Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act XXXIV: Maho-Tsukai===
:>What's a Maho-Tsukai?
:>Even though I didn't recognize the voice, I was certain it was addressing me.
:>I glanced down.
:>It was the kid that was staring at me earlier.
:>They were looking up at me with wide eyes, still clutching their favorite toy.
:>Looked to be a year or two older than Daiko.
:>Where did you hear such a word, kid?
:>Mama and Papa. All the grown ups, really.
:>They say that.
:>The child screwed up their face and tried to imitate and adult voice.
:>"Now that the samurai know there are Maho-Tsukai, they won't stop until they've killed all of them!"
:>Then the kid went back to normal.
:>But what's a Maho-Tsukai?
:>...
:>Great.
:>Well, a Maho-Tsukai is a bad person who prays to evil spirits.
:>How do you know an evil spirit from a good one?
:>...
:>Shit. I'm not a damn shugenja, and this was just a kid. How in the hell...
:>Well, the Evil spirits come from another world, called Jigoku. It's a realm of pure evil, and everything that lives there wants to destroy our world.
:>Way to go Ishigaki, that won't give the kid nightmares or anything.
:>The child just cocked their head to the side, though.
:>So everyone who prays to those evil spirits wants to destroy our world?
:>No, most of the people who pray to those spirits are just dumb.
:>They lie to themselves: they think they're in control of the spirits, or they don't admit the truth of what those spirits are.
:>But how can so many people be so wrong?
:>Eh, it's not like there are that many Maho-Tsukai in the world. Sometimes they cluster together in groups, so it seems like there are more than there really are.
:>Oh...
:>... are you really going to kill all the Maho-Tsukai?
:>...
:>Shit.
:>I had let this conversation, already about a dark topic, go on too long.
:>Now it was really dark.
:>Damn it Ishigaki, why did you indulge this kids curiosity?
:>And why the hell can't you just lie to the brat?!
:>Yes. Yes we are.
:>I heard a strangled cry.
:>And a young woman came running up to snatch up the child.

:>She threw herself down into a dogeza so hard I'm certain she tore up her knees.
:>Please forgive him, great samurai! He does not know what he's doing!
:>I waved it away.
:>It's fine, it's fine. He's just a kid, right?
:>You don't need to do that, really...
:>Thank you Great Samurai! Thank YOU!
:>She inched back on her hands and knees, dragging her confused child with her.
:>I found it very disconcerting to be thanked for not killing a child because they spoke to me.
:>And yet the looks from all the other peasants told me quite plainly any attempt to convince her, or any of them really, that I really didn't mind the child's questions would just go in one ear and out the other.
:>How did Monkey do it?
:>Well, whatever.
:>I took another look at the clouds on the horizon.
:>They had come closer all right.
:>I judged that the bandits would try to use the cover of the storm to take us off guard.
:>Which meant we had time until they struck.
:>I got out of my armor to give it a good cleaning.
:>It was only the second day in my armor, so the wear wasn't that bad yet,
:>I just had to get between the plates mostly.
:>The lacquer helped protect against rust, but blood, mud and other things could eat away at the lacquer and eventually start on the metal, given enough time.
:>It's something few samurai thought about.
:>Servants would handle cleaning their armor after every battle, after all.
:>But for a Crab, whose armor was a second skin, cleaning and caring for it should be as natural as bathing.
:>I gave all the cords a few good tugs to make sure they were still sound, then washed the clothing worn under the armor.
:>Then I got dressed, nice and slow and proper.
:>I had a bowl of rice and took a quick nap.

