The Day of Thunder

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku mulled over what had happened over the morning. He found solace knowing that nobody had died, but the fact that the Little Teacher seemed to be changed made his stomach churn. Would this be his final lesson?

He sighed and devoted himself to the open scroll as he waited for Ohta and Satsuki to arrive.

[Togashi Satsuki]

Like an approaching thunderstorm, Satsuki arrived. She hadn't yet bothered to change her robe with the singed sleeve, leaving her tattooed arm mostly bear apart from where she had quickly wrapped a bandage around to cover up the cut for the kami. While her hair normally seemed to refuse to bow to tidiness, the way it flowed freely behind her and unbound just seemed to further the chaotic image of her inner spirit.

"Naraku," she nodded in greeting. "Safe night for you, I hope?"

[Hiruma Naraku]

Like an approaching thunderstorm, Satsuki arrived. She hadn't yet bothered to change her robe with the singed sleeve, leaving her tattooed arm mostly bear apart from where she had quickly wrapped a bandage around to cover up the cut for the kami. While her hair normally seemed to refuse to bow to tidiness, the way it flowed freely behind her and unbound just seemed to further the chaotic image of her inner spirit.

"Naraku," she nodded in greeting. "Safe night for you, I hope?"

Naraku's heart shrunk when he noticed the state of the Togashi; she was a sister in battle and esteemed companion and to see her in this state. He shook his head dispelling those doubts. No one had died and the four that had staved Shinsei had been amidst the best warriors one could have by their side.

"One can say that," he ventured, his lips curling into a small smile. "Seems like it has all changed overnight."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Seems like that yeah. Shinsei... possessed, or something masquerading as Shinsei, nearly killed one of the other monks." She shook her head, her expression grim. "He took off before I, Ayako, Matsu, or Sugri could stop him. Now he's on the loose somewhere. Matsu has most likely shared this with the other daimyo, to take into account for future planning."

Satsuki rubbed her weakened hand, flinching slightly at the discomfort. She hadn't had to fight like that before, and the more she thought about it, she felt oddly calm about it. Not that it hadn't been horrible, because it had been, but she wasn't as scared or shaken as she had expected to be after something like that. And if this was the first of more battles to come, then she wasn't going to be unprepared.

"What news on your end?"

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku's expression darkened as she confirmed all that he had heard during the morning. He also recognized the familiar look in Satsuki's face, how many times had he experience that? Wordlessly he stood up and went to his pouch, retrieving a few herbs and putting them on boiling water. He stirred the pot before filling two cups with the yellowish liquid

"Camomile and linden," he spoke as he handed one of the cups to Satsuki. "Pardon me asking, but was it the first time you were in battle?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

She took a deep breath and nodded, then looked away from her hands to accept the cup of warm liquid. "... In a battle like that? Yeah. I've," her lips pressed together for a moment in thought, "it's not the first time I've seen danger, but it's always been different. This time I was up close with the danger, fighting for my life, and my companions' lives. And that was a first."

And this time, she had had the strength and will to stop anyone from dying. She hadn't lost anyone. And that in itself was a comfort, a victory against the fear of loss; none of her friends had been lost.

Except Shinsei.

"You don't have to be concerned for me, Naraku. I'll be alright."

[Hiruma Naraku]

He took a sip from his infusion, letting the silence settle between the two of them. His eyes seem to be focused on the hot steam coming from his cup. "It's normal," he finally said raising his eyes to meet hers. "I was fifteen when I entered my first real battle. First time I killed a man too. A northern bandit that had been harassing caravans in the northern part of my father's lands. Watched him choke on his own blood after I managed to land a lucky strike," his lips curl into a sorrowful smile. "First time I had a companion die too. Hiruma Tokita."

"It never gets easy you know?" he takes another sip. "Seeing our companions and friends be damaged, seeing them fall into the ground, that moment when you do not know if they're alive or not," he remembers what he felt when he saw Yukara be savaged by the monster. "And it should never be easy. We should take solace on our duty and on the sacrifices they did for us so that we might reach the end whilst avoiding becoming so desensitized that we begin to simply be dead-eyed," he lets out a single laugh. "The Kami know it was hard to me. Had to reach this village to stop me from sinking. Kinda ironic, isn't it?"

"Take solace in the people that are here. We are stronger together Satsuki. No one can shoulder everything alone."

He smiles warmly to the Dragon before setting his cup on the table and handing her the scroll. "I've decyphered part of it. What I have been able to understand that the diagram is not a complex diagram but rather four seals that make a complete diagram when you put them together. They're clearly meant to be on four things that are then separated, but we still need to crack the cipher. Perhaps you could give it a go."

