The Road to Recovery

The Road to Recovery
Examines the struggle of the City of Lies, Ryoko Owari Toshi, and those within it to recover from the ruthless onslaught of the Destroyers.

By Brian Yoon

Edited by Fred Wan

The recent events had devastated much of Ryoko Owari, but Yoritomo Saburo was sure that he would have never visited the building in front of him, even at the peak of its popularity. The paper walls were peeling from its frame, and the mound of trash blocking the way to the front door indicated that the previous owners had abandoned the building long before the unfortunate events that had fallen upon the city. A rank odor of decaying vegetables oozed from within, adding the finishing touch on the distasteful portrait.

He nearly passed by in disgust but his gaze lingered across the front steps. Something about the building felt wrong. He could not point out anything specific about the abandoned store that raised his hackles, but he could not shake the feeling from his bones. He thought he could smell rotten meat, and he did not know if that indicated unfortunate peasants killed since the incident or something much more sinister. With everything he had seen, he could hardly ignore his instincts.

“Akio-san,” he said, dragging out the last syllable as he turned to find her. The young Hiruma was already standing by his side. Her eyes were locked onto the building.

“Good. You’re honing your instincts, Saburo,” Akio said approvingly. “I’ll make a proper Crab of you yet.”

“Then there is something inside the building,” he said.

“Yes,” Akio said. “The evidence is faint but unmistakable, if you know how to decipher the telling hints. It looks like more of the Ghul Lord’s hidden surprises. This one looks dangerous. There may be more zombies in this building than any other hideout we’ve uncovered. We need to be prepared to get our hands dirty.”

Saburo knew better than to question her judgment. She had never led them astray in the numerous encounters they had shared since the destruction wrought against the city. The Hiruma scout seemed to have an almost preternatural sense, finding the Shadowlands lying in the shadows.

“Well done,” Saburo replied. “Can you gather the others? If I cannot convince our friendly magistrate of the gravity of the situation, we will need to go in and finish the zombies ourselves.”

Akio grinned. “I’ll make a proper Crab of you yet,” she repeated and disappeared into the crowd.

The street was usually overflowing with peasants and merchants going about their everyday dealings, but the current section of the Merchant’s Quarter had been blocked away as the samurai attempted to restore the city to its proper glory. Firemen, craftsmen, and Scorpion samurai made up the current crowd as they fulfilled their sobering duties. Saburo’s target stood in the midst of the largest group, as those gathered around him struggled to gather his attention.

“Sihaken-san,” Saburo called out. “A moment, please.”

The Bayushi magistrate turned around at the sound. He gestured his followers away from him with a dismissive wave and approached the new arrival. His mask covered all but his mouth, making an already reserved samurai’s expressions impossible to read. The inscrutability extended far beyond his face. Saburo was still unsure where Sihaken’s true feelings toward his group lay, though they had now been working together for months.

“I have little time and many concerns on my plate, Saburo-san,” Sihaken warned.

“This matter is worth your attention, believe me,” Saburo answered. “My scout has uncovered yet another of the Ghul Lord’s secrets.”

Sihaken gritted his teeth and hissed. “That makes it three within the last month.”

“And five since the death of the creature himself,” Saburo confirmed. “It seems the Ghul Lord had its hooks deep within the city. We’ll be prying them loose as you fix more segments of the city.”

“I will clear my magistrates from the area,” Sihaken said. “Is there anything else you need?”

“I believe we need to take another course of action,” Saburo responded immediately. “My scout tells me that this location hides more Shadowlands threats inside than every other trap we’ve uncovered. The building also seems to be unstable. It could crumble around us while we struggle to deal with the zombies.”

Sihaken did not answer. He simply stared at the Mantis and waited for him to continue.

“We should burn the building and avoid the nasty condition altogether.”

Sihaken shook his head. “You seem to have a taste for overreaction. You also seem to have gained an appetite for burning my city.”

“Sihaken-san, I don’t know if you understand the–” Saburo began to say.
“I’ve seen the wake following your escapades,” Sihaken cut him off. “I also know the threat we are facing. Neither matter. Fire is too unpredictable and too dangerous. I won’t risk the rest of the city to burn out this cancer. We will have to take the slow and reliable approach, with sweat and blood.”

“The firemen are here in force,” Saburo protested. “We can manage the fire before it can spread to the neighboring buildings. If we enter the building it will simply fall to pieces around us. It’s too dangerous.”