:>I woke to the sound of thunder.
:>It would begin soon.
:>A peasant girl entered the room, with a tray bearing a bowl of rice, a wooden cup, and a small jug of steaming sake.
:>As I shifted, stretching out my joints, she knelt before me and set the tray down.
:>You don't need to bother with that.
:>I've got to go-
:>I had to break off as I caught her wrist, stopping the small knife from reaching my neck.
:>I wrenched her wrist and slammed my other hand down her elbow.
:>Something in there broke, and the peasant girl screamed in pain.
:>I had just enough time to get to my feet and grab up my tetsubo when the doors flew open and peasants flooded into the room.
:>All armed.
:>One had a scroll.
:>I rushed that one, bowling another peasant over on my way, and turned the scroll bearers face into a bloody ruin with my tetsubo.
:>No. No Maho for you.
:>I was then surrounded with peasants, swinging farm tools and kitchen ware.
:>They were about as effective as you would think.
:>Still, there were enough of them that some were able to get around into my blind spots and get past my armor
:>I hardly felt it.
:>But I DID feel it.
:>I cleared a path with a broad sweep of my tetsubo, and made my way outside.
:>I had to get to the others.
:>It had gotten very dark. A bolt of lighting lit up the village like noon as thunder boomed.
:>I saw Mantis-san and Monkey.
:>I broke into a run, heading for them.
:>Ishigaki-san! What the hell is going on?!
:>Figure that out latter!
:>For now, just KILL!
:>I emphasized my point by caving in the chest of the first peasant to reach me.
:>He fell, gurgling and choking up blood.
:>And then the heavens opened, and the downpour came.
:>Heavy rain, coming down in sheets, obscured our vision.
:>Flashes of lightning gave me glimpses of Mantis-san and Monkey lying about with their weapons, desperately trying to fight off the peasants.
:>I began to realize, it wasn't just a cell in this village.
:>The village WAS the cell.

:>Okay.
:>1 to 2 hundred peasants.
:>5 of us.
:>Maybe 6 if you count Ryoji.
:>...
:>Worst case, 40:1
:>Not even Monkey could beat odds like that.
:>Another bolt of lighting. This time screams accompanied the thunder.
:>Toshiro.
:>Monkey, Mantis-san!
:>I ran towards where the lightning had fallen.
:>In the rain I could dimly make out two figures together, several others forming a ring around the two
:>I slammed into a peasant, knocking him down with my momentum, then crushed his chest with my tetsubo before he could rise.
:>Monkey and Mantis-san were right on my heels, Mantis sending two sprawling, Monkey finishing them off.
:>I heard Kitsuki-san shout.
:>Toshiro!
:>Kitsuki-san pointed to a knot of peasants coming.
:>Toshiro yelled, and another blast of lighting slammed into the lead one.
:>The others were disoriented by the thunder that followed.
:>I waved towards the edge of the village.
:>LET'S GO!
:>I took the lead, Toshiro and Kitsuki-san right behind me, with Monkey and Mantis-san on the rear flanks, cutting down any one brave enough to get to close.
:>It was slow going, obviously. Toshiro thumpdragged as fast as he could, and the rest of us slowed our pace to match his.
:>In this storm, the earthworks would hamper us trying to get out almost as much as they hampered anyone else trying to get in.
:>Toshiro most of all.
:>So we made for one of the gaps.
:>As expected, two peasants were side by side in the gap, trying to block our escape.
:>But when a 6'4" man, weighing 260 lbs and wearing another 50 lbs of metal rushes at you in a dead sprint...
:>The path opened.
:>Where are you leading us, Ishigaki-san?
:>The forest!
:>We can use the clumps of trees to break up their numbers!
:>Right!
:>Once outside, I yelled for Toshiro to get on my back.
:>We ran for the woods.

