A Stain Cleansed

The evening is cool in Kyuden Bayushi, and a slight breeze flows through the castle. A familiar figure walks through its halls. The door opens and the great court halls are revealed. A single man stands in the middle of the court and bows low to the ground as the figure sits on the dais at the head of the court. Bayushi Yojiro sits looking at his vassal, and makes the motion for him to speak.

“Bayushi-dono, as you know I had recently been sent to escort the once lost armor Ketsuen to Shiro Hiruma. The evening which we arrived the castle was attacked by Oni and a hoard of goblins, we were all forced to defend ourselves, and It seemed that their goal was the armor itself.”

Yojiro sits there at his dais as his vassal tells his tale.

“The following day we were requested to retrieve Hiruma Chijin who had disappeared in the night, and was believed to have altered the patrol routes of the guards to let the monsters into the compound.”

“Interesting...” Yojiro says his hand on his chin “go on.”

“We were sent into the shadow lands as their scouts found tracks that lead from the castle into the cursed wasteland. We were told time was of the essence and were to leave immediately. We were two days travel into the shadow lands being led by Hiruma Kiko, a crab samurai I had run ins with many times before. As well as others including a peculiar Shinjo I digress Bayushi-dono, what we found when we arrived at our destination was a site none of us were prepared for. A Legion of goblins Oni and lost samurai, among their ranks and leading them was one Bayushi Hidoi.”

Yojiro perks up in his seat his interest rising “Hidoi, you say.” Yojiro seems to ponder on the name.

“Hai.”

Yojiro beckons the samurai forward to present the items he brought with him. He approaches with purpose and bows as he presents the wakizashi of Bayushi Hidoi. Yojiro inspects the weapon of the former scorpion clan member unsheathing and re-sheathing the blade. After looking the saya and the hilt looking it over intimately, he then lays the sword into his lap.

“You fought him did you, Bayushi-san.”

“No.”

“No?”

“I killed him Bayushi-dono.”

Yojiro smiles at his subordinates reply. “I see, you have done well bayushi-san. And the nemuranai he possessed?”

“The sword he possessed we found out was called Fuyumusha. The blade was returned to the crane, after being left to the Kuni to attempt to cleanse it. The last I heard it was wrapped in jade and sitting back in the shrine to kakita.”

Yojiro dismisses the servants in the room and waits before he addresses the samurai once again “I thank you Bayushi-san. Hidoi was a stain on this clan for quite a while. He escaped his rightful persecution by us after his betrayal was uncovered. The fact that he has been brought to justice relieves a weight upon my shoulders that had been there for some time. You see hidoi was one of our best warriors, and a genius tactician. One who rivaled that of even some of those who were members of the Akodo, and was even proclaimed as such. He led an entire legion of our army against the lion legions that would threaten us when they became so bold as to do so.

The betrayal came some 10 years ago when Hidoi accepted the infernal pact of jigoku. It came in the form of a woman, a member of the crab named Hida Chie, or so we were led to believe. The facts were indeed more heinous, as Hidoi seemed to fall for the woman. It was not until after he contracted the taint from her that he realized the trap that had been sprung on him. Had He accepted his failure and punishment it would have been one thing but he instead decided to follow the cursed woman. Our spies chased them down but ended up being slain by him when they tried to take him back to face his punishment for not only putting himself over our clan but abandoning it as well for someone who served the realm of evil. It was reported that he defeated a giant Oni while in the shadowlands and within the Oni was a famed kakita blade and nemurenai Fuyumusha. The report I received was quite a grand tale, and were it not for him being the traitor he had become I would be proud of this act. It was said that he leaped down the Oni’s gullet and cut his way from the inside out. I guess already being tainted as he was he had nothing to fear by coming into contact with more. After a few moments It was reported that the oni began to convulse and double over in pain and seconds later two katana blades emerged from the monster’s gut and proceeded to cut him from the core. And there stood Hidoi, it seemed he found Fuyumusha inside the oni itself. The last words that we had heard of him were that he was traveling with two other fallen samurai, an Akodo and Tsuruchi.”

“I saw them as well, Bayushi-dono. They were taken care of as well. The Hida trained toritaka aquainted them intimately with his tetsubo.”

“Our people say the former Akodo survived.”

The samurai bows “Forgive me Bayushi-dono for my incompetence in not dealing with them all properly.”

Yojiro waves his hand “It is fine Bayushi-san, however, should you recognize him in your travels again do not hesitate to take his life on the spot. His name is Chugo, and I’m sure the lion would be very grateful to know we took care of their problem for them.”

“Hai Bayushi-dono. It shall be done without question. Do we have eyes on this Chie yet?”

“She has unfortunately been able to avoid our spies, or kill them outright I do not know which it is.” Yojiro replied somewhat dejectedly.

“She is a skilled maho-tsukai from what I witnessed in Kyuden Hida last time I was sent there for the winter court. She summoned a very beastly undead creature which defended her from us advancing on her before she could escape.”

“Another one that should be killed on sight should you get the opportunity.” Yojiro’s words are steely as he looks to his subject.

“I shall not hesitate to take her head Bayushi-dono. This blight on the empire will be wiped from its face, and buried in the shadows.”

With that Yojiro smiles and nods at his vassal, and with a slight hand gesture dismisses the samurai. He bows to his lord and departs the chamber the same way he left. His mission handed to him by his champion that he would carry out to its completion or die trying.