Home Forum About Us Spoilers Tourneys Members Member Bios Fiction Decks Extras Links

The Legions: Bios Crab Crane Dragon Yoshi Togashi Yokuni Mirumoto Satsu The Kazaq Hitomi Sanzo Lion Mantis Nezumi Phoenix Scorpion Unicorn Shadowlands Other Yoshi: Shadow of the Dragon Yoshi, formerly known as Togashi Yoshi, first appeared in Imperial Edition. During the thousand year reign of Togashi as Dragon Clan Champion, few Kolat were ever able to infiltrate the clan. Yoshi was a rare exception. A shugenja of the Togashi order, early in his youth he made a pilgrimage to a temple in the northern mountains. There, he encountered Kolat recruiters who convinced him of the nobility of their cause. He remained among them for years, undergoing training and mental conditioning in hopes that he might be able to slip past the Dragon Champion's unerring ability to ferret out and destroy Kolat agents. Togashi Yokuni visited Yoshi only one week after his return, revealing that he knew exactly what Yoshi was. Further, he revealed that he would do nothing to hinder Yoshi's attempts to gather information on the Dragon. Even the Kolat, he claimed, served a purpose and Yoshi was a part of that purpose. Though stunned and confused by Yokuni's revelations, Yoshi continued to serve the Kolat as best he could, revealing nothing of the fact he had been discovered, fearing that the Kolat would simply distance themselves or even have him assassinated to cut their losses. He came to a dark realization that the freedom the Kolat offered was false, yet to betray them now would bring certain shame and death. During the War Against the Darkness, Yoshi was among the first to flee the Dragon when Hitomi began her purge of the Togashi family. While he had always feared Yokuni's enigmatic omniscience, Hitomi's unpredictable wrath was an even greater threat. To his dismay the Kolat soon visited Yoshi, demanding that he return to his place among the Dragon so that he could continue to serve his purpose as an agent among them. Yoshi reluctantly gave up his name and obeyed the commands of his Kolat masters. Upon his return, he found Hitomi waiting. She, like Yokuni, had been aware of his true affiliations. Unlike Yokuni, she was not quite so prepared to allow him to continue his Kolat activities unsupervised. Hitomi inscribed tattoos upon Yoshi's flesh that bound his will to her own. If he would serve the Kolat, it would be by her terms alone. Yoshi found himself a helpless servant of Hitomi until his death at the Battle of Oblivion's Gate. As Hitomi has returned to serve in the Legion of the Dead, Yoshi's restless spirit finds itself still bound to her will. He now marches beside the heroes, uncertain if he will ever truly be free or if he will eternally be bound to serve the will of another. Perhaps this will be his time to find out. *** Chaos reigned in the Dragon mountains. Hitomi, Lady of the Dragon and wielder of the Obsidian Hand, seemed to have gone mad. She had driven the Togashi before her like the wind, expelling them from their lands for no discernable reason and slaughtering them when they failed to flee swiftly enough. None could find logic in her actions, and yet many had chosen to obey. She was their lord - and such was the duty of a samurai. Togashi Yoshi clutched his travel sack and stood on the winding mountain path. He glanced back up at the High House of Light, now simply called Kyuden Hitomi. Once it had truly lived up to its name, and had seemed to radiate a serene radiance from within. Now, it stood strangely shadowed in the midday sun. There was an ominous presence there, a feeling of foreboding that even the most obtuse, unenlightened mind could not help but feel pressing against their soul like a cage of iron. Yoshi turned from the castle and stared down the path to the foothills below. They were likewise ominous, but with uncertainty rather than a sense of imminent doom. Yoshi's true masters, the Ten Masters, lay somewhere in the world beyond, though he had not seen or spoken directly to them in many years. They would doubtless have many questions for him, and possibly a new assignment. Could he cast aside all he had accomplished and come to know over the past decade? He was uncertain. He was not a young man, and he no longer believed so strongly in the Kolat cause as he once had as a youth. Yoshi stared at the tiger tattooed upon his inner wrist. Among the ise zumi, such an image was completely unremarkable. None had any notion as to the allegiance it signified. Not for the first time in recent days, Yoshi wondered if there was any true allegiance left within him. He had been forced to cast aside the name Togashi, just as he had cast aside another name long ago. Now, he could choose to remain and serve a master whose cause might well