[Togashi Satsuki]

As she listened to Naraku, her eyes remained focused on him while she drank the tea. Deeply but in no rush. "When I hear stories like yours," she remarked calmly afterward, "I'm reminded of how safe my childhood has been. How much my parents wanted us to know peace and safety for as long as possible."

The only dangers she and her brothers had experienced as youngsters, had been natural ones found in the mountains. Not monsters, or men.

There were many thoughts going through her head as Nakaru produced the scroll, and all the thoughts centered on that. "Right. From what I could tell at a glance yesterday, the diagram is something similar to what my father and I've been working on around the Shinomen Mori, I think."

Stiff muscles made her sigh a little as she brought herself to the table. With a flex of her hand, the blood began to slowly drip again; golden-hued and crimson at once, which seemed to dance into tiny flames as her fingers touched it. It hurt, but it brought her mind a focus like no other as she silently began to pour over it.

"Are you familiar with the legend of the guardian beasts, Naraku?" she asked, reaching for writing utensils and paper to begin making notes.

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D4 EA Casting Fire Kami's Blessing. +1k0 Nadare's Insight, +1k0 Dutiful Disciple. +3 TN (Wound Penalties) | 9k4 ⇒ 39 (TN: 13)

D4 EA Casting Mental Quickness. +1k0 Nadare's Insight. +3 Penalty (Wound penalty) | 8k4 ⇒ 61 (TN: 18)

D4 EA Calligraphy (Cipher)/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness, +1k1 Void. +3TN (Wound penalties). 1 raise for more detail. | 10k6 ⇒ 52 (TN: 38)

D4 EA Lore: Spirit Realms/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness. +3TN (Wound penalties). 1 raise for more detail | 10k5 ⇒ 64 (TN: 33)

D4 EA Spellcraft/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness. +3TN (Wound penalties). 2 raises for more detail. | 10k6 ⇒ 53 (not sure if Spellcraft was the right one for Satsuki's familiarity with a similar ritual, but doing it just in case)

[Hiruma Naraku]

Despite having spent quite a bit of time around shugenja, Naraku still stated at their rituals with some amazement. "I believe Kai told me about it," he replied as her words snapped him from his trance "White Tiger in the west, Blue Dragon in the east, Red Phoenix in the South and Black Tortoise in the north, no?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Yes," she nodded, her mind seemingly fully capable of multitasking the work before her and the conversation. Maybe because the two were connected.

"I had thought they were just stories growing up, my mom told me of them in many tales. But they're more than just fairytale figures - they represent cardinal directions as you mentioned, elements, seasons, emotions, and virtues. And these things have power. Just like names have power for the Nezumi, dreams have power, or words have power."

Even with her fatigue and discomfort from the earlier fight, it seemed she found her spirit renewed with what she was currently doing.

"The Shinomen Mori seems to be a place closely tied to Yume-do, from what I understand, but nothing like this place." It seemed more like a slumbering beast than a... kind of odd lucid-dream. "My father must've known that the forest would be weak to Yume-Jigoku's influence, and we've been working on erecting four shrines around the forest - one for each cardinal direction."

"The principle seems very similar. Four points to create anchors for a protective barrier of sorts, strengthened by the four guardian symbols."

[Canary]

D4 EA Casting Fire Kami's Blessing. +1k0 Nadare's Insight, +1k0 Dutiful Disciple. +3 TN (Wound Penalties) | 9k4 ⇒ 39 (TN: 13)

D4 EA Casting Mental Quickness. +1k0 Nadare's Insight. +3 Penalty (Wound penalty) | 8k4 ⇒ 61 (TN: 18)

D4 EA Calligraphy (Cipher)/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness, +1k1 Void. +3TN (Wound penalties). 1 raise for more detail. | 10k6 ⇒ 52 (TN: 38)

D4 EA Lore: Spirit Realms/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness. +3TN (Wound penalties). 1 raise for more detail | 10k5 ⇒ 64 (TN: 33)

D4 EA Spellcraft/Intelligence. +4k0 Fire Kami's Blessing, +1k1 Mental Quickness. +3TN (Wound penalties). 2 raises for more detail. | 10k6 ⇒ 53 (not sure if Spellcraft was the right one for Satsuki's familiarity with a similar ritual, but doing it just in case)

Satsuki finally gets through the cipher, and it is a chore. Whoever wrote the document seemed to change the cipher every so often, making her have to figure out the trick all over again. Fortunately, they're all relatively straightforward.

I think I've cracked it, how to make this work. Naturally, it all comes back to will and stories, like anything with Yume-do.

