Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act XXXIII: Peasants===
:>Naomi insisted on seeing us off, though she needed a cane to walk herself to the front door.
:>I didn't bother asking if she would be alright without me.
:>She'd say yes.
:>So I let her be brave and kept the worried look off my face until I had turned around to leave.
:>It was only then that I noticed Monkey had a black eye.
:>How'd that happen?
:>The last time you were alone with Naomi, I tried roughhousing with your kids the way you do.
:>Yeah? Which one did it?
:>He looked at me levely.
:>Your daughter.
:>Caught me with her heel.
:>I turned back and shouted.
:>DAIKO! GOOD WORK!
:>Mantis-san chuckled.
:>We headed off to the lands of the Lion.
:>We took a boat up the coast, then hopped to a smaller vessel to sail up the River of the Hour of the Wolf and into the lands of the Kitsu.
:>We disembarked, and asked around for news.
:>Monkey filled us in on what he had heard from the peasants while we were shopping.
:>Seems like a few temples have been sacked recently. Lot of dead monks.
:>Kitsuki-san grunted in mild surprise.
:>They've never done that before...
:>He frowned then.
:>Or have they...?
:>What do you mean?
:>He held up a finger while nibbling his fan.
:>Ooohhhh. Oh!
:>OF COURSE!
:>Kitsuki-san slapped his palm to his forehead.
:>I tapped my foot impatiently.
:>They HAVE taken out temples before, but the strife and rebellions were used to cover up the real cause of it!
:>So, what then? This cell is waging war against the Brotherhood?
:>Hrmm. Difficult to say. I would think they're just eliminating the most spiritual aware in the area, making it less likely someone will recognize them for what they are.
:>But it could also be the opening movements of some long term strategy I've yet to work out...
:>Well, whatever they're planing won't matter once we bring the Emperor's wrath down upon them.
:>That is very true, Mantis-san.
:>Well then, shall we get going in the morning?
:>Uh, where to Kitsuki-san?
:>Shimoda village, obviously. Didn't you learn about the Kitsu?
:>Mantis-san shook his head.
:>Oh.

:>Well, there was a Kitsu that came through intent on investigating some violence at area temples.
:>Now that I know it's the cell, we'll just follow after him.
:>And he was headed to a village called Shimoda.
:>We were able to get to Shimoda village with no issue.
:>We walked inside and looked around.
:>Fairly standard farming village. Small river, rice paddies, a cluster of huts around a central square. A mill with a waterwheel down the river a ways and a forest to the north.
:>And we received the fairly standard greeting from peasants to samurai they did not know.
:>Everyone shut themselves up in their houses and waited for the elder to come out and see what we wanted.
:>I was told that it was polite to do so. Samurai should interact with their social inferiors as little as possible, and sending out the person of the greatest status, even if that person is still just a peasant, showed proper respect.
:>I wondered if, like so many things, that was what was just what was said.
:>And that the reality was that in case what we wanted was blood, well...he was going to die soon anyway.
:>And if we wanted more blood than he had, he'd at least buy time for the rest to scatter.
:>A small figure appeared in the door of a house.
:>He wobbled out, leaning heavily on a stick.
:>His hands shook with palsy, and his back was bent over nearly double.
:>I leaned over to Kitsuki-san and whispered.
:>What would be more unseemly? Us rushing to meet with a peasant, or us dying of old age before he manages to walk all the way over here?
:>Kitsuki-san shot me a glare.
:>The former, obviously.
:>We outrank him. He must come to us. That is the proper order of things.
:>Mantis-san joined in.
:>Yeah, but there are always exceptions. And the fact that Toshiro could beat this guy in a foot race seems like a pretty big exception to me.
:>Monkey had a huge smile plastered on his face.
:>You should relax Mantis-san. And try to smile a bit.
:>Huh?
:>Look at where we are.
:>He looked around. So did I.