be insane, but who would allow Yoshi to achieve his own destiny. Or he could leave, and accept whatever destiny came to the pawn of his powerful, enigmatic masters. Was uncertainty worth the risk of death? Was certainty worth the price of emptiness? If Hitomi was truly mad, then did it benefit the Empire to rob her of the guidance he might offer? What if he could steer her back to clarity? And what of the Kolat, who believed that mortal men could come to wield the power of gods? Was not Hitomi's example a warning of the dangers of such a philosophy? Togashi Yoshi died then. The shugenja dropped his travel sack on the mountain path beside the golden haori bearing his family mon. Hitomi Yoshi ascended the mountain and pledged his loyalty to the Dragon Champion once more. The mists parted, and Yoshi rose stood on the Plains of Thwarted Destiny again. He could sense that he had been given a second chance, a chance to face his destiny once more. This time, he had not failed. He looked up into the eyes of his goddess, and Hitomi nodded imperceptibly in approval. It was more than he deserved, and he felt overwhelmed by the gesture. Hitomi Yoshi bowed deeply before his Lady and rose to rejoin the Legion of the Dead. Togashi Yokuni: The Dragon's Host Togashi Yokuni first appeared in Imperial Edition. Kami Togashi lived many lives as numerous Dragon Champions and bore many names. Many tales are told about him, but much less is known about the men and women who bore those names before. Togashi, like all the Kami, was not truly immortal. To remain in the mortal world, a necessity so that his wisdom might guide the Seven Thunders against his cursed brother Fu Leng, he was forced to renew his mortality by adopting new mortal bodies. This could only be done voluntarily, and only a select few had the potential to house a spirit as mighty as Togashi. These few are known among the Dragon as the tamashii, the most powerful and enlightened of all tattooed men. Yokuni was the last of these, the man whose name and form Togashi bore on the Day of Thunder. His tale is untold, the mysteries of his life before he sacrificed himself for the good of the Empire are still unknown. All the same, he stands beside the other heroes of the past, ready to give everything for an Empire that will never understand him. *** All around, the Legion of the Dead made preparations for war. The future was uncertain. Even if they triumphed here, none truly knew what fate awaited them in this strange new realm. Yet they had no choice but to destroy the Legion of Blood and open Oblivion's gate. Yet one soldier's thoughts were not on the task ahead. The Dragon sat apart from the others, hands clasped before him, head bowed in despair. The Legion would leave within the hour, and he would march beside them. Yet how could he fight when he had already failed? "What troubles you, Satsu-san?" a familiar voice asked him. Mirumoto Satsu stirred from his musing and looked up to see a large tattooed man standing nearby. He wore a sad smile and his golden eyes shone with wisdom. "I do not believe we have met," Satsu whispered. "We have, yet we have not," the man said cryptically. "In life, I bore the name Yokuni." Satsu rose at once, then knelt. "Forgive me, Togashi-sama. I did not realize you marched among the Legion." "No," Yokuni said, signaling for Satsu to rise. "I am not Togashi. I am Yokuni. I was tamashii, one of those blessed with the ability to house the Kami's soul. I granted our lord my name and my body, though I died in doing so." "Ah," Satsu said. "Then I commend you. Not all men can make such a noble sacrifice." He bowed low then returned to his seat upon a nearby stone, staring into the distance once more. "Sacrifice," Yokuni mused as he sat beside him. "I understand that you are no stranger to sacrifice." "I did only what I was required to do," Satsu replied. Yokuni chuckled. "You are too modest, friend. I know of the vision Togashi offered you before you faced Hida Yakamo on the day of your death. I know the choice you made, to die so that the Empire would live." Satsu said nothing. "I can only assume that when this realm forced you to relive your destiny that you faced that choice again," Yokuni added. Satsu looked at Yokuni, his face ashen. "I do not deserve to march beside the Empire's heroes," he said. "I have failed, Yokuni-san." "Oh?" Yokuni asked raising an eyebrow. "How so?" "In my vision, the Air Dragon came to me," Satsu said. "He told me that if Hida Yakamo survived, my sister would fall to madness and the Dragon Clan would suffer… In my vision, I killed the Crab Thunder to prevent that future." "Of course you did," Yokuni answered. Satsu scowled. "You mock me?" he retorted. "I chose to risk every life in the Empire for the sake of my sister's