The Feudal East

[DemetrioMachete]

The Previous Night, the Witching Hour...
​

Night's dark shroud blanketed the land, illuminated only by a full, blood red moon. All of Hoken Chi slept with dread in their hearts on the yearly night of the Witching Hour, for they knew the Youkai could leave the Underworld. All they could do, though, is pray their village was not next, and the warriors of the land could take them down.

All of Hoken-Chi would hear this. Atop the highest mountain, dead center in the middle of the continent, there was a bloodcurdling scream echoed from the mountain top, it's waves of horrible sound echoing all throughout Hoken-Chi, treading across the oceans and touching the shores of distant lands. Many woke from their beds, their hearts frozen in fear as the roar penetrated their homes and violated their ears. Even in the castle of Shibata, isolated atop a plateau, the Daimyo Ruka was awakened from his sleep.

He clutched at his heart, breathing heavily. When the screaming died down, he rose from his bed, and looked out upon his land. The blood moon cast a red light upon it. His blood grew cold as he looked uoon the closest village, draped in evil. Oh, how he hated the Witching Hour... all he could do was pray to his God, as he returned to slumber.

Today, 11:43 AM
​

Ruka had been awake for some time. He had not eaten his breakfast, too shook up from the previous night to even eat. He sat alone in his chambers, his mind awash in thought. It was not until his closest Rank 12 General was at his door, that Ruka came to his senses.

"Shibata Akomaru, my Lord. Requesting entry."

"...enter."

The door slid open, and a man of short stature but wide frame entered. This was Akomaru Shibata, Ruka's uncle. For a long time he had been bitter that he had not been made Daimyo, but his promotion to General by Ruka had made progress in softening him up.

"My lord, the servants proclaim that you have not had your first meal, yet."

"...I havent, Uncle. I had an upsetting dream, last night."

"What happened?"

"In my dream.. It was the Witching Hour. Atop Mount Jikuro, I heard a horrible scream. Uncle, Mount Jikuro is so far away, in Acoma lands. How could I have heard it from here?" Akomaru was silent. Ruka's preference for isolation had played a terrible trick on him.

"My Lord... that was no dream. I heard the terrible bellow, myself. My men heard it. Your servants and concubine heard it as well. Reports from our scouts make note of it too. The Witching Hour was last night... My Lord, by now you know what that means."

"I do. More Youkai have surfaced in Hoken-Chi. They will take to hiding or rampaging, one. The end result will not be pleasant."

"What are your orders, on the matter, then?" Ruka was for some time, completely silent. Akomaru stood patiently, waiting.

"...I will gather up a platoon. I will take my embassy to Acoma House. What little shreds of respect I have left for them must be nourished. I fear this Witching Hour may be the worst one, yet. In the meantime, Uncle. I want you to write a Money note to the Kimura and Nanami clans of Ninja. Have them protect my castle and our nearest village, while I am gone."

"The Kimura, I can understand, but the Nanami, my lord? Are you certain those vagabonds are trustworthy?"

"I can place more faith in the Nanami than I can a Youkai, Uncle." Thus were Ruka's final words to Akomaru, as he gathered his formal kosode, draped a deep blue haori over top it, and prepared his bow and kanabo, should the need to defend himself rise. The Daimyo left his castle, descending upon a rope going down the plateau.

It was a half hour walk, to his nearest village of Saikuro, and only a matter of a single order to arrange for a group of Samurai, ten in total, to join him, gather horses to ride, and prepare for their journey to the uninviting Acoma lands. Ruka made a mental note that he would need someone to send ahead to inform the Acoma he was coming for negotiations...

Meanwhile, Akomaru, fluent in the geography of his territory, decided to shunt the responsibility of contacting the Kimura to someone of lesser rank. The Kimura clan, after all, had some degree of respect for Shibata nobles. He, however, would see to contracting the Nanami himself...

A new turmoil was about to unleash itself on Hoken-Chi. That was one thing both Shibata knew deep within their hearts...

Rysesaka
Grammatic
Blue Aisle
OrenjiGatsu
Darth

 

[Darth]

The night before..

Baltasar was abruptly awakened from his slumber as a scream pierced through the eerie silence of the night. This was not just a scream however. It was a sound that could split steel in two; a sound that bred nightmares. He sat up from his hastily prepared sleeping arrangement; a crude bed made from twigs and foliage. Baltasar twisted his head around in a confused daze. The shriek had long passed, and the midnight's quiet solace was returned. Baltasar began to believe it was only a dream, but the distraught and horrified faces of his men said otherwise. He scanned the small camp they made in the previous evening hours. The thirteen other men who were accompanying him were laying on similar makeshift beds. All were hovering over their weapons or had drawn them completely. "What in God's name was that...?" one of them said worriedly as he clenched his arquebus. "I haven't the faintest idea..." another replied. "Orders Captain?" said the soldier laying next to Baltasar. He didn't reply. Baltasar's senses were on high alert. Baltasar kept his eyes wide open, and listen for even the slightest of noises. It seemed the air grew suddenly emptied itself of all sound. The light breeze that rustled the trees and brush held its breath. The hum of insects ceased it's chorus of chattering. All but the crackling of their small campfire dared to disturb the silence.

Baltasar faced the treeline, standing on the edge of the light of the fire. He drew his sword slowly, and prepared himself. Baltasar stared into the seemingly endless void. He was swept into a state of thought. His mind became vacant as the vast darkness held his attention. A voice then came in an echoing discord, and it reached out and pulled him from his daze.

"Sir...?"

"Let us be away from this place..." Baltasar said quietly after a brief pause. "I'm not one to enjoy surprises," He continued "And I take it neither you or anyone else will wish to see the nature of such surprises..." The men murmured amongst themselves. "Come," Baltasar said "We must head back to The Azure, and wait for the protection of morning." The men nodded before sheathing their weapons. Baltsar took point as they abandoned their campsite and made for the shore.

"I've known neither a man nor beast that could've produced such a sound..." Baltasar thought to himself. "Such a creature must've been alike to that of a Daemon..." He continued. "Something strange is afoot in this place, and I doubt it has nothing less than sinister intentions..."

 

[Grammatic]

The Day After

The Acoma lands were vast, larger than almost any other Noble House within Hoken-Chi. Countless wars of expansion, fought by Turanaki's ancestors had allowed the crimson and black banner of the Acoma to fly across countless villages and castles. With this power, the armies of the Acoma knew no equal. A single sector within the Acoma lands had more warriors then the next two Shogun Houses combined. This allowed the Acoma to protect themselves from the countless threats they always faced. And on The Witching Hour, they could afford to have soldiers stationed at every village and castle within their domain. In years past, this had always been enough to protect the greater realm. Only minor casualties had ever been reported.

Now, that had all changed.

Turanaki Acoma, the Shogun of the Acoma House, stood on the hill overlooking the remnants of the village. His cloak billowed in the wind behind him, blinking through the smoke that was carried up. Spread out around him, nearly five hundred Samurai in the red armor and black clothing of the Acoma stood with weapons drawn, their eyes ever vigilant for threats to their masters life.

Scouts had reported the desolation of the village early this morning. Turanaki had gathered his personal retinue and rode out at best speed to investigate himself. Upon arrival, they found no bodies. Only blood, lots and lots of blood. One hundred Samurai had been stationed here, a force that in the past had always been more than enough to throw back the threats that the Witching Hour brought to the land. It seemed times had changed.

