Emperor Moronari Souma looked at his twelve Minister and Prime Minister with real anger and disgust. More than once he wished that he could turn back the hands of time to when his grandfather ruled. Back when Emperor’s didn’t have deal with foreign nations, worker unions, and all the other damnable systems of his modern nation. The reason for his bad mood was the two men standing before him. His Ministers of Justice and the Military, Yokota and Hibeki.

“Minister Hibeki, explain to me how a full Battalion of my most modern Calvary could be so totally decimated?” Moronari snarled. “Men trained to the highest degree of professionalism in the most modern of weapons.” When Hibeki didn’t answer right away Moronari lashed out in his anger. Knocking the man to the floor. “ANSWER ME DAMN YOU!”

“Please, Supreme Emperor, my commanders are still trying to sort out what happened at Mount Sunōmaunten. I have sent two full Companies of Infantry to the area. They are currently trying to work their way up the mountain as we speak.” Hibeki answered as he held up his arm to block the Emperor’s next blow. Hibeki could see the Emperor’s hand on his katana.

“They’ve had three days to reach that damned mountain village. Why haven’t they found answers for me?” Moronari demanded. “What is holding up their investigation, Hibeki? Surely they could climb to that battlefield.”

“Sire, that is the problem. They cannot just walk up the battlefield. A storm has covered the mountain with fresh layers of snow and ice. Without guides for the individual units none of the commanders are willing to traverse the mountainside. Especially not under such deadly conditions.” Hibeki explained. Even though he knew that it was a hopeless cause.

“Why haven’t they in scripted guides from that damned restore village?” Moronari demanded of Hibeki. “Surely there are adequate guides there?”

“Sire, the few guides that were qualified to lead an expedition up the mountain under such conditions are dead.” Hibeki answered as honestly as he could with the information he had. “It seems that the last of those guides now lays dead with Viceroy Kagae Michimoro and Taskforce Claw.”

“Surely there are more guides capable of making that climb?” Moronari demanded in both disbelief and anger.

“There were six other guides. Of them three disappeared into the woods surrounding the mountain. One died in leading the first attempt to investigate the battlefield.” Hibeki really didn’t want to tell Moronari of the last two. “The last two qualified guides are the former Commander of the Royal Scouts Captain Setsu Suda and your half-sister the Dragon Princess.”

Moronari anger flared beyond his control. His katana cleared its scabbard and fell over and over, chopping Hibeki to pieces. First to go was the now dead Minister’s right arm. It was followed by Hibeki’s legs at the knees. The last to go was the man’s head. Even though the man was dead Moronari continued to chop and slash at the body in an uncontrolled rage. He was so blinded by his rage Moronari slashed through the torso of Yokota killing the man instantly. Not that it would have mattered in the long run. Moronari had really made his mind up. Both men were to be executed after this meeting.

None of the other ministers moved to stop their enraged Emperor. They knew that they could be his next victim. He was only stopped by the palace aid rushing into the throne room shouting. “EMPEROR! The Dragon Empress has returned! The ancient signal has sounded across all of Yamanashi Prefecture!”

“What did you say, Yasusane?” Moronari asked in shock as he slowly lowered his katana. “Are you sure?”

Yasusane dropped to his left with his head bowed towards the pooling blood of the two dead men at his Emperor’s feet. “Yes, your Majesty. The monks at every temple, shrine, and holy site have reported as such. Even the Shogun Ito Toyota has confirmed these reports.”

Moronari stumbled back and sat down heavily in his throne. He could not believe what he was hearing. His sister had made it to the ancient tomb of their ancestor the first Dragon Empress. If that was true, then the rest of the legend was coming true. His only hope now was to gather his military might deep in the Chūgoku Mountains, at their very heart, the Serpent’s gap. The only valley that would insure his claim to the throne. At least in the eyes of his nation’s people.

“Togo you are now the Minister for Military. Assemble the majority of my army in the Serpent’s gap. Their orders are to put down any and all support of the false Empress in their passing. I want the tenth and eleventh Dragoon armies sent to that damned mountain resort. They are to level the village and kill every last villager. None are to be spared. Men, women, even the children are to be put to the sword.” Moronari began ordering the men that would carry his banner during the upcoming battle for his throne. Only to be stopped midsentence by his Minister of Intelligence.