soul! How can I stand among these heroes when I have done such a thing? I do not deserve to be samurai!" Yokuni smiled. "Why do you say that?" he asked. "How could you suggest otherwise?" Satsu answered. "Everything the Air Dragon said was true, but I underestimated Hitomi's strength. She rose above her madness. She became the Lady Moon, for the Fortunes' sake. I chose poorly! I failed Togashi!" "How?" Yokuni asked. "I disobeyed him. I slew the Crab Thunder." "But Togashi never commanded you to spare Yakamo, he gave you a choice," Yokuni replied. "I think perhaps he knew the choice was impossible. I think he knew that either fate would be dire. Perhaps there was no ‘correct' choice, Satsu." "Then why did the Shadow Dragon influence my vision?" Satsu answered. "Why did he drive me to kill Yakamo?" "The Shadow Dragon is a creature of deception," Yokuni said. "Fear, desire, and regret are the weapons it uses to defeat a samurai. The Shadow Dragon enticed you to choose a path different than you chose in life… but who knows where that path would have led? It does not matter. It is enough that you are left to wonder if your decision was the correct one. Now all the dragon must do is leave you to your doubt… and Hitomi is robbed of her most loyal defender." "In your own vision, Yokuni-san, what did you face?" Satsu asked, looking at the monk intently. Yokuni grinned. "I relived the day that I told my mother I was leaving home to join the Order of Togashi," he replied. "Does that surprise you? Did you expect I would relive the day that I gave my life so that our Kami could survive? That was never a choice at all, Satsu. Just because something is important does not mean that it is difficult… but it is the difficult choices that truly define us." Satsu was silent for a long time. "Let me ask you this, Satsu-san," he said. "Is it wicked to wish to save your sister's soul?" Satsu said nothing. "Is it dishonorable to prevent the deaths of your kinsmen?" Satsu looked at his sister, standing among Goemon's council. "Would a true Mirumoto allow himself to be defeated in such an ignoble manner?" Yokuni asked. "Will you let doubt consume you and see the Shadow Dragon triumph?" "No," Satsu said in a low voice. "I will not." "Then let us prepare for battle," Yokuni said. "I, for one, will be proud to fight beside you, my friend. How could Lady Moon falter, with such a brother by her side?" The two men rose, and moved to join their brethren among the Legion of the Dead. Mirumoto Satsu: Master of the Riddle Mirumoto Satsu first appeared in Scorpion Clan Coup (Scroll Three). The elder brother of Mirumoto Hitomi and Mirumoto Daini, Satsu embodied everything a Mirumoto strives to be. He was cunning, philosophical, loyal, and deadly with his two blades. Few doubted that the Mirumoto would see a golden age under his rule, until destiny intervened. After a misunderstanding in the court blossomed into a heated insult, Mirumoto Satsu challenged Hida Yakamo, son of the Crab Champion, to a duel. Yakamo brashly accepted Satsu's challenge, despite the Dragon's reputation as an unparalleled swordsman. Yet as Satsu prepared for the duel, he received an unexpected visitor - Togashi Yokuni, the Dragon Champion. Yokuni shared with Satsu a vision of the future. In one vision, Satsu won his duel. Yakamo perished, and when the Day of Thunder came... there were only six Thunders, rather than seven. Rokugan feel under the rule of Fu Leng, and a thousand years of darkness began. In the second vision, Yakamo triumphed. Satsu watched his sister begin a path of vengeance that would ultimately consume her - but the Empire was saved. Thus Satsu was presented a choice - save his life and that of his beloved sister, or save the Empire. The choice was not an easy one, but in the choosing Satsu understood the ultimate riddle of the Dragon. To be a Dragon - a great destiny is not always a glorious one, but all must ultimately serve their purpose. Yakamo won the duel, slew Satsu, and began the rivalry that continues between himself and Hitomi to this day. From the Realm of Ancestors, Mirumoto Satsu watched his sister's path into darkness with great sadness, but also with great pride when she finally rose above her madness and ascended to the heavens as Lady Moon. If she would join the Legion of the Dead, he can do no less than stand by her side. *** Satsu knelt before the polished wooden stand where his twin swords rested. It was said that a samurai's soul dwelled within his blade. These particular blades had been wielded by countless Mirumoto daimyo throughout the centuries. Satsu's father had given him the honor of carrying these blades; they resounded with the strength and honor of his most glorious ancestors. Yet if any remnant of their souls remained in these blades