"Send word to the cadet Houses. Order them to muster their armies and begin a purge of the lands under their control. We will find the demons who did this, and make them regret leaving the Underworld."

 

[Blue Aisle]

Night before

It was before morning light when a black feathered bird lands on the sill of her open window. The animal holds a paper within its beak, and clumsily drops it into her hand. Yua unravels the message.

Target identified. Numbers underestimated, requesting reinforcements.

-Mitsuie

The Nanami had recently received a client, a rich merchant. He wanted someone in his same industry dead. They do not know his reasons, and they don’t want to know. One would reckon it was to eliminate competition, but the shinobi ask no questions. The group she sent has identified the target, but he had brought more protectors with him then anticipated. It would not be as simple as a drop down assassination.

There was no need for Yua to reply. She sent a blank slip back with the bird, signaling his message had reached, and accepted. As she watched the messenger disappear, Yua grew more and more restless. Ever since becoming head, she’d not gone on missions like she used to, instead staying in the village, commanding. She would like to go on one—one big enough to prove that she had capabilities to lead the clan, not just because she was Katashi’s child.

The sky looked strange today. It was eerie, foreign. It was the witching hour, she knew. Demons come through the tear on this day. A smile tugs on her lips, she could think of no demon worse than mankind themselves. The damiyos and shoguns feared those creatures would ravage their lands, but the ninja had no such concerns. Should such as monster attack their village, they will simply create their base elsewhere, if not drive away the beasts themselves. Yua heard about the terrors of yokai, though she hasn’t encountered one in person.

A man and a beast that kills, what is different between them?

Next Afternoon

A knock beckons at her door.

“It is Atsuaki. We have been contacted by the Shibata General.”

She ordered him in, and a messy haired chunin appeared with soundless steps.

“They wish to hire a band of our ninja to protect their castle while the Shibata damiyo is away.” From under his bow, he peeks up at her. “Guard duty.”

“Guards.” She frowns.

“Yes.”

Guarding work was not something Nanami received often. They were known for discreet operations, assassination and infiltration. But a request from the Shibata house must be very well paid. Yua twiddles with the idea, they had never been contacted by a high ranking official of the Shibata.

“Very well.” The Shibata is a powerful house, it would not be bad to start a working relationship with them. Let this be the first.

Yua rounds up a band of her more experienced ninjas to go on the mission. She would have loved to send Mitsuie, but alas, he is occupied.

“Divide them, 3 to 4. One third of them will be lookouts, pose as citizens or none combatants, the rest...” She sighs, “good old guards.”

“Understood.”

Then she headed out for training.

Yua was the jonin of the Nanami now, but she did not neglect on improving herself. She was young, and full of potential. There were no doubt stronger shinobi than her in the clan, and although no one questioned her position, she felt obliged to be better.

She dashes through the forest, leaping from one tree to the next, all the while tucking her footsteps under the wind. She almost careens in the air, muscles moving with a practiced motion. Soon she approached a river, called Yudo, not far from the clan base. This river was her landmark, a signal to turn back, before she goes too far out. As she was about to begin her trip back home, a high metallic sound rings in the air. It is like a drum, or flute, or a combination of both. It was strange, foreign. It made her entire body stiff. Her eyes darted around the forest, but she saw nothing but green.

In a second, she leaps into the air again. Soon she was jumping, running. A shadow drifts behind her, and the distance between between them grows, but she does not slow. Whatever it was, it caused a sinister pit in her stomach.

Was this... the effects of the witching hour?

 

[DemetrioMachete]

Ruka: Departure from Saikuro Village, 12:58 PM.
​

With roughly 12 or so Samurai accompanying him, Ruka left the village on the back of a horse. Ruka took a look back at his men; all dressed in armor dyed blue with white garbs beneath them. The highest of rank among them carried the White Sun emblem which Shibata denizens valued so highly. Given Acoma' s reputation for war, Ruka feared only the worst by even bothering to enter their lands. He sighed deeply, at the thought.

"...this is a mistake. They'll swarm us the instant they see our banner."

"Did you not have orders in place should Acoma commit an act of war against Shibata, my Lord?"

"Indeed. Infect their territory with as many ninja as we possibly can. Recruit their peasants, burn down their forts... so on, so forth. Honestly I hope no such outcome takes place."

"Right. It is the Youkai we need to be fighting. Let's hope they see that."

Their beaten dirt path to Acoma soon took them through a hilly forest. The sunlight spread out in splotches where it was not blocked by canopy. The men knew to be cautious, here. If the thoughts of vagabond and hostile ninja didn't tug at their sense of fear, perhaps the recent Witching Hour releasing demons onto Hoken Chi would. The last thing they needed was some Oni to decide they would be good practice for its club.

Akomaru: Negotiating with the Nanami clan, 12:04 PM
​

When Akomaru was received, and his business to be stated, he merely held up the money note to the Nanami scout. It was blank.

"Write a number on this note, within reason, of course. We will pay it straight from the Shibata treasury." It seemed that was enough to get the Nanami on their side.

The recruitment of the ninja to defend the Shibata village wasn't just in case Acoma decided to war that day, although Akomaru did consider them a formidable and volatile threat. It was his own paranoia of the Witching Hour. The more vile and powerful a demon was, the more difficult it was for them to pass as humans. The exception, of course, was the fox spirit; whose sole purpose was blend in and feed off of human essence. It was a simple matter of hiding their animalistic features; ears, tails, etcetera. Compared to other Youkai, they seemed almost not evil, yet their tendencies were nothing a morally guided person would do. As Akomaru walked back to Saikuro awaiting the Nanami presence to fill in, he couldn't help but wonder just how many of the villagers were demons in disguise? It was definitely something worth investigating...

 

[Darth]

Around Noon...

Baltasar didn't sleep much the night before, not after the events that occurred during those midnight hours. He suspected the same of his men. Their faces still retained that look of horror and distilled fear, and it seemed many were looking for answers. They would not get them, Baltasar thought, at least not from him. In the early hours of the morning, Baltasar debated braving the forest again. They had to know their surroundings, even if they were encircled by beasts. Though Baltasar went against his better judgment, for fear that such an expedition then would result in bloodshed. He decided to wait a few more hours. Now, the sun sits high in the sky and it appears noon has dawned itself on the battered ships in the bay. The ships in Baltasar's fleet, including The Azure, were damaged beyond simple repairs. Any attempt to voyage out into deeper waters would most certainly end in watery death. Baltasar's goal now was to make repairs by gathering materials and using them to patch up the ships. But the constant stature of the unknown on this island had stopped Baltasar many times; from vicious storms to monsters lurking in the dark...

Baltasar stood at the edge of the ship's starboard side and leaned himself on the handrail, looking out at the green mass just beyond the shallow waters. He stood alongside the ship's Maestre; Baltasar's long-time friend. His name was Ignacio del Pozo, and the two had been friends for nearly four years. Ignacio was just about as tall as Baltasar, though Ignacio was "bigger" than Baltasar in a way. Ignacio had wider shoulders and carried a more muscular frame. Ignacio was also clean shaven and had more sharply defined facial features. Aside from physical differences, Baltasar and Ignacio were similar people in terms of personality. Such similarities would be the evidence of such a long-time friendship. As the two stood quietly at the ship's edge, Baltasar broke the silence and asked a question without turning to his comrade.