“Is that wise Sire?” Minister Naoyuki Hayashi asked as he thought about what would happen if the Emperor allowed the army to kill innocent villagers. He more than the other Ministers knew that most of the Empire was ready to ride in revolt against the current Emperor and his cabinet. “The destruction of that resort village could very well set off a full revolt.”

“I gave the order to destroy that village and put down any revolt, Hayashi.” Moronari stated hotly then turned cold. “I don’t care how many peasants they have to stake out on the side of the roads or how many villages they burn to the ground. I am done with cuddling the peasants of my nation. They will either know their places in life or find peace in the afterlife.”

“And what of the Shoguns, sire?” Naoyuki asked. “What if they refuse to allow their forces to join in this campaign?”

“Then they too shall find their peace in the afterlife. No one shall be allowed to question my place on the throne.” Moronari was done with playing this game of pacifying the populace. In his mind it was time to end all questions to his right to rule the Empire.

The gather Ministers knew that their Emperor would book no arguments to this plan of action. He was going to either crush the idea of rebellion within their nation or be destroyed. There was no going back. Emperor Moronari Souma was set on forever securing the throne for his descendants. Even if that meant sacrificing half the population of the nation.

The Married Lute, Thunder Bulldog Syndicate Headquarters, Nishimura

Saneshige Shinjou sat back looking at his second in command and leader of the nine man strike team. None of these men would fail in a mission ordered by the Emperor. The problem Saneshige faced was his loyalty to the men of his organization and the Emperor. A man he considered both a fool and threat.

“Yagi are you and your men ready?” Saneshige asked once more. Already knowing the answer to his question.

“Yes, my oyabun. All is in readiness.” Yagi answered then stepped closer to Saneshige lowering his voice to just over a whisper. “Sir, you can trust me. Our men can get the job done. When the dragon sluts return to the Temple. They will die. Just as the Emperor has commanded.”

“Yagi listen to me. No matter what happens. If those leaf-stones start to glow you’re to return here at once. Not one moment later. I will not send you or your brothers on a useless attempt to kill the unkillable.” Saneshige ordered Yagi bluntly. “I don’t care what that fool orders us to do. Threat or no threat. We don’t answer to the crown.”

“Understood, sir. May I know how the leaf-stones work?” Yagi asked.

“According to our mystics they detect the deadliest of magical barriers. Ones that will kill the unwelcome.” Saneshige told him bluntly. “People with deadly intent towards those who live within the walls of the compound.”

Yagi understood the warning for what it was. His oyabun and brotherhood may have to obey the Emperor. That didn’t mean they had to actually go through with the attack. In fact, if he understood his oyabun correctly they were to get within range of the Temple’s magical barrier and return. Something that he had no problem doing. Like most yakuza, Yagi had no problems with letting the nobles sort out their own problems.

Room 205, The Aromatic Wolf’s Tavern, Nishimura

The four men and two women stood around the room’s table studying the map of Watatsumi’s compound, within the Temple of Eternal Balance. None of them were looking forward to tonight’s mission. Their Master had sent them to kill or kidnap the Dragon Princess. They knew that the compound was open to the sky. Yet there was something about this openness that left the team on edge. Finally, the team’s leader placed his finger on the wall that faced the street. “This is the only way in. we go over this wall.”

“What of the mystical barrier brother? How do we deal with that?” One of the women asked of their leader.

“The barrier is not a concern, sister. The magic that has powered the barrier for so long has been weakened by the modern world that now surrounds it. The Ley Lines are broken. You and Mai only need to strike the barrier with your portal spells, and it will fail.” Their leader assured the two women.

He had no sooner finished settling down his two magic users than the door to their room was thrown open. A lone member of their team stood there in a panic. “Brothers, sisters, the mission most be called off. The Dragon Princess has been blessed by the First Dragon Empress!”

“What?! Are you sure, Kageie? Make no mistake in your answer. As your words will decided our next move.” The leader ordered the young man.

“As the sun rises over the Eastern sea, I’m sure. The great bells of Tranquility Tower have sounded. The monks of Crest Mire Obelisk Shrine ran past me shouting that the obelisk has begun to glow. The maiko of Swan Maiden Shine are dancing before their golden Swan. The runner they sent to the Temple of Balance said that the wings opened. I stopped the runner for the Red Crain Temple before he entered. The Great Curtain spilt down the center revealing that holy Crain of theirs to the gathered worshipers.” Kageie said between gasps of breath. “I stopped two other such runners brother. All from deferent holy shrines. Before I came here to stop you. I asked one of the monks at the Temple of Eternal Balance. All of these mystical events are signs. Signs that the true Dragon Empress has returned.”

