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An Account of the Divine Empress’ Subjects’ Activities during This Time of War
The Fourth Week of the Month of the Tiger, year 1171
Divine Empress,
I know that my reports to you of late have been filled with grim tidings, and for that I feel tremendous regret. Your reign, however brief, has brought tremendous joy and hope to the Empire, and for me to bring you such dismal news so frequently feels like an act of betrayal. I can but report the truth, however; to lie to the Scion of Heaven would be an act of blasphemy that I cannot condone, regardless of its comfort.
The forces of the Dark Oracle of Fire have been more active in the past week, whereas the Destroyers in the south have been largely stymied. A combined force of Lion, Phoenix, and Unicorn remain in place after the conflict with the Great Wyrm, continuing to hold the line against further incursions in that province. Additional incursions have been located in the southern Dragon lands as well as near the Badger Clan provinces. Your most illustrious kinsmen among the Kitsuki dispatched their famed Justicars to deal with one of the incursions, and Berii-sama himself dispatched one of the Son of Fire’s lieutenants. It was, by my herald’s account, a glorious victory that the Dragon sorely needed to bolster their morale in this time of war. Your former clan has suffered much under the onslaught of their traitorous kinsman Chosai, and every victory over his forces is one they celebrate with tremendous fervor.
The situation in the Badger lands is more volatile, I fear. I do not have a complete understanding of the situation, but I suspect you do. What I have been told is that the Lioness Legion arrived in the area under the direction of Matsu Kenji, who herself was being advised by one of your chosen guardians, Matsu Kasei of the Empress’ Guard. My herald believes that they were acting on private orders from you, and that this had something to do with an individual or entity named Oki, whom Kasei instructed Kenji-sama to search for on your behalf. I know no more than this, and do not require further information. I can only tell you that whatever trail the Lion followed into this region in search of Oki appears to have been a trap, because a superior force of Yobanjin ambushed them.
The Lion fought with the valor of a force ten times their size, but the trap was well sprung, and it seemed they would be lost. It was but for the intervention of the famed Shinjo Scouts, a detachment trained and led by Shinjo Dun prior to his departure to the southern front, that arrived to break the Yobanjin line and give the Lioness Legion the opportunity to turn the tables. The Lion’s ferocity paired with the Unicorn’s speed is, I am told, a most potent combination. I hear the southern front has proven this time and time again.
I have on many occasions in the past questioned the honor of the Scorpion Clan. I think that there are many who have done so, even if they are like me in that they have never spoken such things aloud. The repeated selflessness that I have seen from the followers of Bayushi since this terrible series of conflicts began has shamed me deeply for my thoughts against their clan. Never again shall I doubt that the Scorpion are, in their own way, as honorable a clan as follows your divine rule. Only last week they placed themselves at a terrible disadvantage in order to ensure that the greater Empire was not threatened by the nightmarish plague that ravages their own provinces. My heralds report now that the Bayushih forces have sent a detachment to the unaligned lands that separate the Scorpion and Crane lands. Here the Scorpion hope to create a buffer between the two most heavily infected regions of the entire Empire, knowing that in the process the men and women serving in their Elite Guard may never be able to return home.
I am greatly pleased to report to you that the collaboration between the Crab and Mantis continues. It is not my place to say, but from my perspective, the growing bond between the sons of Osano-Wo is a great testament to your reign. So many past dynasties have been filled with conflict between the clans, and for two clans of such headstrong nature, ongoing collaboration of this sort is a tremendous honor in your name. My last two accounts spoke of the actions of the Crab and Mantis in their defense of Clear Water Village, and of their subsequent confrontations with the Destroyers in that region. While the units involved in those conflicts remain along the shoreline in an attempt to keep the region pacified, two other groups that I have mentioned in previous reports, Amoro’s Legion of the Crab and Mukami’s Legion of the Mantis, converged south of the Wall, near the battle with the Crane and Dragon that I described in my last report. An officer named Hida Hebi coordinated the attack on a large group of Destroyers, entrusting the safety of his men to the discriminating fire of Mukami’s Legion. My herald spoke with incredible reverence of the fighting prowess of Hebi’s men, and how the arrows of the Tsuruchi fell among them like rain without striking a single Crab. The Destroyers had no chance for survival, much less victory.
I remain your humble servant.
Miya Shoin
