Death's Sword Book 1: Finding and Seeking

Chapter 9, part 1: Day 13

Brchak sped through the night sky like a comet. On the ground below, he could see the flickers and sparks that were living entities; men, wolves, mountain goats, whatever. He saw them all. The mountain came into view. Dimly, he sensed the maze of tunnels that wormed their way through the rocks. He plunged down and into one that was open to the night. With no slackening of his pace, he hunted for tools that would help him to find his prey. He found them quite quickly. Go, puppets, he urged, find the one I seek and lead me to him. His tools went about his bidding eagerly.

"A klchzak! There was a klchzak here, running free, witnessed by many," Susoo's face was grim, "No confirmed sightings for centuries and now this." She turned to face Tzumak. "I want four teams here as quickly as possible, everyone here is to be put to the question. We need to know if this was an incursion or if there was possession involved. If possible, to identify the type of klchzak." She paused for a moment, drew in a deep breath, "Once that is arranged, see if you can track its' path. We will follow and try to hunt it down." She knew how unlikely that was but it had to be attempted. Tzumak bowed, still not trusting himself to speak, the shock had been so great.

The Grand Inquisitor slid open the door out of their apartments. The samurai on guard appeared not to react but her trained eye caught the minuscule tightening of muscles that betrayed their tension. "One of you is to stay here," she stated, "The other will take me to the daiymo." The guards exchanged a brief glance. The shorter of the two bowed quickly, "Please to follow me, Grand Inquisitor-sana." He set off, katana still held in his fist, with Susoo striding two paces behind, hands thrust up the sleeves of her robes. "Come to me when you have news," she called back to Tzumak over her shoulder.

A short journey brought Susoo to a large ornately carved door set into a blank stone wall. Four samurai stood guard, steel katanas drawn. Her escort spoke with their leader, who glared at Susoo then tapped a code onto the door with her knuckles. A concealed hatch popped open; more whispers were exchanged then the door swung open into the room beyond. A high-ranking Cheika formally bade Susoo enter.

With a single sweeping glance, Susoo took in the details of the room and its occupants. The room was a reception chamber, perhaps five metres square, with a slightly raised platform of highly-polished nearteak in a two-metre semicircle extending from the centre of the far wall. Walls all of stone, mostly covered in painted screens or tapestries, rural scenes interspersed with historic battles, Cheika triumphs or glorious defeats against overwhelming odds. Two young samurai stood guard on either side of a painted sliding panel that covered the doorway to the secure rooms beyond. Close relatives of the daiymo, from the mon and their expensive armour. Which made the man before her their father, one of the daiymo's uncles. Probably Cheika Yamatsura, then, she thought, remembering the files she had read before setting out on this journey. Armed but unarmoured, insufficient time to don armour, too busy assigning tasks to others, outer robes thrown in haste over sleeping robes. How best to deal with this one? she wondered. She smiled coldly at the man. "I will see the daiymo now," she stated, rudely cutting through the usual rituals and formalities. The nobleman stared at her, struggling to come to terms with her unorthodox approach. "H-honoured guest," he stammered slightly, "ninja have just attempted the daiymo's life. He must.."

"A klchzak was here. In this building. Under his roof," the Grand Inquisitor cut in, eyes flashing, shouting down the samurai. His hand dropped to his sword-hilt at this insult, stopped as she stepped right up to him, virtually nose to nose, "I am the Grand Inquisitor of the Right of the Imperial Inquisition and your daiymo will see me now." The nobleman's face paled. His attention had been entirely focussed on the assassination attempt. Susoo saw the realisation of what else was involved hit him like a thunderbolt. Licking his lips, unable to trust himself to speak, he covered his reaction by bowing again, buying himself a few seconds to recover. "Of course," he whispered, "Of course." louder this time as he regained his equilibrium, "Please to follow me." The door panel was slid back to reveal another sturdy nearteak door which swung open for them. He led the way to his daiymo.