L5r - scroll 04 - The Phoenix (16 page)

The earth opened up beneath the zombies' feet. Some fell helplessly into the abyss below. Others caught onto the edges of the gaping hole. These were crushed as huge stones fell on them. Tadaka's earthquake spread out like a great wave from where he stood.

A half dozen zombies near the village entrance heard a noise and looked up, too late. Boulders from the rocky escarpment toppled on them, crushing their corrupt bodies.

A crack in the earth opened and swallowed three undead horsemen. The ratlings they were fighting scrabbled away from the pit and cheered in high-pitched squeaks.

The skull-faced commander fought to control his undead steed. The skeletal horse reared as the earth shook and stones flew around it.

Beneath zombies' feet, clay turned to quicksand. They sank up to their knees while ratling troops hacked mercilessly at them. Any Shadowlands creatures standing near open rock were crushed or swallowed. Through it all, Tadaka made sure not to harm the ratlings.

The ratlings scrambled across the ruins, putting an end to zombies that were trapped or disabled. Their squeals of joy echoed through the bowl-like valley—strange music for Tadaka's ears.

Finally, the fell commander brought his horse to rein. He fixed his blazing green eyes on the Master of Earth and chanted. Evil fire built up within his rotting body.

Tadaka reveled in the quake. He crushed his enemies with stone fingers and swallowed them whole. So rapt was he in his magics, he almost didn't see the skull-faced commander until it was too late.

The commander crossed his arms over his breast and then thrust his hands outward. A scarlet ball of fire poured from his shriveled form and streaked toward the Master of Earth.

Tadaka saw it and stopped his chanting only just in time. Reaching into his sleeve, he flicked open his jade fan. The flames hit the artifact, charring its edges. Most of the blast dissipated, though the wound in Tadaka's side burned with renewed fire. The earthquake subsided.

Tadaka put the fan away and picked up his bow. Before the commander could summon his power again, Tadaka shot two arrows. They tore through the commander's breastplate and burst into green flame.

The skull-faced man merely laughed. "You can't kill Atamashi ssso easssily."

Tadaka changed his aim, from the man to the undead horse. Before he could fire, several ratlings swarmed the fell commander. Bolstered by Tadaka's attacks, they swung their weapons and pressed in, unaware that they were spoiling the Master of Earth's aim. Two leapt onto the horse's back, clawing and biting with their sharp teeth.

Atamashi attacked the nezumi. The hooves of his skeletal steed dashed out the brains of one. The undead samurai's black katana felled another.

Slinging his bow on his back, Tadaka leapt downhill to join the melee. He reached the battle just as Atamashi disemboweled a third ratling. The way between Tadaka and his foe lay clear. Tadaka took his round hat from his head with his right hand and plucked one stone from its brim with his left. He flung the hat, chanting as he threw.

The hat whirled toward the commander, its stones swinging to the outside. The rocks sharpened into small blades as the hat flew. The skull-faced man saw the danger and tried to wheel his horse away, too late.

The hat smashed into the horse like a great shuriken. The creature's bones shattered, and it fell, lifeless, to the ground. Atamashi spilled to the earth but quickly rose to his feet. All around, the surviving ratlings were rallying against the remainder of the undead troops. Smoke, screams, and the sounds of battle filled the air.

Tadaka's hat flew on for several feet past the shattered undead horse. Then Tadaka whispered to the stone he'd plucked from the brim. The hat arced in a wide circle, turning back toward the Master of Earth. It landed lightly in his left hand, and Tadaka placed it back on his head. He tucked the loose stone into his right sleeve and drew his katana. Atamashi stalked toward the Master of Earth, his sword at the ready.

"Ssso far from hoooome, shugenja," the commander hissed.

"Where is Junzo? Where is your leader?" Tadaka said. "Is he reduced to slaughtering ratlings now?"

"Ssssoon all will fall befooore the great Junzo."

"Not unless the rest of his troops fight better than you."

"You'll sssee how well I fiiight," replied the creature. It leapt forward with inhuman speed, aiming a cut at Tadaka's neck.

Tadaka parried and slashed at the commander's ribs. The creature's black armor turned the blow aside. Atamashi whirled and thrust. His blade pierced Tadaka's kimono below the left armpit, but failed to find flesh.