" What should we make of this place?" Baltasar said, keeping his gaze on the distant landmass, "I do believe this is uncharted territory". "On the contrary Captain," Ignacio replied, "While you and your company were away, I discovered some old records in the navigator's quarters, and I believe we have run into a large island land mass off the coast the Oriental mainland." Baltasar turned to him, "Did this map tell you the nature of this island?" he said. "Well sir, that was the problem..." Ignacio said, "It had neither a description nor a name..." Ignacio reached into his coat. "There was only an outlined shape on the map..." he said as pulled out a small piece of rolled paper. Ignacio unrolled the parchment and showed Baltasar its contents. "I've spent many hours on this particular question, and it seems this island is the only possible answer to our troubles..." Ignacio said pointing and the crudely sketched outline on the map. "I suppose that is what I expected..." Baltasar said. "Sir?" Ignacio asked. "The truth of this place continues to elude us..." Baltasar said. Ignacio stuffed the map back into his pocket. "I suppose it does, sir..." Ignacio replied. There was a brief moment of silence between the two, and the sound of waves crashing against the hull filled the vacant air. "Then let us resolve this issue," Baltasar finally said turning away from the railing, "Gather a landing party, we shall make another landfall," he said walking towards his quarters. "At once sir!" Ignacio said before walking away. "Oh, and one more word Ignacio," Baltasar said loudly to compel his friend to stop. Ignacio halted, and turned back to his captain. "Yes, sir?" Ignacio asked. "We've each other long enough," Baltasar smirked. "You don't have to call me 'sir'," he said before heading into his quarters. Ignacio smiled before turning to walk towards the men.

In the next hour, Baltasar's part had landed ashore and had walked along the beach. "Where to Captain?" one his men said as the company trudged through the sand. Baltasar turned to look at the lush green beyond. "North I suppose," Baltasar said, "Since any other direction would lead us into the sea..." The men directed themselves to the forest and began to march their way forward. "Aye sir!" the man replied. Baltasar made his way as well, again at the side of Ignacio. "We're going back into the forest?" Ignacio said. "If you have any better ideas please fell obliged Maestre..." Baltasar said. "I guess it's into the beast-infested forest then..." Ignacio said sternly. "I suppose it is..." Baltasar replied.

The company ventured further into the uncharted lands. Though, unlike what they believe, the company of De la Reina is about to discover that they may not be alone on this island, whether it be a man, or something far different...

 

[Blue Aisle]

As soon as returned, she asked for the group of ninjas she sent to Shibata. They already took off. The Nanami were quick footed, too much so even. Yua groans as she stood at the golden mirror, pulling on a maple red kimono. She and Atsuaki started off, chasing the group that left for Shibata. The pit in her stomach never disappeared. Yua told another chunin to send message to Mitsuie to come back to base immediately after his mission. It should not take him long. He was to guard the clan while she is away. Of this, he was capable.

No, he would do it better than her.

Mitsuie was a much better fighter than Yua, yet he said nothing when she became head. Had Katashi lived to name his successor, surely it would be Mitsuie. She suspected that he was bitter at the development, but it never showed in him. He was loyal, candid. Even when she was crowned head, he remained the soothing big brother to her.

——————————

The yokai were beasts, but somehow they were not senseless like animals. The Nanami clan lived far out from normal civilian villages, and they have never been attacked by a yokai. They seemed to target settlements that were ruled by the houses instead. The chances of them attacking the Shibata and Acoma lands were much higher than attacking a small neutral party like their clan. Her chest tightened at the thought of all the shinobi that she had sent. Yua took a small flask of water from the clan’s well. The well was in the center of the village, should something happen, she would use her ninpo to hear what is going on here.

On their journey to the Shibata village, they avoided the common roads. In the parts where there was no forest to hide them, they walked boldly. They passed by many travelers, and even a group of samurai. To them Yua and Atsuaki looked no more than a merchant’s daughter and her bodyguard.

One lone samurai, however spoke to them.

“Where is your carriage, mi’lady? Walking on these hilly roads would sore your feet.”

“Indeed!” Yua waved her fan in response, seemingly frustrated. “Our horse was scared off by a wild boar, taking the carriage with it. My bodyguard barely saved me from being dragged along.”

“That is unfortunate—hey you!”

He stopped a passing silk trader, asking him to give Yua and Atsuaki a ride. The merchant looked disgruntled, but a samurai’s favor wasn’t taken lightly, and soon they sped off to Saikuro in transport.

As they stepped foot into the village, they felt different presences. There were trivial ones, like the residents, and then there were her ninja, smooth like water. And then there comes an aura tangled, twisted, and dark. She could not locate them exactly. The men and women swarmed busily, finding them would be like locating a cricket in the deep forest.

“There is the general.” Atsuaki’s voice breaks her out of the trance, and Yua looked to the direction he pointed. It was plain to see he was no commoner.

“Pardon me, my lord.” Yua said as she walked up behind the man. She wondered if he would be able to tell she was a ninja. Their samurai could not, but perhaps a general would be different.

She smiled, her fan snapping to a close.

“Might I have directions to the Shibata castle?”

Under her clothes, the water sung. Mitsuie had reached the clan village. She could hear the others greeting him, he was tired, but uninjured.

 

[DemetrioMachete]

The general, Akomaru, had arrived in the village some time before the ninja had. Granted, he did have a head start. I his head, he played out the instructions Lord Ruka had set for him. The Kimura were to guard the castle. Their preference for no weapons meant less collateral. The Nanami were to protect Saikuro, purely on the grounds that no weapons was better than having a weapon when it came to protection of property.

It was not until a woman interrupted his thoughts, that he quit thinking on where to place the Ninja. This lady.. She was asking where the castle was? This was not a question some peasant would ask. Deciding to humor her, and deciding to give her a spook, Akomaru answered her, pointing to the large castle, faded in the blue skies in the slightest, due to its distance.

"Atop that plateau, lies the residence of Daimyo Shibata Ruka. We have a narrow pathway up, if you're willing to make the hike."

If this was just some lost Kimura ninja, it was the right thing to do. If it was an enemy, or the Nanami clan' s presence, he was certain that they'd resolve it.

Blue Aisle

 

[Darth]

The Company of De la Reina...

Baltasar and his company toiled through the thick inner workings of the lush forest. The trees reached high into the air, and the brush clouded the vastness of the wood. Nearly all of their surroundings were coated in thick moss, and it covered the entirety of the forest in a soft, green carpet. The trees grew so tall, and its branches reaching so wide that it blocked some light from reaching the ground. The leaves of each tree dotted the sky above and cast diverting rays of misty sunlight. Baltasar and his men walked with their eyes hooked to their newfound setting, gazing in amazement at the forest's sheer beauty. It was also filled with ambient noise; birds sang harmonized melodies, tree branches creaked gently in the wind, and the soft sound of rushing water could be heard in the distance. This scene of serenity was alike to nothing Baltasar nor any other of the men had ever laid eyes upon. The men murmured amongst their small pack of rugged, ocean-withered sailors. Their almost barbaric appearance made it seem that these men were far out of place.

"This place..." Baltasar mumbled, "Continues to surprise me..."

"I've never seen such... Beauty..." Ignacio said softly.