“This is the risk you swore to take when you promised you would help clear this city of the Ghul Lord’s creations,” Sihaken reminded him. “I cannot recommend the most drastic and dangerous answer to this problem when a much simpler solution exists. I will support you with some of my men should you decide to enter the building, but I will not allow you to burn out more of the city. Ryoko Owari has suffered enough.”

Saburo walked closer until he stood directly in front of the magistrate. Sihaken did not budge. “We are helping you,” he said quietly.

“Let me be clear, Saburo-san,” Sihaken replied in the same tone. “I still cannot discern your group’s intentions. You are not responsible for the Ghul Lord and its machinations, but I cannot help but wonder if your presence in my city is only exasperating matters.”

Saburo’s eyes narrowed.

“I am not accusing you of anything, Saburo-san,” Sihaken continued. “If I thought you threatened my city, I would have taken action months ago. I am glad you are willing to help, but perhaps your presence here is only worsening matters. The firemen will not agree to even a controlled burn, and neither will I. Do what you must.”

Saburo bowed the very minimum to avoid giving offense. His anger would not allow him to do any more. He abruptly turned away from the magistrate and stamped his way back to the building. The expression on his face let everyone know the results from his discussion. Akio had gathered the entire group at the dangerous building’s front steps. They looked in no better mood than he.

Akio seemed to be the only exception. She smiled as her fingers played over the grip of her tetsubo as she readied for the assault. “Trust me, Saburo-san. This way will help you relieve some stress. Why do you think we Crab are such a cheerful lot?”

* * * * *

Her eyes fluttered open and greeted her with a familiar sight. She had woken up to this ceiling too many times in the past few months. She pulled herself upright, and nodded in relief when the move was unaccompanied by the twinge of pain that had become all too familiar over the weeks.

“How do you feel?” Utaku Kohana’s voice came from behind her.

Isawa Kyoko turned her head and gave a half bow. “The kami are peaceful and my head is refreshingly clear today. I sense something has changed.”

“Many things,” Kohana said. She set a cup of tea beside Kyoko’s futon and knelt beside it. “We destroyed another infested building today. The building was an unfortunate casualty, but we eliminated dozens of zombies.”

Kyoko winced. “I should be doing my part,” she murmured.

“Your part is recovering to your full health,” Kohana countered.

“Yes, and it has been too long since I have felt this clear,” Kyoko said. “The kami have been in turmoil in this area ever since we arrived. Perhaps the god-beast’s influence is finally gone, or some other factor. It is hard to understand for sure, when I have barely left this room ever since I arrived.”

“I do not know,” Kohana admitted. “Something felt different about today’s raid. The zombies there seemed to be there by design. They surrounded some symbol on the ground. We destroyed it without studying it, of course.”

“Perhaps one of the Ghul Lord’s machinations finally ended,” Kyoko said. She looked around her. “I sense that something else has changed about this room. Am I still disoriented?”

“Ah,” Kohana said, almost as an afterthought. “Saburo-san moved the box that had been sitting in the corner of the room. He laughed and said he was perhaps superstitious, but he thought it may have been delaying your recovery. He is staying at a different establishment to put more distance between you.”

Kyoko nodded thoughtfully. “Mantis superstitions,” she murmured.

Kohana did not seem to hear her. “Everyone gathers downstairs at the tea house at the height of the day. You should join us whenever you are ready.”

Kyoko looked down at the cooling cup beside her. “Then truly I must return to full strength as fast as I can. Tea tastes better when taken with your companions, I find.”

* * * * *

Saburo lifted the ladle from the bucket and tipped it over his hands, letting the stream of water flow through his fingers. He wiped his forehead and enjoyed the refreshing cool sensation of the dripping water. The ritual was a silly thing, but it reminded him of his childhood. He opened his eyes and stretched his aching arms.

“She is recovering?” Saburo asked.

“She seems better than she has in months,” Kohana answered. “She looked healthy.”

Saburo nodded. “Good. We may need to move on, and I would hate to slow her recovery. We’ve made no progress on the reason behind our trip here and I am beginning to think the answers will always evade our grasp as long as we stay in this city.”

Hideo smiled humorlessly. “I see you had another encounter with our friendly magistrate.”

“Sometimes I believe he thinks me a greater threat to the Scorpion Clan than the Ghul Lord’s creatures,” Saburo growled. “He lets us fight by his side so that he can monitor our actions. I, for one, am tired of the atmosphere of constant suspicion.”

“No surprise,” Kakita Hideo said. “The Scorpion’s secrets are more important than the welfare of those who would fight to defend them. They’ll discard us as soon as they’ve wrung all the usefulness from our group.”