now, Satsu could not hear them. He was uncertain if that was a blessing or a curse. His was not truly a soul in need of guidance - if anything he had an excess of it. When he awoke this morning, his course had been clear. Today, he would face the upstart young Crab who had insulted Satsu's wife in a duel of honor. Hida Yakamo would die, all assembled would see the glory of the Mirumoto technique, and life would move on. Then things became slightly more complex. Togashi Yokuni had visited Satsu in these same chambers, and revealed a great and wondrous secret. He was not truly the man he claimed to be, but rather the original Kami Togashi - founder of the Dragon Clan. Though Satsu did not doubt his Champion's word, Togashi proved his identity by granting a brief vision of the Celestial Heavens. He saw the Sun and Moon in all their splendor. He saw the unimaginable majesty of the seven dragons of heaven. Yokuni also showed Satsu a reflection of the future that might be, of a day when Fu Leng escaped from his prison. That time was swiftly approaching. The descendants of the Seven Thunders would stand against him and save Rokugan from the foul corruption of Jigoku. Hida Yakamo was one of them. Togashi Yokuni gave no command; he left the choice to Satsu. The only true option was clear - Satsu must allow Yakamo to kill him so that all of Rokugan could be saved. As he continued to meditate upon his blades, strange images flickered at the corner of his vision. Satsu turned quickly, and caught his breath as he saw twisted images form from the shadows. He saw the bright, happy spirit of his sister crushed by his death. He saw a deep wedge driven into his family from the vengeance that consumed her. He saw her face Yakamo in battle, only to be hideously maimed. He saw a terrible darkness take root within his sister's soul, consuming her with madness. He saw the Togashi monks murdered by the hundreds. He saw the madman, Kokujin, reign over the High House of Light. He saw the Dragon Clan suffer. "What is this?" he demanded. A shape wove itself from the darkness. Satsu recognized it from the earlier vision Yokuni had granted him - the Dragon of Air. The dragon looked at Satsu with sad eyes. "Yokuni means well, Satsu-san, but he has not shown you the entire truth. This vision is no less real than the one Yokuni offered. He wished to protect you from this." Satsu sensed no deceit in the creature's words, but he was uneasy nonetheless. "But if I kill Yakamo, will not all of Rokugan suffer?" he whispered. "Perhaps," the Air Dragon replied, "but do the Crab not have other heroes who share the Thunder's blood? Even if Yakamo fell surely his brother, Sukune, would be able to fight in his stead?" "Why would Yokuni not mention such a possibility?" Satsu demanded. "Because it is uncertain," the Air Dragon admitted. "Togashi knows only that Yakamo is Rokugan's best hope... If Yakamo lives, Fu Leng stands a good chance at defeat - though even then nothing is certain. If Yakamo dies, the Thunders may yet defeat Fu Leng without him… but your death will transform your sister into a monster and wound your family in a way that cannot heal. This I promise." "The choice you offer is impossible," Satsu replied. "Risk the Empire or damn my family?" The Air Dragon bowed its head sadly. "Yet I could not, in good faith, allow you to make the choice without knowing everything. I have faith that you will do what must be done." The Air Dragon vanished into darkness with a mournful sigh. Satsu stared at the blades of his ancestors for a long time without movement or sound. At last, his decision made, Mirumoto Satsu took up his swords and made his way to the courtyard to kill Hida Yakamo and save his sister's soul. The Kazaq: The Lost Son The Kazaq first appeared (as Hitomi Kazaq) in Hidden Emperor 3. Among the Naga, most hatchlings are raised communally by all Naga, thus is rare that any Naga traces his line directly to his parents. The young Naga known as Kazaq was an exception. His father was the Qamar, once known as the Isha, leader of all the Naga bloodlines, second only to the Qatol himself and the most respected hero of his people. The Qamar had high hopes for his son, who even in his youth proved not only to be exceptionally courageous, intelligent, and strong but was also born with the gift of prophecy. In his dreams, he saw glimpses of the future, and if he acted swiftly enough he found he could prevent dire events from occurring. One day Kazaq saw a particularly grim vision. A Dragon named Hitomi dragged the Pale Eye from the sky. Her actions sent the Bright Eye bleeding to its grave. For twenty-seven days darkness and madness consumed the Empire. Life became death, death became life, and all was changed forever. Hoping to prevent this horrible