Nakago stood on the hill overlooking Eiyo. The wind came up and clouds began to swirl, blocking out the bright, waning moon. He dropped his raised arm, and the force gathered behind him began a quiet march into the dark.
The words on the page faded out. The document amounted to nothing more than a request for new pastureland outside a tiny village. Hotohori kept reading, but a voice began to meld with the written words. "Listen. The east gate. Death and fire." Images flickered over the page. "Your god protects you. Listen. Tamahome, the enemy. Nakago must know you; he knows what you will do."
Hotohori started. There were footsteps running in the hall. The door burst open and a patrol came running in. They dropped to their knees, and the commander addressed the Emperor.
"Highness! We have reports of mounted men approaching the north entrance!"
Hotohori felt his nerves tense. "Do you think that is so unusual?"
The commander looked at the Emperor like he was daft. "Sire, they are armed, and they are coming quietly, without light. We have confirmation that it is an enemy garrison. They are already in the foothills!"
Hotohori calmly rose to his feet. He knew what he was going to do. "Go fortify the troops at the north gate," he commanded. "Attendants!" The dark-haired group appeared and bowed. "Find the Suzaku warriors. Have them meet with me in the throne room. Also, send the commanders of the troops. We are under attack."
Within a quarter hour the large group of commanders had gathered within the room, received orders for defense of the city, and departed, the largest force massing at the north gate.
The Emperor escorted Miaka and the Suzaku warriors to a side chamber. The conference was quick, and as the warriors filed out, Miaka in Nuriko's care, Hotohori mounted the steps to sit on the throne. A lone guard stood at the back of room. Hotohori motioned to him, and the man kneeled to receive his instructions.
"Highness! You cannot base the defense of this country on a dream!" The man looked up at the Emperor. It was the blond bandit, dressed in the uniform of the palace guard. But this time he was not staring at the Emperor with adoration.
Hotohori glared back. "I have considered this fully. It is my duty to defend this nation. I will do so. As a member of the guard, I suggest you do the same."
"Highness, this is foolishness!" The bandit's voice rang in the empty room.
Hotohori stood up. "I am the Emperor. Do not question my orders."
The bandit turned, a subversive glint in his eye, and stalked to the door, but the Emperor called after him in a dangerous, low tone. "I would suggest you keep the knowledge of my visions and your opinion of this defense to yourself. It will not go well with you if I find the men uneasy when I arrive."
Suddenly, the bandit bowed stiffly and turned from the room.
Tamahome slipped out of the city, quietly running down the hill toward the Kutou army. He wore dark clothes and a hood covered over his face. Getting away from the other warriors had not been too difficult in the turmoil in the city. He blended with the shadows as he spirited himself toward the approaching horses.
As he drew nearer, Tamahome was able to pick out the tall figure of General Nakago. He ran forward and threw himself to the ground at a respectful distance. "General!" He spoke in a loud whisper.
The troops came to a halt and surrounded him. "Identify yourself!" a commander ordered, but Nakago needed no introduction. The blue character on his forehead flared in the darkness. "Tamahome!" He raised his whip.
"Sir!" Tamahome didn't raise his head. "I have come to bring you a report! Don't you know? I am not your enemy; since I left Kutou I have been faithful to you!"
Nakago lowered the whip. He was suspicious but curious. "Remove your hood and explain yourself to me!"
Tamahome sat back on his heels and pulled back the hood. His eyes glinted darkly. The ogre symbol glowed red, an echo to Nakago's blue. "Yes, General! I went to Konan to kill the Priestess of Suzaku; however, when I arrived, I discovered she was protected more closely than I had thought. I allowed the Emperor to beat me in a duel of swords, and was 'healed' by Mitsukake. They believed I had broken faith with you. When I returned Kutou, I took the Universe of the Four Gods from you. I did that to build the trust of the Suzaku Seven. They are convinced I am no longer a servant of Seiryu. General, the nation of Konan is my enemy, and I will kill their Priestess."