“All of you are to remain here. Do nothing until I return. Rei, Mai, you’re with me. If what Kageie has said it true. Then the magical barrier has returned. It will be your duty to see if it has.” He led the two women from the room. As he was closing the door. “I will talk with the monks and Temple Elders. We must know if the true Dragon Empress has returned, and only they have the answer to that question.”

“Sir, there are two maiko that you should talk with. They’re a pair of twin sisters, Satomi and Satoko. You’ll find them in the Temple library.” Kageie said to his leaders departing back.

The Snow Bear Tavern, Sunōmaunten, Nagano Prefecture, just before sunset.

Kiyota Kiyomasu sat at the bar drinking a pint of beer. He along with the rest of the ski lift crew had put in a hard day on the mountain. They had spent the last three days collecting the bodies of the destroyed Calvary troop. The boys that had survived the attack had told stories that sent shivers down the backs of the village men. The bodies he and his men found bore out the truth of the dragon attack.

“Kiyota can you please tell me why we’re even bothering with bringing those dead soldiers down the mountain?” One of his men asked.

“Because it’ll keep the Emperor’s lackies off our backs for a while longer.” Kiyota sighed before he took a drink of his beer. “Look Akitaka, I know that you and the others think we should just leave them up there to feed the worms and the occasional Komodo Lovebird. Along with allowing those two companies of Infantry to die in the face of the seasonal snowstorms. We do that and we’ll have the whole damned army down on our heads. As it is, we need to get as many of our men up to the armed basecamps.”

“And why would we need to do that Master Kiyomasu? The army is gone for now. If they return it will only be for their dead.” The Headman for the village elders said as he walked into the tavern. He was not alone. The entire village council of elders was with him.

“Because we will pay the price for what happened to those men, Hirotada. You may be the Headman and village blacksmith.” Kiyota snarled as he slammed his tankard down on the bar counter. “But I am the Master for Guild of Guides.” He stood up waving his arm towards the gathered men in the tavern. “We don’t answer to you or the elders. That mountain belongs to those of us who work and die there. Not to you soft living Mauve-Tailed Snakes.”

“Now see here, Master Kiyomasu. We the council of elders make the decisions that govern this village. Not you ruffians in the Guides Guild.” One of the elders roared. “You will do as you’re ordered.”

“Just as you ordered us into the woods to hide. Hide while that Calvary troop took what they wanted. Raped a third of the women in our village. Pillage the warehouses of all our winter food stores.” Kiyota snarled as he pulled his hunting knife from his belt. “Your orders have doomed us to starve. If we had been allowed to stay. None of that would have happened.”

“If you had stayed and defied the Grand Viceroy. He would have ordered his men to kill every one of us. Instead you still live. The winter food stores those can be replaced. We only need to send a detachment of your men to the farmer’s market in Hantāzubirejji for vegetables and rice. The rest of your men can hunt the venison in the upper woods for meat. As for the women. Who cares if a they were used. They’re only women after all. A small price to pay for our lives and homes.” Another elder snapped. “We should have turned those two low lander sluts over to them the moment that the Calvary arrived.”

That was the last straw. The men of the Guides Guild descended on the council of elders in a rage. The six elders died before they had a chance to defend themselves. Only the village Headman was left alive. He alone was not attacked by the men of the Guild of Guides. Kiyota looked down at the scared shitless blacksmith at his feet. “You disgust me Hirotada. I should slit your damned throat and stake your ass out in the center of the town square.”

“What do you plan to do with me?” Hirotada asked of the enraged mountain guide and Guild Master. He knew that without the backing of the village council he had absolutely no power within the village. These men were the ones with the real power now. No, he corrected himself. They always had the power. The village elders only thought they had the power.

“You will get to face the justice of the women you swore you would protect in our absence. The women you turned over to those murderous bastards that called themselves soldiers of the Empire. Katsuuchi, Kunikage, stake this piece of shit out in the village square.” Kiyota ordered the twin brothers that worked as guides on the icefield. “Sadatoki, Norisuke, Hiromoro, Nobunaga, Tadaaki, Kinji, I want you six to round up a crew for each one of the basecamps that are armed. Sadatoki, Norisule, Hiromoro, you three have lower basecamps three through five. Nobunaga, Tadaaki, Kinji, you three have upper basecamps one through three. I’ll round up and lead the crew for basecamp four. Boys, I know that we don’t have enough adults to man all seven basecamps. Take whoever will volunteer.”

