Prologue

It was hot for this late in autumn, or was that just the blood rushing through his veins. Shosuro Igarashi felt like he was riding the edge of a blade as he threw himself and his troops into battle. The Legion's charge seemed to flash by in an instant while the thrust of just one attack took a lifetime. The world was made of goblin mud and all within his senses slowed to a manageable rate. Time enough to reflect, even in the pitch of battle.

Seppun Hidemitsu had gathered his Taisa of the 3 Legions sent to protect the northern boarder of the latest attacks. The battle did not go well this season, the Yobanjin had been able to pick their battlefield, fifteen miles north of the Dragon wall. The hall murmured with disapproval, the enemy was well prepared, showing once again Rokugan's Xenophobic nature working against them. If the clans cared even a little about what laid beyond it's borders this situation might not have happened. Now they care, too late. But Igarashi was not so blind, bushi needed to fight a strong enemy to remain strong. He believed the Empress knew what she was doing.

Hidemitsu leaned heavy on the arm of his seat and took a slow drag from his pipe, letting the Taisa and Chui talk among themselves. He listened carefully to the complaints and the ideas before he called everyone to silence to make his decision. "My Legions, you dishonor our Shogun. You take your honor to the battlefield but retreat without it."

Taisa 6th Legion Akodo Eikirou bristled under the insult, "My general, it is uncalled for..."

"Akodo!" The Seppun roared back with deafening thunder that echoed through the room on the backs of the kami. "We came here to crush our enemy and all we have done was hold them. Our inability to predict their movements have led us only to react to attacks, and our counter attack have given us no useful advantage. The season grows late and we have but one option open to us, retreat for the winter. We fought as well as we could, we are weary from battle this year and our spirits show that. Our men need to see their families, and we need to represent the Empress' prestige at court. While the Shogun is not satisfied with this outcome, I understand the real setbacks we have had in battle, we can still pick our honors back up and carry them back with us."

Ide Tzaotang, Taisa of the 4th stroked the fur cap by his side as he spoke in a very academic manner. "Our enemy will not let us retreat, my lord. I've spoken with their leadership, I've analyzed their men's behavior. If we retreat, they will give chase and kill as many of our men as their harriers are capable of."

The officers began to talk among themselves again, trying to formulate a strategy. Ideas moved from the back of the room to the front, changing and being revised as they came through the ranks. Finally Eikirou spoke up, "Feign a retreat."

"That would just prolong the fight, Akodo-san. We need a plan for a real withdraw." The general said sourly tapping his pipe with annoyance.

"Forgive me Seppun-Shireikan, I did not make myself clear. What I propose is to hide a false withdraw inside a real one. If we move through Snow Cat Pass you can collapse it with a prayer to shake the earth, while a single legion then makes a surprise attack, pushing the enemy against the fallen rocks. If our resolve is strong we will bloody the enemy enough to make them think twice about following us back to Rokugan." Eikirou didn't seem fully sure about the plan but raised his tessen up in hopes to garner support for it.

"I see." The old preist took a drag from his pipe as he mulled it over. "That would cut off one of our Legions from the most direct route to Toshi Ronbo. They may end up stranded in the winter, a possible death sentence. Would you volunteer your legion for this task?"

The Lion tried his hardest not to show any emotion, that he would regret not seeing his home one last time, but he could not and trembled as he spoke, "If my lord commands..."

"The 5th Legion volunteers." Igarashi interrupted. The Scorpion had no idea what had come over him in that instant, but he felt compelled to speak. He had just gambled the lives of hundreds of men under his command for a chance others might see their families this winter. Why? Had the Akodo's plan of bait and switch appealed to his Scorpion nature? Did he feel left out of the conversation, having nothing to add and felt ashamed?

Or was it something deeper, a destiny that was calling him? A destiny that he felt was coming closer, with each swing of his katana and each fell warrior. The earth moved as he did, tiny tremors that were a fraction of the power of his general directed at the mountains themselves causing powerful landslides destroying the enemy. He compensated for the shifting land the best he could, the enemy seemed completely off guard to the attack. Yobanjin's charge in response to the Legions retreat left their wizards behind. They had no defense.

The Yobanjin line broke and spread like wave on the rocks, and soon a path to their general was open. The 5th Legion fell on him, but he wielded a sword of pure fire that no technique could best. Igarashi moved to face him, as only an officer like himself could stand any chance against such a warrior. He gritted his teeth and pushed the top of his pinky onto the top of his sword's guard, popping the false flesh letting a fine poison run down a groove in his blade. Two can play at this game, he thought to himself.

It wasn't a moment later that the enemy general was on him. His swordsmanship was superb and Igarashi was on the defensive in an instant. He struggled to find an opening in the Yobanjin's style, but with every parry he felt something in his heart building. Time slowed again as he was given his first mask at gempukku. Another parry and he was experiencing his first winter court. Another parry and Shosuro Jimen was recommending him to become a Tasia in the Imperial Legion. On the last parry he was volunteering again to be left behind to fight.... and there it was. The opening in the Yobanjin's defense, the hole in his armor. Igarashi only needed to take the strike, if only; if only his strike didn't leave him open for the Yobanjin's final attack. They say your life flashes before your eyes the moment before you die.