God-Blooded: The Sword of Fate 00-02

I chose to ignore this feeling.

I had fought seven duels over the years with Emerald Magistrates trying to recruit me who wouldn't take 'no' for an answer. I had no interest in becoming entangled with Imperial politics on any level. I felt my face tighten, as anger rose within me. I gruffly said, "It has been a long time since I bore that name, lady. I am the ronin Motoki and only that."

I turned my back on the Emerald Magistrate and the army behind her, dismissively. I would have to retrace my steps in order to find where I had dropped my travelling pack and sheathe for Meiyo. Were there more villages to be freed? My stomach was growling. I would have to wash before I could eat. I got to my seventh step before I heard Togashi Kin call out to me.

"Motoki, wait! I have something for you!"

I turned back to her suddenly, my hands tightening around the hilt of my no-dachi, as fury began to burn through me once more. I growled, "I don't know how many times I have to tell you Imperial fools that I'm not interested in joining your little-"

"No, it's not that." There was a sad look to her face now. Her soft red lips quivered slightly in a tragic frown. The light had left her captivating eyes. In her hands she held a scroll. Behind her the Crane was approaching with a concerned look on his face. His hand was still dangerously upon his sword hilt.

"I was told to put this in your hands, no matter what." Kin said, holding out the scroll to me.

I took it, offering her a quick bow from the neck. Then I backed away with Meiyo held defensively before me until running away felt safe.

* * *

Motoki

Have any of these even reached you? Have any of the letters sent by Shiori-sama or any of the others? If not then you should know that our father left this mortal world 3 years ago. His only desire at the end was to see you one last time. He never stopped regretting your departure.

It's not for him that I write this. My daughter Makaira idolizes you. Her Gempukku will be on the second day of the month of The Dragon next year. I beg you to be there. Our family needs you.

-Matsu Tamiki

I closed the scroll and sat back, watching the setting sun reflect in my sake cup.

My sister Tamiki was only two years older than me. She had a daughter old enough to undergo gempukku and be recognized as an adult? Who had Tamiki married? What of our other siblings? What of Nene, our childhood servant who was my best friend? What of our stepmother, Gemmei?

I had never received a single letter. I had not even heard of our father's death.

It was time to go home.

1. The Tears of Home

To a lone ronin who knew his way, getting past the most isolated border crossing in the entirety of the Lion lands unnoticed only came down to a little foolhardy mountaineering. Katei Province was a small valley connected as an outgrowth into the Spine of The World Mountains from the much larger Manto Province to it's east. Manto was a desolate hilly stretch of land on the northwest border of the lands of the Matsu, three days ride north of Matsu Castle.

There was a certain small cave a few hours climbing and hiking into the mountains northwest of Manto that I had to go to anyway. In the cave I found the massive wooden box I had hidden here just after I left the Crab lands 10 years ago. It contained all that I had left of Misa. If I were going home to the Lion, it would have to go with me. Of the havoc it reeked to carry this monster through the mountains as I journeyed southeast: I will only say that it required a lot of patience and extra rope.

My intention had been to make it in to my family's estate just before winter. Someone would be there to catch me up on the past 16 years. I had until my niece's gempukku in spring to figure out my relationship to my family and the Lion Clan. I needed the privacy of only having to deal with my family before I met the rest of the clan.

Was it cowardly or weak of me to sneak and skulk my way home like some craven Scorpion or Daidoji? Many Lion (especially Matsu) might think so. But my years of wandering had taught me that honor often did not have a single obvious path. The tenets of the seven virtues of Bushido didn't always perfectly align with eachother. More often than any samurai wanted to admit the righteous path was a matter of perspective.

It was when I was (I estimated) two or three days north of Katei that winter bared it fangs upon me. Suddenly I found myself lost in the blinding snowy winds amongst the mountains. The snow was everywhere and everything. For how long I was lost in it and the mountains and the endless white of winter I cannot say. My rations ran out and I found myself deliriously wandering with the heavy weight of the trunk dragging me down.