:>I don't get it, what am I supposed to be seeing?
:>We're right smack in the middle of the village.
:>Where the most people can see and hear us.
:>Oh, he was right. Windows and doors were cracked all over.
:>So we stay here. And speak loudly Kitsuki-san.
:>If you don't, he'll just pretend he's going deaf as well, until you're loud enough the others can hear.
:>Kitsuki-san looked over at Monkey.
:>Actually, all we're here for is the whereabouts of the Kitsu that was coming here. Why don't you do the talking, Monkey?
:>Me?
:>You seem to be more at ease with peasants than the rest of us combined.
:>He shrugged. Yeah, okay.
:>Oi.
:>Mantis-san got our attention.
:>I think he died...
:>No wait, he just took another step.
:>I looked at the old man.
:>He'd made it about halfway to us.
:>Toshiro rolled his eyes.
:>When the old man finally got to us he tried to fall into a dogeza.
:>Monkey stopped him.
:>Oi, oi, we'll never get you back on your feet if you do that, gramps!
:>It's fine, really! You've been bowing to us this whole time! Look, you're still bowing!
:>The old man smiled, pulling thin lips back from bare gums.
:>The doors opened up and the peasants came out now to give us all their greetings.
:>And just like that, Monkey had put the whole village at ease.
:>Gramps spoke up as everyone who wasn't infirm with age bowed to us.
:>What can this one do for you, great samurai?
:>We'd heard about a Kitsu who was coming here, did he arrive?
:>Ah, yes yes! He is here still, great samurai!
:>Come, I will take you to him!
:>I prayed that the Kitsu was staying in one of the nearer buildings.
:>He was, as it turned out. The grandest hut in the village.
:>Monkey whispered to us all.
:>That's probably gramps' house. All the other villagers would take care of it for gramps, and when samurai show up and stay gramps gives up his place and stays with another family.
:>Gramps entered the house.
:>Ryoji-sama! There are other samurai here to see you!
:>There are? Send them in then.
:>We filed on in.

:>Oh my.
:>So many clans?
:>Gramps introduced us.
:>Great samurai, this is Kitsu Ryoji-sama.
:>A few peasant girls brought out tea and bowls of rice for us.
:>Maybe gramps took so long to give the rice time to cook...
:>Greetings Kitsu Ryoji. I am Kitsuki Takeshi, and these are Tsuruchi Daigo, Toku Satoshi, Hida Ishigaki, and Kuni Toshiro.
:>Toshiro held out his jade magistrate chop for the Kitsu to inspect.
:>Ah! Then you're here about the temples?
:>Indeed we are Kitsu-san.
:>Good, good. The mess between the Mantis and the Phoenix has ignited tempers across the Empire it seems. The Lion are having their armies drill along the Scorpion borders right now as a show of force, and can't be bothered to look into a 'matter for the brotherhood'.
:>He sighed.
:>Of all the great clans, it was the Lion who had the most antagonistic view monks.
:>This was complicated in the extreme by their loyalty and adherence to tradition.
:>Hantei himself had acknowledged the wisdom of Shinsei.
:>And monks held a respected, even honored, place in society despite not being samurai themselves.
:>And yet, alone of all the Kami, Akodo did not receive wisdom from Shinsei.
:>Instead, as Shiba recorded the conversation between Hantei and Shinsei, Akodo grew more and more agitated.
:>Finally he spit upon the floor.
:>Hantei confronted his brother immediately, demanding to know why Akodo had insulted the little master so.
:>For his way is not my way, Akodo said.
:>The founder of the Lion clan held up his blade.
:>THIS is my way!
:>Shinsei responded.
:>It is not my way, but the way of the world.
:>Akodo would not have it. He refused to have his followers learn the Tao of Shinsei.
:>Hantei countermanded his brother, decreeing that every Lion dojo would hold a copy of the Tao.
:>Akodo agreed to his Emperor's demand.
:>And to this day, a copy of the Tao of Shinsei sits in a place of honor in every Lion dojo.
:>Unopened, and unread.
:>For the most part, that is as far as the Lion dislike of monks goes.
:>For the most part.