Tadaka slashed at Atamashi's neck. His katana bit deep. The commander's head sailed a short distance, landed on the top of its helmet, and rolled to a stop. The body fell backward.

The Master of Earth smiled and turned away. He saw several ratlings trying to extinguish a burning hut. Beyond them, a dozen nezumi were brawling with the remains of the undead contingent. The ratlings seemed to be winning.

Several young ratlings skittered toward Tadaka, feral smiles on their furry muzzles. Their black eyes brimmed with admiration. Suddenly the happiness on their faces turned to terror. "Yeee! Look! Look!" one cried.

Tadaka spun just in time to parry a vicious cut. His sword turned his enemy's katana aside, but not fully. His opponent's black blade traced a thin line down the Master of Earth's right shoulder. Tadaka found himself face-to-face with Atamashi's leering skull. The undead commander's head sat firmly upon his shoulders once more.

Their swords met again and slid down each other until the hand guards locked. Tadaka pushed with all his might, and the undead commander staggered back.

The monster laughed. "Not so easssy to kill as you thoooought, am I?"

"Nor so hard as you believe," said Tadaka. He leapt forward, slashing at neck, breastplate, and thigh. Each time the creature beat his blade back.

The thing whirled and cut toward Tadaka's back. His blade slashed the Master of Earth's kimono but missed the flesh beneath. Tadaka chopped at the creature's chest. The Master of Earth's sword opened a wide gash on the exposed flesh below Atamashi's collarbone. Black blood oozed from the wound, but the undead commander merely laughed.

Atamashi swung in retaliation, hitting Tadaka's sword with jarring impact. Tadaka stepped back. He panted, having trouble catching his breath. The wounds on his rib and shoulder burned with unclean fire. He'd expended a lot of energy to summon the earthquake. Exhaustion tugged at the Master of Earth's sinews.

Atamashi charged , aiming his cuts in quick succession: neck, thigh, ribs. Tadaka parried them all. With each blow, his bones shook, and his wounds burned. Sweat dripped down his brow, stinging his eyes and clouding his sight. He stepped backward and almost tripped over a dead ratling. Atamashi bore in.

Tadaka met him, summoning all the strength he could into his strikes. The air thundered with the impact of swords. Their katana met. The blades slid down each other to the handgrips and locked. The shugenja's eyes grappled with those of the undead commander.

In that frozen moment, the fingers of Tadaka's left hand deftly found a small stone in his right sleeve. The Master of Earth whispered a word of power. The stone flowed like water over his fist, forming a rocky glove.

"Now, you die," the undead commander said. Sensing Tadaka's weakness, he shoved the shugenja hard. Tadaka faltered and staggered back. The katana toppled from his fingers. Atamashi raised his sword for the kill.

Summoning all his remaining might, Tadaka thrust his left hand forward. His rocky fist shattered Atamashi's breastplate and the bone beneath. Tadaka plunged his gloved hand deep into the monster's chest.

The commander looked at the hole his chest, his cadaverous face registering shock and fear. Tadaka pulled out his hand. In his fist, the Master of Earth held the undead creature's heart. Tadaka squeezed, and the heart crumbled into oily black lumps.

Disbelief washed over the undead commander's countenance. His sword waved in the air, as if it still might strike. Then lie fell backward, his bones shattering on the hard ground.

Tadaka stood panting over the body. His rocky glove crumbled into dust, the power of the stone exhausted. The Master of Earth wiped the sweat from his brow. Then he knelt and retrieved his katana. The sounds of battle had died away. Looking around the burning village, Tadaka saw no undead left lighting. The ratlings had begun to tend to their wounded. Victory was theirs.

A young ratling approached Tadaka and bowed nervously, touching her black nose to the dusty earth.

"Pardon pardon, Master," she said. She was short, thin, and dressed sparsely in a red top and khaki hakima. A gold earring dangled from her left ear. She looked up skittishly as she ended her bow. Her whiskers twitched, and her tail swished back and forth. She bobbed her head from side to side and blinked her black, liquid eyes.

"What do you beg my pardon for?" Tadaka asked.