:>Somehow we made it in ahead of the mob.
:>Okay, someone... anyone...
:>What the hell is going on?!
:>The villagers are part of the cult, Monkey. Isn't that obvious?
:>Yes, it's obvious! What's not obvious is WHY?
:>What was the point of the bandits?
:>Why were they attacking the village at all?
:>None of this makes any sense!
:>Kitsuki-san spoke between pants.
:>You... are not wrong... Toku-san...
:>I interjected.
:>Save it for latter.
:>Now's not the time to waste your breath.
:>Toshiro spoke up.
:>Um. Ishigaki-san?
:>Turn around.
:>I did so.
:>Lights danced back in the forest.
:>Torches. They were guttering in the wind and rain, but the peasants must have had good oil since they didn't go out.
:>I set Toshiro down.
:>Ishigaki-san? What, you want someone else to carry him for a while?
:>It's not that Monkey.
:>We're not deep enough into the woods yet.
:>There's still too much room; they'll overwhelm us with numbers.
:>They have to be slowed down.
:>Toshiro looked at me.
:>Nodded, and fished out a scroll.
:>I've not found the right time to cast this before, but now it's time.
:>Toshiro knew his limits, and his abilities.
:>He would find a good place, where the terrain would cluster the peasants together as they tried to approach him.
:>He just needed the time to find it.
:>And even though Kitsuki-san was not a bushi, he was still quite deadly.
:>These four would be fine.
:>Toshiro finished his spell.
:>And my whole body began to glow with jade light.
:>It won't last long, go quickly!
:>I nodded and ran towards the torches.
:>As the others headed deeper in.
:>I came upon a slight dip in the land, leading down into a clear area about 15 feet wide.
:>Three peasants were in the clearing, one with a torch.
:>As if glowing with jade fire wasn't enough, a bolt of lightning stuck somewhere behind me.
:>All three peasants looked at me in horror.
:>I leapt down into the clearing, and rushed the one with the torch.
:>My tetsubo took him on his shoulder, and I felt bones shatter.

:>Blazing as I was, it was easy for more to find me.
:>Good.
:>I called up all my spirit with a fierce Kiai, and assumed a stance taught solely in the dojo of the Crab, one that would almost guarantee my enemies weapons would find only armor.
:>My shout of battle fury was echoed in a roar of thunder from the storm, and the peasants cowered before my fury.
:>I did not give them time to recover.
:>I threw myself at them, swinging my tetsubo about in wide swings.
:>It was not elegant, and I knew I did not kill any.
:>But I hurt several, and frightened many more.
:>I saw another with a scroll, too late.
:>She cut her arm deeply and pointed at me.
:>The Jade light around me flared.
:>That was all.
:>She stared in shock.
:>I seized upon her hesitation, and struck her.
:>She raised an arm instinctively to ward off the blow.
:>So I only broke her arm, tearing a large gouge of flesh from it, instead of her head.
:>Several peasants with parangu managed to strike at my back while I was busy.
:>I whirled.
:>One was stumbling back, shaking his head as though he was dizzy.
:>I had seen that reaction when I had been struck before.
:>I smashed his hip and left him screaming in pain in the mud.
:>Let his agony be another weapon in my hands.
:>As I hoped, a wide circle opened around me.
:>They had been caught up in the heat of the sudden violence.
:>Now they saw what was in store for them, and they hesitated.
:>More torches were approaching.
:>They could afford to wait.
:>I turned and ran.
:>By now the ground was so muddy from the storm, combined with roots and rocks concealed in the dark, even I was having a hard time moving.
:>As they gave chase I turned.
:>I struck the first one to reach me, taking his legs out from under him.
:>Then I ran back through them.
:>They took a few wild swings, but they didn't expect my maneuver and missed.
:>Most of them, anyway.
:>A heat running down my thigh told me one had gotten lucky.
:>No matter. I pushed aside the pain and kept going.
:>Then I turned again.