Perhaps the Lord has granted us is this Haven, Baltasar thought. For such a scene of splendor and grace could only exist by the hand of the Lord himself. Perhaps we were meant to find it.

Baltasar stopped for a moment and closed his eyes. The company halted alongside him, still mesmerized by the forest. Baltasar inhaled a long deep breath. The air filled his lungs with a feeling of cleanliness and peace. He cleared his mind of thought and reveled in the stillness of that moment. After what seemed like an eternity,

Baltasar exhaled.

He opened eyes to discover that the once lively forest, full of wind and song, had suddenly fallen quiet. Something had suddenly choked the melody from the birds, and compelled the wind to cease it's blow. A wave of uncertainty pulsed through Baltasar' s spine. The silence was absolute, and the feeling of peace Baltasar had once enjoyed was replaced with fear.

"The birds...They've stopped..." one of the men said shakingly.

"This doesn't feel right..." Ignacio muttered, placing and hand on the hilt of his sword.

A faint sound of a whisper suddenly echoed from all around the company. It was almost inaudible, but it was just enough to disturb the men. The forest fell silent again, as did the party of distraught soldiers. In the seconds of this silence, Baltasar felt the tension build to an enormous crescendo.

An earsplitting shriek suddenly filled the air. It sounded like it was coming from every direction, and echoed throughout the wood. The men jumped and shouted and the sudden discord. They then formed a circular formation, even without the order of Baltasar. The swordsmen standing at the front, with arquebusier staggering at their sides. There was a violent rustling coming from all sides, and it appeared that the party was being surrounded by an unseen enemy.

"Stand fast!" Baltasar barked, "Let them draw near..."

The shuffling grew closer, and now sounds of individual voices could be heard. Though their chords were distorted and malicious.

"Steady now..." Baltasar said sternly.

The sound of leather gloves squeaking against the tightly gripped arqubuses and hilts of swords. Ignacio gritted his teeth, and prepared himself for the coming battle.

"Steady..."

The enemy was nearly upon them; no outlines of shapes appeared, but there was a visible movement. The figures then suddenly revealed itself from the brush all at once, and Baltasar gave the order.

"Fire!" Baltasar bellowed.

That instant, there was a thunderous volley of discharges from the company. The spark of gunpowder and the smoke of shot filled the air. Soon after the volley came the warcries of the swordsmen. They swung their arms in unison against the oncoming assault. Each man swung wildly, but with skill and precision. Though, no blade nor shot struck their targets. As the smoke cleared, it was revealed there were no enemies laid low, or any evidence that there was one. The men staggered in confusion. Baltasar himself was dumbfounded.

The company's "skirmish" was brief, though it was their first encounter with an unseen enemy. The volley of arqubuses, however, could have been heard for a kilometer or two. If of course there was any ears listening. Baltasar's thoughts were sporadic and unclear. He nor any other man had no idea of what to make of this encounter.

 

[Blue Aisle]

The man kindly, or perhaps less so, gave her the directions to the castle. They were the correct ones, regardless.

"Lovely. It will be hard for me to walk up such a treacherous path, but the Damiyo's generosity would certainly ease the pain. I suppose he will not be returning anytime soon?"

Yua bowed this time, with the act over, she should show respect to her client. Atsuaki did the same behind her. "I have ordered my men to stay disguised and in lookout, as well as those who are well armored and on standby. His lordship seems especially troubled this time, hiring so many protectors. I will oversee their operations."

She heard from her scouts that the Damiyo hired two ninja clans, the Nanami of course, but also the Kimura. The Nanami found their counterpart's... style rather unpleasant. A base in martial arts was necessary, of course, but the utilization of weaponry was hardly optional. No matter how thick and hard is one's skin, it cannot compare to a blade or kunai. To them, the Kimura were merely stubborn shinobi trapped in the old ways, not making use of improved techniques. Yua's nose tilted upwards as these thoughts gush about.

An ominous weight still hung on her heart, but as she looked into Saikuro, seeing her agents littered about, it seems to lighten. Soon all she could feel was the excitement of working with a powerful client and the reward to be gathered.

--------------

Back in the village

Mitsuie had just gotten back from his mission. His blade was used, but wiped clean, void of any trace of slaughter. His men filled in after him, panting as they ran all the way home. Mitsuie was well respected within the Nanami. He was skilled with his blade, and had an impressive tenacity in battle. Even the previous head adored him. But Mitsuie was only humble to the core, and his subordinates loved him for it.

It was suggested that he rest, but Mitsuie waived the notion.

“I will join the lookouts.” He flashed a grin. “It’s a favor from Yua. The witching hour just passed, things could be dangerous.”

And he hoped it was not so, but the sudden request from Yua made him think otherwise. She was never one to be paranoid of yokai, yet her request came with urgency this time. He climbed up to the top of the wall wrapped around the village. It wasn’t very tall, and some of the stone had been crumbling down in places. The Nanami’s village was disguised as a normal town like every other. Had a clueless traveler wondered in, he would think no different. Its residents wore ordinary clothing, every man and woman had a role in the village—farmers, cooks, herbalists. Should danger ever draw upon the clan, these very same civilians would stripe off their fabrics, and don their armor. There was nothing but readiness here.

Mitsuie sat atop the stone for what seemed like a long journey. The sun started to drown, and clouds became the color of peaches and violets. He almost dozes when he something move in the distance, first one, then two. Appearing from under the shade of the forest, Mitsuie soon realizes it’s just not several, but an entire company. His jaw tightens, and he drops to the ground, alerting his fellow sentries.

 

[Grammatic]

Waiting on the top of the hill a short distance away from the small retinue, thirty Acoma Samurai sat on horses. Each warrior was armed with a Naginata, with a few on the flanks of the formation armed with bows and arrows as well. As the other party approached, the leader of the Acoma party kicked his mount forward, leading the band down the hill. Once they were within one hundred yards of the group, they came to a halt and let them approach.

"Daimyo Ruka? I am Force Leader Tenza of the House Acoma. We were informed of your approach by your scout. We return him to you in good faith." Turning his head, the Samurai gestured briefly to two of his men. They turned to a hooded figure tied backwards on the saddle, cutting his bonds and helping him off the horse. They let him walk towards the retinue, carrying a bag filled with all his armor, weapons and clothing. Once he was back within his own lines, Tenza bowed his head briefly.

'We mean no disrespect to the mighty Shibata House, my lord. But you understand, we couldn't very well let our guard down when an unknown warrior enters our lands unannounced, bringing word for our Shogun to meet an outsider out of nowhere. Precautions had to be taken. Now, if you are ready, Lord Acoma is just a short distance away, and is awaiting your arrival." Without waiting for a response, the crimson and black Samurai wheeled their mounts around, before setting off back over the hill.

As the retinue moved to follow them, they began to notice more and more Acoma Samurai slowly emerging from the woods, all armed with bows and arrows, and following them retinue at a respectful distance.

DemetrioMachete

 

[DemetrioMachete]

Ruka, confronting Acoma troops
​

There was no fear in Ruka's heart as he saw the Acoma riding towards him. He motioned his own small platoon to halt, and ensure their banner was visible. No weapons were to be drawn. Not yet.