event, Kazaq took a delegation of Naga to Kyuden Hitomi and demanded that she step down from leadership of the Dragon Clan until the Naga could help her understand and control her new powers. Hitomi refused Kazaq's aid and sent him away. While traveling back to the Shinomen, Kazaq and his party were ambushed by the mad tattooed man, Kokujin. Kokujin killed Kazaq's guards and enslaved him with his tattoos, forcing him to become a willing servant of Hitomi. Though Hitomi did not approve of Kokujin's actions, she had become convinced that she needed Kokujin's aid to overcome the power building within her. Kazaq was accepted into the ranks of the Dragon and a terrible war between Dragon and Naga began as the Qamar sought both to rescue his son and prevent Kazaq's vision from coming to pass. When Hitomi realized Kokujin had become more of an enemy than a friend she cast him from her sight. She attempted to undo the magic he had performed on Kazaq and make amends with the Naga people, but it was too late. Kazaq had become permanently separated from the Akasha, technically an abomination in the eyes of his people. The Qamar cared little for such tradition and encouraged his beloved son to return to the city of Siksa and be welcome. The Kazaq refused, unwilling to be constantly reminded of all he had lost. Wandering alone, Kazaq's visions of the future often led him to those who were in need. He did what he could to aid them, bringing peace and hope even to those who were terrified of his inhuman form. He died in the War of Spirits, defending a helpless peasant village from the Steel Chrysanthemum's armies. Severed from the Akasha, his soul floated free upon the Spirit Realms like a cork cast upon the ocean. As in life, he goes where his visions lead. His latest vision is one of hope. The battle to come will be terrible, he knows, but also offers the hope that he might be reunited with the Akasha once more. That vision has led the Kazaq to Yomi, where he has joined the Legion of the Dead. *** The Kazaq tossed and turned in his sleep. Most of his people slept soundly in tightly coiled bundles in temples or trees throughout the forest, but peaceful rest was rare for the Qamar's son. The young Naga had always suffered from unusual visions during dream. He awoke with a start, his fangs bared in an instinctual response that even his civilized upbringing could not repress. A gentle inquiry filtered through the group consciousness that Kazaq shared with his people. His father had felt his disturbance and reached out even in sleep, inquiring after his son's well-being. Kazaq radiated a sensation of calm that he did not truly feel, and felt his father's awareness diminish back into sleep. The vision had been bleak. A Dragon named Hitomi had dragged the Pale Eye from the sky. For twenty-seven days, darkness ruled the earth. A new being, a beast forged of the stuff of heavens and the heart of the Foul, reigned over the mortal world from the darkness. The balance between light and darkness was thwarted and all began a spiral into ruin… And, worst of all, the greatest heroes of the mortal realm did not seem to notice. He knew of this Hitomi. She one of the greatest heroes of the human Empire. Surely she would not wish for such a thing to come to pass. Such a trip would be dangerous, of course. Even though the Naga were now allies of Rokugan there were many humans who did not understand, who saw them as monsters. There was no time to dwell on the danger - how much greater danger would there be if he did not warn them? He must waste no time. Kazaq rose from his curled heap of bedding and reached for his spear. As his hand clasped around its haft, the scene around him twisted and melted away, replaced by the grey plains of Thwarted Destiny. Strange tattoos crawled over his arms and body. He remembered his life and death. He remembered the time after, his soul wandering tormented and alone, severed from the Akasha. He remembered the face of the broad-shouldered Naga who now stood before him, beaming with pride. "Father," he said, surprised. Isha said nothing. Kazaq realized then that he sensed approval from his father and understanding. Not through the mere body language and empathy he had learned in his time among the humans, but through the true bonds of the Akasha once more. "How can this be?" he whispered. "The Fortune of Rebirth has witnessed your destiny and the choice that you have made," Isha replied. "She has seen that it was the Lying Darkness' influence upon Hitomi that severed you from the Akasha. Embracing your own destiny once more has allowed her to draw upon the power of this realm to correct what has gone astray... you are returned to us, my son." Kazaq was overwhelmed with so many emotions he could not speak. He merely closed