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[BerkaZerka]

Leaving her friends behind and moving quickly down the steep slopes on her Air Elemental, Yuki make a beeline toward Sendai’s Temple of the Ancestors.

Arriving, she sees that an outdoor triage unit has been set up outside, where many of Sendai’s wounded lay recovering on narrow stretchers. Yuki sees many horrifying burns, smashed limbs, and what she can only guess are huge bite marks – leaving grisly chunks of missing flesh on more than a few unfortunate victims.

Looking around, she sees the Priests and Monks of Sendai tending to the wounded.

Noticeably missing – the bones of fallen heroes and Exalted Patriarch Yasuo Sanjo.

[killa_robot]

No longer requiring its services, Yuki orders the air elemental to help with the clean up of the town. She then brings her attention to the Priests and Monks, trying to ignore the carnage around her.

"I need to speak with the new Exalted Patriarch immediately. The fate of Nippon is at stake."

She announces.

[BerkaZerka]

The Monks and Priests seem surprised to see Yuki here, but bow dutifully and send a young boy off to fetch a High-Priest.

When the High-Priest arrives, Yuki recognizes him as Midori Onishi; the High-Priest of Sendai’s Temple of The Five Gods.

"Yuki Shirahata," he says, with a somewhat guarded expression, "I would not have expected your return to Sendai, after what your Mentor, Yunikawa, has done to it..."

[killa_robot]

"Yes, the Ancestors told us of his betrayal while we were in the Ancestral's Palace."

Yuki replies solemnly, first giving a bow in greeting.

"However, we must leave Yunikawa to the Naga; there are other matters that must be addressed by us."

She then takes a deep breath as she prepares to tell Midori Onishi the terrible news.

"The upper rankings of Nippon are filled with Rokurukubi under the control of the Chinese. Our very own Daiymo is one of them. I've been given the Ritual of Seeing by the Ancestors, and tasked with teaching it to the Priests and Monks of Sendai. With the Ritual of Seeing, they will be given the duty of discovering the other Rokurukubi that hide in Nippon."

She says, stopping to give Midori Onishi a chance to reply.

 

[BerkaZerka]

High-Priest Midori Onishi winces (and very nearly faints) upon hearing Yuki’s blasphemous accusations against their own Daimyo.

“Do not speak of such things here!” he hisses in a loud whisper, staggering back and shaking a finger at Yuki. When everyone nearby looks over to see what the commotion is all about, he recomposes himself quickly.

Then after staring at the top of Yuki’s head a moment, he circles his hand in the air and joined by a number of his Senior Priests.

“Yuki Shirahata,” he says, “You speak the truth – as terrible as it could possibly be. But you are confirmed by the Blessing of the Ancestors and their Seal upon you.”

Then turning to the gathered Priests, High-Priest Onishi directs, “Summon the Senior Priests of both the Ancestors and Five Gods to the Inner Sanctum Immediately!”

The Priests disperse to fetch the others, as High-Priest Onishi leads Yuki into the Temple and down to the Holy Room she and the other Samurai had met in; when originally tasked with recovering the bones of fallen heroes from the village of Kurokawa.

The room was solemn, paneled in its dark lacquered wood, accented with gold and red jade. Incense burned at a large and elegant shrine dedicated to the Ancestors at one end of the room, while a smaller ornate shrine dedicated to the Five Gods temporarily occupied the other side of the chamber.

Looking up into the empty alcoves above the shrine of the Ancestors, Yuki could see the Spirit Stewards of the Ancestors that recorded everything spoken here.

Looking at the shrine of The Five Gods, Yuki could see tiny motes of Elemental Spirits (much like the fire sprites that Yunikawa had in his hibachi table). There was Fire, Earth, Air, Water, and Wood – all about the size of small mice. They sat unseen by the naked eye in the nooks and crannies of the shrine and seemed to be content just to exist there in the shrine’s spiritual energies.

Then the Senior Priests entered and gathered around.

“Yuki Shirahata brings dire news from the Ancestral Palace – having been confirmed by their own Seal,” High-Priest Onishi begins – to the shocked awe from the gathered Priests.

Then turning to Yuki, he asks, “Please Blessed One, tell us everything. How is it that you come to us from the Ancestors? What is their word for us? What would they have us do about the traitor Yunikawa?”

[killa_robot]

OOC: I'll just paraphrase the meeting.

Yuki will explain how she and the group assisted Yunikawa with retrieving the bones of the fallen men from Kurokawa in exchange for helping bring Kioko back to where she belongs. How Yunikawa opened a portal to somewhere in the spirit realm, and how they rode Ki-rin to the Ancestral Palace. She'll then tell them what the ancestors said about Yunikawa, the naga, Rai's identity, the Rokurukubi and the mission for the Priests and Monks.

She won't mention anything about the group, or Kioko and what the Ancestors said about her.

[BerkaZerka]

As Yuki spoke, she began to notice a glow about her head – and realized that the halo the Ancestors had given her, as part of their blessing, now radiated brightly.

When she finished, there was a tremendously long silence – as if it was taking time to all sink in.

At length, High-Priest Onishi spoke.

“We have received the Ritual of Seeing; we now know what we must do.”

“For Sendai; for Nippon; and for the Ancestors, we will do it!”

Then suddenly, a soft blue shaft of moonlight opened in the air above High-Priest Onishi – and Yuki, looking in the direction of the shrine of The Five Gods at the time, noticed all the elemental spirits abruptly prostrate themselves.

High-Priest Onishi immediately fell to one knee in a very low bow – as did all of the assembled Priests of The Five Gods.

The stunned Priests of the Ancestors backed away and lowered their heads in respect, but did not bow low.

“Midori Onishi,” a heavenly female voice called from the light, “Of this plan I approve. The Rokurokubi are Spirits, yet they seek to usurp the Domain of Man. You and the Priests of Sendai, in cooperation with the Ninja Master of Sendai, may seek them out and destroy them for their hubris. And, in token to the Ancestors, who have put this plan into motion, I appoint you Exalted Patriarch of Sendai over the Temple of the Ancestors.”

There was a collective gasp of surprise from all, at this unorthodox shift of authority and power. Basically, the head of one religion was just assigned by the Gods to be the head of another religion.

“Yes Holy Mother,” the now Exalted Patriarch Onishi replied humble.

“It is done.” The gathered Priests all confirmed.

The soft moonlight then faded and (looking up) Yuki could see the Spirit Stewards of the Ancestors hurriedly scribing everything that had just transpired.

Exalted Patriarch Onishi meanwhile, turned to one of the Senior Priests of the Temple of The Five Gods and said, “as my last official act as High-Priest of the Temple of Five Gods, I transfer the mantle of High Priest of the Temple of Five Gods to Joben Onishi.”

[BerkaZerka]

Having done all she could at the Temple, Yuki bid the Priest well and went down into Sendai to look for her friends and to see the destruction first hand.

---

Continued Here