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The escape tunnel was cool and comfortable compare to the searing heat of the burning mansion the slaves and warriors had escaped from. The mouse who had lead them to the tunnel bounded on ahead excitedly. "I can't believe you've come. You know, you lot have really stirred up a hornet's nest since you've arrived," said the mouse. Mattimeo studied their new friends' features before he recognised him, "Aren't you the mouse that was going to be executed back in Takashiro?" "Yes. A group of intellectuals, runaway slaves and monks have set up a resistance against Ikkit Claw. You can call me Allyosha, that's not my real name of course. This is exciting, it's just like he said!" "He? Somebeast knew we were coming?" Mattimeo inquired. "We have no time to explain. You'll learn everything when we reach our sanctum," said Allyosha. As the tunnel widened out into large underground caverns, Sandokhan could see monks of Tin-Jin's order keeping lookout on rocky overhangs throughout the cave system, armed with wooden staffs. Still aided by Wataru and George, Sandokhan hobbled along as best he could. When he passed by an alcove in the rock, the fox heard a familiar voice call to him, "So, the disgraced has returned from his hiding!" Sandokhan turned round and saw the white wolf, Fujokai. "Nice to see you too," Sandokhan replied. "Ee gad, a wolf!" George cried out. "It's alright George, he's on our side," said Wataru reassuringly. Sandokhan shrugged off his helpers and confronted the white wolf, "If I were truly disgraced I would never have returned at all." Fujokai sniffed the fox's scent, "The smell of blood from fresh wounds. Been in a duel have we?" "Yes, Jagee is dead," Sandokhan replied. "Perfect, the right hand has been cut down," Fujokai said before he stood aside allowing the fox and his companions to pass by. The resistances' sanctum reminded Elmtail and Mattimeo of Cavern Hole back at Redwall Abbey. The great cave was illuminated by lanterns and candles with moths flying lazily into the light. Allyosha took charge of Sandokhan, "I will take Lord Sandokhan to the infirmary. There is a hot spring in the next cavern where you may all refresh yourselves. Some tea and food will be brought to you in time." The hot bath was indeed refreshing for the traveller's tired limbs. Garbed in giis Mattimeo and his friends waited in the sanctum for news of Sandokhan. His nurse, the vixen Ritsuko emerged from a passageway with dirty bandages. Mattimeo rose to his feet but was stopped by Wataru, "If there was any news on Sandy's condition we would be the first to know. Until he's well again, we must make plans." And so Mattimeo and the others from the western lands made plans for the liberation of the Jima Islands. * At Ikkit's Claw's summer palace, formally Lon's pagoda, Mangetail walked down the passage to the throne room where wearets fought Stormvermin troops stripping them of their weapons and badges of authority. As the seer entered the throne room General Gash and his closest advisors were exchanging harsh words with the Honoured Claw. "This decision is completely unprecedented and totally unacceptable, Your Lordship," "Lord Jagee, a trusted instrument of mine, is dead General. It was YOUR decision to reduce the Lord's household to ashes. Ergo, YOUR troops may have contributed to his demise." "His murderers were within my grasp. If you had not given my troops the order to withdraw..." Gash argued back, raising his voice and pointing an accusing claw. "Are you questioning my judgements?" Gash paused. "No, Honoured Claw. I am only expressing my concern that the wearets..." Gash was silenced mid sentence by a wave of Ikkit's massive brazen claw. "A complete recommission of the guard was a radical step. However recent events have made it abundantly clear that the Stormvermin can no longer guarantee my safety." "As supreme commander of the forces of the Claw, I will make a formal complaint to the regional governors of the Eshin realm. Maybe I can get more support for my efforts there," said Gash as he signalled his advisors to follow. Before he followed the rest out of the throne room, Gash turned back towards his master, "My council of officers and myself will be protesting this decision strongly... Honoured One!" As the door slid shut, Ikkit Claw slumped back into his throne and sighed with extreme weariness and frustration, "Ahh. Politics, how tiresome! Did you know my seer, Gash has threatened to recall all his troops back to Eshin over this... exchange of hats?" "The Stormvermin have always been the Claws' protectors. Ever since your father and your fathers' father," "If it wasn't for my ancestors the Stormvermin as an effective military force wouldn't exist! Perhaps Gash should think about that sometime before he dies," Claw said before turning to the wearet chieftain, now newly appointed general of the forces of the Claw. "Gash is now to be considered a rogue element. He is unreliable and cannot be trusted," "Oi agree, Moi Lord," "Eliminate him, Roygel. Immediately!" The massive hulking beast bowed to his master before leaving the throne room, setting himself to his task at hand. Ikkit Claw turned his attention back to Mangetail, "Now my seer, are your visions clear?" "Er, that's what I've come to talk to you about, Honoured One. My visions have become tainted," said Mangetail. Claw fixed him with a freezing glance, "Tainted? What do you mean by tainted?" "A few days ago my eye within became blocked. Now all I see on the spiritual plane is a mouse in strange armour and a sword," "An omen?" "I cannot be sure, Great One. But this apparition has a name, Martin." Claw stroked his beard with his flesh claw thinking hard about Mangetail's vision. "I have not heard this name before and it is not a name in our mythology. I have a feeling things will get very interesting very soon." * Sandokhans' leg was still healing from his duel with Jagee, but the gesture of Ritsuko being his nurse did lighten his heart a little. She had told him the exploits of the resistance ever since he left. They both laughed heartily as she finished relating a tale, "Hahahaha, and that Stormvermin captain was never heard from again!" Sandokhan wiped tears of mirth from his eyes before catching a glimpse at the white wolf. Ritsuko suddenly stopped laughing and stood up straight. "I want a word, alone." Ritsuko bowed politely to Fujokai before leaving the infirmary. "Six? This is the army that will overthrow the might of the Eshin war host?" "They are my council. A monumental task will require careful planning and a small band like mine will be less likely to attract unwanted attention." "Am I also to assume that you will be overseeing everything?" "Not quite. I'm going to need your help in training the slaves we've freed," Sandokhan proposed. "They are not built for combat and unworthy to learn the way of the warrior," "Under your and my own instruction we can mould them into an unstoppable force. We can make them strong and make them worthy to learn our art," "We are not supposed to teach outsiders. It is one of Bushidos' most upheld laws," "Only outsiders we can't trust and I trust Mattimeo and the others with my own life. Besides I havn't heard stories of your daring and valour since I've been gone," said Sandokhan. Fujokai grinded his teeth in annoyance. In a fury he grabbed Sandokhan and pinned him violently into his futon. "Would you like to know?" He growled through clenched, sharp teeth. "After Niji Gate fell and you abandonned us, my only thoughts were those of my wife and daughter. I went back to Yoshino only to find the place a Stormvermin garrison. My own home was turned into a filthy barracks! That's when I saw them! The two of them lying in a ditch next to a road. The vile scum didn't even bother to give them a decent burial. I managed to meet a small Samurai clan in hiding and we launched lightning raids against Stormvermin garrisons. One day, we were ambushed. If it wasn't for the Blue Samurai we wouldn't have survived." "The who?" Sandokhan asked. "A warrior of grand skill and discipline. We do not know his name, but all we know is that he wears blue armour," Fujokai replied. "I'm sorry... for your loss," Sandokhan said. Fujokai grabbed the Starfire and pressed it into the foxs' grasp. "If you were truly sorry, you'd know what to do." "My honour may have suffered a blow, but I am not completely without honour. Not yet," Sandokhan said as he moved to stand up, using nearby bamboo cane for leverage. "Come on, it's time to make a strategy," said Sandokhan as the wolf followed him out of the infirmary.