:>The one just behind me tried to stop himself.
:>He only slid in the mud.
:>Right into my tetsubo.
:>My swing caught him right under the chin, and took his jaw off.
:>The peasants managed to stop, and tried to come slowly.
:>They were determined to end my life.
:>They knew as well as I did everyone in that village would die if even one of us escaped to tell of what happened here.
:>Sickened by the violence, terrified by the armored samurai they could never hope to match, they still came on.
:>Death ahead, and death behind, they could only choose where and how.
:>They chose to die here and now, in the hope that their deaths would buy a future for their fellows.
:>I did not like that I found something to admire in a village of Maho-Tsukai.
:>I braced myself to begin running, and the ones in front prepared to receive my charge.
:>As expected.
:>So I ran the other way.
:>I heard a shout above the noise of the storm, and my jade flames flared up again.
:>Then they flickered and died.
:>A shout rose from the peasants.
:>They thought this would help them.
:>It would, but their overconfidence would now cost them.
:>I ran and slipped behind a tree.
:>It was hard to see in the downpour.
:>It was as if Osono-Wo had gone to great lengths to prepare a proper stage for my final act.
:>I thanked my ancestor for his thoughtfulness.
:>Sure enough several peasants ran past where I was, trying in vain to see where I had gone.
:>Their shouts of horror as I struck them from behind were quite satisfying.
:>I turned and saw several peasants with scrolls.
:>This time!
:>One panted.
:>This time for sure...!
:>They were probably right.
:>I had known there was no way we could kill the entire village ourselves.
:>I had known they could not allow us to live.
:>The others had all known as well.
:>It was just a matter of delaying them. Buying enough time for others to escape.
:>Maybe I could do it by myself, maybe some of the others would be following behind me soon.
:>But one... just one had to escape.

:>I readied my tetsubo and charged towards the ones with the scrolls.
:>They might kill me, but damned if I was going make it easy for them.
:>I got to the middle one before they finished.
:>My blow landed square into his stomach, gouging a large chunk of flesh away.
:>Then there was pain.
:>The muscles in my right arm twisted and rolled under my flesh.
:>I would have called it disturbing, if it wasn't accompanied by blinding pain.
:>I couldn't use my Tetsubo like this.
:>So I dropped it.
:>I drew my wakizashi with my left hand.
:>Awkward, to say the least, but I managed to get it out quickly.
:>I then threw the blade at the one to my left.
:>They were so taken aback all they could do was stare in horror
:>The blade buried itself in their neck.
:>I had my hand on my katana and was turning to the one on the right.
:>When a figure darted past her, and she collapsed in two.
:>What're you doing, Ishigaki-san?
:>Get your wakizashi!
:>What the hell are YOU doing, Monkey?!
:>I retrieved my blade.
:>The pain in my arm was beginning to subside.
:>Monkey handed me my tetsubo with a grin.
:>Stealing some of your glory, now come on!
:>I followed after him.
:>Monkey moved lightly.
:>On even ground, I was a little faster than him.
:>But I kept sinking deep into the mud, whereas he always seemed to find stable footing.
:>We ran, until suddenly he stopped.
:>Here! Go down!
:>I looked where he was pointing.
:>A hole in the ground, with a rope ladder.
:>I didn't hesitate.
:>I went down as fast as I could, and Monkey came down behind me, pulling a trap door closed behind him.
:>What the hell, how did you guys find this?
:>Kitsuki-san saw a few of the peasants come up out of the ground, so he figured there must be something there.
:>And he was right!
:>I looked around.
:>There was light from a torch.
:>Everyone was wet, muddy, and bloody.
:>I imagine I didn't look much better.
:>How are you all doing?

