The War of Spirits - 1145
5/24/12 - 5/25/12
Current Score
CRAB - 47 gold, 8.0 glory.
MANTIS - 35 gold, 5.5 glory.
LION - 29 gold, 5.0 glory.
PHOENIX - 29 gold, 5.0 glory.
DRAGON - 20 gold, 2.0 glory.
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Matsu Nami and Kakita Shou marched towards the Matsu Castle, accompanied by the minimal guard as to not give offense. The Lion had suffered terribly at this war, as much as the Spirits did. They were both struggling now, grasping at whatever straws were in reach.
It was decided that an accord could possibly be reached; the ruthless fighting needed to end. The army was still strong, but the peasantry and the land itself was suffering greatly, and a ceasefire, if nothing else, might put an end to that.
They were met by Akodo Ryo, the commander of the Spirit Legion that held this castle. He too was willing to hear out ideas and try to solve things diplomatically, not unlike the living descendents they battled against.
It was the perfect situation. The perfect set-up. With the Crane guiding this, there was such little chance for error.
However, Tea Etiquette, while traditional, HAD changed over the centuries, as many traditions do. In hindsight, neither Nami nor Shou knew what had happened that offended Ryo so. Not like they lived to really explore that route, as the delegation was executed violently right then and there; several of Ryo's advisors were killed in the melee, but needless to say, it went poorly.
The next thing the Lion knew, more Spirits were suddenly advancing on them, refueled by some unknown seething rage...
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The Dragon continued their humanitarian efforts, pushing into Unicorn Lands from their mountains despite the Spirits hunting them down as they did so. Detachment after detachment was secretly deployed to aid the Utaku, who accepted it when they could. But hunting down the Mirumoto had become a sport to the Spirits, and so few were reaching the Unicorn now.
The Utaku decided the time to strike was now, before further reinforcements could arrive. The Dragon, of course, contested this tactic, but it was the Unicorn's to make. They had to break the blockades that were set up and allow communication and travel between provinces.
However, as predicted, their counter-attack force was just too weak; the front line of the Spirit's defenses faltered brilliantly, but as soon as that momentum was lost, they pushed back, far harder than the Utaku had realized.
A single wounded Mirumoto returned to her castle, reporting on the loss to her Champion.
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The Mantis were reeling from the military losses they suffered. However, in this dark time, a Moshi woman would appeal to their number; an Ishikin-do woman who had foreseen a glorious time ahead for the Mantis.
Whirling her samurai into a fervor, the Mantis found vigor where doubt lay before. The Crab had dealt with several skirmishes before that they had driven off, but had yet to see the full force of the Mantis unleashed like they did that day. No longer did they fight for personal gain; they fought for the sake of fighting now. Their honor was on the line, and they would not yield until every last Crab had been killed or pushed back.
The Crab valued this territory, but not enough to be slaughtered over it. Once the losses started to amount, a general order to withdraw was given. It was an acceptable defeat, as they had proved a point to the Crane - namely, those who were forced to fight as hostages to the Crab- and anyone who tried to ally with them.
A battle that both sides considered a victory, for different reasons.
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Meanwhile, the main Crab force was pushing westward. The Miya had been under siege for some time, and the Scorpion burned themselves out trying to help them - no doubt to gain favor from the Imperials.
The Crab were not here for such paltry reasons. They were here for an extermination of a threat that had grown out of control. Pest control, a less-than-honorable task - but one that the Crab excelled at.
The Hiruma were once more called into action - this time, they would infiltrate the Miya castle, engaging in guerrilla warfare against the Spirits. One full day later, the rest of the Crab army arrived - though the Hiruma's plan had not gone off flawlessly, they did manage to get the gates open in time for the Crab to march in.
And once you get Crabs, you don't get rid of them, as the Spirits soon learned.
Broken and scattered, the southern forces faded into obscurity, no longer posing the Empire a threat.
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Jurojin followed Ebisu's lead, observing the Phoenix now. Jurojin blessed those who deserved to persevere, who endured against the harshest conditions. To be blessed with longevity, one must earn longevity.
And these Samurai who called themselves the Phoenix earned this right. They were struggling so much, weak from battle fatigue. But he determined they had earned the right to be in his good graces.
Blessing them as they advanced southward, the Phoenix soon found a second wind just in time to help free up the Crane from hostiles that declared the lands for their own. The Phoenix were very spiritual people, and many, if not all, knew in their hearts who had blessed them this day.