:>And yet, in plays and stories, it was often the Lion clan that were the ones who attacked temples and slaughtered monks.
:>Many times a general would take advantage of the neutrality of monks and temples, setting up a command center for his armies inside a temple while 'praying for victory from the Fortunes/Kami/Ancestors.'
:>Only for the Lion to lose their patience and assault the place.
:>The Lion clan will happily endure long bloody sieges, but they really hate being held in check on a battlefield by words and custom alone.
:>This situation though, allowed them to split the difference between proper behavior and their own distaste.
:>'For what reason do the Sohei exist, if not to protect the temples?' the Lion say, as they turn their backs to the situation.
:>They point to all the duties their Clan must fulfill, downplaying the severity of the situation.
:>And in the midst of all this comes a lone Kitsu, a priest of the Kami, who receives his Lord's permission to go and help defend the temples.
:>The Lion get to say they DID send help, while the Kitsu commits not-quite-Kanshi to protest his Lord's lack of piety.
:>Not-quite because he could still succeed and return alive, slim though that chance may be.
:>At least, it was slim until we arrived.
:>Kitsu-san spoke to Ryoji.
:>So then, I take it you have some idea where the next target is?
:>The Lion nodded.
:>It is here.
:>Well, over that way, to be specific.
:>The Lion pointed.
:>Just beyond the rice paddies in that direction there is a temple.
:>I'm certain the bandits will strike there.
:>They will also likely attack this village for it's food stores.
:>Ryoji bowed to Toshiro.
:>Please, Magistrate! Will you help me to defend this place?
:>Toshiro nodded.
:>That's what we came here to do.

:>Toshiro looked over at me.
:>Ishigaki-san.
:>Right, on it.
:>I stood up.
:>Ryoji-san, I need to walk the village. Can you show me where, exactly, the temple is?
:>Of course.
:>Kitsuki-san, little help here?
:>Yeah.
:>So, Ryoji. Any idea when we'll be facing the bandits?
:>Kitsuki-san had insisted earlier that we not bring up the fact that the 'bandits' were really just pawns of the bloodspeaker cult, if not the Bloodspeakers themselves.
:>Against a Maho-Tsukai, surprise was valuable, even vital.
:>Best to avoid any chance of them finding out the extent of our knowledge.
:>No, I don't.
:>Damn. A proper Kaiu could have turned this village into a fortress in a day. I was not a proper Kaiu.
:>Still, even without knowing how long I had, some basic earthworks should be doable.
:>Give the enemy a choice.
:>Go up and over mounds of loose earth, sliping and expending a lot of energy before the fight even begins, or go through narrow gaps that reduce the number of men that can fight effectively.
:>I glanced at the woods. Clearly where the peasants got the wood for their homes.
:>Any bamboo?
:>Ryoji shook his head.
:>Damn again.
:>A smooth cut could leave a piece of bamboo sharp enough to pierce flesh.
:>In an emergency, an entire peasant village could be armed with bamboo spears.
:>But not if there wasn't any bamboo around.
:>Lining a pit in front of the earthworks with bamboo stakes, and putting peasants with long bamboo spears on top of the earthen mounds would have made going over the earthworks go from a bad choice to a suicidal one.
:>Well, there goes that idea then.
:>There was a child, wooden toy clutched tightly to it's chest, staring at me.
:>I scratched at my beard. I'd gotten shaggy again in on the trip here.
:>We reached the temple.
:>It was a simple thing. Tori arch leading up to a small building with a single room.
:>A place for offerings off to one side.
:>Inside a few sticks of incense burned before a statue.
:>I didn't recognize whichever ancestor of fortune it was supposed to be off.

