implication that he was unwilling to negotiate, Hoturi took the words at face value, nearly crowing with the closeness of victory. "Then why am I talking to you? Doesn't Tsuko trust you?"
"I do, of course, have authority. I am trusted by my clan and champion." The Ikoma's chest puffed up, and his anger swelled. He opened his mouth to speak again, his jaw widening into an O of provoked emotion, and Hoturi nearly smiled.
Immediately, Kakita Yoshi twisted the man's words again. "Then you can prove your trust by following your words. Withdraw the troops from the lands around Sayo Castle."
Before the Lion could reply, the world fell apart.
A brilliant flash of orange light erupted in the air above him. A thunderous boom followed. Sparks showered down upon the assembled samurai. The light flared too brightly to see.
Hoturi leapt, reaching instinctively for his swords. As he drew the ancestral sword of the Crane, it sounded a pure bell-tone of anger. Magic, he thought, dark magic has done this, and the cost will be bitter.
Blinking rapidly, Hoturi saw old Toshimoko move in front of him, sword drawn and eyes closed.
One Lion shouted. His cry was cut off in a bloody moan. The orange light turned to serpents of flashing mist. Their bloody jaws opened and closed around the Lion samurai's arms.
Suddenly, at the edge of the balcony, four men appeared. They circled around to press their backs to the palace wall, cutting off the entrance to the court chambers. Dressed in the thin black gi of assassins, their eyes narrowed behind thin silk masks. One man motioned wildly, his voice hissing like a snake. The three others drew thin swords and leaped toward Jushin.
"Shinobi! Ninja magic!" Hoturi screamed, lunging toward them. "Toshimoko!"
It was too late. A ninja impaled Jushin from behind with a savage thrust.
Blood trailed from the Lion's mouth. He turned. Using his last strength, he cut through the ninja with a single katana strike. Staggering, jushin stepped toward the next black-clad enemy. His strength failed, and he fell to his knees. More blood rushed from his open mouth.
Toshimoko's katana carved through a second man as he leaped for Hoturi. The ninja's poisoned tanto clattered to the floor. His body parted. The sensei shook the blood from his sword, whirling in a blaze of motion and taking another stance.
Still, the brilliant serpents of light flashed blindingly.
"Hoturi!" Toshimoko called, hearing another body fall. Was it Hoturi or another Lion? Toshimoko shielded his eyes with one hand, squinting past the shimmering light. White hair flashed, and a blue gi moved with a sword strike.
Hoturi still lived.
Whirs of motion through the air became stars of pointed metal. One cut through Toshimoko's gi and thrust into his arm. A second and third missed Hoturi by a fraction. They blurred into the wood support of the balcony and stuck through the beam.
"Sensei!" cried Hoturi as he leapt toward the third ninja.
Toshimoko drew the shard of metal from his arm and threw it disdainfully to the floor.
Seeing the third Lion crumple, Hoturi placed himself between Kakita Yoshi and the poisoned blade of the assassin.
Toshimoko spun toward the wall. His bright blade cut through two magic serpents and sheared across the stone toward the ninja leader.
This was no ordinary assassin but a spellcasting shugenja, who caused the bright lights and distorted images. His spell broken, he leaped away from the Cranes blade and shouted a guttural cry of retreat. Placing his hands behind him on the wall, the shugenja walked upward.
Toshimoko stared in horror.
The man climbed much as a spider. Threads of thick green silk hung from where his hands had been. The ninja's body twisted as he scaled the wall with impossible speed. He laughed, an inhuman sound, and vanished into the darkness above the palace.
The fourth and final ninja, faced with a furious Lion and the steel blade of the Crane Champion, looked once toward his leader. With a loud kiai
"I do, of course, have authority. I am trusted by my clan and champion." The Ikoma's chest puffed up, and his anger swelled. He opened his mouth to speak again, his jaw widening into an O of provoked emotion, and Hoturi nearly smiled.
Immediately, Kakita Yoshi twisted the man's words again. "Then you can prove your trust by following your words. Withdraw the troops from the lands around Sayo Castle."
Before the Lion could reply, the world fell apart.
A brilliant flash of orange light erupted in the air above him. A thunderous boom followed. Sparks showered down upon the assembled samurai. The light flared too brightly to see.
Hoturi leapt, reaching instinctively for his swords. As he drew the ancestral sword of the Crane, it sounded a pure bell-tone of anger. Magic, he thought, dark magic has done this, and the cost will be bitter.
Blinking rapidly, Hoturi saw old Toshimoko move in front of him, sword drawn and eyes closed.
One Lion shouted. His cry was cut off in a bloody moan. The orange light turned to serpents of flashing mist. Their bloody jaws opened and closed around the Lion samurai's arms.
Suddenly, at the edge of the balcony, four men appeared. They circled around to press their backs to the palace wall, cutting off the entrance to the court chambers. Dressed in the thin black gi of assassins, their eyes narrowed behind thin silk masks. One man motioned wildly, his voice hissing like a snake. The three others drew thin swords and leaped toward Jushin.
"Shinobi! Ninja magic!" Hoturi screamed, lunging toward them. "Toshimoko!"
It was too late. A ninja impaled Jushin from behind with a savage thrust.
Blood trailed from the Lion's mouth. He turned. Using his last strength, he cut through the ninja with a single katana strike. Staggering, jushin stepped toward the next black-clad enemy. His strength failed, and he fell to his knees. More blood rushed from his open mouth.
Toshimoko's katana carved through a second man as he leaped for Hoturi. The ninja's poisoned tanto clattered to the floor. His body parted. The sensei shook the blood from his sword, whirling in a blaze of motion and taking another stance.
Still, the brilliant serpents of light flashed blindingly.
"Hoturi!" Toshimoko called, hearing another body fall. Was it Hoturi or another Lion? Toshimoko shielded his eyes with one hand, squinting past the shimmering light. White hair flashed, and a blue gi moved with a sword strike.
Hoturi still lived.
Whirs of motion through the air became stars of pointed metal. One cut through Toshimoko's gi and thrust into his arm. A second and third missed Hoturi by a fraction. They blurred into the wood support of the balcony and stuck through the beam.
"Sensei!" cried Hoturi as he leapt toward the third ninja.
Toshimoko drew the shard of metal from his arm and threw it disdainfully to the floor.
Seeing the third Lion crumple, Hoturi placed himself between Kakita Yoshi and the poisoned blade of the assassin.
Toshimoko spun toward the wall. His bright blade cut through two magic serpents and sheared across the stone toward the ninja leader.
This was no ordinary assassin but a spellcasting shugenja, who caused the bright lights and distorted images. His spell broken, he leaped away from the Cranes blade and shouted a guttural cry of retreat. Placing his hands behind him on the wall, the shugenja walked upward.
Toshimoko stared in horror.
The man climbed much as a spider. Threads of thick green silk hung from where his hands had been. The ninja's body twisted as he scaled the wall with impossible speed. He laughed, an inhuman sound, and vanished into the darkness above the palace.
The fourth and final ninja, faced with a furious Lion and the steel blade of the Crane Champion, looked once toward his leader. With a loud kiai
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