Editing Memories of a Stone Wall (section)

===Act LII: Besieged===
:>The Damned bought us the time we needed.
:>The rest of us got into Shiro Kuni.
:>I helped slam the gates shut.
:>The Damned would not retreat.
:>I found the others, up on one of the towers.
:>Naomi was weeping openly as she watched the Damned purify themselves.
:>There were more than a few wet faces, so there was no shame in that.
:>Groups of Kuni prayed, and the enchantments worked into their home sprang to life, Kanji bazing with Jade energy appeared on the walls of Shiro Kuni, straining against the darkness.
:>The fires in the towers were lit.
:>Shiro Kuni held three regiments of the Crab army. 1500 soldiers. Two of those had been brought to the Wall.
:>Five hundred fresh troops. The Damned. And the survivors from the Wall.
:>Would the light from the fires even reach?
:>Could any troops be spared?
:>As the Damned were finally overrun, the Horde began to encircle Shiro Kuni.
:>Then the blast of a Horn cut the air.
:>Another force was coming up, along the path that led to the Fortress of the Forgotten
:>At the head was the standard of the Clan.
:>Even here I could make out the shape of Ketsuen.
:>The Crab Clan Champion was coming with fresh troops.
:>Masagoro yelled for the gates to be reopened.
:>They would need to be guarded, to keep the horde from getting in.
:>I ran down to the courtyard.

:>Goblins swarmed in as the gates began to open.
:>Figures those things would be the first to get here.
:>Compared to everything else we'd been through, keeping the gate secure was child's play.
:>Hida-sama led the reinforcements in a charge cutting a swath through the pursuing demons with a katana forged of pure crystal.
:>Perhaps it would be more accurate to say it was a shard of crystal cut into the shape of a katana.
:>It's soul was awakened, and it cast a circle of light around itself the demons shied away from.
:>It didn't stop him.
:>Behind him I could see berserkers from the Fortress of the Forgotten, the most unruly, uncontrollable lot in the Clan.
:>I almost pitied the monsters that were in their way.
:>I stepped aside as Hida-sama entered Shiro Kuni, lest he run me over.
:>Under Ketsuen's massive helm, his eyes darted down to me for a moment before taking in the rest of Shiro Kuni.
:>The Kuni daimyo came out, along with Masagoro to greet the Clan Champion.
:>Then they strode off to converse in private.
:>With the Wall overrun he would want answers.
:>Ishigaki-san! You're still alive!
:>I turned and smiled as Adachi came up to me.
:>So, it worked.
:>He nodded.
:>And? How has Masagoro been?
:>On and off. He seems more focused now with the Horde in front of him...
:>Adachi nodded, a frown wrinkling his brow.
:>We looked back at the gates.
:>At the moment, the fighting was light. The bulk of the Horde had yet to catch up.
:>Adachi looked at me.
:>Come, there isn't much time before it gets serious again, and he will want to speak with you.
:>I followed him back inside the barracks of Shiro Kuni where Hida-sama was holding an impromptu audience.
:>I saw several other high ranking Crabs there, as well as my friends.
:>Kitsuki-san, who had I not seen in some time, looked like he was about to fall asleep at any moment.
:>Aside from the dark circles under his eyes he seemed fine though. His earlier brush with death must have reminded him to be more cautious.
:>Masagoro, however, was absent from the room.

:>For a moment the only sound was the breathing of Hida-sama.
:>Then he looked to me.
:>Tell me what you've seen Masagoro-san do.
:>I took a deep breath to compose myself.
:>I think...
:>I saw his eyes tighten up, and stopped.
:>No, I misspoke there.
:>He led us into an ambush. It was a canyon, with high walls. I had seen it before, and been ambushed there as well when I went looking for Hida.
:>He nodded.
:>I remember you from that time.
:>You told him of this?
:>Hai, my lord.
:>When it became obvious that we had to withdraw, he did not wish to leave, he fought to stay and fight.
:>We pulled him back.
:>He said nothing, gave no orders as we fell back.
:>But Masagoro-san told everyone he lead the patrol out of the ambush.
:>I dared much.
:>I looked my champion in his eyes.
:>Masagoro-sama lied.
:>He stared back a me, until I dropped my head.
:>And the battle? How has he conducted himself?
:>I have not been by his side much. My duty placed me where the fighting was thickest, and he had to lead.
:>Hida-sama nodded.
:>However, I did have a chance to speak with him before the third and final push that threw us back.
:>Tension filled the room.
:>The shame of having been driven back off the Wall was great, and weighed heavily on us all.
:>He was pacing the Wall, and almost ran into me.
:>I asked him where he thought the fighting would be worst. His prediction was true.
:>He said the last two attacks were just probing us, and the real thing would come.
:>He smiled when he did.
:>One by one Hida-sama spoke to everyone in the room.
:>Much the same questions.
:>Toshiro answered.
:>I can only say he's neither mad nor tainted.
:>Kitsuki-san began to go on in elaborate detail about what he had seen of Masagoro, until Hida-sama waved a hand.
:>Mantis-san surprised me.
:>He had seen Masagoro execute a man after the second day.
:>An archer who did not join a charge when Masagro called for it, because he still had arrows.
:>Cowardice, Masagoro called it.
:>Naomi had seen him down in the medical tents, weeping over the dead.