Then the snow abated for a few hours and like a dream I saw it. A long trail of smoke on the horizon. I immediately went in that direction. My body picked up strength for a time. I found myself high up on the north side of the valley. Far below me was Cold Fish Lake, its mountain stream fed waters frozen for the winter. Just south of it, amidst the valley's long low stretch of farmable land, sat Katei Mura the province's single tiny village. To the southeast near the narrow opening of the valley was smoke from the mine that was the source of my family's wealth. To the far south west I could just make out the outer wall of my family's castle, atop a long shelf in the high hillside. I looked for the great carving of Lady Matsu above it. I thought that I could barely make out her strong stoic face in the side of the icy mountain peak.

There was an area of steep hills and ledges on the northeast side of the mountain that I scaled down with increasing exhaustion. My feet touched the valley floor. That was when my strength began to give out completely. I hadn't eaten in 6 days by this point. I had a few minutes left in me and then I was going down whether I liked it or not.

I staggered as fast as I could, leaning heavily on Meiyo. I did not want the peasants to see me this weak. I went to the last place I had stopped before I left Katei province and the Lion 16 years ago. A hilly pine tree filled area a hundred feet or so below the outer wall of my family's castle. My eyes began to get hazy and I could barely keep them open as I stepped into the wooded space. There was a certain tree here that I had to find.

It felt like I wandered the small forest eternally in and out of consciousness. Then I dropped the trunk as I saw it. The orange haori vest, uniform and emblem of my status as a noble of the Matsu Family. The first and last thing I had worn as a Lion. It was faded, ragged, and grimy but still tied around the pine tree where I left it. I tripped and fell but made it, my hand grasping the edge of the fabric as I blacked out...

***

Blood dripped down my chin and my body felt like a battered practice dummy. But I held my rigid control, refusing to even stagger an inch. I had not made a single sound. I had not bowed to my pain at all as the bamboo poles rained down upon me.

This was it. I had just passed the final test of my gempukku. I was a man and a Lion samurai now.

There was a loud cheering all around me. Soft hands reached for me. I heard Gemmei chanting to the water spirits to make me whole. Relief flooded in as her magic healed my broken body.

Gemmei was a very young widow who had married my father at the age of 14 after having given birth to her daughter, Kadiri, at 12 by some old provincial Kitsu daimyo.

I have not spoken of the Kitsu before now because they are a matter that no Lion speaks of lightly. They are the 4th family of the Lion: our shugenja family. We guard them in a sort of protective triangle. The Ikoma in the north, the Akodo in the east and south, and we Matsu in the west and south. The Kitsu reside in the heart of our lands, protected on all sides by all other Lion in our eternal atonement.

At the dawn of our history there was The First Great War. After the victory of Akodo and his 7 siblings and their followers over their corrupted brother Fu Leng and his shadowlands hordes, there was a time of settlement over the land we call Rokugan. Akodo's brother Hantei, the newly crowned Emperor, granted him the barely explored plains east of The Spine of The World Mountains. There Akodo and his people met a strange race of humanoid lion creatures. These Kitsu were immediately thought to be more shadowlands monsters and were treated as such. With brutal efficiency, Akodo and his armies slaughtered them.

And then, when it was almost too late, the truth came out. The only crimes the very spiritual and noble Kitsu had committed were not being human and meeting humanity so soon after the war with the shadowlands. Akodo made what reparations he could. He gave all but one of his own children in marriage to the last few Kitsu, who had taken human form via magic. Thus, was born the Kitsu Family of the fledgling Lion Clan. To his dying day, Akodo wondered if it was enough. As many Lion still do.

Gemmei, who I had loved at first sight. Whose golden eyes, brilliant red hair, tan skin, and curvaceous body had ruled my mind since the urges of puberty first set in.

Father had seen it. Had flaunted his sexual relationship with her whenever I was home from Matsu Dojo. He was a legend amongst our Clan in his own right. A duelist who had only ever been defeated once. He was also a master of 2 sided encouragements. Positive words made into the opposite. Things like 'Good job. We'll make a real man out of you yet.' I could never be as mighty as Father and he made certain that I knew it at every turn.

Until this day. Would I truly stay my course? Do as I had longed to do for so long this day?

I smiled at Gemmei, forced the raw need I felt at her touch out of my mind, and stepped past her.