"Not helping too much. Not helping kill not-dead warrior," she said. She looked around, as if expecting to be attacked again at any moment.

"You shouted the warning that saved my life," he said. "That's more than enough service."

She bowed again. "Domo domo, Master." The lips of her muzzle pulled back from her sharp teeth in an uncomfortable smile.

"What's your name, girl?"

"Chi'ka'chi-tkk," she said, bowing again and looking at the Master of Earth with her large black eyes. "Friends call... Hatsuka."

Tadaka smiled. Hatsuka nezumi—mouse. "You're very brave, Mouse."

She shook her head, and her long tail switched back and forth. "Not I, Master," she said. "I am lowly."

Just then, a taller, male ratling ran up to where Tadaka and Mouse stood. His brown fur was slick with mud and the blood of his enemies. He wore a breastplate salvaged from a dead samurai. The armor almost fit. He bowed low.

"Come. Come now, Master," he said to Tadaka. "Chief dying. Wants speak with you." He bowed again, scraping the earth with his twitching whiskers.

Tadaka nodded. The taller nezumi led the Master of Earth across the bowl of the valley. Mouse followed. "Ke-o-kecha, his name," she whispered to Tadaka. "He chiefs son."

Near the wall, a ratling lay dying. The fur around his muzzle was silver with age. Long whiskers adorned his wrinkled face. He wore armor cobbled together from suits taken off dead foes. His breath rattled out in long gasps. A great wound split his chest from breastbone to belly. Though it had not been deep enough to kill the nezumi immediately, Tadaka saw at once that the wound would be fatal.

The ratling chief, Gin'nabo-rrr, gestured with one shaking paw that Tadaka should draw closer. The Master of Earth knelt by the nezumi's side.

"Domo, domo ... domo-arigato," Gin'nabo-rrr gasped. "You save my people. You ... drive off... forces of Dark Power."

"Your people saved themselves," Tadaka said. "I merely provided some timely assistance."

"... Legends say humans are—no friend. Yet, friend you are, samurai. Gin'nabo-rrr likes you."

"I am honored, great chief."

"How are you called, human?" the chief asked.

"Tadaka."

"Tadaka-sama," chief Gin'nabo-rrr said, his voice rasping, "Pack member, you are now. Always welcome with Long Tail Pack." He reached out one shaking paw and touched it to Tadaka's hand. The Master of Earth did not draw away. "Never can," Gin'nabo-rrr said, "repay debt for what you have done____"

His hand slipped from Tadaka's, and his life wheezed out. He closed his eyes.

A small band of ratlings had gathered around their chief. They hung their heads and closed their eyes. Ke-o-kecha raised his muzzle and uttered a mournful wail. Soon, others in the village took up the cry. The sound echoed off the walls of the valley and drifted into the heavens. Tadaka knelt in silence.

Finally, three ratlings came to bear the chief's body to his hut—one of the few buildings left standing after the battle. Ke-o-kecha turned to the rest of the assemblage. "Gin'nabo-rrr is gone. I am chief of the Long Tail Pack," he said. The ratlings swished their tails and rattled their weapons in assent. Several look up a growling chant, repeating Ke-o-kecha's name in low, feral voices.

Chief Ke-o-kecha turned to Tadaka. "Gin'nabo-rrr could not repay you, shugenja Tadaka-sama," he said, "but my people will make good good try. We tend your wounds. We give you food and drink. We find you whatever you wish."

"I need to be going," Tadaka said. "I have a mission to complete."

"We will help," Ke-o-kecha said, his black eyes shining. "Powerful we are here. Many generations in shadow, yet untouched. After you rest, we help." He looked at the Master of Earth and smiled, showing his sharp teeth. "Even great great shugenja must

rest."

Tadaka nodded his head wearily. "Hai," he said.

The ratlings took the Phoenix master to one of the unburned huts. There they made him a bed of clean straw to rest in. They brought fresh water and salves to soothe his wounds. Tadaka accepted these remedies gracefully, but applied some of his own jade powders when the nezumi weren't watching. Neither the wound on his ribs nor the one on his shoulder appeared serious, but he didn't want them to become infected with the Shadow-lands taint.