:>Hida-sama looked up at the ceiling when we were done.
:>This is an exceptional time, as Masagoro-san predicted it would be.
:>He unfolded his arms.
:>MASAGORO!
:>Masagoro ran into the room and threw himself to his knees before his lord.
:>HAI!
:>This is your command. I will not take it from you. But I will be watching. Do you understand?
:>HAI!
:>Good. Now drive this filth back out of our lands.
:>HAI! With pleasure!
:>As if on cue, the drums began to beat.
:>The Horde had arrived.
:>I snatched up Kimimaru and ran out to do battle once more.
:>The fires in the towers, the Jade kanji burning, and the eclipse cast everything in perpetual twilight.
:>Already there were monsters scaling the towers and the walls.
:>Shiro Kuni was surrounded from all sides, the horde spilling over the walls and into it.
:>I ran to the nearest clump of Nosloc and joined those already battling.
:>As I did so, an Oni bounded over the wall and landed on a bushi not far from me.
:>It defied description. A blob of tentacles, pseudopods, eyes and mouths.
:>Warped in a cage of bone.
:>The tentacles dragged the bushi inside the bone cage.
:>And then the cage cracked and broke and collapsed down.
:>Squeezing the life from him, even as the mouths tore at his flesh and consumed him.
:>Then the flattened cage of bone sprang back into it's shape and launched the Oni skyward, seeking more prey.
:>I saw a Jade behemoth charge forth, bowling over ogres by the dozens.
:>I recognized Toshiro's avatar.
:>Kitsuki-san was dragging the wounded clear of the fighting.
:>I couldn't see Monkey or Mantis-san.
:>Then the Nosloc parted and one of the Lost emerged from their ranks.
:>His armor was done in a classic O-yori, like mine. Lacquered the deepest black.
:>Cream colored skin, with bright red lips...
:>Impossibly beautiful. Like a Crane pretty boy.
:>You there. You've been giving us quite a bit of trouble. I'm going to take your head now.
:>I growled at him.
:>Come and take it, if you can.
:>He sighed then drew his blade in a flash and came at me.

:>I stopped his first strike on Kimimaru.
:>But he spun to the side and drove his blade at me.
:>It grazed my arm.
:>Ohh? You are a tough one.
:>You're only the second to ever survive that attack!
:>He grinned at me.
:>Do commend that achievement to your anceshrrGGHHKK
:>I slammed Kimimaru into his stomach.
:>You talk too much. Shut up and fight.
:>I brought Kimimaru up into his jaw, knocking him to the ground.
:>He staggered to his feet, and slashed backwards, mostly to keep me off him while he regained his wits.
:>I knocked his katana aside and closed in on him, giving him no time to breathe.
:>Another blow from Kimimaru broke his arm.
:>Then his leg.
:>As he fell again I drew back and crushed his skull.
:>I agreed with Toshiro. No more holding back. No more caution.
:>Now it was time to fight and kill even if your arms and legs are torn form your body, even if the very flesh is scoured from your bones.
:>There was no place else to go, no stronghold to fall back to from here.
:>We would win, or we would die.
:>Zombies began to fall over the sides of the walls.
:>Fresh zombies, maggots still writhing in their flesh.
:>Blue armor still encasing their bodies.
:>I saw Crabs falling back before them, the sight too horrible to bear.
:>DO NOT LET THEIR DISHONOR GO UNAVENGED!
:>I ran into the horde of once Crab, crushing their skulls with Kimimaru.
:>The faltering Crab were stopped by my charge, and followed in after me.
:>We put them all down.
:>A host of flying oni dove upon the battlements, carrying bushi off before dropping them.
:>Archers fired in response.
:>I saw Naomi among them, loosing Jade powdered arrows.
:>Mantis-san joined in, and blinded one with a well placed shot.
:>It fell and rolled through a swarm of goblins.
:>Hiruma quickly fell upon the tangled mess, dispatching any that still moved.
:>A purple hand appeared over the top of the north wall.
:>And an oni pulled itself up over it.
:>Purple skin, one great horn.
:>And I only came up to it's waist.
:>Oni no Ugulu.