In the crowd I could see the rest of my family. My youngest half-sibling and only brother, 2 year old Oniji, who looked entirely Kitsu like Gemmei. My half-sisters, the 5 year old twins Arisa and Chiumi, with their strange mixing of Matsu and Kitsu features. They had been born a little over a year after Father and Gemmei wed. My stepsister, eight year old Kadiri, a child version of her mother with an incredible gift for the ancestor magic that was unique to the Kitsu. Next to her was Tamiki, 15 years old. Her blood was half Akodo and it showed in her sandy brown hair and piercing dark eyes. Mostly hidden behind her was Nene. Tamiki and I had always called her 'Our Little Shadow'. Our small quiet servant that followed us everywhere as children.

At the center of the festivities on a simple wooden dais sat my aunt Shiori, daimyo of the Matsu. There were many who looked upon her with awe and called her 'The Lady Returned'. If ever Matsu herself did return to Rokugan she would probably look like Shiori. At just shy of six and a half feet tall she actually stood above Father by a few inches. She had what many referred to as 'the Matsu build'. Her body was both extremely muscular and buxom at the same time. Like Father and myself, she had the slightly paler skin tone, muddy blond hair, and amber eyes that (along with our height) were the hallmarks of a descendant of Matsu. Though I had barely ever talked to her I had always felt a deep affinity for this woman.

Shiori stood up and the crowd around us went silent. "On this day, the twentieth day of the month of The Hare in the 844th year after the Noble Sons and Daughters of Mother Sun and Lord Moon set foot upon the earth, We recognize you, Motoki, descendant of Our honored forebearer Lady Matsu, grandson of Matsu Sugimoto, as a man and a samurai of The Lion Clan. Come Matsu Motoki and take what you have earned."

There was a smile as bright as Mother Sun upon my aunt's face as she placed the daisho that was to be mine into my outstretched hands. Servants came forth and placed upon me an orange haori vest that bore the mon of the Matsu, a lion claw upraised holding a sword, over my heart. On the back was the mon of The Lion Clan. As it settled upon my shoulders and I tucked my daisho into my side the gathered crowd again cheered.

My aunt raised her hand for silence and motioned a servant forward. My eyes went wide as I saw what the servant held. Even at a very basic glance I could tell this no-dachi was special. There was a hint of red in its steel blade. Shiori's smile only grew wider as she locked gazes with me. "My gift to you. It was forged by our greatest weaponsmith, Ikoma Akifumi. It is named Meiyo."

Meiyo. Virtue.

I took Meiyo into my hands, overwhelmed by the instant connection I felt to it. The weight and balance of it felt perfect. There was a prescience from beyond my senses that this was the sword I was meant to wield. That I would spill rivers of blood of many evil men with it... And the blood of evil that wasn't men... The world around me began to narrow down to myself and Meiyo. I felt a desperate need to find a dojo or open space to experience the ecstasy of moving through every form of sword art that I knew with this weapon.

I lowered Meiyo, remembering the traditional customs that I must obey as a noble. I bowed to my aunt ready to begin the ritual of declining the gift over and over that her virtuous sincerity in giving it would be shown beyond any doubt. She shook her head dismissively with a laugh, "No, not for this, Motoki. As your daimyo I would be a fool to not put such a weapon into your hands. It is a matter beyond Sincerity."

In this moment with my master's blessing upon me and the joy of my family around me I felt like I had reached the penultimate peak of triumph. The traditional age at which a noble had their gempukku was 16. At age 12 (a year ago) I had asked to have mine, having learned everything that the old senseis at Matsu Dojo could teach me. When I had been mocked as prideful and short-sighted by them, I had dueled them each and won.

There was only one thing left to do. An enemy I had yet to defeat. The purpose that had driven me for so long. A fire of hatred within my heart that could only be quenched with his blood. And yet.. I wanted to hesitate. Why ruin this day with an act that would bring so much chaos? He chose that moment to tip the scales on this decision.

Father stepped up to beside his sister. I heard his all too familiar derisive snort. "Hopefully that's not too much sword for him."

Shiori turned to Father, a wrathful glare suddenly upon her face that would've given The 5 Celestial Dragons pause. I could sense a hard rebuke about to erupt from her. This was the moment. I knew what I must do and forestalled her rage by calmly saying, "Father, I challenge you to a duel."

Any doubts I had were gone. Our fates were sealed. One of us would die this day.

He turned to me, his amber eyes narrowed cynically. "Be careful there, boy. You may be a Lion now but you're still not much more than a mewling cub."

