"I'd have rather you seen this place on a better day than one where we are about to go to war.

"I understand, Yama-sama. Still, the martial preparations do not detract from the aracane beauty of the palace."

"I'm sure the Isawa have palaces to put us to shame."

"Maybe they do, and maybe they do not. I have not seen Kyuden Isawa for over two years now. But even if they were magnificent, they would not in any way dwarf the spectacle I have seen this day."

"Raiden-san seems to be more than just your fencing sensei"

"He is a friend as well. I would not hesitate to risk my life for his."

"Come, my boy, tell me what your business with the Agasha, let us not worry more about formal small talk."

Kuyuden left the room with his mother and father.


_______________
Ogami's men marched more troops had come to join them. soldiers from other parts of the Great Climb.

Dai walked over to the men who had volunteered to assist him in the hunt. He looked all of them over, noticing the man who had helped him earlier. If he wasn't going to be creepy like he was earlier, he would thank him. After taking note of his men, he decided they were ready to go.

"Hmmmm.... Which way to go..." he muttered to himself, trying to think of the best direction to take. He had always trusted north, so he thought it would be better to go that way. "We go north," he said to the troops as he began to walk in that direction.

The northern path led high up a mountain. the bloody path left by the mad man was easy to track.

"Agasha Yama-sama, I seek magical aid for my friends in the coming conflict. I have heard of the strange and exotic spells of the Agasha... might I be permitted to learn some of them?"