His face was almost a square, with a protruding large jaw that was almost a snout. His torso was broad and thick, and fully clad in full black armor that was even darker than the shadow he was made of. Around his body, darkness seemed to gather and the edges around it wavered like desert air in a mirage.
Kagenushi [Level Unknown] glanced at the troops in an expression both of disgust and amusement, his glowing red pupils like molten lava behind hollowed sockets studying them. His voice was deep and tinged with a strange kind of a distorted echo. “How warmly Shinshioka welcomes its guest.”
“What’s that thing?” Mairin whispered.
“Shadow Lord,” said Ippei. “Bad guy.”
“That much is obvious,” muttered Mairin.
Lieutenant Kato drew his sword. He seemed to recognize the demon. “Kagenushi,” he cried. “Leave! Your assassins were all defeated!”
The demon looked down at him. “That is hardly the way to talk to your future master...” He paused to take a deliberate long glance at the band on the man’s shoulder. “Lieutenant.” His face broke into a sneer, showing empty darkness behind his thin lips. “You know what I am here for.”
Lieutenant Kato wasted no more words and charged at the demon with a cry. His drawn sword was now glowing with light. The demon raised his hand, and a shadow in the shape of a large blade shot out, as wide as a person’s arm. Lieutenant Kato swiftly turned his horse sideways and parried it with two hands on the hilt of his sword. The light blade cut through the approaching shadow with a violent force that Seiki could feel from behind the carriage, thirty feet away.
The demon shot out another blade, but Lieutenant Kato was already on him, his bright sword raised high. He struck down at the demon’s body. And as his blade touched the shadow armor, the air seemed to explode without sound. All around, the horses jerked as if trying to flee, and panic wavered through the mounted troops.
Taken by surprise, the lieutenant let out a cry as he was thrown off his horse by some unseen force. His mount bolted and galloped off. One of his men cried, “Lieutenant Kato!” and spurred his horse forward in an attempt to aid him.
The demon turned his attention to the soldiers. As soon as his glance fell on them, the troops went completely silent as if suddenly muted, and their weapons dropped onto the ground in a rain of metal clanks. Seiki strained his eyes to see what had happened; they were all frozen in fear, cowering on their horses.
Whatever force that had hurled the lieutenant from his horse must have been powerful enough to have done significant damage. Lieutenant Kato drew ragged breaths as he struggled to get up from the ground.
“Lieutenant Kato, is it?” said Kagenushi slowly, with interest. He moved closer to the injured man, studying him. “If I remember correctly, there was once a Commander Kato.”
The lieutenant, still too hurt to speak, stared up at him, his eyes burning with hate as he tightened his grip on his sword.
“Commander Kato, famed commander of the Morishige Army,” he said, and seemed pleased that the lieutenant’s expression confirmed his suspicion. “… was an uncompromising man,” the demon went on, turning to look at the petrified troops as if they were his audience. “No matter what you did, he would not budge an inch. At the time, I knew he had a young son, whose name he said with his dying breath.” He looked back at Lieutenant Kato.
Fueled by fury, the lieutenant leapt to his feet and charged at the demon. “Bastard,” he cried. Seiki recognized the move as Focused Strike, with the sword glowing brightly in a forward lunge.
Kagenushi only had to wave his hand and the unseen force again threw the lieutenant violently aside. “Your father was a more patient man, lieutenant. Wait for me to finish.”
Turning back to the mounted troops and strutting around slowly in the manner of an orator, the demon continued. “After all these years, I have always wondered. In a similar situation, would his son make the same choice?”
The demon stopped in front of the lieutenant. “So now I give you the same options, Lieutenant Kato. Give me the Seed of Light and I will let you and your men live. Refuse, and you will be responsible for their deaths.”
Lieutenant Kato said nothing.
“Not enough incentive then?” said the demon. He turned to glance at the carriage. “Tomoaki-hime of Fuoka, please don’t make me knock.”
The door of the carriage opened and the Ambassador stepped down. She said nothing, but her eyes shone with calm defiance as she turned to face the demon.
“Ah, it is really you, Tomoaki-hime,” Kagenushi said, nodding his head in a mock salute. “I have long heard about you. It is a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance.”
The demon turned back to the lieutenant, who had managed to prop himself up with his arms. “Lieutenant Kato, perhaps you are a man of duty, just like your father. I understand that your orders were to simply guard the Ambassador, with nothing that concerns the Seed of Light. Am I correct?”
Kagenushi walked back to the lieutenant. “So handing it to me is a much better choice than forcing me to cut her into pieces, don’t you think?”
Lieutenant Kato stared straight at the Ambassador. “Lady Ambassador,” he began as firmly as he could manage. “I regret I will not be able to fulfill my duty to protect you. No matter what, the Seed must not fall into his hands.”
Tomoaki-hime gave him a solemn smile. “I am aware of that, Lieutenant,” she said, kindly.
Anger had crept into Kagenushi’s voice. “Do you think I jest, Kato?” He rushed up to him, a shadow blade had appeared in his hand, and he held it against the lieutenant’s neck. The man did not flinch, his eyes still fixed on the Ambassador.
“Like father, like son. This was your choice, Kato.”
The demon waved his hand and the mounted soldiers tumbled off their horses like rag dolls. They had been held captive by some unknown terror and now dropped without any sound of protest, save for the heavy thuds on the ground. Mairin gasped.
Seiki stared at them.
Shinshioka Elite Soldier [Level Unknown]. HP 0/Unknown.
Seiki gazed further and noticed they were all dead. Another wave from Kagenushi’s hand and the horses collapsed silently. Mairin dashed forward, transforming into a fox in mid-air, but she fell short as Ippei grabbed hold of her tail.
“Patience, foxy,” said Ippei. “It’s scripted this way. No
thing you can do.”
Kagenushi turned his attention back to the man. “Next is the Ambassador,” said the demon. “And I swear I will not be as merciful on her as I was with your men.”
“You can try, Kagenushi,” cried the Ambassador. She raised her hand into the sunlight, and the Seed of Light between her fingers suddenly shone with blinding brilliance, pushing back the darkness. “You underestimate the power of the Seed of Light.”
The demon grunted as if the radiance hurt him. He threw both arms forward, and multiple shadow blades came out. As shadow met light, the world trembled, but the sphere of light did not give way. Screaming in frustration, Kagenushi hurled out a second wave of blades at her, which perished into smoky wisps as it entered the light.
With a roar, the demon clapped his hands together. His limbs merged into one long stream of shadow and slithered forward in the air like a black snake.
The Ambassador turned toward where Seiki and his two companions stood. “He’s forced to use his Shadow Essence!” she cried. “He’s now vulnerable where the lieutenant’s blade has cut his armor!”
The three of them sped forward at the prompt. Seiki leapt over a dead horse and charged with his Focused Strike. Before he could reach the demon, he could see that Lieutenant Kato, who had been waiting for this chance, jumped to his feet, ready to pierce his sword through the demon’s body.
The black shadow snake from Kagenushi’s two hands made a lightning swerve back and swept the lieutenant aside like a whip. The man let out a cry and collapsed on the ground. His sword flew from his hand and landed several feet away, skidding noisily against the street.
Mairin the fox had reached the demon, when the black snake swerved around again and caught her as she leapt at him, throwing her aside against a building. At the same time, the structure collapsed under a mysterious force, burying the fox under a pile of rubble.