:>Monkey responded first.
:>I'm fine...
:>Mantis-san rolled his shoulder.
:>Could be better.
:>Kitsuki-san had a fresh bandage wrapped around his forehead.
:>I'll live.
:>Toshiro shrugged and said simply.
:>Still crippled.
:>I could see in the light that we were in some kind of natural underground cave system.
:>The tunnel down into it was man-made, but this part was natural.
:>Mantis-san asked me.
:>How many did you get?
:>I killed ten, at least, for certain... but beyond that I don't know...
:>Kitsuki-san spoke up.
:>We should get moving.
:>Right.
:>We headed deeper into the tunnels.
:>So, Kitsuki-san...
:>You were saying I was right earlier? About how none of this made any sense?
:>Yes, I was. And it still doesn't.
:>But you've got an idea or two don't you?
:>I have seven...
:>But I need more information to narrow it down further.
:>Mantis-san glanced at Kitsuki-san.
:>Seven?
:>You're making that up.
:>Whoa!
:>Monkey's exclamation cut off the banter.
:>We followed after him into a wide cavern.
:>There were several places where fire pits were placed.
:>I knelt down and looked at one.
:>Looks like this place was used frequently...
:>Kitsuki-san nodded.
:>You're right, Ishigaki-san...
:>Kitsuki-san ran his hand through the ashes.
:>Picked up a bit.
:>Sniffed at it.
:>Opium...
:>Huh?
:>They burned opium in these fire pits, along with the wood...
:>Toshiro looked up.
:>Doesn't look like air can move easily around here.
:>So...they come down here for their debauched rituals?
:>Kitsuki-san nodded.
:>They must have cleared out a section deeper in the woods to grow the opium.
:>All hidden from the eyes of the Lion Clan patrols.
:>OI!
:>We turned to see what Mantis-san had found.
:>It was a corpse.
:>Toshiro looked at it.
:>At least a week...
:>The body wore a brown and gold kimono.
:>The mon on the kimono was lion's head, with a mane of fire.
:>A Kitsu...
:>Kitsuki-san spoke.
:>Did any of you ever see Ryoji cast a spell?
:>I shook my head.
:>Mantis-san did likewise.
:>Monkey pursed his lips.
:>Now that you mention it, no. I didn't...

:>Then, I'd say that we have just found Kitsu Ryoji.
:>Kitsuki-san nodded to himself.
:>Yes, the rest of the attempts were trial runs.
:>The Bloodspeaker, the false Ryoji, needed everything to go just right.
:>He would bring in bandits, terrorize the local villages, then he would personally show up, pretending to be a local samurai come to deal with the bandits.
:>He would rally the peasants behind him, and lure them into his cult that way.
:>The bandits were only there to scare the peasants, they never actually fought with them before.
:>He would take a few with him when he left, while leaving the rest behind to trick the autorites into believing the problem solved.
:>He then began the process all over again.
:>Toshiro nodded.
:>But this time, WE showed up.
:>Exactly, Toshiro-sama.
:>So they had to go with the deception even to the point of harming their own, to keep us in the dark.
:>Until the chance to remove us came.
:>Monkey scratched his chin.
:>But...why?
:>Why do this at all?
:>Mantis-san grunted.
:>He pulled out his special chopsticks, and opened the Kimono of the Kitsu just a bit.
:>There was a scroll tucked inside.
:>He fished it out with the chopsticks.
:>Kitsuki-san took it, opened it, and read.
:>By the Kami!
:>Toshiro-sama, please look here!
:>Toshiro leaned in.
:>Is what Ryoji feared possible?
:>Toshiro frowned.
:>Yes.
:>Yes it is...
:>Mantis-san, Monkey and I looked back and forth between the two.
:>What? What is?
:>Toshiro looked up at me gravely.
:>The Bloodspeaker has created a new ritual, a maho ritual that will transfer the taint from a large amount of people, into the earth itself.
:>...
:>How much of the earth are we talking about?
:>Ryoji, the real one that is, feared it might be enough to taint the lands of the Kitsu. All of them.