:>I grunted.
:>It was a small village, but I guessed there were somewhere between one and two hundred people.
:>Should be enough.
:>Ryoji looked at me
:>You have a plan, Hida-san?
:>Yep.
:>C'mon.
:>We're gonna need to talk to gramps.
:>Once we had rejoined everyone we gathered around to discuss the plan.
:>Kitsuki-san, the map please.
:>Ryoji looked over in surprise.
:>You weren't making a map.
:>Kitsuki-san grinned.
:>Yes I was.
:>And with that he produced a piece of rice paper, ink and brush.
:>And mapped out the village.
:>To scale.
:>Kitsuki-san looked at Ryoji when he was done.
:>I never forget anything.
:>I... see...
:>The problem is we don't know when they'll strike, or where they'll come from. We don't know if they'll attack the shrine or the village first. They might even just try to engulf it all at once. Do we even know how many there are?
:>Ryoji shook his head.
:>Right.
:>I took Kitsuki-san's brush.
:>Sorry I have to make a mess of your nice map here.
:>I drew a line around the village and another around the shrine.
:>Square, with gaps in all directions for the village.
:>A single gap before the Tori on the shrine.
:>Gramps, you're going to need to get every shovel in the village.
:>We're going to dig a pit around it, pile up the earth and create a barrier.
:>The gaps will be much more inviting, but they'll be narrow, so only a few can push in at a time.
:>Come on, I'll show you what I mean.
:>Gramps called out for a shovel, I took it and set to work.
:>Digging a quick hole I piled all the earth up on one side, so that anyone approaching the village from the outside would first hit the ditch, then have to climb up the mound.
:>And you want this dirt to stay loose! Don't pat it down or anything like that!
:>The harder it is to find purchase in the better!
:>Someone get me a stick.
:>Someone did.
:>I drove the stick into the ground, and gave it a few taps with the shovel.
:>Dig until the earth pile gets this high!
:>It was only waist high, but I knew how big a ditch it would take to get a mound that size.

:>If you start to get tired, trade out!
:>I know there aren't going to be enough shovels fro everyone, so keep the diggers fresh! Speed is essential, because we don't know how long we have to finish this!
:>I handed off the shovel as the peasants got to work, encouraged by Monkey joining in.
:>While they did that, I marked out where the gaps should be, and how wide.
:>Toshiro, you'll need to take the shrine.
:>The village is large, and we may have to run between the gaps, He nodded.
:>Kitsuki-san spoke.
:>I can stay with him
:>That will work.
:>Ryoji looked to Toshiro then.
:>Can you not speed this up Toshiro-sama?
:>I'm more of a siege engine.
:>Toshiro looked down at his club foot.
:>And about as mobile too.
:>Ah.
:>That left Monkey, Mantis-san, Ryoji and myself to defend the village itself.
:>Along with whatever peasants could scrounge up some tools to use as weapons.
:>We got into our armor and waited for the bandits to come to us.

:>The bandits took their time.
:>The peasants got the ditches dug, and only an idiot would fail to realize how difficult climbing over one would be.
:>Even peasants with farm tools could kill idiots.
:>Ryoji, myself, Monkey and Mantis-san took turns on watch that night, along with several peasants.
:>I was standing in the north facing gap, watching the edge of the forest when some grunting and huffing caught my attention.
:>It was coming from further down, and I was pretty sure it was in the ditch.
:>I walked around to the outside, so I could hop down in easier if it was something I needed to kill, and headed towards the noises.
:>It was a pair of kids.
:>Well, young adults would be a better term. 15-20 years I'd guess.
:>The loose soil of the bank had given way under their weight, sank and shifted every time they tried to find purchase, so they just kept sliding back into the ditch.
:>The two were panting and gasping, clothes disheveled and slipping off.
:>I could see one of them had cleavage, exposed by the shoulder of her top sliding off.
:>They froze when they saw me come striding up.
:>A samurai's armor does far more than stop arrows and turn aside blades.
:>It is a weapon, that strikes at the soul of his foes constantly.
:>Many forget that. Samurai are well trained, and such an attack has little outward sign.
:>Though of course, trying to get your strike past the armor and into the warrior beneath does give pause to all but the most experienced warriors.
:>However, these two lovers were a clear reminder that Samurai armor is also absolutely terrifying if you're unused to it.
:>A giant in blue and black metal, holding a metal stick studded with spikes, his face an emotionless mask carved into a demonic snarl, and you can't even tell if it's a human under all that armor or not.
:>I tugged a few laces and slid down my mempo.
:>You two. Which side did you sneak out through.
:>They just kept staring.