:>It leaned down, and slowly swung it's hand, slapping a bushi with the back of it.
:>He flew into the wall with a hideous crunch, blood flying in a splatter out of his armor.
:>His broken body crumpled to the ground.
:>A scream from above.
:>No, not a scream. A kiai.
:>Monkey and Mantis-san both.
:>Leaping from the second floor of the barracks, they drove powdered weapons into the giant Oni.
:>It spun about trying to dislodge them.
:>Then Toshiro's avatar slammed into it, knocking it down.
:>It leapt into the air, and landed on the Ugulu's chest.
:>Pinned beneath Toshiro's mighty avatar, the Ugulu could only scream in agony as Monkey and Mantis-san slew it.
:>I wasn't about to be outdone by those two.
:>As I looked for another Oni to slay, I found something almost as terrifying.
:>A pack of goblins. Scores.
:>Slathered head to toe in mud.
:>I didn't need to see the shaman dancing about them to know what was coming.
:>I ran to the archers.
:>MAGIC MUD!
:>I waved Kimimaru at the goblins.
:>The archers wheeled in response and fired volley after volley.
:>The goblins burst into flame, but their numbers were already cut in half.
:>Then they scattered in every direction.
:>The archers tried to bring them all down.
:>Some managed to get to a line of Hida holding the east wall.
:>The goblins disrupted the formation enough that that the Ogres and zombies the Hida were holding back broke through into the courtyard.
:>The battle seemed to teeter, as the ogres could now strike every line from the rear.
:>Until the light from a crystal katana fell upon them.
:>Hida-sama and the Hida House Guard with him made short work of the ogres.
:>A cry arose from the keep.
:>FIRE! FIRE!
:>I looked over to see smoke billowing from a window in the ground floor.
:>DAMN! One of those little shits must have gotten inside!
:>Shiro Kuni will burn.
:>Toshiro and Naomi grabbed a half dozen Kuni and raced to deal with the fire.
:>As Toshiro calmed the fire Kami, Naomi called forth streams of water from the wells.
:>The fire was put out.

:>I wasn't sure how long we had been fighting.
:>It could have been only minutes, but it sure felt like days.
:>The never ending eclipse made it impossible to tell.
:>Was this Heaven's will? Or was Jigoku waxing strong?
:>I didn't understand the interplay of balance between the spirit realms.
:>I was aware that while my mind was wandering about these strange places my body was still fighting for it's life.
:>It was a far away thing, like that moment when you become awake, but cannot even open your eyes yet.
:>My mind snapped back into focus.
:>The berserkers Hida-sama had brought were doing great damage to the enemy.
:>But they were dying.
:>I saw one get impaled on the spear of one of the Lost, and pull himself down the length of the haft to reach his foe.
:>He was laughing.
:>We did not have as many siege engines here as at the Wall either.
:>Though we did have something just as good, if not better in some ways.
:>The Kuni daimyo was up on the tower, two dozen of his family with him.
:>Their battle prayers and rituals were wreaking havoc on the enemy outside the fortress, keeping the horde from overrunning us all at once.
:>We were holding.
:>But dead Crab were everywhere.
:>I saw a lone Crab beginning to stand, surrounded by his fellows.
:>Trolls were closing in on him.
:>I ran to his side.
:>It was Masagoro.
:>Together we killed the trolls.
:>He fought with keen focus, dancing on the edge of a razor as he darted in and out among them, slashing and cutting with his katana.
:>I realized it was one of the Kaiu blades.
:>When the last troll fell he looked down at it.
:>I was close enough to hear him mutter.
:>...not enough.
:>They just weren't enough.
:>He looked up at me, and gave a start, as though surprised I was there.
:>Masagoro-sama... what are you doing down here?
:>...A push. They needed help.
:>Where is your guard, Masagoro-sama?
:>Oh... here and there, I think.
:>He made a vague gesture, sweeping his hand at nothing at all.
:>Unless he was indicating the dead Crab around us.

