Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act XLIV: Reliving the Past===
:>I woke up in the night with my hand clenched around a small figure.
:>I stopped myself from crushing it, my mind confused with sleep.
:>Then pain shot through my arm.
:>I clamped down on my reflexes, still uncertain of what was occurring and looked closely at what I held.
:>It was a goblin.
:>That was stabbing at my arm with a wakizashi.
:>I ceased restraining myself and broke it's neck.
:>Awake and hyper alert, I heard the sounds.
:>The terrifying familiar sounds.
:>Naomi, Naomi wake up!
:>I hissed, and shook my wife awake.
:>Huwah...? Eh?
:>She woke up very quickly; I didn't have time to explain to her.
:>I quickly tugged on a kimono top and tossed one to her. No time to get fully dressed.
:>Snatching up my tetsubo I ran outside.
:>As I looked out at Ishigaki Mura, I was once more a boy paralyzed with fear and indecision.
:>The seal was broken
:>Goblins were everywhere.
:>But they were just fodder.
:>I saw several Oni moving about as well.
:>I could hear my father shouting orders, but he was long dead, killed this very night.
:>No, that was me. I was yelling for jade.
:>Out of the corner of my eye I saw Nana One-Eye smashing a goblin's brains out with her walking stick.
:>An Oni, like a cat with six legs that had been turned inside out was stalking up behind her.
:>I dove at the thing, shoving my tetsubo into it's slavering jaws and pinning it down with my weight.
:>My sister ran up, a bucket of jade powder in her hands. Noriko's manly face was twisted in pain, and she was limping, but she was making sure the jade would get where it was needed.
:>Then I will find her body tomorrow, her jade covered hands will be clenched around an ogre's throat. A death worthy of a Crab.
:>But that is tomorrow, and my sister is already dead, and I don't see any Ogres tonight.
:>I yelled for Akiko to pull my wakizashi out of my obi and powder it as the cat oni raked at my body with it's legs.
:>My training kept me alive long enough to take the powdered blade and stab the beast again and again.

:>I saw Noritoshi passing out yari to the peasants. His arm was gone. He bled to death from that wound. He was my oldest brother, and handsome.
:>Though he died before he could marry, I had wondered if I might have a nephew or a niece I didn't know about from time to time.
:>No. No that's all wrong. This isn't right.
:>What the hell am I doing?
:>That's right. I'm applying jade powder to my tetsubo now. I have to face the Oni, the peasants can't stand up to them. I'll leave the goblins to them.
:>I focused my mind on my tetsubo, on the jade, on the sap used to keep the jade powder on.
:>I shut out everything else.
:>When I was done, my mind was clear again.
:>Monkey, Naomi and Toshiro were on the front porch of the house, a defensive wall around the children of the village.
:>Kitsuki-san was carrying wounded peasants clear of the fighting.
:>I saw Mantis-san engaging an Oni. It looked like an emaciated, starving man, save that it had two large pincers for hands and a barbed, segmented tail.
:>I rushed in to help him.
:>He still had jade on his kama so I yelled at him to cover up.
:>I slammed into the creature, swinging my tetsubo at it's knees.
:>It was agile and jumped over my attack.
:>I had, however, gotten it's attention.
:>It tried to seize me in it's pincers, but Mantis-san struck lightly at it's arm, disrupting the attack. It's tail flashed out angrily at him, and he was forced to leap far back.
:>We circled the oni, trying to keep it pincered between us.
:>Mantis-san continued to cover himself, ready to aid me if the thing attacked.
:>Trusting in my friend, I used a Kata taught at the Hida-ryu. Adding my own earth to my strikes I sought to topple my foes.
:>And with a tetsubo in hand what was already easy became even easier.
:>I threw myself headlong at the Oni, and saw it's eyes widen in surprise at my reckless assault.
:>I struck it on the crown of it's almost skeletal head, and kept going throwing my shoulder into it's chest.
:>It toppled.

