S2E31: Divided

Tomo, Akari, and Yoshi sounded an alarm as they ran through the tunnels deep beneath Otosan Uchi. The cavern quickly filled with lightly armored soldiers clad entirely in black with swords strapped to their backs. “Stop right there,” the leader said, blocking the path. In the dim lantern light, Tomo saw countless warriors appear before him, each one wearing a steel mask covering the lower half of their face. 

Tomo drew his yumi to attack, but the shadowy figures descended on him, cutting two fingers from his right hand. With the blood flowing from his hand, he nocked an arrow and pointed it at the leader, insisting he be brought to Kachiko. The leader was unphased, and simply reminded the boy governor that if he didn’t yield, he would be killed. Tomo dropped his weapon.  He and Akari were suddenly surrounded, and beaten unconscious. Even a Crab must recognize the difference between an honorable last stand, and mere suicide.

Meanwhile, Kenshi lead a group of Emerald Magistrates to Shosuro Izuki’s hovel. Izuki’s body lay there unmoved, and his shack undisturbed. Dropping down into the tunnel beneath, Kenshi realized that the entrance to the caves had collapsed. It looked to have happened naturally, and he wondered if he had simply overlooked this detail before.   

Asking Kitsuki Mayumi-- a Captain of the Emerlad Magistrates—about the tunnels, Kenshi learned that they had been excavated centuries ago in order to defend the city from invasion. Since then, the tunnels have fallen into disrepair, and many corridors have collapsed from the passage of time. These tunnels are not common knowledge, but they are not exactly a secret either. Just one of the many things in Otosan Uchi which everyone knows about, but which is tabboo to speak of publicly.

Kenshi sent an Emerald Magistrate to retreive a map of the tunnels so they could be investigated more thoroughly, and ordered him to meet Kenshi and his retinue of magistrates at the nearest known tunnel entrance.

In the Ekohikei, Buro and Makujin arrived at the Scorpion Embassy and demanded to see Kachiko. The servants and courtiers who resided there acted as if nothing was out of place. They simply informed Buro and the Makujin that Lady Kachiko was in the middle of her daily briefing with the Emperor.

Hearing this, they stormed into the Imperial Palace, brushing off requests by guards of the Forbidden City to disarm themselves. Samurai and servants alike looked on in total disbelief as they saw the Emerald Champion—Executor of Imperial Law, Chief General of the Imperial Legions, and second in command only to the Emperor himself—armed, armored, and casting aside the customs of Hantei’s heavenly home.

Buro and Makujin slammed open the door to the Emperor’s audience chamber. There they saw the Emperor seated on his gilded throne, surrounded by advisors, bureaucrats, bodyguards, and servants of all kinds. And there was Kachiko.

“I have come to arrest Bayushi Kachiko,” Makujin proclaimed.

Credits

Art by Dylon Munoz

Music

"Rokugan Theme" by Brandon Spain

"Dark Passage" by Podcast of the Five Rings

"The Loss" by Podcast of the Five Rings

Artwork by Dylon Munoz

Music by Brandon Spain & Podcast of the Five Rings