Ruka was silent as the Force Leader, Tenza, was his name, informed him of the situation at hand. His expression seemed to glower with nuisance. Something about how he referred to Shibata house as "mighty" ticked Ruka. Shibata had always been humble about their strength, preferring to make trade rather than war. The scout was hoisted onto Ruka's horse, and the group rode on, utterly apathetic to those following them. They weren't hard to spot, anyway. Red stood out against the dirt and greenery.

"....when they demanded to know your purpose," Ruka spoke in a calm, yet clearly angered voice to the scout.

"...did you refer to Shibata house as "mighty"? You know by now how I feel about gloating."

"I... apologies, my Lord. My tongue slipped, and I made mention of your strength."

"Pride burns, when you lose, Ashigaru." Ruka mused, glancing down at his hands. They were rough and chaliced, from where he made routine use of his bow.

"I cannot allow such boasting among my troops. You are not deserving of my blue banner and white sun. Youve dishonored yourself, Ashigaru. If you want my forgiveness... to perform Seppuku is your only option. If you choose that, I or one of my generals will serve as your Kaishakunin, beheading you when the pain wrests control of your senses. We cannot do this in Acoma lands... contemplate your shame, until we return."

When they finally arrived at where they presumed the Shogun was ready to meet them, Ruka dismounted his steed, ordering two of his followers to accompany him, and the rest to remain idle, as well as ensuring the newly anointed Ronin did not escape. Now, what awaited the blue Daimyo?

Grammatic

Akomaru, conversing with Nanami agents
​

Akomaru bowed in same, in response to Yua and Atsuaki's own. Ordinarily he would not have bowed to tax dodgers like ninja, but the circumstances were far different.

Upon the remark of Ruka's decisions to employ so many guardians, Akomaru had a retort in his Daimyo's defense.

"Ruka has always been paranoid of the Yokai, ever since he slew his first. It's gone from many accusations, from his servants being Fox spirits, up and to his men siding with the demons. Perhaps the bellowing that was heard last night sent him over the edge. Why else would he bother to seek alliance with a warmonger like the Acoma?" Akomaru laughed at this, whistling for his horse, soon after.

"The Lord has his errands, as do I..."

Blue Aisle

 

[Darth]

In the depths of the forest...

Baltasar stood in utter confusion, the enemy that had just instilled fear into the hearts of himself and his men, suddenly vanished into thin air. The men held looks of bewilderment in light of such an event. Their heads like swivels whirling back and forth, trying to make sense of the situation. Some even jumping at the sudden sounds of their own feet breaking twigs. Ignacio still gripped his sword with conviction and desire, almost as if he didn't believe his enemy had been so elusive. Baltasar contemplated to himself.

What a Haven this place must be; storms that wash away my ships, now it comes to play with my sanity...

"What...What do we do now...sir? one of his men said shakingly.

Baltasar remained silent, still trying to process the peculiar circumstances.

"It was only a ruse Captain..." another said angrily, "They run and hide the rats they are!"

"Silence!" Ignacio barked, "Or they'll be sure to take heed your shreiking..."

"We...we must keep moving..." Baltasar finally said, stuttering his words.

"What?" Ignacio said as he turned to Baltasar, "You wish to linger here?"

"With all due respect Captain," he continued, "I do not believe that is wise, given the fact we just confronted an enemy..."

"Hardly a battle..." one of the men said, "My blade is still dry..."

"As is mine..." Ignacio said, glancing to his sword, "But this enemy is clever..."

"They toy with us..." He said gritting his teeth

Ignacio redirects his attention to Baltasar. Both him and Ignacio was shaken to say the least. Though despite what had happened, Baltasar tried to keep his composure.

"Captain..." Ignacio said, "I implore you... We must turn back..."

Baltasar didn't answer, his attetion was stolen by the sound of movement coming from the rear. Baltasar turned to see more empty forest. In light of recent conflict, Baltasar scanned the trees, hoping another encounter was not imminent.

What else do you hide? Baltasar thought, to himself. It's almost as if this place is alive...

Blue Aisle

 

[Blue Aisle]

Amongst the clan:

The forest of Meiro, in other words, the forest of mazes embraced their village. This dense cluster of vegetation confounded even the Nanami upon first greeting. Trees grew like a maiden's hair, think and numerous, almost impossible to distinguish direction. And it is for this very reason that the clan constructed their village here. It would veil them from the world, both those that are ignorant and hostile.

Mitsuie whispered hurriedly to Ietoshi, who was many times his junior. The young boy nodded, "I will do as you said, Brother." He jumped off towards the heart of the clan, alerting everyone of the possible danger. The village was now alert, though everyone was surprised to see something had emerged from within the forest.

Several man had gathered around Mitsuie, counting twelve, including him. On his orders, the team moved forward into Meiro, undaunted by what could possibly be their opponent. One of the shinobi joked, "what if it's yokai? Perhaps a nue?"

"It's no such thing!" Another barked, and Mitsuie quickly hushed them.

Without speaking, he motioned only with his hands.

Spread out and surround, keep above, and under cover.

The ninjas traveled amongst the trees, their shadows holding them. Soon they heard footsteps, the trails of several men. The crunching of leaves, and the snapping of branches told them enemy was not shinobi. Samurai? They wondered, but the steps were sporadic, as if the enemies were disturbed. As Mitsuie listened, a sound cropped out from one of the branches, one of his shinobi had made a mistake, he stepped on the wrong branch, causing it to snap. The fellow was hanging by his arms, feet dangling in the air, and a red flush of humiliation in his cheeks. Mitsuie scowled.

They had alerted their targets. But now, they see them too, they were men, but all too strange. He took in the man's face, the one who appeared to be in charge.

Eerie, foreign.

Yua's voice emerged from the depths of his mind. The band held strange instruments, once that the Nanami had never seen before, were they weapons? Were they even men? His thoughts spun back to the witching hour. Is this some sort of fox spirit? Mitsuie motioned for his ninja to stay hidden. Have restraint. His hand raised straight in the air. With the other, he threw a kunai, striking the dirt in front of their leader. Alerting them to his exact location. He was still shaded by the leaves, but his cover was gone. He would take a chance at talk before striking an enemy with unknown artillery.

"State your name and business. You are on private lands."

In Saikuro:

"Indeed. You do address your lord quite casually, how nice."

The general must be close with his superior. Damiyo's and shogun were a straitlaced breed, perhaps the Shibata lord was different? Her thoughts wondered. Oh well, surely, he was only another paranoid money monger with no real sword to his claim. How many leaders of houses could actually defend themselves in battle? They earn their titles by birth, not by forte.

But then, so did she.

She bid the man farewell.

"Come now, Atsu, don't be so droll faced. We are not vultures here."

Yua smiled as she lead her companion through the streets, the general has departed, and they were left again to their own devises. She stopped at a candy shop, sifting her fingers as if to take in all the treats offered. The old man looked at her expectantly, due to her disguise, her wallet seemed plump. He robbed his hands together, bragging about the uniqueness of their taste. All the while she kept on alert, and he did the same, though his posture was stiffer and more intimidating than hers.

 

[Darth]

Amid the trees...