Behind me I heard Gemmei's soothing voice plead, "No. Not today you two. This is not the day for this-"

"Mind your own business, woman! This is a warrior's matter! It's not for a priestess to be concerned with!" Father barked.

Gemmei would not be stopped. It had always been the Kitsu way to try to bring peace to the 3 other battle hungry families of the Lion. "Your son was just beaten nearly to death before your eyes and you goad him-"

"I said be silent, woman!" Father angrily roared at her.

The air around us now held a tension, as it does during the calm before a storm. There was silence from those gathered. All attention was on the 3 of us: Myself, Father, and our daimyo.

My aunt's face was a stoic mask. It betrayed no emotion but I sensed a nervous anticipation. Her eyes locked with mine. In a terse low voice I heard her say, "Motoki are you certain? Must this be?"

Without hesitation I smiled and said, "Do I wish to be the second person to ever put this awful man in his place? Yes, I do."

The only person to ever defeat Father in a duel had been Shiori. It was why she was daimyo of the Matsu and he wasn't. It had always been the highest mountain peak that I could aspire to reach. To surpass Father and stand beside my aunt as an equal. The ultimate victory for my young life.

I thought that I saw tears beginning to form at the corners of her eyes before she blinked and said emptily, "So be it."

I stepped out onto the field where I had demonstrated my skill with all the sword arts that I had learned at Matsu Dojo only an hour before. I was smiling maniacally. I could feel the hand of destiny upon me in this moment. I held Meiyo forward in a mid-shoulder responsive stance.

Father stepped up to his place facing me from 10 feet away. He took an offensive stance, his katana held high. I noted his perfect body posture and foot work.

Shiori took her place half-way between and 20 feet off to the side.

I heard Gemmei make her final effort to inject reason into our madness. "Please, you fools! At least use practice weapons! The Lion need you both!"

"Ssshh! It is too late for that." Shiori gently chided.

All around us the attendees of my gempukku stood in a circle. This was a day none would ever forget.

"This is your last chance, boy. You can back out now before I have to cut that stupid grin off your face!" Father taunted.

I ignored him, waiting for Shiori to commence the duel. I forced my body to stay relaxed and ready.

In a hollow resigned tone I heard her say, "Begin."

Father was on me in a heartbeat. He was so fast that he nearly broke through my guard. I brought my no-dachi up, thwarting his opening thrust and weaving it to parry his every slash. I knew his moves by rote. I had watched this man's swordsmanship from my earliest age. I knew every sword art form in his repertoire. I had defeated some of the senseis that he himself had studied under at Matsu Dojo. We locked tsubas at the base of our blades, close enough to stare into eachothers' eyes and smell eachothers' breath. My 'stupid grin' grew.

I suddenly withdrew, putting all my strength into a hard left spin. For an instant I was completely open. I had all but given him the perfect opportunity to strike me down. This was the one moment that Father could defeat me. I had not even begun to attain the physical speed necessary to execute The Steel Wind perfectly yet. It was a stupid risk but one that I knew I must take. My only hope entering this duel was to face him with something he had no experience dealing with.

Father hesitated for less than a second. That was all it took.

I brought Meiyo around hitting hard into his mid-section. His katana came up in a slightly clumsy but effective parry. The steel of our swords sparked as they collided. For a moment Father was off-balance. He staggered, taking a half step back. I pushed forward and brought my left knee up hard into his stomach, knocking the wind out of him. He fell to his butt, vainly trying to bring his katana back up defensively. I spun with everything that I could muster to the right. My sword aimed perfect and true in a lowering horizontal slash towards his defenseless neck. This was it. The moment I had waited for, for so long. A lifetime of hatred went into this slash.

At the last possible instant a katana flashed between us. Shiori held it firm, her feet digging into the earth as the momentum of my strike forced her back. Her katana, once wielded by Lady Matsu herself, brought Meiyo to stop.

I lowered my no-dachi and gasped for breath. Even carried by an endless river of hatred, I would not raise my sword against the person I revered the most. I could, however, let my displeasure at her interference be known. Which I did in a growling screech. "Why do you take this from me!? I have waited for this my whole life!"

Shiori answered in a melancholic resigned tone, "It is over. You have proven your point. No one will ever say that you have not defeated him."