:>I could not spare the time to give the fallen their Last Rites, Masagoro was a bit... dazed.
:>Masagoro-sama, we must get you away from here.
:>But there are more! Look, right there!
:>But you are in command, Masagoro-sama.
:>His shoulders slumped.
:>Yes, you are right. Take me back to the tower.
:>He cleaned and sheathed his blade, then walked quietly behind me as I carved a path back into the barracks.
:>I saw Kitsuki-san inside, standing along the last line of Hida to keep the enemy from rushing up to the top of the towers where the Kuni daimyo was.
:>I jerked my head toward him, as several other Crabs attached themselves to Masagoro and began leading him up to the other tower.
:>Kitsuki-san came over.
:>Stick with him, try and keep him focused.
:>How bad has he gotten?
:>He's fine when he has something to keep his attention on, amazing even.
:>But... his mind seems to wander at times.
:>That's happening to everyone, Ishigaki-san. We're all exhausted.
:>But not everyone is in command.
:>He looked at me and nodded.
:>I didn't say what I was thinking.
:>Hida-sama always led from the front.
:>He would face the thickest, heaviest fighting, the best of the enemy forces.
:>He won battles by destroying the enemy elite personally, and lifting the spirits of the Crab with him.
:>Hida-sama was, without a doubt, the best warrior in the Empire today.
:>However, he was not a skilled general.
:>Complex strategies and clever tactics were beyond him.
:>He was wise enough to know his own limits, and so relied on many able commanders to form battle plans and issue orders in battle.
:>For all the worry over his state of mind, Hiruma Masagoro WAS the best commander in Shiro Kuni right now.
:>Kitsuki-san disappeared up the stairs to the tower.
:>I turned and went back outside.
:>Though I was nowhere near Hida-sama's equal, I was like him in that I was a warrior first and foremost.
:>And there were still plenty of foes to kill.

:>I almost wish I had stayed in the barracks.
:>There was a demon I had never seen before inside the castle.
:>I was not entirely certain what it was...
:>For it looked like a naked woman. Everything in all the right places.
:>Save that it had no head.
:>And blood was pouring from the stump of it's severed neck.
:>It walked slowly, and no one dared to stand in its path.
:>It's whole body was positively soaked in blood.
:>It stopped before the pile of bodies that I had just pulled Masagoro from.
:>I felt a chill.
:>It raised it's arms.
:>I cursed at my feet, that refused to obey me.
:>The blood seeping from it's neck became a torrent and where it fell on the dead Crabs, they began to move.
:>A burly shape moved past me.
:>Hida-sama.
:>He charged into the creature hacking at it with his crystal blade.
:>His mighty blows could fell ogres in one swing.
:>The headless... thing... didn't so much as flinch.
:>IT'S AN AKUTENSHI!
:>LEAVE THIS TO ME! DEAL WITH THE ZOMBIES!
:>Akutenshi. Evil Angels. The Dark One's most favored servants.
:>It raised an arm and pointed at Hida-sama, and the blood from it's neck became hardened spikes that flew at him.
:>Ketsuen was the Armor worn by Hida himself.
:>It's soul was awakened, and infused with Hida's own Earth.
:>Magic slid off it, even Maho could not breach it's defense.
:>If anyone could stand against an akutenshi with such mastery of Maho, it was Hida-sama.
:>My feet moved at last, unrooted by my Champion's example.
:>I fell upon the horde of undead that had been raised.
:>The first one dodged my swing.
:>SHIT.
:>These were not ordinary zombies.
:>It's tetsubo slammed against my armor, and I could feel the plates buckle.
:>In death, it was even stronger than it had been in life.
:>I stepped back with the blow, and managed to just get Kimimaru up in time to ward off more strikes from two others.
:>I could see Mantis-san and Monkey attack the undead from the left and right sides.
:>Akane came at them across from me.
:>The four of us had the undead surrounded.
:>I smiled.