Baltasar was startled as a dagger flew down from atop a tall tree, and lodged itself in the dirt at his feet. The rest of the company were alerted as well, each gasping and jumping at the sort. The blade was small and dark, and it's hilt was draped in cloth. Given what had just occurred, Baltasar believed this to be a sign that the elusive beasts still stalked the company. Another wave of fear worked over his spine, and Baltasar placed a hand on his matchlock pistol. Ignacio and the rest of the company reacted fairly quickly; the swordsmen made their way to Baltasar, forming a barrier of blades at Baltasar's sides. The arquebusiers frantically tried to reload their weapons. The commotion was suddenly halted when a voice rang out from the trees. The words spoken, however, were of nothing like Baltasar had ever heard before. The consonants were sharply pronounced, and the vowels were smooth. The voice, though foreign, sounded strong and assertive. But it was also seemingly calm. The company were at a loss for words as it seemed the trees now spoke.

"What sort of witchcraft is this?" Ignacio muttered to himself.

"The cowards," a soldier muttered, "They continue to stay hidden..."

"Now they taunt us in heathen tongue!" a swordsman said angrily.

"Show yourself Daemon!" the man continued, his voice sounded more fearful than intimidating.

Before the man could continue, Baltasar raised his hand swiftly, an order to be silent.

"Not witchcraft Maestre..." Baltasar said quietly, "There are men among the trees..."

Baltasar saw the outline of a figure sitting within the shade of leaves, and his was perched high on a branch. Though Baltasar could not fully see this man, he could tell that this was man. The company of soldiers all looked to the trees, and in to their surprise found the same figure Baltasar was so focused on. The swordsmen frowned and scowled, they were beginning to think another attack was imminent.

"We must take the initiative Captain..." Ignacio said sternly, "Let us rain fire upon him..."

"Nay..." Baltasar replied, "If there is one, there are bound to be more..."

"These trees hide more than just sunlight..."

"How can you be certain there are more?" Ignacio said.

"Would you approach a company of armed men alone?" Baltasar said, turning head, "I do believe he is smarter than that, since he so clever to hide in the trees..."

"I don't wish to risk being surrounded by hidden foes..."

Ignacio shook his head, "So what do you suppose we do?"

Baltasar turned back to the stranger amid the treetops, and spoke in a loud, clear voice. He tried his best to sound assertive.

"Reveal yourself, stranger.."

"Let us speak like men..."

Blue Aisle

 

[Blue Aisle]

The strangely dressed bunch discussed amongst themselves. Mitsuie tried to steal the words, but they were more than outlandish. He could tell they were suspicious, as was he. His own men grew restless, and before long he felt a fellow shinobi at his side, their shared branch groaned painfully.

"Let us have the first initiative," he whispers. "Clearly talks are out of the question."

"We've already lost the chance for a surprise attack." Mitsuie's voice was grim, his eyes siding the culprit of poor footwork. "Do you think they will understand if we motion?"

"Who knows. I wouldn't count on it."

"I will go down, back me up. And get off my branch." He waved the anxious ninja off, and he sprung back to join the others.

With his footing no longer threatened, Mitsuie slipped from the tree and landed on the forest floor. It was an uncomfortable position for him. He was dressed fully in his gear, and though his hand lingered on his blade, he did not unsheathe it. Several others drew forward from the shadows, eager to show that their leader was not alone. They openly clutched their weapons, but held themselves still on command.

"I don't know who you are, men or demon, but withdraw from our lands." He gestured them forward in the direction they had come. "We will have no armed intruders." The last word dropped heavy from his tongue, and he made no mask of his hostility.

In the tense silence that followed, a hollow sound pierced the air. It was like a strange bird, crying. Unable to keep his eyes off the direction of the sound, Mitsuie saw the lurking of a shadow a few meters in the trees. It was huge, double the height of himself, and as the sunlight fell from the leaves, it shone on the beast's face. It was a vicious looking thing—the head of a lion, a goat grew from its back, and the front half of a snake for a tail.

It prowls ever closer to them, and then it breaks into a charge, ripping through the trees as if they are no more than smoke in the air.

Mitsuie leaped backwards, and his shinobi stirred above him. A storm of kunai rained down on the monstrosity, but they found themselves shallow.

"Yokai!" The men cried.

 

[Warlord Tom]

The wandering Ronin:

Since he heard the bloodcurling scream, Yamato knew bad things would happen very soon. The amanojaku was growling restless, and Yamato knew this was a sign that even this Youkai was afraid of some creatures that surfaced during the Witch Hour. He knew he had to prepare himself for the worst, but there was no way he'd abandon this mission. From a local farmer he heard about House Toda, a place where many people went to for redemption. "I might as well give this a try" Yamato said to his unusual companion.

At the gates:

As Yamato reached the gates, he hailed the guards. "I am Yamato, a lone ronin trying to find redemption. I request entry to the lands of House Toda to do so". Yamato noticed the gaurds looking at the white tiger with doubt in their eyes, but he knew he would be instantly refused if he said his companion was a Youkai, so he waited in silence. Elekta Kount

 

[Elekta Kount]

House Toda
The yari armed ashigara guards standing on either side of the gates eyed the ronin for a secound, before one of them placed a hand on his hip and huffed.
"Well...aren't you special? Ronin who wish to join the ranks of the Toda must arrive before sunrise...but since I'm in a good mood..."
The ashgara guard glanced at his partner, who gave a quiet nod.
"...I won't let you wait until tomorrow morning."
Using his thumb to indicate towards the gate, he said.
"Leave your pet out here for now..the rest of your kind are gathered in front of our lord. They oughta be bunched together, so you shouldn't be able to miss them...better hurry though, don't want to make a bad first impression on our lord, considering how much you stand out with those horns of yours."
Once inside, the ronin would find that the court yards were indeed not deserted, but bustling with life.
Blocks of ashigara were here and there, at all of their heads were samurai. Nearly all were in the middle of conducting exercises, whether it be marching drills or combat practise. The samurai seemed to be much fewer than the ashigara, least when one compares it to other armies, but they were by far the loudest and in control of the situation, assisted by what looked like ashigara sergeants. Some were shouting orders, others were leading chants and war songs, and yet others hand a weapon in hand, explaining to the certain groups of peasant soldiers how to utilize their weapons effectively.
There was an air to all of this, a sense of discipline, but also a sense of camaraderie, as a samurai helped up a collapsed ashigara, before helping him over to the side. Didn't seem like status was much of an issue around here, as the ones in charge seemed to be the ones with wisdom and experience...
To the edge of all this training was a group of warriors, ronin by the looks of it. Some were dressed like Yamato, still clad in their former clan's armor, while others were dressed in simple yukuta with their swords hanging on their sides, some even donning straw hats. They all also carried an assortment of weapons, from your basic katanas and wakizashi to yari spears and naginatas, even yumi bows were present.
They were all waiting in front of a bamboo made stage, on the sides of the stage stood samurai in the Toda colors, as well as a drummer.
Appeared that they were waiting for someone...
Warlord Tom​

 

[Grammatic]

Ruka, confronting Acoma troops​

​

There was no fear in Ruka's heart as he saw the Acoma riding towards him. He motioned his own small platoon to halt, and ensure their banner was visible. No weapons were to be drawn. Not yet.

Ruka was silent as the Force Leader, Tenza, was his name, informed him of the situation at hand. His expression seemed to glower with nuisance. Something about how he referred to Shibata house as "mighty" ticked Ruka. Shibata had always been humble about their strength, preferring to make trade rather than war. The scout was hoisted onto Ruka's horse, and the group rode on, utterly apathetic to those following them. They weren't hard to spot, anyway. Red stood out against the dirt and greenery.