:>So I shot the boy a grin.
:>Look, I know what you're doing, and have done.
:>Y-y-you do, great samurai?
:>Yeah. This isn't the only panting and grunting you've done tonight, right?
:>The girl flushed, then realized the state of her clothing and straightened it.
:>The boy broke into the half proud, half embarrassed grin that you see on young men who were older boys not too long ago.
:>H-hai! great samurai!
:>So I want to know which dunce you snuck past, so I can find someone with better eyesight to take over for him.
:>The girl was the one who protested.
:>But great samurai! It's not Kodai-san's fault! He was looking where he should have been, that's why we were able to get past him!
:>I gave a snort.
:>Fine. You two can't think of anyone else your age dumb enough to try and sneak off when there are bandits about, can you?
:>They looked at each other, then back at me and shook their heads in unison.
:>Alright.
:>I held out a hand to haul them up.
:>Let's get you out of there.
:>Now go on back home.
:>Explaining the way you look to your parents will be punishment enough for risking your lives.
:>They both looked down at themselves.
:>Then they bowed and took off.
:>The rest of the night passed without incident.
:>I headed to the shrine to check on Toshiro and Kitsuki-san, to see if they saw or heard anything suspicious during the night.
:>Toshiro shook his head.
:>Nothing here. How about you?
:>Just a couple of kids, snuck past a guard to lose their virginity in the woods.
:>I chuckled.
:>When they came back they realized getting in was a lot harder.
:>Toshiro gave his half-snort half laugh at that.
:>I returned to the main village, ate a bowl of rice, and sat down for a quick nap.
:>When I woke up, I decided to walk the perimeter.
:>Sieges occur when an army takes up a strong defensive position that an attacking army has no choice but to deal with.
:>Even basic modifications like the simple ditch we had dug, give the defender a massive advantage in the battle ahead.

:>Because an assault would be so costly, some generals took to other means of victory in a siege.
:>Like simply waiting for the defenders to run out of food.
:>And so defenders inside fortified positions often had to deal with long periods of nothing happening, save that an enemy army was camped out on the front lawn.
:>That could strain a warrior's mind, make them crack under the slow, constant pressure.
:>One man breaking in a dramatic enough way could cause others to follow suit.
:>The attacking force had yet to show itself, but then again the defenders were not samurai.
:>I was pleased, but honestly not that surprised, to find the peasants bearing up well.
:>It was only the second day, the defenses prepared, and there were samurai here.
:>Doubtless many told themselves the bandits would move on in search of easier prey.
:>Many more would be confident in an easy victory.
:>Well, nothing to worry about yet. At least nothing that can be addressed with just words.
:>They would need to face a real battle before they understood. Until they had that experience for themselves, they just wouldn't understand.
:>The day wore on into evening, and after a simple meal I got a few more hours of sleep before my time to watch came.
:>It was then that they came.

:>I got my first clue that something was amiss when a giant flaming comet raced through the sky to explode among silhouetted people over by where the shrine was.
:>Subtle, sure, but I was still fairly certain it meant the bandits had arrived.
:>Sure enough, as soon as that happened the bandits that had been crawling on the ground towards the village stood up, making their presence obvious.
:>It's good that I'm so observant. I'd make a piss poor sentry if an army of bandits could crawl up a hundred yards on top of me without me noticing ANYTHING.
:>Well, it's on now.
:>I yelled for one of the peasants standing watch to go rouse the village, and he took off.
:>We had worked out a specific rhythm to beat the alarm stick with so that everyone would know where the bandits were.
:>I listened. Two sides, mine and Ryoji's.
:>And the shrine.
:>Peasants quickly flooded the mound, and none of the bandits tried to brave it.
:>Good.
:>I plugged up the gap with my armored bulk and waved the first bandits forward.
:>In the gap they could only fight me three at a time.
:>If I stepped back, it would only be one or two bandits fighting inside the gap, with myself and few others fighting them.
:>I didn't step back for two reasons. First, it would be easier for them to try and slip past me, second, three on one against bandits was no big deal.
:>For me, anyway.
:>They came and I played whack-a-bandit, smashing any that dared to pop his head up.
:>The corpses piled quickly at my feet.
:>They fell back from me quickly once it became apparent that wasn't going to work.
:>At first I thought they may try to go around to another side.
:>Instead several dozen stepped up and drew back on bows.
:>Oh those fuckers.
:>I turned to the side, tucking down my head behind my sode as they loosed.
:>Arrows peppered me from head to toe.
:>I straightened up, my left side a pincushion, and shattered the shafts sticking out of my armor with one downward sweep of my tetsubo.

