Pleased To Announce
The first person to step into the portal chamber was Sarevok, who was secretly miffed that his entrance was slightly spoiled by the fact that he had to stoop a little in order not to hit his head into the frame of the ornamental frame of the portal, featuring celestial dragons. However, he straightened himself into his full height soon again, smiling regally and contently, his huge hands resting on the hilt of his greatsword, his head high.
- "I am pleased to announce," his voice boomed in the hall, "that the beast known as the Kusatte Iru is slain by our hand."
He let the effect sink in somewhat. The eyes of the Kozakurans widened, and some of them even gasped, earning disapproving frowns from the ones next to them. They all stared intently at the group. Sarevok and Imoen enjoyed themselves, Winski and Peri were distinctly uncomfortable and Jelena just observed.
- "However," Sarevok continued, ceasing his smug smile, "one who fought by our side, who was imperative to slaying the beast, died a hero's death in the battle. Yun-Men Khan, the horselord emperor from the Plain of Horses, born T'aghur, leading and uniting all the tribes of the Horseland and conquering a big portion of Shou Lung, joined our cause to wield the blade that slew the beast. She paid with her life, and we delivered her remains to her own people. They have agreed on a truce, so that we may join them to honor the Khan, for without her we all would have been lost."
Yukemori's oyabun, his face the typical stony mask revealing nothing, observed the gaijin. He was impressed. Such a man would command others with his mere presence, and for all the apparent pride and arrogance bordering to vanity, anyone with any perceptiveness could see that he could answer any call made on the attitude, and prevail with odds no bakuto would offer to the gamblers in his place.
The old crime lord naturally understood that the Khan had not joined the fight for a selfless reason, if the pride and battlelust of a born warrior could not be called such. Nor was the gaijin deluded enough to think so. Yet, to the likes of him it mattered not. And no-one would dishonor the Khan by pointing out that she would have eventually tried to invade Wa and Kozakura as well as soon as she would have been done with Shou Lung. She was the hero now, and she had earned the respect of them all.
- "All bow to the great gaijin warrior risen from the depths of Jigoku, and his family, to honor their valiant deed," the emperor said, and the Kozakurans knelt, touching the floor with their foreheads.
- "Aw sh... I mean, please, could you just like shake our hands or something?" Peri said, fidgeting. "This is really making me uncomfortable."
- "I agree," Sarevok said. "There is no need to humble yourselves like this..."
- "This," the emperor said evenly, "is the custom of our people. It is not humbling ourselves - it is showing respect where respect is due. You will not see a Kozakuran on his knees before a honorless man."
- "I apologize for my children, who are not accustomed to this magnificent land of yours yet," Jelena rallied. "We thank you for honoring us most heartfeltly."
- "There are no signs of the First Oni," intoned the imperial shukenja as the Kozakurans had finished their formal honoration, "but an army of shadow samurai is at move in the spiritual realms, seeking to take control of them. The celestial armies are countering the attacks, blocking their way to Sakkaku from Toshigoku and the oni and gaki are in the middle. It is our belief that the Shadow Army is trying to find its way into Chikushudo."
- "If that can wait," Sarevok said evenly, the fresh pain surfacing in his eyes again, "I would take this time to journey to the Daidoji family."
- "What do you want of the Daidoji, gaijin?" asked a middle-aged woman, stepping forward, her hands on her hips. She carried a combination of a katana and a wakizashi at her waist, and wore the sky blue colors Tamoko's full armor had been.
- "Be polite, Masai," muttered a man beside her.
- "I was the lover and the warrior lord of the warrior Daidoji Tamoko," Sarevok said, and now all the court was gaping at him. "I have journeyed across the known world to bury her remains to the soil of her ancestors - and to return her blades to her family."
- "We know no one by the name Tamoko," said the woman Masai, her eyes hard.
- "Oh, but you do, Daidoji Masai," Sarevok snarled. "And I come to your family in peace, but if you try to prevent me from honoring the memory of my one true love, it will be your life, and the life of anyone in your tow!"
- "Enough!" the emperor commanded, frowning. "Daidoji Masai, this gaijin has done a great favor to our empire. You will not interfere with his journey. I order it."
The samurai woman's face locked up, and she knelt in front of the emperor.
- "As your Excellence commands," she said.
- "The Daidoji family's lands are in Fukama," the emperor continued. "The city of the old court... would it please you if Yukemori-kun and Mei-chan here would escort you there?"
- "That..." Sarevok started, but Winski was quicker.
- "That would be most kind of both you and them," he said.
Sakkaku - the Realm of Tricksters
Toshigoku - the Realm of Slaughter, a place of eternal battle where spirits kill each other without joy only to be killed again. A place for warriors who died in a meaningless battle or consumed by thoughts of revenge
Chikushudo - the Realm of Animals