:>I couldn't help but notice the similarities in the way Akane and Mantis-san fought.
:>They were blurs of constant motion, weapons never stopped moving and neither did their bodies.
:>It was like they were dancing.
:>It was beautiful.
:>I stopped an ono from cleaving into my skull and struck back.
:>I glanced at Monkey, and thought something was wrong.
:>He was not leaping about nor pulling some absurd tricks.
:>He was calm, standing in stance as though he were in the dojo.
:>His eyes were flat, unfocused, yet seeing.
:>As the undead neared him he swung his blade in almost lazy circles.
:>And three undead fell headless at his feet.
:>He returned to his stance.
:>If we were facing normal zombies, they would have just pressed in on him.
:>Instead the undead hesitated, looking for an opening they could not seem to find.
:>I see. His crazy antic was just to fight them as he would normal samurai.
:>It was insane alright. And it was working.
:>Well then.
:>I followed his lead.
:>I bellowed a challenge, and attacked.
:>Striking with raw power, crushing the dead beneath Kimimaru.
:>Then I paused.
:>Akiyama swung his No-dachi at me as I hesitated, and cut deep into my thigh.
:>I hadn't seen him among the dead, when I looked earlier.
:>I hadn't looked all that closely.
:>He had deep cuts on his body. One eye hung from it's socket.
:>The flesh from his right cheek was torn away, revealing teeth and gums.
:>Iiishigakiii...
:>His voice was dry and raspy.
:>He swung again.
:>His blade bit into my shoulder, and my Sode fell away as the bindings were severed.
:>I smashed Kimimaru into his blade, and it snapped in half.
:>Then I spun, and took him in the hip.
:>It cracked, but he remained standing.
:>Aside from a slight lurch in his step he showed no sign of being bothered by it.
:>He reached out for me with his bare hands, and seized my throat.
:>I brought my arms up between his and broke his grip.
:>Then I hooked a leg around his and shoved into his chest with Kimimaru.
:>He fell.
:>I brought Kimimaru down on top of him.
:>Then once more.

:>I could not rise for a moment after putting Akiyama to rest.
:>It is always bad, when you recognize them.
:>Fortunately for me, there were none left to slay.
:>I glanced up as shadows raced along the ground.
:>Fliers coming in again.
:>DOWN!
:>I threw myself down beside Akiyama, his blood pooling beneath my own body.
:>I stared into his remaining eye until I could bear his gaze no longer.
:>I looked up, seeing the fliers had passed over us, and were attacking the tower where the Kuni daimyo was.
:>As I watched, one of them was encased in Jade mid air.
:>It fell to the ground and smashed among some goblins like a boulder hurled from a catapult.
:>I smiled at that as we stood.
:>Then I saw something else.
:>Another flyer, far larger than the others. I could make out feathers.
:>On it's back rode a large oni. It was wearing a suit of red O-yori, with no helm.
:>It's skin was a deep, inky black contrasted by vibrant red hair.
:>In its hand was katana, wreathed in flames.
:>The flying beast dove down through the magic and arrows and the Oni leapt onto the tower.
:>A commotion among the bushi up there guarding the daimyo.
:>I squinted, and recognized Masagoro.
:>A pair of Crabs were holding him back.
:>Gold and green strode forth.
:>And then I felt pain.
:>Searing agony, my vision went white for a moment.
:>When it cleared the headless thing was rushing toward me.
:>It was missing an arm now.
:>Still awash in blood, I could see several other large wounds on it.
:>A blood red mist clung to the area behind it.
:>I could only assume it intended to consume me, to restore it's lost life force in some vile way, before re-engaging Hida-sama.
:>The spell it had cast on me was meant to make me easy prey.
:>I was the Wall.
:>I closed my eyes, focusing on my body, my own Earth.
:>I cast aside the pain.
:>I opened my eyes and swung Kimimaru.
:>The akutenshi, expecting easy food, was caught off guard.
:>It fell back from my strike.
:>Onto Hida-sama's blade.
:>He twisted the crystal weapon and pulled up, cutting the thing in two.

:>The Akutenshi's body hit the ground, smoking and dissolving into sludge.
:>Hida-sama nodded to me, and turned to find another foe.
:>HO!
:>HO!
:>HAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!
:>I looked around, trying to find the cause of the cheering.
:>It was the tower.
:>Kitsuki-san, his own katana wreathed in flames, his body blazing with Jade energy, was holding up the head of the Oni.
:>Even as the cheer spread, he wobbled and was caught by Toshiro.
:>Hesitation ran through the Horde, palpable confusion.
:>Empowered by the kami or not, Kitsuki-san had taken the head of an Oni no Uzaki.
:>It only just now struck me how the Horde's situation mirrored our own.
:>It was led by an Oni no Akuma, a decent commander but far more terrifying as a warrior.
:>Command of the forces had been given over to a more able leader.
:>And we had just slain their leader.
:>For the first time since I saw the horde in Shiro Hiruma, I dared to hope.
:>I was a fool.
:>Shiro Kuni would burn.