“Does that mean we can use the ice-maidens and Storm-brawlers Boss?” Kinji asked referring to the two teenage groups that Setsu and Ren had trained.

“If they’ll go. Then take them. I want those guns manned twenty-four hours a day. Gentlemen we’re shutting down the resort.” Kiyota snarled. Before he could say more the door to the tavern was thrown open.

“BOSS! The Creed of Balance have come down from their shrine on Mount Yuki no kage! The headstones of the Dragon Throne have begun to glow! They say that the true Dragon Empress has returned.” The village warning runner from the Hummingbird pass yelled as he rushed into the room.

“What did you say?!” Kiyota asked in amazement. “Are you sure that is what they said, Naohide? Think boy! I need for you to be sure.”

The teenage boy took a deep breath before telling his boss exactly what the monks had told him. “Yes, sir. The elder Shinsaku was the one leading them down the mountain. He was the one who told me that the head stones were glowing. That they must now find and anoint the new Dragon Empress.”

“Ah shit! Move it people! Get those gun crews to the basecamps. The Emperor is going to come down on us with a sledgehammer.” Kiyota could already see what was going to happen. “Our heads are now in the noose.”

“Hold on here, boss. What do you know that we don’t?” Asked Kinji for the other gathered guides.

“Think about it people. Just a few days ago a full Calvary unit shows up looking for Setsu and Ren. Who we sent up the mountain to hide. Then just the other day a white majestic dragon shows up, then attacks that Calvary troop. We go up the mountain after the attack looking for survivors. Only we find nothing but dead bodies. I went further up the mountain to upper basecamp four. I found tracks for three people and a massive dragon. That was all there was, no sign of Ren or Setsu. Yesterday two companies of Infantry arrive looking to investigate the attack. Now, the true Dragon Empress has returned. That can only mean one thing. Ren is the Dragon Empress. That means the Emperor is going to want this village wiped off the face of the earth. We either stand our ground here or we become nothing more than a footnote in the passage of time.” Kiyota told his gathered guides grimly. “If we’re lucky enough to rate that much. I fully expect that the Emperor will send at least one to two armies at us with armored airship support.”

“How can you expect us to fight against something like that?” Kinji asked.

“The one-oh-fives of the lower basecamps can elevate high enough to engage airships. They may be covered in armor plate, but that doesn’t mean shit against the high explosive rounds those guns fire. They’ll punch right through that two-inch armor as if it were paper. They can also fire six aimed rounds a minute or ten airburst rounds. The one-twenty-fives from the upper basecamps can rain down death and destruction across every valley pass for twenty miles. Nothing can escape their destructive power in the narrow passages of this prefecture. The government knows we have those guns, but they think they’re only good for clearing avalanches. We know better.” Kiyota chuckled as he saw the looks of understanding grace the faces of his men. “All thanks to Setsu. We owe her and Ren. Now we need to repay them. We buy our new Empress the time to consolidate her forces. We do that by tying down as many of the Emperor’s forces for as long as possible. Along with saving our own sorry asses in the process.”

“Sir, you said that you expect the Emperor to send one or two armies at us. How do you figure that?” One of the guides asked.

“The Emperor will have to face the Dragon Empress in the Serpent’s gap. That means he’ll have to pull units from Army Group North and East to secure his hold on the Capital. Those two armies will have to travel through this prefecture. That means straight through our village. They cannot let a stronghold for the Dragon Empress remain in their rear area. This whole prefecture is one giant threat to him and his army.” Kiyota slowly explained for his men what Setsu once told him during a night of drinking. “They either secure this area or bypass it. If they bypass us it will add three to four days of travel for any supplies. During the winter that will reach six to seven days because of the winter snows.”

“If they control this area and the basecamp guns. They can move their supplies easier and faster through this region. Even with the normal winter snows.” Tadaaki fleshed out for the rest of the guides. “Okay guys we got our orders. Time to turn Sunōmaunten, and Nagano Prefecture into the fortresses they were named after. We make the Empyreal Army pay in blood for every inch they cover in their march towards our Empress.”

As the men of the Guild of Guides left the Snow Bear tavern Kiyota lit up his pipe. He waited until it was just him and the barmaid, Izumi. “Go ahead Izumi. I know that you’ve been waiting to bust my balls.”

