Letter from Hiruma Toju to an Imperial Magistrate: Regarding the Death of Matsu Kaiki
My Lord,
I have been asked time and again to explain our involvement in the duel between Matsu Kaiki and Isawa Uona, both by those who were there and those who heard about it later. No one seems to be capable of understanding why a member of the Crab Clan would be willing to fight and die for one such as Uona. After all, we are “foul-mouthed barbarians,” despising the rest of the Empire and lashing out at those who displease us. The Phoenix, on the other hand, are cultured and pacifistic, the antithesis of everything we supposedly stand for. Why, then, would we find them so agreeable? And why would we side with one of them against the Lion, a clan much closer to our outlook and ideals?
Uona herself provided as good an answer as any. Several years ago, her superiors dispatched her to the Crab land to collect her brother Tadaka and bring him home. She came without a Yojimbo or any of the other trappings of nobility. It was just her and the wagon driver, arriving to take the wandering Master of Earth back to Phoenix lands.
It was obvious from the moment she arrived that she was a Phoenix. With her delicate skin and quivering eyes, she seemed as out of place on the Kaiu Wall as a peasant in the Emperor’s court. The Phoenix hated violence, as everyone knew, and the appearance of one in the most vicious place in the Empire made for some shocked looks. My fellow bushi took note of her frail form. A little girl? On the Wall? What an outrage! Did she think she was a warrior? Would pretty words and pacifism save her from Fu Leng?
Their words soon turned to insults, which they began hurling at her with vicious ferocity. They called her weakling, coward, shrinking quail. They challenged her to pick up a sword, then laughed at her when she demurred. They spoke with all the derision they could muster, and I dare say were as intimidating as an oni. With another Clan, the remarks would have sparked a duel or worse. But Uona just bowed silently and accepted it, neither condemning her tormentors nor speaking in her defense. The tears rolling down her cheeks were testament to the effectiveness of the insults and their impact on her sensitive soul, yet she would not respond. She would not even open her mouth to speak.
Then it happened. A warning cry was raised from one of the lookouts and all eyes turned to the Shadowlands. Somewhere in the fog, a scouting party was trying desperately to make their way back to safety. Sounds of their hurried pace wafted through the air, as did the roar of their pursuers. Something was following them, something large and terrible and very angry. There were at least as many Oni out there as there were members of the scouting party, and were growing closer. As the scouts stumbled into view, the Oni leapt upon them, rending and tearing with their great claws. The shouts became screams and blood began to flow like water, all in front of the bushi’s horrified eyes. Archers on the Wall took aim, but they were too far away to waste a shot. It seemed the scouts would die within sight of the Wall.
No one noticed Uona until she had acted. Uttering a prayer to the Fortunes, she leapt above the ramparts of the Wall and flew into the air. The wind picked her up in its mighty grip and launched her across the space. She landed before the carnage with the grace of a dancer and rose to face the rampaging Oni. They turned towards her with malevolence in their eyes, but she was unafraid. The tears dried on her cheeks, and she leveled her gaze at her adversaries. Before they could act,she flung her hand up, and shouted supplication to the spirits of the air. They came in a rushing whirlwind, matching the Oni’s howl with their own. Their power darkened the skies and whipped the River of the Last Stand into waves of foam. Yet for all their strength, they were extraordinarily focused – the mighty winds which circled around the Oni didn’t touch the Crab scouts just a few feet away.
Uona continued chanting and now the Oni felt the magic which she had conjured. They had ceased the assault on their would-be victims and turned to deal with this new threat. But they couldn’t move. The air around them had become a prison, and moved with such fury that not even their mighty forms could stand against it. They tried to walk towards Uona, but couldn’t lift their feet. They tried to wrap their claws around her, but couldn’t move their arms. Then, as they snarled with hatred and impotent anger, the wind began to lift them off the ground. The hurricane pulled them up, first slowly, then faster and faster. As they flew up into the air, their howls turned into cries of surprise. They moved in a wide arc, like stones thrown at a distant foe. They flew through the sky until they were out of sight, landing some miles distant and away from the Kaiu Wall.
Only then, did Uona’s chants fall silent. She bowed low before the stupefied scouts, then knelt to assist the wounded. She remained with them for the rest of the evening until they were all safely behind the wall. The stammered thanks and whispered apologies seemed to affect her not at all; to her, the task was worth doing in and of itself.
I was not present to see Uona’s heroism myself, but I heard about it from my brethren and believe every word of it. Not even the greatest Kuni wizard could call such mighty spirits to his aid the way she did. More importantly, however, she exercised her power in such a way to meet her goals without compromising her philosophy. The Oni were dispatched and the scouts were saved, but without bloodshed. I know of no other clan whose philosophy can stand up to such strain. I know of no other clan who can exercise so much power with so much control. Such a clan – regardless of their philosophical differences with us – deserves the utmost consideration and respect. The Phoenix understand more about honor than any of the so-called “civilized” clans, and lack the galling hypocrisy of their peers.
So if a Lion samurai wishes to challenge their honor – be it Uona’s or anyone elses – I will gladly stand to defend it. And if the clucking hen’s nest of Rokugani courts wish to spread more lies about them, I will refute them with every breath I take. It is truly rare to find those in this world who practice what they preach; the Phoenix do, and are all the more admirable because of it.