Bayushi Kurumi looked up at Hideo. She raised her eyebrow and wordlessly stared at him. The Crane looked away but did not amend his words.

Akodo Shunori shook his head. “He’s following his orders. You cannot fault a soldier for performing his duty.”

“Perhaps, but I wish he wouldn’t derive so much enjoyment from his duty,” Saburo said. He looked up at the room they had set aside for their stay in the city. “When Kyoko-san joins us again, we can discuss our next plan of action.”

Furumaro raised the teacup to his lips. Before taking a taste he murmured, “It seems to me that you have already delayed this decision for too long.”

“You think we should move on without her?” Mirumoto Ichizo asked incredulously. “No. She has proved her worth.”

“Well said,” Hideo agreed.

“Even if we come to a decision soon, winter will delay any of our plans,” Kurumi added. “We must stay here for now. It will give our ailing Phoenix time to recover.”

Furumaro set his cup down on the table and rose to his feet. “It seems you are thinking as one. That will be helpful when you have the entire Scorpion Clan against you.”

Hideo frowned. “What do you mean, monk?”
Furumaro cocked his head to the side. “It seems to me that you are involved in the dirtiest secrets they could possibly hide from the rest of the empire. Fighting Shadowlands creatures in the heart of the empire, even before the god-beast ravaged the land? It may go overlooked now, in this time of strife, but they may need to answer for their negligence when peace returns to the realm.”

“I have no intention of spreading tales, even if I believe the threat has long passed,” Saburo replied.

“Furumaro-san has a point,” Shunori spoke out. “Will the Scorpion choose to leave the decision in our hands? It would be much simpler for them to tie up loose ends.”

Kurumi placed both hands on her cup and looked into her tea. “It would never happen,” she protested without any real strength behind her words. The group fell into a solemn silence.

“I must return to the temple,” Furumaro announced. “Meditation may clear up a solution to your dilemma, and I will never find it while enjoying this delicious tea. It makes me too comfortable for thought.”

“Keep our conversation to yourself, Furumaro-san,” Saburo said. “I may be letting my paranoia influence me, but there’s no reason the Scorpion need to know anything about where our future lies.”

Furumaro smiled and walked away.

* * * * *

More than half the city was still ruined, but the crowded metropolis was beginning to limp back toward its former glory. The peasants who returned had nowhere else to go, and the merchants slowly returned to serve that small demographic. Kurumi navigated through the crowded streets of Ryoko Owari without giving it thought. A mask of courtesy and disinterested affection covered her face and she seemed to meander through the streets with no purpose. She stopped as on a whim and looked up at the sign above the door. It was no surprise that this restaurant was one of the first to return to its former glory. She stepped in without hesitation. The place was empty of customers, a surprising sight considering the traffic outside.

“Welcome to Natsuo’s House, mistress!” the host called out. He stepped out from behind the tables and bowed profusely. He was a young, handsome man that seemed to radiate warmth.

“Hello, Natsuo. I haven’t been here since the god-beast’s rampage,” Kurumi said. She chose the nearest table and took her place. “I am glad to see your place is still standing.”

“Nothing will stop me from serving delicious somen, even giant monstrosities,” Natsuo replied. He knelt beside her and poured a steaming cup of tea. “You haven’t stepped within for months, my lady, but I remember your favorite. Nyumen, green tea, and myoga tsuyu.”

Kurumi nodded graciously. “Exactly so.”

Natsuo stepped away and returned in a few moments with a tray of deliciousness. As he set the table, Kurumi added, “I missed these. Still, with the craziness of the God-Beast and the unpleasantness in the past few months I couldn’t find the time to drop by.”

“Spoken like a dutiful samurai, Bayushi-sama,” Natsuo said laughing. “Still, I find that times of strife prove to be the best time to stop and enjoy a good meal. It only heightens the taste.”

“Perhaps I will take your advice in the future,” Kurumi said and raised her chopsticks.

Natsuo bowed deeply. “You honor me by considering my silly words advice, Bayushi-sama. I won’t have a customer as considerate as you, once you leave the city once more.”

“I won’t be going anywhere,” Kurumi answered. “Your noodles make it impossible to leave. I can keep warm while enjoying my favorite foods.”

Natsuo chuckled politely. Kurumi did not voice the words that rose unbidden in her mind. Not yet, at least. It was just as well that the group had not come to a decision. She wondered if she would be able to reveal her travel plans when they found their next target. She couldn’t ignore an order from Shosuro Mizuno, but betraying the group’s trust would be crossing a threshold from which she may never return.

Eisaku, she thought, when the time comes, how can I answer?