“You know that once we start fighting back that the Army will have to send at least a full army group at us. Do we have enough rounds for those guns to last more than two or three attacks?” The fiery woman demanded.

“I hear you Izumi. As for lasting for more than just a few weeks. We have enough rounds for the one-oh-fives to fire one round from every gun once a minute, twenty-four-hours of the day for six months. I know what you’re thinking. Those rounds are stored in a system of tunnels and shafts underneath each basecamp watchtower. The same is true for the one-twenty-fives. The difference between the two is the one-twenty-five can only be fired once every two minutes under continuous fire conditions. Sure, both types of guns can fire one round every fifteen seconds but that is only for short periods of time. Nothing over ten minutes.” Kiyota explained for Izumi.

“That is not what I’m talking about Kiyota. You, me, and Setsu know what it means to fire a weapon in anger. Those men that just left here have never left this mountain. They don’t know what it means to take a life.” Izumi told him as she walked around the bar to sit down next to the man. “We both know that if we can tie up this region for more than two weeks. The Emperor will be forced to send that cold blood killing bitch Admiral Naka Hisamatsu and her Huntress class airship force.”

“Oh, I know that Izumi. I know that all too well.” Kiyota said as he picked up the fresh beer that Izumi had poured him before settling down. “And she’ll bring the Dirty Succubi with those airships.”

“You do have a plan for those monsters, don’t you?” Izumi asked him. “If not, then this village will become our grave.”

“Don’t worry Izumi. I have a plan for your aunt and her Amazon bitches.” Kiyota took a heavy drink of his beer. “I’ve known who Setsu was from when she first showed up here. I knew exactly why she was here. I’ve been planning for this day ever since. Down in the lower snow sheds are eight special ice sleds. Each is armed with an eighty-eight-millimeter high velocity rifle. Those guns fire a twenty-pound shell at a muzzle velocity of one-thousand meters a second. Each gun has an effective ceiling of eleven-thousand-meters. The Huntress Airships can’t outfly those guns.”

“Where the hell did you get your hands on the eighty-eight’s Kiyota?” Izumi demanded as she fought to stay on her barstool.

Kiyota chuckled. “Remember that military train shipment that overturned four years ago? Well eight of those cars were carrying the eighty-eight’s and their ammo. Enough to bring down the full squadron of Huntress airships.”

“With there being only two ways for those massive airships to approach our village you plan on placing four at each approach.” Izumi chuckled.

“Close Izumi. Remember what I said about them being mounted on sleds.” Kiyota asked Izumi with a smile. “We’ll hold them back until those ships show themselves. We wait until they’re fully inside the Hummingbird or Windsong passes. Then we move them into position to attack.”

“Turning both of those passes into massive kill boxes. Nasty Kiyota, effect, sneaky, deadly, and downright nasty. I like it. Master Yamato would be most impressed with your plan.” Izumi chuckled then cocked her head to the side as she saw the grin on Kiyota’s face. “What am I missing?”

“The plan is not mine, but Setsu’s. She was the one to have us recover those guns and hide them away along with their ammo. Hell, she was the one to point out that the basecamp cannons could be used for more than avalanche control.” Kiyota said smiling from ear to ear.

“Tell me something Kiyota. Just who the fuck is Setsu Suda?” Izumi asked kindly. She had wanted to understand the mysterious woman for years. “Of all the women in the village she was the only one besides her daughter that you and the other guides ever deferred to. So, who is she really?”

“Izumi as it is only us here, I’ll tell you. Setsu Suda was a captain within the Scouts of the Royal Palace Guards. She was once the closest member of that unit to the Royal Family.” Kiyota sighed as he came to the next part. “That was not her daughter she showed up here with all those years ago but the daughter of the first concubine, rightful heir to the Empyreal Throne.”

“How do you know all this Kiyota?” Izumi asked him bluntly.

“I was her Platoon Sergeant until I broke my leg during training. Three months later the doctors declared me unfit for duty and I was discharged. Then a few years later she shows up with the kid.” Kiyota told her. “I didn’t know who the kid’s father was and didn’t care. It wasn’t until she had been here for a few years that I found out. Even then it took me getting her shit faced drunk on some of old man Ishiyama’s moonshine.”

“Damn and they’ve been hiding out here in the backwoods of nowhere at a mountain resort for the rich and dumb. How come no one ever came looking for the kid until now?” Izumi wondered out loud.