:>Mantis-san, who was waiting for just this moment, pounced like a panther.
:>His kama pierced the Oni's chest and black ichor spruted from the wound.
:>The Oni unleashed a shriek no human throat could make and went still.
:>We moved on, while several peasants came up and stabbed it over and over to make sure it was truly dead.
:>There were more Oni.
:>Gouts of flame burst about the village as Toshiro strove to stem the tide of Goblins.
:>Monkey was a blur, a soft blue light surrounding his body as he slashed and cut and stabbed, determined to protect the children behind him.
:>I could see Naomi, tending to the wounded Kitsuki-san brought to her. Ayame stood just beside her, shielding her from threats so she could work.
:>Several barrels came rolling into the groups of goblins.
:>The brewmaster grinned, then dropped his torch.
:>The alcohol caught fire and the goblins burned.
:>I saw the large shape of an Oni thrashing around in the flames as well.
:>Jade fire engulfed it, and it howled and fell.
:>Mantis-san and I found another Oni to deal with.
:>It was... a rock.
:>Vaguely humanoid in shape, it stood 8 feet tall.
:>A single red eye that looked crystalline burned in the center of it's chest.
:>What is that?!
:>It's new. At least to me...
:>So, we have to figure out how to kill it?
:>Yeah.
:>Great.
:>He rushed it, trying to take it's legs out from under it.
:>I covered his advance.
:>But not even Mantis-san's great strength, nor his training in toppling foes could overcome the thing's might.
:>It stood, unfazed and brought down it's heavy fists.
:>I managed to get between Mantis-san and it, and stopped it's attack on my tetsubo.
:>Spikes broke off from it where the creature's hands struck.
:>I glanced to where Mantis-san had struck it.
:>It was bleeding, something red and glowing, yet not hot.
:>But the cuts were shallow, scrapes really.
:>I switched my stance up, adding power to my attacks. If we couldn't topple it, we'd just have to grind it down.

:>Of course, you were supposed to be wearing armor when using this technique.
:>You threw yourself onto your enemy's attacks, letting your armor turn aside fatal blows so you could strike a decisive blow when the enemy was most exposed.
:>But I was Defender of the Wall, I was the Wall.
:>Even wearing nothing but a Kimono top I was still difficult to wound.
:>As the Oni attacked me, I received his blow.
:>I heard and felt ribs crack.
:>And I smashed my tetsubo into it in return sending chips of rock flying and opening a rent in it's body.
:>I struck again, this time at it's eye, and it flinched back.
:>Mantis-san saw that, and I could see him begin to focus.
:>I stuck at the creature again, and used up the last of the jade on my tetsubo.
:>As it lashed back I dove to the side.
:>It clipped my thigh, and my whole leg went numb.
:>But as it turned to keep track of me, it's eye came into line with Mantis-san
:>Who lashed out, slamming both kama into it's crystalline eye.
:>I do not know how a thing without a mouth roared, but it did so as the crystal shattered.
:>It's rock like skin began to flake off, and it flailed around wildly as it died.
:>We backed away and looked for another target.
:>But there were none.
:>As the first rays of dawn broke over the horizon, Ishigaki Mura was safe.

:>As eta dragged the bodies of the dead to the pyres Naomi and Toshiro tended to the worst injured.
:>Nana One-Eye had survived, as had Akiko, and they worked to bandage the lesser injuries.
:>Shino came up to me, panting heavily and leaning on a dai-tsuchi.
:>What, how did such a force get here?
:>I pointed to where the seal had been.
:>...how?
:>I don't know. All the shugenja said there was no way for a creature of the shadowlands to approach that rock, let alone break it like that.
:>Toshiro thumdragged over to me.
:>I should go look at that.
:>He glanced at me.
:>Are you alright?
:>I looked back.
:>I'd be lying if I said I don't feel it, but I can still fight.
:>Not what I meant.
:>I arched an eyebrow.
:>You were... strange, earlier.
:>...
:>I decided to tell him the truth.
:>I kept seeing my family, at first.
:>Memories of that night were overlapping with reality, and I couldn't tell the difference between the two.
:>Truthfully, I was worried about that. Not being able to trust your own senses... we trained for times when we were so exhausted our bodies would fight when our minds were not there, and we trained to deal with Jigoku's trickery, but it was still an unsettling thing.
:>Toshiro looked closely at me.
:>You are alright now though, right?
:>Yeah. I think anyway. You aren't a dream, are you?
:>No. I'm not.
:>What did you do?
:>I just shut everything else out and focused on powdering my tetsubo.
:>He nodded. Yes, that is the correct action when you see the past so vividly.
:>We came upon the boulder.
:>Toshiro produced a scroll and spoke with the kami that had been part of the seal.
:>He walked around, looking and poking at things.
:>He peered deeper into the cave.
:>I looked around the outside.
:>He came back to me.
:>The rock was split by the Oni.
:>I was told they couldn't even get near it.
:>They could not.
:>But... someone else could come by and disrupt the magic making that so.
:>He held up a torn sutra.
:>It was drenched in blood.
:>I looked at him.
:>He nodded.
:>THEY were behind this.