"....when they demanded to know your purpose," Ruka spoke in a calm, yet clearly angered voice to the scout.

"...did you refer to Shibata house as "mighty"? You know by now how I feel about gloating."

"I... apologies, my Lord. My tongue slipped, and I made mention of your strength."

"Pride burns, when you lose, Ashigaru." Ruka mused, glancing down at his hands. They were rough and chaliced, from where he made routine use of his bow.

"I cannot allow such boasting among my troops. You are not deserving of my blue banner and white sun. Youve dishonored yourself, Ashigaru. If you want my forgiveness... to perform Seppuku is your only option. If you choose that, I or one of my generals will serve as your Kaishakunin, beheading you when the pain wrests control of your senses. We cannot do this in Acoma lands... contemplate your shame, until we return."

When they finally arrived at where they presumed the Shogun was ready to meet them, Ruka dismounted his steed, ordering two of his followers to accompany him, and the rest to remain idle, as well as ensuring the newly anointed Ronin did not escape. Now, what awaited the blue Daimyo?

Grammatic

Akomaru, conversing with Nanami agents​

​

Akomaru bowed in same, in response to Yua and Atsuaki's own. Ordinarily he would not have bowed to tax dodgers like ninja, but the circumstances were far different.

Upon the remark of Ruka's decisions to employ so many guardians, Akomaru had a retort in his Daimyo's defense.

"Ruka has always been paranoid of the Yokai, ever since he slew his first. It's gone from many accusations, from his servants being Fox spirits, up and to his men siding with the demons. Perhaps the bellowing that was heard last night sent him over the edge. Why else would he bother to seek alliance with a warmonger like the Acoma?" Akomaru laughed at this, whistling for his horse, soon after.

"The Lord has his errands, as do I..."


Blue Aisle

Lord Acoma rode slowly from the ruined village, his hand resting lightly on the sword hilt protruding from his waist. Behind him, two members of his honor guard followed in close formation, their highly decorated, and heavy armor gleaming from a fresh coat of polish. As they approached the foreign delegation, and he spotted the banner of those he had come to meet, he couldn't help a slight grimace that crossed his face.

When he was a short distance away, he brought his small party to a halt, leaving not horse with the two honor guard. Alone, he walked towards Ruka.

"Welcome to my lands, most noble Lord. What honor do I have of this most audacious visit?" He didn't really try to hide the scorn from his voice. His House was proud, strong and honorable, whether this fool agreed or not. He had been vocal in the past of his hatred and disgust for the Acoma ways of bringing peace, and he felt little need to be civil here.

 

[DemetrioMachete]

Ruka, Negotiations with Acoma, 1:24 PM
​

Ruka squinted upon Acoma as he approached; so full of smarm and from what the Daimyo could tell, hatred, as well. He sighed at this... there was no need to get to worked up. 13 men was hardly an invasion force.

"I hope you'll pardon my not informing you in advance, Lord Acoma, but I come with a proposition of critical urgency." Atop his horse, he folded his arms across his chest, taking a deep breath.

"The Witching Hour was last night, as I'm sure you're aware. That bloodcurdling screech emanated from a mountain in your territory." Ruka's attention glanced to the side briefly, spotting a village in cinders.. that was where Lord Acoma had come from. Seems like he was only repeating things he knew.

"My point, to be brief, is that this is a Witching Hour unlike any other we've ever lived to face. Whether more Youkai have slipped through the tear, or something powerful beyond our individual capabilities escaped... it matters not. What ever differences or desires we may have that conspire against one another, we need to set them aside." It was here, that Ruka's expression began to grow more serious; his eyes opening up, his brow furrowing, and his voice growing more assertive.

"That spirit of war you keep so high, focus it on the Youkai, until we destroy what ever made that ungodly sound. For what war can you wage against mortals when a foe truly worthy of the wrath of Acoma is lurking in your very lands!?" Ruka dismounted his own horse, startling his own men. His fists briefly clenched, before relaxing. He had to remember he was a guest in... hostile territory. It would be best to show respect. With a deep breath, he calmed himself, and took to his knees, bowing his head and removing his gaze from Acoma; a sign of respect.

"If you will agree to a shared peace between Shibata and Acoma, I will grant you my full assistance in defeating the Youkai, and any other ambition you may be pursuing, unless it would conflict with my own. May we agree on this, Acoma-Sama?"
Grammatic

 

[Warlord Tom]

Outside the gates:

As much as he hated to let the amanojaku out of his sight, Yamato knew he had little choice. He pointed at a tree near the gate, large enough to cover the tiger with its shadow. The tiger gave a silent growl before wandering off, as Yamato entered the courtyard

On the courtyard:

Yamato was suprised. The place was way more busy than he expected. Lots of training troops from the House Toda, divided into small groups which created a combination of different chants and orders reach Yamato's ears. He spotted the group of ronin and walked towards them. Some of these ronins looked humiliated, stripped from all their armor and most of their weapons. Others looked just like samurai, in full weaponry and a fierce stance, with confidence that made them look like their status hadn't changed since they became ronins. Yamato sat down next to someone who wore a yukata and held a simple yari, and had a stressed look on his face. "This better be good", Yamato mumbled as the drummer started a rythm and all the ronin sat down. Elekta Kount

 

[Elekta Kount]