“Simple. Until now Ren wasn’t a threat to the Royal line. That worthless half-brother of hers may be older, but his mother isn’t the first concubine. So long as the older Emperor was alive Ren was safe.” Kiyota took a last drink from his beer. “Get me a refill Izumi?”

“Sure, this one is on the house.” Izumi said as she got him a refill. She handed Kiyota his fresh beer with a slight frown. “What changed other than the old Emperor dying?”

“I’m not sure but if I had to guess I would say that the Five Dragon Kings are behind the whole mess. Too much has been happening in the Empire that doesn’t make any sense in the long run. Haven’t you been paying attention to the papers and all the weird shit that has been happening?” Kiyota explained.

“I’m not blind nor am I stupid Kiyota. I’ve seen way too much stupid shit for my liking. The only problem I have with your reasoning is there is no proof that the Dragon Kings have returned.” Izumi countered.

“Remember what old man Yamaha taught us about the signs. Only those who are supposed to see the signs shall see them.” Kiyota told her.

“Ah shit you’re right. Though now that the Dragon Empress has revealed herself. The Dragon Kings along with the current Emperor will have to go after her.” Izumi sighed and reached behind her to the liquor shelves. She pulled down a bottle of Liberian Whiskey and poured herself three fingers worth into a rocks glass. “And we’re stuck right in the path of the Emperor’s pissy mood because his sister was hiding out here in our little village.”

“That about sums things up. Any more questions, Izumi?”

“Just one. Feel like coming home with me?” Izumi asked with a sly smile.

Temple of Revelations, Nagasaki, Nagasaki Prefecture

Temple Elder Yae Hino walked through the doors to the main shrine in a foul mood. She could not believe the maiko assigned to clean the shrine dared to interrupt her diner. The very idea that the Golden Dragon Idol would turn its head and open its mouth after two centuries was ridiculous.

“Ryo what is this stupidity you’ve been…” Yae stopped in midsentence as her eyes fell upon the twenty-five-foot-tall and seventy-five-foot-long golden dragon statue. Yae fell to her knees and clasped her hands as if to pray. “Ryo, I need you to head for the Temple of Secrets. Talk to Elder Koyo Azuma. Tell him what you have seen here. Nikki you’re to head for the Temple of Forbidden Knowledge. There you are to talk with Elder Kisa Araya. No matter what girls tell no one else of what you have seen here.”

“Yes, Mistress.” Both teenage girls said at the same time as they bowed. Both girls rushed from the Temple and into the evening sunlight.

“May the Goddess Zennyo Ryūō provide you with swift wings, children.” Yae said to no one as she prayed to the golden idol of her Goddess.

“They will have no need of my power to reach their destination, Elder Yae.” The voice was rich, feminine, and filled with power. Yae’s eyes shot up to the head of the idol as a soft white light appeared to surround the dragon’s head. “You have done well my daughter. The time has come for you to teach the great secrets that have been hidden with this temple.”

“As you command my Goddess. Who shall I give those secrets to?” Yae asked.

“There is a group of warriors deep within the Dark Forest Hills. You and only you can go to them. You must wait until nightfall. Carry only the weapons of a novice maiko. Nothing more. No food. No water. These things shall only slow you down. You most travel alone.” The Goddess told her.

“As you command my Goddess. What instructions should I leave for my two maiko upon their return?” Yae asked with concern for the teenage girls.

“They will not be returning to this Temple, Elder Yae. Their destinies lie outside of these walls. They too shall head into the wilderness in search of warriors for the Dragon Empress. They shall guard the other witnesses. The time has come for the Sisters of this Temple to uphold their sacred duty.” With one final warning the light fades. “The Empress needs her warrior poets. Make haste my Teacher. Time grows short.”

Yae didn’t even think twice. She rushed from the main shrine to her room. There she changed into the more traditional attire of a miko. She wore a pair of red hakama and a white kosode kimono robes. With sure hands she tied her hair back with red and white hair ribbons. Taking a velvet bag from her closet she removed the traditional tools of a miko. This included her azusayumi and arrows. The last thing she did was to drop her original set of Shinto prayer beads around her neck. Yae left her gehōbako the ‘supernatural’ box in the closet. She knew that she wouldn’t need the mystical tools that lay within the rosewood box.

