Second Day of Thunder

The Second Day of Thunder occurred on the ninth day of the month of the Ox in the year 1128. It was on this day, as it was on the first Day of Thunder, that the Seven Thunders faced Fu Leng to destroy him and to save Rokugan. This battle ended the Clan War.

The Mantis Clan
Before the battle, as the armies of the Great Clans and Yoritomo's Alliance were readying themselves for the coming fight, the Mantis Clan daimyo, Yoritomo, did what to some was unthinkable. Yoritomo presented the Champions of the Great Clans with an ultimatum: either they accept his clan as an equal -- a Great Clan -- or his forces would be commanded to attack the armies of the clans. Yoritomo offered his head for his insolence, but assured the Champions that his commanders would carry out his orders if his demnd was not met.

The Champions, impressed with the valor and tenacity of Yoritomo, agreed. The Mantis were made a Great Clan, and the plans for the assault were begun.

The Lion Clan
After the death of Matsu Tsuko, the leaderless Lion Clan descended fully into civil war. At this point, it had been revealed that Hantei XXXIX had been possessed and was completely controlled by Fu Leng. Much of the Lion Clan realized that their Emperor had become their ancient nemesis and joined the battle against him. Others were strongly compelled by their ancient mandate to protect the Hantei, and saw this duty as binding, no matter the state of the Emperor.

Ikoma Tsanuri led the forces of the Lion who remained loyal to the Emperor, and prepared to defend him no matter the cost to themselves or the empire. The opposition was led by Kitsu Motso, who believed that the Emperor had betrayed Rokugan and was no longer deserving of the Lion's fealty. The two Lion armies met on the fields of Otosan Uchi and prepared to do battle against each other, as the horde of Shadowlands creatures merely looked on.

At the last moment, a third army crested the hill. The ronin of Toturi's Army had joined the plain, with Toturi at their head. With a raised katana and a cry of "For Matsu Tsuko and Rokugan!" Toturi's Army descended upon the Shadowlands horde watching the Lion armies. The Lion armies united beneath their former Champion and began the slaughter of Fu Leng's forces.

Final Battle
The battle outside the city won, the Seven Thunders, Togashi Yokuni, and the Hooded Ronin used Bayushi Kachiko's secret passages and entered the throne room of the Hantei, facing the avatar of Fu Leng himself.

Yokuni entered the fray first, revealing himself to be the Kami Togashi, still alive and ruling the Dragon Clan for the last eleven centuries. Togashi took the form of a great dragon, and Fu Leng did the same. Though Togashi managed to wound Fu Leng, the Dark Kami bested Togashi, breaking his spine and throwing him to the floor.

As Togashi lay dying, Mirumoto Hitomi ran to the Dragon Kami, plunged her arm into his chest, and pulled out his heart and the final Black Scroll. With the Obsidian Hand, Hitomi squeezed Togashi's still-beating heart, stealing his strength. When the heart was a lifeless husk, she cast it aside and unsealed the Black Scroll.

Fu Leng's laughter filled the throne room. The last bit of his soul sealed into the Black Scrolls had been released. The Dark Kami reveled in his victory.

From the shadows, clapping could be heard. The Hooded Ronin -- the descendant of Shinsei -- stepped out, applauding the Dark Kami. Then he explained that with the opening of the Black Scrolls, Isawa's spell bgun over a thousand years prior had been finally completed. Fu Leng's soul was bound completely to the Hantei's body.

"That's right, Fu Leng," the Hooded Ronin said. "You are mortal."

Major References

 * Time of the Void Pages 101-04.
 * Time of the Void Stronghold Stories