his eyes and bathed in the joy and happiness of an infinite sea of Naga souls, welcoming back one of their own. Then Kazaq opened his eyes. There would be time for happiness later. "Father, I have remembered my vision," he said. "The one about Hitomi." "Yes, I remember it too," Isha replied. "You did all that you could to prevent it, but do not blame yourself. In the end, Lady Hitomi possessed the strength to rise above the darkness - she did not become the monster that you believed she would be. Your vision has not come to pass." "No, father," Kazaq said, shaking his head rapidly. "You do not understand. Hitomi never was the beast forged of the stuff of heavens and the heart of the Foul - she merely aided in its creation." Isha's eyes widened as he recognized the full import of his son's words. "Father," Kazaq whispered. "My vision has come to pass." Hitomi: Lady Moon Mirumoto Hitomi first appeared in Imperial Edition. Hitomi was the daughter of the Mirumoto daimyo and younger sister of Mirumoto Satsu, one of the Dragon Clan's finest warriors. When Satsu was slain in a duel with Hida Yakamo, Hitomi dedicated her life to revenge. An intense, solitary, and reclusive girl, she had no time for the rule of her family but instead passed those responsibilities to her brother, Daini. When she finally encountered Yakamo, she took his hand in personal battle. He returned shortly thereafter, the hand replaced by an oni's claw, and crushed her right hand as well. Bayushi Kachiko offered Hitomi a gift to replace her hand, a magical obsidian claw hidden by the Scorpion for centuries. On the Day of Thunder, Hitomi discovered she was destined to be one of the Seven Thunders. She also learned that her enemy, Yakamo, was also a Thunder, and that her brother purposefully lost their duel so long ago so that Yakamo could fulfill his destiny. She likewise did not slay Yakamo when she had her opportunity on the Day of Thunder, instead aiding him by destroying the oni that had taken his name. During their confrontation with Fu Leng, Hitomi tore the Twelfth Black Scroll from Togashi Yokuni's chest and opened it, allowing Fu Leng to finally be defeated. After the Day of Thunder, Hitomi retreated to the mountains of the Dragon. She seemed to have inherited some of Togashi's divine power, and began making her own tattooed men as he once did. With each day that passed, her obsidian hand extended its influence over more of her body. She soon learned that the hand had once been a part of Lord Moon, and that sinister god was slowly exerting its influence over her, working with a sinister force called the Lying Darkness to destroy the Empire. Seeking to balance Togashi and Onnotangu's control over her, she turned to the exiled tamashii, Kokujin. Unfortunately Kokujin's madness twisted her rule, causing great bloodshed and turmoil within the Dragon Clan. In time, Hitomi learned control and exiled Kokujin. To purge Lord Moon's influence, she enacted an ancient ritual by which she could ascend to Tengoku and confront Onnotangu. Defeating Lord Moon in single battle, she assumed his power and his purpose. She has risen above the anger and vengeance that defined her early life, and now seeks to guide others along the path of enlightenment. Yet she is a samurai still, and as the call to battle echoes through the Spirit Realms, even Lady Moon finds that she cannot stand idle. Will she confront her old rival Yakamo once more? Will she face the darkness that once nearly consumed her? Anything is possible, but she knows no fear. *** The Dragon looked down at the obsidian hand Kachiko had given her with some measure of uncertainty. A Scorpion's gifts were never to be taken lightly, but if what she offered was sincere… vengeance upon the man who had killed her brother, the man who had taken her hand… then was this not worth the risk? But was such risk truly her decision at all? No one else seemed to care about Satsu's death. Her father was too worried about displeasing the Great Bear. Her brother was wrapped up in his idealism; he believed there was no need for vengeance because Satsu had died in a manner befitting a samurai. If she did not avenge her brother, no one would. If this item was trapped or poisoned or cursed and she died, then she would fail and Satsu would never know peace. Then again, what did Kachiko truly have to gain by deceiving her? Hitomi had not lifted a sword against her clan during the Scorpion Coup; she was too young. They were kindred spirits in a way, both seeking vengeance against those who had wronged them and used honor as a shield to justify their despicable acts. She weighed the Obsidian Hand in silence for a long time. Suddenly, she felt a presence in the room around her and the shadows deepened. A pair of burning red eyes lit