She crossed the entrance to the temple as the last rays of sunlight faded away to revel the star filled night sky. As Yae exited Nagasaki and entered the woods that surrounded the city the moon was just rising over the horizon. She had traveled long and hard through the night. At 64 Yae Hino had pushed her body almost to the breaking point. At just past noon Yae found a small cave to catch a few hours of sleep. She woke just before sunset that evening. Yae knew that she had another full night’s travel before reaching the Dark Forest Hills. She knew that there would be one river and a few streams between her and her goal; she would be able to get plenty of water. The Goddess said that all would be provided in her journey.

Even as Yae was working her way towards Dark Forest Hill two other journeys were begun. From the Temple of Secrets Elder Koyo Azuma had also set out on his own journey of revelation. He had a far different destination than Yae. The Dragon God King Ryōjin had charged him with finding the Bold Arrows. One of the most feared outlaw band of mercenary warriors. At the Temple of Forbidden Knowledge, it would not be the Elder Kisa Araya who would undertake the journey but the very inexperienced novice maiko Nikki Sonoda. Armed only with the Sacred Texts, bow, prayer beads, and hope Nikki set off to find the Lost Battalion of the Velvet Vanguard. At one time the most powerful of Calvary Divisions, now nothing more than a legend.

Military Central Command

General Benkei Suguro could not believe the orders from his Emperor. He had to read them for a fourth time to be sure he wasn’t going insane. Looking over at his aid de ’camp. “Are you sure these orders came from the Emperor?”

“Yes sir. I had the operator decoded them three times.” The aid answered with a deep bow from the waist. “We are to gather the two Northern Army Groups along with all three of the Central Army groups in the Serpent’s gap. All Army Groups are to put down any signs of rebellion in their redeployment to the gap. Northern Army Group Two is to lay waste to the village of Sunōmaunten, within the Nagano Prefecture. The Admiral Naka Hisamatsu and her Huntress class airship force along with the Dirty Succubi are to provide support to this operation. In the words of the Emperor the entire village of Sunōmaunten is under a Royal Death Sentence. It is to be totally removed from the annals of history.”

“I have read the damned orders Captain. The question was rhetorical. I just cannot believe that the Emperor has so casually turned the might of the Military on our own people. We are meant to be protectors not oppressors.” Suguro snapped as he looked once at the damnable orders before him. “This is supposed to be our age of enlightenment. Yet here we are rushing headlong towards a system of cruelty and subjugation. Why hasn’t the Parliament taken steps to put a halt to the Emperor’s campaign of oppression?”

“Permission to speak freely sir?” the Captain asked just to receive a nodded head answer from Suguro. “Sir, I believe that the First Cabinet Ministry has found a way to subvert the Parliament’s power. I truly believe that so long as the Emperor continues to appease those men and their fellow elitists. The common man will remain oppressed by the current regime.”

“Tell me something Captain. How is it you come to have such a revolutionist point of view? Are you also not one of the elites?” Suguro asked with a sly smile knowing he had the young man cornered in his educational snare.

“It is far from a revolutionist point of view sir. Those are the words for a speech that you gave just five years ago at the Imperial Military Academy. You were giving a lecture on the responsibility of the military high command. Especially the responsibility to the commoners.” The Captain smiled knowing that the General had just used that moment to teach him something very important in the ways of life.

“Very good Captain. I am pleased to see that you remember your lessons. Now, I give you one more question. We have been given an order by our Supreme Commander. One that by all rights is unlawful. Yet we have no reason to disobey that order legally. As that order has been given to put down a potential revolt. A revolt that is being led by what is possibly the rightful ruler of this nation. How would you go about ensuring that we carried out the orders yet still kept the full might of the army out of the conflict?” Suguro knew that he was playing with political fire by asking this young man how to get away with disobeying an order from the Emperor.

“Sir. I would exploit the same weakness that all armies and navies have sir. I would target the communication network for that military force. As the old proverb says. ‘For want of a hammer the nail stuck out. For want of shoe the horse stumbled. For want of a horse the rider failed to deliver the message. For want of the message the war was lost.’ Strick at the message and the war is lost.” The Captain gave Suguro a truly sly smile with his answer.

“Be sure to pass the message along to the correct unit commands, Captain.” Suguro might as well used his fingers for the air quotes. The young Captain had heard the General raise hell about certain units more than once. Units that he and more than a few other members of the General Staff had bitched about wanting them gone. Units that were only loyal to the Minister of the Military and Emperor. “And Captain makes sure that those units are on the list. You know which list I’m talking about.”