The festival hones one's will over time. At this point, because of the past four festivals, most people in the village are skilled lucid dreamers. Properly directed, their will could power this enough to be able to bind this whole area if the barrier between Yume-do and Ningen-do is thin enough. It could be done with fewer people, but... well, I'll go into that in a bit.

I struggled for a long time with the idea of "how do you lock down a dream"? How to set it down in physical form.

It finally hit me last night - stories! A dream in physical form is a written story. Therefore, a dream like what we're dealing with should be able to be bound into its own tale.

So here we have it. Four scrolls, each with a part of a story strong enough to contain this area and its two future inhabitants. The four directional animals as guardians, using the power of their existing stories as extra force to keep everything locked down. Separate them into the proper directions, and it should keeps things relatively safe.

The story needs to be strong enough to hold them, so it needs to be something both impressive and believable. If people blow it off as a fantasy, the binding will likely be weak. With what's coming, that's not acceptable.

The trick is getting the time to be able to set it up. Everything will be focused near the end of the festival. If I can get free long enough

The writing abruptly ends there. It seems to have been done after the diagram was finished, which makes much more sense with explanation - it seems to be designed to be on the back of the four story parts she mentioned, such that it will match if they're put together.

[Hiruma Naraku]

Naraku's expression changes when she mentions the Shinomen, his brow furrowing as he sipped from his cup. "The Shinomen is close to Yume-Do?" his voice seemed calm, though the tone seemed to hide something. Finally, he sighed and set his cup on the table. "There is something your should know about me Satsuki."

"While I am the heir of the Hiruma neither me nor my sister are the flesh of my father," he admits. "Most of my clansmates know that both my twin and I were adopted by our father. What they don't know, save for the older people is that my sister and I were actually found," he looks straight into her eyes. "We were found as babies in the Shinomen Mori."

He let his words linger, gauging any reaction from the child of a living God. He had never thought too much about his birth or his past but given current events it made sense for him to share it.

Eventually he looks at the scroll, confusion appearing rather than clarity. "I don't understand," he commented. "The two persons does she mean The Harbinger and The Champion? Is she trying to imprison them?"

[Togashi Satsuki]

Satsuki managed to spare a glance to Naraku, as her writing took much of her visual attention. There was a little surprise there, but mostly curiosity. "Yume-do, among other places. Very little is known about it... my mother's people would say forests like those are home to many powerful entities and spirits, and shouldn't be disturbed. But yes, Yume-do. If my father was here, he could maybe tell you more what it is about the large forest that connects to Yume-do, as it was his idea and vision to protect the place. Maybe something large and powerful slumbers within, and this way we prevented Yume-Jigoku from corrupting something to use against us? But I'm curious, what else was found when you and your sister where found?"

Perhaps it was her upbringing as the child of a living god, or her mother stories from walking beside spirit-animals, that kept her open-minded about such circumstances.

As they both paused to look over the translated notes, she murmured something along the lines of "wish mom was here now...". "Maybe? I'm not certain, but... I do see now that we got our work cut out for us. Stories, the guardian beasts, and the cardinal directions. Shang might be able to help with composing some stories, and we do have one spirit among us that fled the dream realm that can help. The cardinal directions might be a challenge - how can you tell north from south in a place where we don't see the sun or the stars?"

[Hiruma Naraku]

He shrugged at her question. "I do not know anything besides what my father told me," his tone was calm. "My clan had been migrating to our new lands and as such some of the Hiruma had entered the forest to scout for supplies and possible threats. My father told me they found my twin and I huddled together beneath a great tree. At first many thought it to be some sort of sorcery or trickery because how could two newborns be alive in such a treacherous environment but..." Naraku's voice trails off as he seems to consider if he should continue. "No mistrust"

"But the priests sensed no trickery on us. In fact some of the more spiritually attuned amidst my clan sensed a great destiny shining on top of my twin, a bright star that would shine and cast away the darkness and," he looks at her. "They sensed just as big a darkness in me. A shadow of misfortune looming over me."

"They actually recommended that they take my sister alone and leave me there, but my father would not have it. Some say that my twin wouldn't let go of me and cried loudly when they tried to pry her away from me," his eyes are tinged with sadness. "She was the one that should be alive now. She'd have been everything that I am not," he lets out a small chuckle. "She told me I could also shine like a star you know? Me! She grasped my hand tightly as she expired and told me I had that potential and that we would always be one."

He leans back and sighs. "Perhaps I believe her now. I have come to see things... differently ever since I came to me," he looks at her with a bright smile. "I've even made companions, friends, that I trust utterly. Perhaps I do believe I can shine just a little."