in the darkness. When Hitomi looked into them, she remembered the goddess she truly was. This was an illusion, a dream woven by the Realm of Thwarted Destiny… and she recognized the creature that faced her now. "Shadow Dragon," she said in a menacing tone. She made to reach for her sword then realized her right hand was still missing. The power of a goddess was still not hers to claim. She was still in the dream, yet still herself. The Obsidian Hand still weighed heavily in her left hand. "Peace, Lady Moon," the Shadow Dragon said in a sibilant voice. "I offer you no violence, only clarity. This Realm demands that each soul relive their moment of destiny, to either choose as they did in life or choose anew." Hitomi looked around the small chamber of the Imperial Palace in bewilderment. "Why this moment?" she demanded. "Why not the Day of Thunder? Why not the Battle of Oblivion's Gate? Why not my duel against Onnotangu? Are those not more important than this?" "Where one arrives is not so important as where one begins," the Shadow Dragon said. Its eyes tipped downward, focusing on the black glass hand she still held. "This Realm will be born anew, a realm of boundless potential or a realm of eternal uncertainty." "Onnotangu's hand was a tool the Lying Darkness," Hitomi whispered. "The source of all uncertainty, the embodiment of Nothing. Have you come here to influence my choice?" Hitomi demanded, eyeing the Dragon suspiciously. "I have come here to complicate your choice," the Shadow Dragon replied. "Think on this, Hitomi. By denying your destiny, you increase the uncertainty that festers in this realm. By accepting the Hand, you acknowledge the Darkness' power and accept it into your soul once again. For you, Lady Moon, there is no correct choice. That is why I have given you back your memory. So you could suffer. Were it not for you, the Lying Darkness would not have risen to power. Were it not for you, I would not have been corrupted and become the blasphemous thing I am now. Whether I succeed or fail here, I take joy in the fact that I have brought you some measure of pain. How does if feel, Hitomi, to fight so strongly for the cause of good, yet be eternally doomed to serve the whims of evil?" Hitomi glared at the Shadow Dragon and did not say a word. Slowly, she lifted the Obsidian Hand to the stump of her right arm. With a searing flash of pain and light, she was whole once more, restored in all her glory as Lady Moon. "Good?" Hitomi replied, advancing on the Shadow Dragon. "Evil? There are no such things." She drew her twin swords. "There is only this." The Shadow Dragon's eyes widened, and it quickly retreated into the darkness whence it came. Briefly, she wondered if she had chosen unwisely. If she had made the wrong choice, she would deal with the consequences when they came. As she always did. Sanzo: The Tragic Ronin Sanzo first appeared in Imperial Edition. Once known as Mirumoto Sanzo, this proud samurai was the protector of a remote mountain village. One fateful day, a band of marauding ogres attacked Sanzo's home. He returned to his village too late to prevent the attack, too late to do anything to aid his people. Overcome by fear, he could not bring himself to fight. He watched in mute horror as his wife and daughter were murdered, while all those he had sworn to protect died at the ogres' hands. He watched as the leader slung his father's swords over his back, swords Sanzo had left behind rather than carry them into the fields with the workers. The beasts trudged into the wilderness, and Sanzo could do nothing. For years Sanzo wandered in a daze, with even his own clan believing him dead. During the Clan Wars, by pure chance, he fell in among a group of others outcast by circumstance -- Tsuruchi Ichiro, Miya Yumi, and the mysterious Koan. Beside them, Sanzo learned some small part of what it meant to be a hero and helped prevent a terrible tragedy from befalling the Empire. Still, he never forgave himself for his failure so long ago. For years he chased death with blind fury, never relenting against the creatures of the Shadowlands. During the War Against the Darkness, Sanzo found the broken shards of the Bloodsword, Ambition. After forging them into a wakizashi, he set out to hunt the ogre that had murdered his family. After a long hunt, he finally confronted his adversary and gained the revenge he had long desired. Sadly, indulging in his bloodlust also gave the bloodsword a measure of control over him. The sword drove him to find and slay the one responsible for the duel that led to its destruction -- Emperor Toturi I. At the time, Toturi and Isawa Kaede were hiding in Phoenix lands as Kaede struggled to help Toturi overcome the Lying Darkness' hold upon him. Sanzo found and attacked the