:>Soooo.
:>That could be bad, right?
:>Very bad, Monkey.
:>The Crane produce more RICE, but the lands of the Kitsu are the largest breadbasket in the Empire.
:>Didn't you notice?
:>On the map of the Empire, there is nothing in the lands of the Kitsu.
:>There are little rivers too where there's water for the crops, and small forests like the one above us so the peasants can get lumber for houses and tools...
:>But that's it.
:>The entire Empire would feel it if even a quarter of these lands could no longer produce crops.
:>Once Kitsuki-san finished explaining I looked over at Toshiro, who was still going through Ryoji's journal.
:>He got any ideas on disrupting the ritual?
:>No... in fact he's not even certain that's what's going on.
:>It's all just theory based on his knowledge of magic, and of Maho.
:>Why would the real Ryoji have that knowledge?
:>Guidance from the ancestors, he says.
:>They'd been telling him his whole life that a confrontation with a Maho-Tsukai would be his greatest challenge.
:>So he prepared himself as best he could.
:>Toshiro bowed to the body of Ryoji.
:>We'll take it from here.
:>I pulled out my katana and took Ryoji's head off.
:>Mantis-san looked at me.
:>What was that about?
:>There's Maho flying all over the place, it wouldn't surprise me if there are kansen everywhere.
:>So, just in case?
:>Just in case.
:>Kitsuki-san waved from the side of the room.
:>Over here!
:>The shadows do a good job of concealing it, but there is a passage.
:>Where do you think this leads?
:>Kitsuki-san closed his eyes for a moment at Monkey's question.
:>Back towards the village... no.
:>Towards the shrine!
:>Well then.
:>We hurried onwards.
:>We ran through another smaller cave, this one stacked up with bushels of rice and wheat.
:>Hiding some of their crop from the tax collector.

:>We reached the end of the tunnels, and found another ladder waiting for us.
:>I grabbed hold, preparing to climb up first.
:>Just in case there were peasants waiting on the other side of the trapdoor.
:>We'd... better hurry.
:>I glanced over my shoulder, and Mantis-san's warning.
:>Torchlight was dancing at the end of the tunnel.
:>They had figured out where we went.
:>I scrambled up the ladder, knocking over the trapdoor with a bang when I got to the top.
:>I emerged out into the shrine.
:>The false Ryoji was there, chanting away.
:>A kanji had been written in blood on the statue.
:>Dozens of peasants were crammed into the shrine, all of them glassy eyed and smiling like idiots.
:>The smoke filling the room was not from incense.
:>Fakoji broke off his chant to glare at me.
:>Damn you all, you've killed enough that I don't know if I can get all of it now.
:>I glanced back at the trapdoor as Mantis-san hauled himself up out of it.
:>So then, he was right?
:>...?
:>Oh, him?
:>How did?
:>Never mind.
:>Just die.
:>He pulled a knife and slit the throat of one of the peasants, and shouted a single word.
:>BURN!
:>The kansen need blood to be spilled in order to work their magic.
:>Most of the time, they only need a bit.
:>But just as the kami can be pleased with offerings, so too can the kansen.
:>More blood is always a fine offering.
:>Searing pain ripped through my body, and I sank to one knee.
:>I panted, and a reddish mist came out of my mouth.
:>I could see the others all gritting their teeth against the pain, the red mist pouring from them as well.
:>Kitsuki-san cried out and fell, clawing at his skin.
:>My vision swam, as I lurched to my feet and moved toward Fakoji.
:>Only to have my path blocked by a wall of glassy eyed peasants.
:>I struck one down, and another took their place.
:>Shit.
:>Monkey came up beside me, and stabbed one through the heart.
:>WHUMP.
:>I glanced back.
:>Toshiro was leaning hard on his tetsubo, and standing directly on the trap door.
:>Another WHUMP and the door underneath him bucked up.