I have been asked time and again to explain our involvement in the duel between Matsu Kaiki and Isawa Uona, both by those who were there and those who heard about it later. No one seems to be capable of understanding why a member of the Crab Clan would be willing to fight and die for one such as Uona. After all, we are “foul-mouthed barbarians,” despising the rest of the Empire and lashing out at those who displease us. The Phoenix, on the other hand, are cultured and pacifistic, the antithesis of everything we supposedly stand for. Why, then, would we find them so agreeable? And why would we side with one of them against the Lion, a clan much closer to our outlook and ideals?
Uona herself provided as good an answer as any. Several years ago, her superiors dispatched her to the Crab land to collect her brother Tadaka and bring him home. She came without a Yojimbo or any of the other trappings of nobility. It was just her and the wagon driver, arriving to take the wandering Master of Earth back to Phoenix lands.
It was obvious from the moment she arrived that she was a Phoenix. With her delicate skin and quivering eyes, she seemed as out of place on the Kaiu Wall as a peasant in the Emperor’s court. The Phoenix hated violence, as everyone knew, and the appearance of one in the most vicious place in the Empire made for some shocked looks. My fellow bushi took note of her frail form. A little girl? On the Wall? What an outrage! Did she think she was a warrior? Would pretty words and pacifism save her from Fu Leng?
Their words soon turned to insults, which they began hurling at her with vicious ferocity. They called her weakling, coward, shrinking quail. They challenged her to pick up a sword, then laughed at her when she demurred. They spoke with all the derision they could muster, and I dare say were as intimidating as an oni. With another Clan, the remarks would have sparked a duel or worse. But Uona just bowed silently and accepted it, neither condemning her tormentors nor speaking in her defense. The tears rolling down her cheeks were testament to the effectiveness of the insults and their impact on her sensitive soul, yet she would not respond. She would not even open her mouth to speak.
Then it happened. A warning cry was raised from one of the lookouts and all eyes turned to the Shadowlands. Somewhere in the fog, a scouting party was trying desperately to make their way back to safety. Sounds of their hurried pace wafted through the air, as did the roar of their pursuers. Something was following them, something large and terrible and very angry. There were at least as many Oni out there as there were members of the scouting party, and were growing closer. As the scouts stumbled into view, the Oni leapt upon them, rending and tearing with their great claws. The shouts became screams and blood began to flow like water, all in front of the bushi’s horrified eyes. Archers on the Wall took aim, but they were too far away to waste a shot. It seemed the scouts would die within sight of the Wall.
No one noticed Uona until she had acted. Uttering a prayer to the Fortunes, she leapt above the ramparts of the Wall and flew into the air. The wind picked her up in its mighty grip and launched her across the space. She landed before the carnage with the grace of a dancer and rose to face the rampaging Oni. They turned towards her with malevolence in their eyes, but she was unafraid. The tears dried on her cheeks, and she leveled her gaze at her adversaries. Before they could act,she flung her hand up, and shouted supplication to the spirits of the air. They came in a rushing whirlwind, matching the Oni’s howl with their own. Their power darkened the skies and whipped the River of the Last Stand into waves of foam. Yet for all their strength, they were extraordinarily focused – the mighty winds which circled around the Oni didn’t touch the Crab scouts just a few feet away.
Uona continued chanting and now the Oni felt the magic which she had conjured. They had ceased the assault on their would-be victims and turned to deal with this new threat. But they couldn’t move. The air around them had become a prison, and moved with such fury that not even their mighty forms could stand against it. They tried to walk towards Uona, but couldn’t lift their feet. They tried to wrap their claws around her, but couldn’t move their arms. Then, as they snarled with hatred and impotent anger, the wind began to lift them off the ground. The hurricane pulled them up, first slowly, then faster and faster. As they flew up into the air, their howls turned into cries of surprise. They moved in a wide arc, like stones thrown at a distant foe. They flew through the sky until they were out of sight, landing some miles distant and away from the Kaiu Wall.
Only then, did Uona’s chants fall silent. She bowed low before the stupefied scouts, then knelt to assist the wounded. She remained with them for the rest of the evening until they were all safely behind the wall. The stammered thanks and whispered apologies seemed to affect her not at all; to her, the task was worth doing in and of itself.
I was not present to see Uona’s heroism myself, but I heard about it from my brethren and believe every word of it. Not even the greatest Kuni wizard could call such mighty spirits to his aid the way she did. More importantly, however, she exercised her power in such a way to meet her goals without compromising her philosophy. The Oni were dispatched and the scouts were saved, but without bloodshed. I know of no other clan whose philosophy can stand up to such strain. I know of no other clan who can exercise so much power with so much control. Such a clan – regardless of their philosophical differences with us – deserves the utmost consideration and respect. The Phoenix understand more about honor than any of the so-called “civilized” clans, and lack the galling hypocrisy of their peers.
So if a Lion samurai wishes to challenge their honor – be it Uona’s or anyone elses – I will gladly stand to defend it. And if the clucking hen’s nest of Rokugani courts wish to spread more lies about them, I will refute them with every breath I take. It is truly rare to find those in this world who practice what they preach; the Phoenix do, and are all the more admirable because of it.