Emperor, wounding him grievously. Before he could kill the Emperor with the Bloodsword, Sanzo regained some measure of control and fled with the sword. He wandered the Empire as a madman for some years before finally succumbing to death. Phoenix shugenja discovered his body and realized that the curse of the Bloodsword had overcome him. The sword and his skull were placed in Gisei Toshi for study, but the fate of Sanzo's spirit was never known. None had been able to commune with his soul in Yomi, nor any of the other Spirit Realms. Now the heroes of old gather to fight the Legion of Blood. A forgotten soul has appeared in their midst, ready to fight those responsible for forging the Bloodswords. His name is Sanzo. *** The Legion of the Dead marched upon Oblivion's Gate, but Sanzo did not stand among them. He could not. Instead, he lingered at the edge of their formations, always just over the horizon and out of sight. Occasionally, he had quietly aided them by dispatching scouts or stragglers from the Legion of Blood. It soothed his troubled soul, to help them. It reminded him of the days of the Clan War, riding beside Koan, Ichiro, and Yumi - the one time in his life when he might have been called a hero. He did not allow such musings to consume him, and always disappeared into the mists if the others tried to approach. They could not find him. He knew this place too well. For the others, this realm was a place of mystery… but he had spent decades wandering it alone, and would remain so as long as he wished. Or so he believed. "Who are you?" Sanzo turned in his saddle to see a young woman clad in orange and red standing close enough to touch him. That she had been able to come so close without making a sound was impressive. "Who are you?" he demanded. "I am Shiba Tsukune, Fortune of Rebirth," she replied, bowing slightly. Sanzo's eyes widened. He gave a deep and respectful bow from his saddle. "I know you are an ally," Tsukune said. "We saw you fighting the Legion of Blood before, but you vanished. Goemon recognized you. He said you were a hero once." The ronin glanced back at the distant Legion and gave a bitter smile. "Then Goemon must have mistaken me for someone else, Fortune. In life I watched my family murdered by foul beasts, but did nothing to save them. I let a cursed sword dominate my soul and struck out at the one man who might have saved a dying Empire. I chased death with blind fury but even death eluded me… at least for a time. I am Sanzo. Do I sound like a hero to you?" "I count others who have done darker deeds as allies," the woman answered, bowing slightly to him, "but I must confess I have not heard of you." "Why would you have?" the ronin said sourly, looking down at Tsukune with a snarl. "I was a failure and a coward, and in the end, an assassin. I was weak in life, and now am restless in death. I am not worth your time, Fortune." "You call yourself weak?" she asked. "You risk yourself alone against an enemy that a legion of heroes fights only with caution." "With all due respect, Fortune," he said with a chuckle, "a man need not be strong to be foolish." Tsukune frowned. "What became of you after you died? Where have you been?" "I have been here," Sanzo answered, gesturing at the empty fields with a broad wave of his arm. "This realm has been my home… but I can feel that it is changing. It becomes more solid, more real by the moment. Even I cannot say what it will become." Tsukune gestured to the white wisps that constantly floated on the edge of one's vision, drifting in and out of the distant fog like a heat vision. "Many souls are trapped here. Most remember nothing of their life, but you can? That is quite remarkable." "I disagree," Sanzo answered. "Memory is not a blessing here." "Sanzo, have you experienced any visions of the past?" she asked, studying his face carefully. "Have you recently relived a moment from your past life?" "No," Sanzo said, seeming confused by the very question. The Fortune's eyes widened. She seemed to look upon Sanzo in a new light. The ronin felt distinctly uncomfortable. "We will soon begin a march on Oblivion's Gate, Sanzo," she said. "I would welcome you to march beside us." "I am nothing," he said. "What can I offer you that Hitomi, Shoju, Kamoko, or Kisada could not?" "You know the battlefield," Tsukune said. "No other soul I know can claim that. Will you help us, Sanzo?" The ronin looked down at the Fortune with an uncomfortable expression. He felt as he did long ago, when he had helped Yumi and the others to escape her wicked cousin. To be needed gave him a sense of hope, but also a sense of dread. What if he failed again? It was a risk, but Sanzo was no stranger to risk. A man who risked nothing had already failed. "I will go with you, Tsukune-sama," he said.