:>I rolled my left arm around in a wide circle, letting them know if that was their plan they were going to need a LOT more arrows.
:>You okay?
:>Monkey.
:>And Mantis-san was right behind him.
:>Yeah, I'm fine. None of them really got through.
:>Why are you both here?
:>Ryoji's got his side covered.
:>Yeah, he's using his magic to strengthen the peasants. Hell, I think they're doing better than you are!
:>Okay then.
:>I stepped back.
:>I'll give those bandits credit, they were braver than I thought.
:>Stupider too.
:>They tried again.
:>Bandits with polearms came out to the fore.
:>Two with yari rushed into the gap, their shoulders touching.
:>They couldn't move very well, but their plan was to use their weapons length to push us back so their fellows could get inside.
:>Sadly for them, two bandits were no match for the three of us.
:>After the third try I yelled at them.
:>OOI! It's getting a bit... corpsey around here. Hard to fight properly. Why don't a few of you get over here and drag your buddies clear? Go on, we'll wait.
:>The bandits ran away instead.
:>Monkey looked over at me.
:>You've got to teach me that trick.
:>Wouldn't work for you Monkey.
:>I looked aside at him.
:>You couldn't be scary if your life depended on it.
:>I can too!
:>Really? Okay then, scare the next child you see.
:>What, NO! That's just mean, why would I do that?
:>See?
:>What?
:>The first step to being scary is convincing other people you'll do shit so horrible they can't even imagine it.
:>If you can't actually be cruel, you can't be scary.
:>Bullshit, I've seen you scare people by being calm all the time!
:>No, see, that only works on cowards. And it's not really being scary, it's just convincing the coward they don't have the upper hand.
:>Oh.
:>Mantis-san chuckled.
:>Trust a Crab to be able to deliver a lecture on the finer points of intimidation...
:>I looked at him evenly.
:>Damn straight.

:>Monkey was looking down, thinking about something.
:>Could you actually be cruel like that Ishigaki-san?
:>... I can convince myself I could do it, and project that conviction outward.
:>But I hope I never actually have to try and follow through with it.
:>Uhhh.
:>Mantis-san rolled his eyes.
:>He's saying that when he puts on his 'scary face' he thinks about doing something horrible, that comes out in his expression. Other people see that and get an idea of what he's thinking.
:>They get scared when they have to wonder if he really will do whatever he's thinking of doing.
:>Oh! So to scare people you have to convince them you don't care about the consequences of your actions, you just want to hurt them!
:>Now you're getting it, Monkey.
:>And they're more likely to believe it coming from you since Crabs don't get things like 'manners'!
:>Right, again.
:>Okay, I see now. Yeah, I'll leave the scary face to you!
:>Good.
:>Since, you know, your face is always scary.
:>...
:>That was a stupidly long way to go for a cheap 'you're ugly' joke.
:>God dammit Monkey.
:>The magical fires had stopped as well,
:>I'm going to go check on Toshiro and Kitsuki-san.
:>Right, we'll take care of things here then.
:>I headed off.
:>Toshiro was applying some magic to Kitsuki-san's cuts and scrapes when I got there.
:>A half dozen headless bandits spoke to the work Kitsuki-san had done, while the piles of charred and crushed bodies were obviously Toshiro's.
:>Looked like very few even got close enough to meet Kitsuki-san's blade.
:>Looks like you two had things well in hand here.
:>Yep.
:>Toshiro turned to face me.
:>He had the stub of an arrow sticking out of the thigh of his club foot.
:>... How does that keep happening?
:>He shook his head.
:>Damned if I know. It's like it just draws arrows to it.
:>And you? That's a lot of arrows...
:>None got through.
:>I see.
:>They tried to push two sides. Ryoji handled one side with some water magic and peasants, we handled the other.