:>Toshiro did some shugenja things I didn't quite understand,frowned and turned away.
:>I wish I could do more.
:>That'll stall anything coming up from the mines.
:>Stall?
:>He looked at me and grimaced.
:>Stall.
:>I nodded.
:>We need proper troops stationed here until the Kuni can repair the barrier.
:>He nodded.
:>We went back to the village.
:>There had been some minor damage to buildings, and the peasants were already swarming about making things right
:>If the samurai of the Crab were the mountain, then the peasants were the bamboo forest. Able to spring to life no matter how badly damaged, growing fast and strong.
:>As we moved through the village I offered words of encouragement here and there, even calling to a few by name.
:>My wounds were as yet untreated. I did not call attention to them. I simply pretended they did not exist.
:>They had known me to be a friendly man, I had pounded the mochi and played with the few children in the village.
:>Now they all saw that I had shed my own blood in their defense.
:>These peasants would trust me to the very gates of Jigoku now.
:>As I came up the house Naomi ran out to me.
:>She looked me up and down.
:>Baka! I cannot believe you have not yet treated these!
:>In truth, I was certain I looked worse off than I was, but seeing Naomi's concern I bit back the protest.
:>I just smiled at her.
:>There were many worse off than me though, Naomi. It's not as though these wounds are about to kill me.
:>Still, you should have sought treatment sooner!
:>Hai, I am sorry.
:>I sat down as she grumbled about my recklessness.
:>That gentle sensation of being wrapped in life itself flowed over me, and my wounds closed up.
:>I rolled my neck at the relief form the pain and placed my hand over hers.
:>Thank you, Hana-chan.
:>We are not done yet, you need to be purified!
:>Hai, hai.
:>As she cleansed me with water and salt I asked.
:>The children?
:>She pointed outside.
:>See for yourself.

:>I looked.
:>Daiko and Tetsute were surrounded by the peasant children who were all bowing and thanking them.
:>Awkwardly, as they were children, but nonetheless.
:>I arched an eyebrow.
:>Naomi smiled.
:>Of course all the children were terrified last night, but Daiko and Tetsute stood up straight and firm, in between us and the peasant children.
:>It was as though those two were saying that if something got past us they would handle it.
:>The other children realized this, and stayed put instead of running off in fear.
:>Is that so?
:>I walked out to where all the children were gathered.
:>I folded my arms and looked down at Daiko and Tetsute.
:>I heard what you did last night.
:>Weren't you two scared?
:>Daiko nodded.
:>Then... why?
:>Tetsute answered.
:>It's what you would do, right daddy?
:>I laughed.
:>I knelt down to rub their heads.
:>Yes, I would have. Good work, both of you.
:>They smiled at the praise.
:>I yelled for Shino to get some sweet rice cakes for all the village children for being so brave last night, then rounded everyone else up.
:>Faces grew dark when Toshiro explained what he had found at the seal.
:>Mantis-san filled in Osako and Ayame, telling them all about our dealings with THEM.
:>Then Toshiro and I wrote out letters explaining the situation. I wrote for bushi to come keep watch on the mine, and he wrote for Kuni to come and replace the seal.
:>Shino came back in halfway through.
:>We will need to replace our jade stores as well. Since we're not a fortress of garrison, we should probably just buy it ourselves rather then ask for it from the Clan.
:>Naomi nodded to him.
:>Do it. Even if you have to divert funds from construction.
:>Hai.
:>Osako looked at the letters we wrote.
:>Guess getting these into the right hands is a job for me.
:>I looked over to Shino, who went and got a map of the area.
:>I showed Osako where the patrols moved around.
:>You should be able to meet one quickly if you stick to these areas.
:>Hold up your jade in a bare hand as they approach.

:>He took the letters.
:>The sooner these get into the right hands the better, yeah? I'll go now then.
:>Be careful, some things may have scattered in the night.
:>Right.
:>As he began to leave, Naomi began to cough again.
:>Everyone moved to get her medicine prepared.
:>As she sipped it, she smiled.
:>Thank you all. I am truly blessed to have such friends.
:>I rubbed at her back.
:>I am just a bit worn out Ishigaki-kun. I will be fine once I rest some.
:>I looked around. Naomi wasn't the only one feeling the fatigue.
:>Awakening in the middle of the night to a desperate battle will do that.
:>Even Toshiro was drooping from using so much magic.
:>You should all get some rest.
:>Naomi looked up at me in surprise.
:>What about you?
:>I'm going to keep an eye on the mine for now.
:>But...
:>This sort of thing is normal on the Wall, Naomi. It doesn't bother me as much as my body is used to it.
:>O... okay.
:>I got into my armor. Naomi curled up with the children, and the others slept wherever.
:>Making sure they were all comfortable I walked out to patrol.
:>I made up my mind as I did so that I would find the one who broke that seal.
:>They would pay for this, a thousand fold.