“I’ll see to it personally sir.” The captain said with a bow. As he turned to leave he stopped at the door. “Sir what about the orders for Admiral Naka Hisamatsu’s airship force and Dirty Succubi?”

Sugura thought about what his aid was asking. “They’re the only units to receive orders for the attack on Sunōmaunten. If you know anything about, the people who live in that area, then you would know that an attack on that village is nothing more than a suicide mission. Sending regular troops through those passes will only get them killed needlessly. Those Snow Devils will cut them down before they ever get within range to fight back.”

“Excuse me sir. I know this is going to sound like I’m not paying attention, but how the hell can that be?” The Captain asked with real confusion. “Surely the accompanying artillery can reach the village with little or even no difficulty. Long before those villagers can mount a defense.”

“Captain have you ever read the reports on the repulsed bandit attacks from that region?” Suguro asked the young man. When the Captain gave him a look of confusion Suguro sighed. “Almost all of those mountainside basecamps are armed with one-oh-five or one-twenty-five rifled cannons. At those altitudes they can rain down steal and fire over the entire prefecture.”

“My God! It would be like attacking the Mount Kazuma Fortress. The only way to hit that place is from the air.” The Captain crocked out.

“Worse, Captain. From the upper basecamps they can even prevent armored airships from entering that prefecture. Just by firing across the valley at the next mountaintop. That whole damned prefecture is one massive natural defensive fortification. One that has only once been taken by force once.” Suguro told his aid harshly. “During the time of the first Dragon Empress.”

“Oh shit! You fully expect the Admiral and her minions to be wiped out to the last man. Sir! How can you be so ruthless?! With right commander those troops can be turned around!” The Captain knew he had to try and save the few good soldiers within the Dirty Succubi.

“Captain this is one time that the part must be sacrificed to save the whole. I know that there are some good troopers in that unit, but not enough to salvage the unit. Far too many of those troopers have let their status twist their ideals. As much as I hate to say this about the Admiral, she has done more harm to the moral of those troopers than anything else.” Suguro said as he turned towards his office window. “Close the door Captain.”

The aid did as ordered and returned to stand next to Suguro. “I want you to understand something Captain. What we are about to do is treason. We could both swing from the gallows before the end of the day. What we do we must do to save our nation and its people. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

“I have known that something must be done from the moment I first read those orders sir. As for you ending up at the gallows. Put that thought from your mind. I shall ensure that there is enough separation between you and those of us who must end this war before it gets too far out of hand.” The captain told Surugo with a certainty that the older man did not feel.

“No Ryoko. I will not stand by and watch good men die for my ideals. Nor let them face death for a plan that I devised and put into motion. Especially one that is based on my personal beliefs.” Surugo told the young man with far more conviction than Ryoko expected.

Ryoko was more surprised by his General’s passionate words than the use of his first name. Until now, he thought the General didn’t even know his name; bowing from the waist Ryoko promised this man his loyalty. “I shall stand by you to the end, my General. If it be victory or death.”

Surugo stood up and walked over to his filing cabinet. Opening the top drawer, the old General pulled out a bottle of Liberian Whiskey and two glasses. After filling them with two fingers each. He handed one to Ryoko. Raising his glass in salute to the young man Surugo smiled. “Death before dishonor.”

“Death before dishonor, sir.” Ryoko said as he touched his glass to the General’s. the two men downed the whiskey than crushed the glasses beneath the heels of their boots. Ryoko looked the General in the eyes. “I’ll make sure that the correct units receive their orders, sir. I and my classmates will not fail you or the people of this nation.”

“Ryoko, tonight we step into history. Only time will tell if we are villains or heroes. Let us hope that the Dragon Empress wins or that the Emperor never finds out what we are about to do.” Suguro told the young man honestly. “Remember that the histories are written by the victors.”

“In that case sir. I would like to leave you with a few parting words. I heard them from the Liberian Military Attaché, Chief Warrant Officer Charlie Owens. He said ‘Die a hero or live long enough to become the villain’.” Ryoko answered back with a nasty smile.

“Then let us live long enough to become the true villains my young friend.” Surugo picked up the whiskey bottle then took a drink straight from the bottle. Suguro handed the bottle to Ryoko who took his own drink. Suguro took the bottle back took another drink then gave Ryoko his own nasty smile. “And what villains we shall be, my young friend.”

“Black as our armor sir. Black as the night skies.” Ryoko said with a smile of pride for his General.
-----tbc-----