He lets a laugh and shakes his head "Pardon me for annoying you with this, I guess I do have a sentimental person inside of me," he takes a sip and looks at the translated scroll. "Kai has always told me she is the White Tiger of the West, or rather, she was. Perhaps this directions are just concepts rather than what we know to be north and south."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Yes and no. I mean, they're concepts, sure, but the actual directions have power. Specific Fortunes that command them and in divination they hold the most sway. But in this place, if the dreams hold such a command over it, who knows."

Now she was able to full put aside her writing utensils and drink more from her cup to refresh her. Following that, Satsuki could then turn her attention fully to Naraku. "As a twin myself, I can absolutely understand that spiritual connection between such siblings," she smiled and reached out to hold one of his hands. Her own hands felt naturally warm to the touch. "My brother Hoshi and I are twins, and we've always shared a deep connection. Even now, so far away from home, I know he's well because I can feel it in my soul. I..." she trailed off for a moment, then gathered herself, "I'm sorry for your loss. Losing Hoshi is one of my greatest fears. It would be like losing half of myself I feel. I can't imagine the pain you must've gone through."

"But I have full faith she is still with you. Twins are forever connected."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"I know that now," he squeezes her hand and smiles warmly. "Thank you Satsuki."

Yet the task was still in front of them and it had to be done. "I know a bit about the spirit realms but I am uncertain if there is a clear sense of direction in Yume-Do let alone the cardinal ones," he frowns. "And what or who are the four guardian spirits? Nine thunders and four guardian spirits? Why does every answer beget more questions," he sighed in frustration.

[Togashi Satsuki]

She gave his hand a reassuring squeeze in return, leaving a faint blood-stain on his hand after she let go.

"Directions don't really exist in Yume-do, until they do. Remember we have to work with dream-logic... ugh, again, I really wish my mom was here. She'd be able to answer so much of this." Satsuki sighed. "But you know how when you dream, things don't make sense until they do, or something isn't there until it's needed for some purpose? It's like that."

"This place isn't fully in Yume-do though, but it seems very close to it. We're still awake, we're not in the dreams. The anchor-points will need as much strength as possible, shutting off possibility for failures."

Satsuki gritted her teeth for a moment. "It's... hard to answer. It's more that if we can create stories compelling enough, we can breathe life and strength into legends that will create this effect. We already have White Tiger here, who fled Yume-do. But the thing with stories, legends, and ideas, is that they never really die as long as there are people around to keep them alive."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"Do the stories need to be about the guardians? Or could they be woven into tales of how the guardians defeated the Harbinger and Champions?" he ventured, remembering the tales Kai told him.

"It dragged the Tortoise deep into the sea, in the place there is no light, and from which they never returned. The sky turned into pure blackness, engulfing the Dragon and the Phoenix in an obscurity from which they've never emerged since.

And the Tiger? They fought. They lost. Their fangs were broken. Their claws ripped. Their fur skinned. Their tail torn. Now a shadow of themselves, they forsake the last thing they had by imitating the Spider and taking flight."

He looks at the Dragon "This is what Kai told me. The defeat of the four guardians. Perhaps they need to be the tales of their defeat. The enemy enjoys manipulating our dreams and forging our deepest fears, our inadequacies, into weapons to injure and maim our resolve, the very fabric of our being."

"We should do the same to it."

[Togashi Satsuki]

"Again, I really wish my mom was here... stories are like, her thing." Lady Saruko was a renowned storyteller, after all, perhaps the best of in the Empire. "But, I'd say that maybe that could work. Stories about how the guardians defeat or bring down the Harbinger."

Satsuki shook her head. "Kai is absolutely someone to talk to yeah. I think Shang is someone to talk to as well, if she learned storytelling from my mother. She'd know how to construct a story for most impact."

Thinking, her lips press into a thin line of a smile. "I do like being able to turn its strength against it. It's been using our dreams, now we'll use dreams to beat it."

"Mind if I make copies of the diagrams and the translation? I want to share it with the daimyo later, with all our findings so far. It seems like we're at the point where we have actual stuff to go on now rather than guesswork."

[Hiruma Naraku]

"We need to prepare copies to pass the information around the people. I would also recommend making some copies with incorrect or false information, just in case the enemy sends agents to try and obtain this information," he sentenced, his mind already mulling the plan.

"Absolutely. Shang is a fantastic artisan and this might just be enough catalyst for her inspiration," he considers. "We should have a shugenja from each of the elements as well as people well versed with the spirit realms. I do have some knowledge on them but I am certain there are others that might be more well versed."

His expression darkens before he continues.

"Finally we should also contact with those that were close to the Little Teacher," he looks at Satsuki. "The monks close to him might have insight on why the Little Teacher was possessed and might assist with some of the more esoterical aspects of our endeavor."