:>The peasants in the tunnels.
:>As I looked, Toshiro pulled back his hand, which burst into jade fire, and threw a ball of green energy at the tsukai.
:>I do not know how black can flash brightly, but it did so as the spell struck Fakoji.
:>And the dark energy swallowed the Jade energy.
:>Your jade magic won't work on ME, Kuni.
:>Toshiro's eyes narrowed.
:>TWANG.
:>An arrow lodged itself into Fakeoji's wrist.
:>Mantis-san had readied his bow.
:>HE grinned.
:>Well, that seems to work just fine.
:>Fakeoji responded by ripping the arrow from his arm, and stabbing another peasant in the stomach.
:>The blood that burst forth ran INTO the wound, and it closed.
:>Shit.
:>Kitsuki-san pulled himself up, and came to stand beside me, panting hard.
:>Toshiro pulled back his hand again.
:>Fakeoji laughed.
:>I told you Jade magic will not work!
:>I know...
:>Toshiro threw blue white magic this time.
:>Fakoji screamed as the energies burned him.
:>But THIS spell used the power of crystal.
:>My sensei had run into a Maho-Tsukai who used that same spell you're using now.
:>So he learned this one, for the next time.
:>He gave it to me, when I became a jade magistrate.
:>Monkey nudged me.
:>Ishigaki-san, give me a boost!
:>I looked at him.
:>Then I knelt down, dropping my tetsubo and interlaced my fingers, making a step.
:>Monkey stepped into my palms, and I thrust up as he jumped.
:>He caught one of the rafters and hauled himself up.
:>Fakeoji looked up at him, and drew back his knife to stab the peasant again.
:>But Mantis-san shot another arrow into him, ruining his spell.
:>Which bought Monkey the time he needed to hop from rafter to rafter and then leap down upon Fakeoji and strike.
:>A line of red appeared on Fakeoji's face
:>Then he split in two, from crown to groin.
:>Maggots writhed inside the organs that spilled everywhere.
:>WHUMP.
:>No time to celebrate.
:>The peasants in here were too drugged to fight back, or do much of anything but get in the way.

:>I yelled for Mantis-san.
:>Behind me! Do as I do!
:>War between samurai is, generally, a simple affair
:>The two armies form up, in nice neat little rows.
:>The commander decided when each group will engage.
:>At the signal, the group goes forward, contacts the enemy and then each samurai looks around for a worthy opponent.
:>Despite the large number of people, most times it is nothing more than many, many single combats.
:>Of course, Ashigaru do not fight that way, nor do the beasts of the shadowlands.
:>And Scorpion only fight that way until the time it is most advantageous for them to stop.
:>Further, while it was the Lion Clan, Akodo himself in fact, who pioneered the formations of the Empire, every clan now teaches their soldiers specific formations that will give them advantages depending on the situation at hand.
:>There is one used by the Crab, when we must attack.
:>It takes full advantage of the large size common among the Hida, and our heavy armor.
:>Our warriors walk forward, swaying side to side.
:>Violently.
:>And we just keep going.
:>This leaves the enemy being staggered one way by a burly slab of metal shoulder checking you, only to be shoved the opposite way by another burly slab of metal.
:>This goes on until they fall over.
:>And then get trampled underfoot, or struck by those coming up behind.
:>Mantis-san also wore heavy armor.
:>Though this "formation" was anything but with only two people, and one simply imitating what he saw, our enemies weren't a disciplined army either.
:>It was good enough to clear a path for Kitsuki-san and Toshiro, who both knocked over oil lamps and candles as they passed.
:>Monkey just hopped along the rafters.
:>We got outside as the temple began to burn.
:>A bolt of lightning struck the temple, speeding up the process considerably.
:>As the temple burned, the remaining peasants began to head towards us from the village.
:>Damn, just no end to them...

:>Toshiro was chanting, a scroll in hand.
:>I heard the name of the Fortune of Fire and Thunder.
:>He was calling directly upon Osono-Wo.
:>Toshiro dropped his tetsubo so he could place his hand on my shoulder as he prayed.
:>As the peasants came in range, the storm went wild.
:>Lighting flashed again and again, and balls of flame rained from the clouds.
:>Through Toshiro's prayer to the son of Hida, the fury of Heaven was made manifest.
:>The spell engulfed not just the peasants coming for us, but the village behind them.
:>Whoa.
:>You said it, Monkey.
:>Yeah, I wouldn't count on me ever getting such impressive results with that spell again.
:>We looked at Toshiro.
:>The conditions were about as perfect as you could get.
:>Three members of the Clans that have his blood, one a direct descendant, fighting against Maho-Tsukai planning to devastate the whole Empire?
:>Toshiro pointed up.
:>Plus, he's right there watching the whole thing already.
:>Toshiro grinned.
:>I dare say Osono-Wo is pleased with our performance, and this is his way of saying so.
:>We stood in the rain and watched Shimoda village die.