When the great lord of the Byakko was routed once more at the capital, he learned of the capture of Kordai, so rather than return there, he and his forces retreated further westward to the city called Babophos. If they did not have the courage to retake Kordai right away, Akasame was certain he could defeat them. He wanted the great lord's head and so he marched his men in pursuit to Babophos. He expected to find an easy victory, but instead it was he who was met with defeat.

When Akasame reached Babophos, he found that the Byakko outnumbered his forces ten to one and were not so gripped by the spirit of defeat as he had thought. He lost half of his mercenaries in the ensuing battle before he was forced to retreat. However, it was not the mercenaries but the loss of Oshio that cut deepest. He was perhaps too tender-hearted, but he was a courageous warrior and an able leader of men. No man was more loyal.

It did not end there. A portion of the Byakko's forces pursued Akasame and drove him off before he could fortify himself in Kordai. More mercenaries died, some threw themselves on the mercy of the Byakko and the rest deserted during the retreat. And so Akasame found himself back among the woodcutters for an entire miserable year. He had not been tried so sorely even during all those long weeks adrift at sea.

The year passed and he was presented with an opportunity to regain a portion of his lost honor. He was given new mercenaries. His reputation was so black that no Suzaku would serve under him, so foreigners passing through the eastern ports were hired to serve instead. They were barbarians even to barbarians, but there was nothing they would not do so long as they received their gold. Along with these new mercenaries, Akasame returned to Kordai to claim it once more after the Byakko had withdrawn. It was even less of a battle than the first time he took the city, but a mere peasant with a makeshift spear succeeded in mortally wounding Iwayumi, another of Akasame's retainers, leaving him with Takemochi alone. He was perhaps the least among the three, but he was all Akasame had.

The reason the Byakko withdrew from Kordai was because their king had arrived in the westernmost port. Supposedly, the Byakko meant to set sail to make war on the distant east. Perhaps so and perhaps it was nothing more than a stratagem to strike at the Suzaku with all their might. Rowland expected the latter and so crafted his latest plan.

Akasame's men were made to join forces with the men of the mountain. Because of their small stature, large noses and thick beards, they were called the Tengu by Akasame's men, though their own name for themselves was something like Dowaka. Their mission was to lure out the great lord of the Byakko at the port city of Kalonis while Rowland's woman snuck into the city to kill or capture the king of the Byakko. Without their king, the Byakko would tear themselves apart.

They approached the city quietly in the night. They were not to alert the Byakko until they were at the city walls. The grass was tall—waist-high in some places and up to the shoulders in others—and Akasame's men wore grass cloaks to make them even more difficult to spot by any Byakko patrolling the outer reaches of the city. Though they wanted to draw out the Byakko, they did not want to alert them until they had first taken up more advantageous footing. They would need every advantage they could get, after all.

Just as the city was coming into sight, ill fortune struck once more. There was a flash of light and a terrible screeching sound.

The creature, whatever it was, rushed at them with all the force of a typhoon, bathing them in golden fire. The air was filled with the sound of burning men screaming.

While many of his own men, particularly the mercenaries, were being thrown into a panic, the Tengu showed much greater resolve, barking orders in their gruff native tongue. Even though Akasame did not understand the words, he could tell that they meant to fight this creature.

As the creature came back around, the Tengu were ready for it. There was a strange noise and a pained squawk from the creature. The strange noise repeated several times over. It must have been the curious carts the Tengu brought with them with what seemed to be a giant bow mounted on top. Just as an ordinary bow could be used to shoot any bird out of the sky, so too could this device bring down even a giant monster like this.

It fell to the ground with a great crash. Akasame waved his sword aloft to rally his men.

He did not look back to see how many answered his call. If he had to deal the deathblow himself, then all the more glory would be his. He charged forward in the direction the creature fell, but as he drew nearer, there was no sign of it. Something that large could not simply disappear, could it? Was it nothing more than an illusion?

No, it was real. He could see the wide circle of scorched grass and brush still smoldering, drenched in blood so hot that steam was rising from it. The steam formed a mist, making it difficult to see.

Akasame pointed westward, barking, "After it! The creature has changed forms!"

And so he ran toward the city. His men were forming up behind him and the Tengu were not far behind. He did not know how many they had lost, but it did not matter. They could use the grass to their advantage against the Byakko's superior numbers. The Tengu and their devices could lay low many men as well. If only the great lord of the Byakko would show himself, Akasame could claim his head. If not then, perhaps once they forced their way into the city. One way or another...

As they were drawing closer to the city, he could start to make out the shapes of the Byakko assembled in front of the city gates. The last time they had been arrayed against him, it was a disaster, but this time would be different.

The men answered his call by raising their voices as a great and fearsome host. Akasame did not expect the Byakko to break ranks right away, but would they be so willing to go forward? He would see what they were made of.

The drums and horns of the Tengu sounded as they approached. This was it, a true battle, the sort Akasame had been longing for. However, instead of the Byakko marching forward to meet them in a great and bloody clash, their ranks lit up with dozens of little flames. Those flames then shot up into the air in a wide arc. Arrows.

He laughed to mock the Byakko, but it would seem that he had learned nothing about tempting the gods. When the flaming arrows landed, the ground erupted in a wall of fire. It was as if the creature had struck once more. Then another wave of arrows landed behind them, raising another wall of fire.

With flames burning all around them, those who were not already set alight were thrown into a fresh panic. Any attempt to bring the men together to charge through the flames and attack were a waste of breath, not that much breath could be spared amid all the choking smoke billowing from the flames.

Once they had retreated past the reach of the flames, Akasame summoned Takemochi and told him, "Reassemble the men. We move around the flames and strike from the side."

Akasame cursed the turn of ill fortune. Again he was cheated out of the battle he desired. There was nothing to be done for it. He would simply have to look for another opportunity to strike.

This was their best chance to strike at the very heart of the Byakko. However cunning Rowland was, Akasame doubted he had a new ploy at the ready after a disaster like this. At very least, he still had Kordai and did not have to think about returning to the woodcutters.