:>Toshiro looked at me.
:>So, how many Maho-Tsukai were on your side?
:>...
:>What?
:>Didn't you see any?
:>No.
:>We had three here.
:>Kitsuki-san nodded.
:>I guess you can't tell, but more of this blood is mine than should be.
:>They had spells that made injuries bleed more than they should.
:>...
:>Did they have scrolls?
:>Yes.
:>I took off running back to the village.
:>Monkey! Where are the Eta?
:>Uh, over that way, why?
:>There were Tsukai in the group that attacked Toshiro, they had scrolls!
:>Oh shit!
:>We ran over to where the Eta were tossing the bandits into a pyre.
:>I yelled out to no one in particular.
:>If anyone found a scroll on one of the corpses, they should be thrown into the pyre as well.
:>Do NOT open them, do not try to read them. Just burn them.
:>I stood there, trying real hard to simultaneously ignore the Eta and also look to make sure no one keeps something they should not.
:>Hey, Monkey. Go make sure none of those peasants found any maho scrolls.
:>And tell Ryoji and Mantis-san to keep a lookout.
:>I pondered while Monkey ran off.
:>What the hell?
:>Had the bloodspeakers been supplying the bandits with maho?
:>That was something they usually didn't risk.
:>From time to time bandits DID decide they just hated everything and went after temples as well as the usual rice stealing...
:>But even those ones didn't often employ maho...
:>Least it wasn't me this time.
:>Ryoji came running up, panting and sweating.
:>He DID look to be nearing retirement age.
:>Guess his age was catching up to him.
:>You going to be okay?
:>Yeah... yeah.
:>I've had more difficult marches than this little fight.
:>I was a much younger man then, it's true, but I'll be fine.
:>I nodded.
:>Is it true then? Not just blasphemy, but outright MAHO?
:>I nodded again.
:>Didn't you see anything?
:>No... but maybe their suicidal recklessness was brought out by some foul magic?
:>I considered that.
:>No, I don't think so. Unthinking bloodlust is something Maho can curse a man with, that much is true.

:>But they weren't going berserk.
:>They were willing to fight past the point I'd expect, but they were never complete idiots about.
:>Always had a plan, even if it was a bad one...
:>Ryoji nodded.
:>Well, now what? Do you think they'll try again?
:>I don't know.
:>We bloodied them hard this time.
:>If their full strength wasn't enough, then they would need a miracle to win now that they've suffered losses.
:>Ryoji looked at me.
:>A dark miracle?
:>Yeah.
:>And since bandist rely on their reputation as being unbeatable to get peasants to hand over rice instead of trying to fight back, they really can't afford to lose here.
:>So I wouldn't be surprised if they try to rely on that dark miracle.
:>Though some will try and desert the band at this point.
:>I grinned.
:>Bandit leaders get their station by being the meanest, scariest bastard in the lot.
:>If they catch a man trying to desert, they'll kill that man as a warning to the rest.
:>They have no choice but to more terrifying to their men than we are, or they'll never hold the group together through tough times like these.
:>You... seem to know a lot about bandits.
:>I know a lot about war, and knowing what drives your enemies forward into death is vital in war.
:>Ryoji nodded at that.
:>You almost sound like an Akodo.
:>Heh. Just hard won experience.
:>Once the cremations were done I got some more sleep.
:>In war, you sleep when you can. There's no telling when you'll be able to sleep next.
:>The village was quiet the next day.
:>I could see a few tear stained faces here and there.
:>None of the peasants had been killed, but I suppose the violence of a real battle had been quite shocking.
:>Especially for people who are farmers, not warriors.
:>Well, they were all quite safe, even if they didn't realize it.
:>As I walked the village I noticed it was quite windy.
:>I glanced up.
:>Clouds.
:>I could see a darker patch on the horizon.
:>A storm was heading this way.