Nakago's horse shifted restlessly, and he jerked on the reins to quiet the horse. "You have been in Konan for quite some time. If it was truly your intent to kill the Priestess, you could have done so already."
"No, General, I could not. The warrior Chichiri is able to read my life force. If I had in any way tried to contact you or harm the Priestess, he would have known and tried to stop me. I sensed your assassin in the forest of the northern country. Did you know that? At peril of my own life, I held the priestess still, hoping for the shot. I did not realize that Saihitei had also sensed the assassin. Did you know I sent Nuriko to look for the Emperor? He was not able to help by sensing the assassin's hiding place. I forced the searchers to split up, so that if any found him, they would be less able to help. General, it is my wish to serve Seiryu. But I have been unable to contact you. The trust the Suzaku Seven have in me will help us now. I am a part of their councils. The Emperor knows of this army's advance. He was warned by a scout and has sent troops to protect the north gate."
Nakago drew back. This was news. He had been careful to make sure that the border villages had seen the army withdraw. It had been planned to cause Saihitei to lower defenses and send the military help to the outlying areas. If the Emperor knew of this attack, he would be ready. Nakago's fingers flicked a signal to the air, and a member of the garrison vanished.
"Tamahome. We will test what you are saying. If you are lying it will cost you your life."
The Warrior nodded once, without flinching. Nakago was impressed.
A moment later the soldier reappeared. "General, it is as Tamahome has reported. The north gate of Eiyo is heavily guarded. They are expecting us."
Nakago reconsidered his attack. A siege tonight would only end in the massacre of the army. His informants had only been able to gather information on this gate. But to turn back now would be foolhardy, if the Kutou Emperor discovered his deceptions later, without a victory to show. He was considering a delayed attack, when Tamahome spoke.
"General, tonight I was able to leave the city, because the warriors are distracted. I know the layout of Eiyo, and which gates are unsecured. The Emperor himself has given us all the information we need to make this attack successful." Tamahome's eyes blazed with hate.
Suddenly, Nakago laughed. "So, you will prove yourself to me, after all! What do you have in mind, Warrior of Suzaku?"
Tamahome nodded. "The east gate is practically undefended. Instead of calling off our attack or delaying, I say we continue by adopting a new strategy."
Tamahome stood beside Nakago's horse and stared down at the city. They could see the pinpricks of light that were the torches of the watch pacing along the city walls. A scattering of flames wavered in tight knots to the east and west. Those belonged to guards stationed to protect those gates. The brightest light was that of the campfires which burned just inside the north gate, where the main body of the army of Konan had gathered.
Except for a few brightly lit rooms, the palace at the center of the city looked dark and deserted. Tamahome indicated a lit part of the palace. "There is the throne room. His Highness will be directing the defensive efforts from there. Chiriko has counseled the Emperor not to attend this battle, and he has agreed. He is nothing but a child and a coward." Nakago's lips curled up in a wicked smile at that, but Tamahome missed the dark expression. He was not looking at the General. Instead, his hand swept across the dark market square.
"The cleared areas in the city are part of a fire that happened recently. The Emperor is using those areas as places for the troops to regroup and to establish lines of communication with the commanders. The fires on the border have made the Konan people paranoid. Many believe the fire in Eiyo was set by a Kutou spy. Whole families have fled the capital. There are so many empty streets. We can use that to our advantage."
Tamahome pointed out the thick cluster of lights at the northern gate. "His Highness is certain a show of force at the north gate will turn our army back. General, I think we should let our army retreat a set distance, to dupe the Konan army. It is dark enough that the shadows will hide us. The Emperor is so hopeful that they won't have to fight, it's what he wants to see. I suggest we show it to him." Nakago nodded to his commander, who turned to give the command to the Kutou army. Tamahome pointed out the eastern gate. "I will enter there; those guards know me and will let me in. A small contingent will be able to overpower them, take their armor as a disguise and walk right up to the palace's front door.