Daimyo Toda Tomotaka of House Toda
The drum beat continued for a few more moments, a group of warriors approach. Most of them consisted of samurai, with a few monks armed with naginata intermixed in the group. At it's head was a particular samurai, who's head gear was much more distinct compare to those surrounding him.
Said samurai moved to the front of the group of ronin, standing in the center front of the group, as his retinue took positions away but around him.
It was then the drumming stopped.
The samurai's expression was that of a pleasant one, almost welcoming in some sense, unlike most warlords of Hoken-Chi. The samurai took his time to look over the crowed, making eye contact with seemingly everyone in the crowed. At one point, the samurai made eye contact with Yamato, his smile even widening as he continued to look through the crowed.
A few moments of silence went by, with only the sounds of training happening in the background.
But after those moments were up, the samurai gestured with one of his hands, and a secound later a samurai came out and unfolded a short chair, placing it behind the samurai with the head gear, before backing away back into his original position.
The samurai in the the center took a seat, sitting up straight in his chair, before reaching into his cloth belt, pulling out a small hand fan and unfolded it, slowly fanning himself as he sat.
"Greetings!"
Even given his relatively small statue, the samurai's voice rose above the sounds of the many still training, though his tone sounded of a friend greeting another friend. Sounded nothing like the commanding tone a general has, not yet.
"The journey for all of you must have been long, not to mention dangerous.... Yet here you are, sitting amongst the Toda."
The sitting samurai kept fanning himself, pausing to let the words resont.
"Yet your journey has yet ended ... the journey for redemption is a long and hard one, but not an impossibility. Looking around you."
The sitting samurai closed his fan and used it to gesture at the samurai currently present around the group of ronin.
"These men were once like you; lost, broken, betrayed, abused...so much so that they thought themselves lesser men because of it..." The sitting samurai started to chuckle, amused, almost.
"Lesser men you are not....experience is what makes us wiser... After all, it was somthing that drove you to want to redeem your honor, somthing that has taught you your error, make your reflect upon life in a unreplicable way. For that reason, to set here, with me, the Daimyo of the Toda clan, you all are greater men in my eyes."
Another pause.
"But...while great men you are, many of you no doubt believe that you may be able to bludgeon your way to redemption...unfortunatly, that is the way of the Toda, for you see, I have no need for warriors; I have thousends of soldiers ready to lay down their lives for their clan..."
The Daimyo placed the hand holding his fan on his lap, while balling up the other hand and raising it up to shoulder level.
"I seek leaders, leaders not just to repeat orders, I seek leaders who may serve as a beacon of hope for my men, so that they may inspire an army to fight harder for their homes, for their families."
Placing his free hand back on his lap, the Daimyo closed his eyes and chuckled softly.
"If you choose this path towards redemption, you will not just be pledging your loyalty...you'll be pleading your loyalty to this house, but more importantly, to its people and to it's lands."
The Daimyo opened his eyes, the smile on his face grew ever fiercer by the moment.
"The honor of the Toda has never been through combat alone; The honor of a fighter of the House of Toda has always been to it's people. We fight only to protect our people, and there is no higher honor for us, then to die fighting for the people, die standing for our people."
The Dainiyo sat back, his smile now had a fire in it that could be felt by even those around hi,.
"When you join our ranks, you assume the responsibility to our people, to your people, to your honor. You will be our clan's champions, our clan's guardians, our clan's heroes. All will be looking to you for guidance, for comfort, for peace...But also know this: when you join our ranks, you will have people who too will watch your backs, who will fight for you.... You'll be a Toda, after all, anther brother as part of our great, big family. The family of the Toda."
The smile of the Daimyo of House Toda never seemed to falter, eyes yet again gazed over the crowed of ronin, to gage their reaction.
Many seemed to moved by his speech, others remained thoughtful.
"Now, on t-"
"MY LORD!"
The Damiyo looked up, spotting a lone samurai with clan Toda's sashimono was riding on a horse speed in from the gates, as he narrowly weaved through the ashigaru formations, who were suddenly trying to get out of his way.
He rode his way up to his daimyo, almost falling out of his saddle as he stopped, before urgently dismounting.
Frantically, he scrambled in front of his daimyo, quickly falling into a kneeling position with one hand on the ground and one hand on his cloth belt, his head looking up to his damiyo.
"My...Lord...de...dem...:
The samurai was struggling to catch his breath, as he continued to quickly huffed.
Rising from his seat, the Daimyo of Toda put both of his hands on opposite sides of his saurai, trying to calm him down.
"Deep breaths, deep breaths, deep breaths."
The samurai's breathing started to become more paced.
"There we go. Now, tell, what it is this matter that is so urgent?"
"Demons!... Demons to the North my lord!...A...A demon...A demon gate! Th...the ashigara battalions...stationed in the village...Shinden...Shinden village!...overrunned!...The Sohai...they've been called in...but...there...so many of them...they!...We! need....need reinforcements!"
Gasps and even whispers ran through the crowd of ronin at the word "demon".
The Daimyo's smile, which was previously there, suddenly turned into a grave one, as he looked at the samurai again.
"I see...you've done well." The Daimyo said, patting the samurai on his shoulder. "Take a minute to catch your back, I know where the village is, but you will need to guide us to the demons."
The samurai nodded, falling back onto his butt as the Daimyo rose. His retinue had closed in on him when the samurai had approached, letting him close to speak with their daimyo once they've recognized his colors. They heard what the messenger said, and were quickly giving glances to each other before looking at their Daimyo.
"Your orders? My lord?"
One of the samurai asked his daimyo.
The daimyo looked thoughtful, yet serious for a moment, glancing at the group of ronin still seated on the ground, before looking back at his retinue.
"This may be a good time to test our new recruits...as well as show them the way of the Toda..."
The daimyo said, as he turned to three of the samurai, presumably all officers or advisors in his retinue.
"Go gather battalions 13-15, as well as battalions 61 and 107. Have them prepare for double time, in the viper marching order. Quickly now."
Battalions 13-15 were battalions of yari armed ashigaru, the bread and butter of the Toda army. Battalion 61 were ashigaru armed with yumi's, while battalion 107 were armed with arquebuses.
"Very good, my lord."
The two officers gave a small standing bow, before quickly running off to fetch said battalions.
The daimyo quickly turned, gesturing for his retinue to back up a bit so that he could face the group of ronin.
"It appears that one of many trials for redemption has come." The daimyo said, his smile now renewed. "Demons are upon a village of Toda! Now is the time more then any that we need your skills."
THe battalions were being brought up quickly in front of the castle gates, as men scrambled about, units started to form on the large dirt roads in the order of: Yari, aqrubus, yari, yumi, yari.
"Spread yourselves amongst my soldiers! Where ever you think you may prove the most useful!" The daimyo continued, as war horses were being brought up to the daimyo. "Though you may all be ronin, my men will be looking up to each and everyone of you for guidance and wisdom! Remember! Your bravery and courage will inspire them! As will your cowardice!"
With that the daimyo quickly mounted onto his black warhorse, as did many in his retinue. The daimyo rode a couple of feat towards the head of the formation, before turning back to the group of ronin, and raising a fist.
"I am counting on you! As are the people of Toda are also counting on you!"
With that, the daimyo and his retinue trotted up to the front of the formation.
Some of the ronin began to stand up, looking at each other, slowly breaking off to join the formations. Those who had melee weapons stood with the yari ashigaru, while those who held ranged weapons stood with battalions of the same weapon. They weren't given looks of disdain, though some ashiguara glanced, even directly looked at them. THe samurai officers on the other hands, greeted them with a nod, even a fist pump.
Moments later the damiyo was at the head of hte formation, looking back to see if theings was in order, before saying somthing to one in his retinue and turning around.
A loud voice was heard, as it was relayed throughout the formation. In an instant the daimyo trotted out of the gates and onto the large and open road, followed by the formations of more then dozens of ashiguara and their officers, jogging along behind.
Warlord Tom​

 

[Warlord Tom]

As soon as he decided to join battalion 14, Yamato searched for the highest ranking officer. "Sir" he said, "am I allowed to bring my ally with me on this expedition? The tiger will listen to me completely and will be a great help in the battle!"

Yamato wasn't scared of the fight. In this early stage of the demon invasion, most of the enemy forces would be lower demons, which he has fought before. However, Yamato never fought an organised demon ARMY, and he hoped the damiyo as well as all the high and lower ranking officers were capable of adapting their strategies and tactics to this new, unknown enemy.

But his biggest fear was dying because of the amanojaku leaving his side. He knew that the best way to make sure nothing happened to the demon, was keeping it right by his side. He also knew that the demon would protect him if other demons attacked Yamato, because of their weird bond of life and death.

To his suprise, the officer just nodded and told him he could maybe use a leash if necessary. "I don't think so, sir" Yamato said as he gestures the white tiger to follow him.

When marching out, Yamato noticed that the yari-armed ronin he sat next to earlier also decided to join this battalion. The guy was throwing weird looks at the tiger following Yamato (every ronin did so) but tried to avoid eye contact. Yamato decided to break the ice. "Hi there" Yamato said, "My name is Yamato Kabari. What's yours?"
(You don't have to take control of this character. If you don't want to, just don't react to this last part.)