"When they see our army withdraw, I know the Suzaku warriors will counsel His Highness to allow half the forces to sleep, so they can conserve their strength. When that happens, my group will set a fire within the city walls to draw what protection is left away from the north gate. Before that help arrives, we will raid the palace and capture the Emperor. When we have done so, my signal will alert the army to attack the north gate. Konan's military is weak. With their forces divided and their Emperor in our power, Konan will fall easily."
Nakago didn't trust Tamahome one bit. What kind of strategy was the Emperor really employing? But here was the offering of a chance to get inside the city and, more important, into the palace. The palace was warded, and Nakago had been unable to enter it. Would Tamahome really betray Konan? Nakago smiled. This was going to be interesting. He signaled the retreat, chose those who would go into Eiyo, then followed Tamahome as he skirted the walls surrounding the city.
Tamahome rode Nakago's horse, stripped of its distinctive metal armor, up to the east gate and hollered at the guard. "The Kutou army has retreated from the north gate! Let me in!" The few guards cheered, and the gate was opened. They recognized Tamahome, and he cantered the horse into the city, waving in the dim light to the guards. The Kutou General and his ten command followed, also waving in victory, as if they were citizens of Eiyo. They subdued the guards quickly and quietly. Nakago shook his head. This was so easy.
The group rounded a shadowed corner. Tamahome dismounted and tied up the horse. They dressed in the leather armor of the Konan guard and waited. A moment later, one of their group, dressed as a post rider galloped by, with a message for His Highness at the palace.
Tamahome smiled at Nakago, as they sat in the shadows. "Our wait won't be long."
Tamahome skittered across the alley. The back room of the bakery was filled with sacks of flour propped against wood tables, an easy target. He pulled the oil lamp down from beside the door and tossed it in. "Oops." Tamahome gestured to the group across the street, and they calmly walked down the road to the palace together. "It will take a while for the fire to catch. We should be well away by then. No one will suspect us." They were nearly to the palace steps, when the clamor broke out. Tamahome turned. Smoke filled the sky; the shouting of the population in a state of alarm burst on his hearing. Any fire among the wood houses was a source of danger, and the flames appeared to be spreading quickly.
Tamahome turned and lead the group into the palace. At the throne room, he shoved the door open, but the Kutou guards brushed past him.
The Emperor of Konan stood with his back to the door, reading from a scroll in his hand. "Highness!" Hotohori turned toward Tamahome's shout. His face registered alarm as the guards surrounded him, leveling their spears. But Nakago stared at the Emperor from outside the ring. There was something different about him. Hotohori was not looking at him. Instead he was looking over Nakago's shoulder to the Warrior of Suzaku. He smiled. "Hey. About time you got here, Tamahome."
The blue character flashed as Nakago recognized the deception, but too late. An arm wrapped around his shoulder and a dagger pressed into his throat. "Don't move," Tamahome's voice hissed in his ear.
But Nakago was ready. He blasted his attacker back against the wall with a bright energy ball. Tamahome jumped up and launched himself at Nakago. The General deflected the blow, returned with a flying kick and sent Tamahome sprawling.
"Kill the Emperor now, you fools!" he commanded the guard. He sent another blast at Tamahome, smashing him back against a pillar.
The guards surged forward, but suddenly the Emperor was no longer there. They shouted and tried to reverse their blows as they stumbled into each other. The Konan Imperial Guard poured into the room and quickly disarmed the melee. Nakago stared at the mass. His own guard was now captive to Konan. He didn't care. He wasn't going to waste time with bunglers. He blasted the entire group of guards into a heap. He turned on Tamahome.
The Emperor materialized beside Tamahome, and his appearance changed. "Watch out, Chichiri!" Tamahome warned.
The blast came rushing toward them, but Chichiri was faster. He doused the energy with a blast of his own. He sent the General slamming into a wall. Here, in the palace he was stronger then Nakago. The ward of Suzaku was set.
The General recognized the weakness in his powers. He climbed to his feet and wiped the back of his hand against his split lip. "Tamahome, I knew you would not betray Konan. I also knew the Emperor sent you to me! Are you not a spy? I know who is. Our troops will not attack the north or the east gate, but Eiyo will fall!" Nakago vanished, as Tamahome rushed at him.