Unfinished Business

Unfinished Business is a short fiction written by Rich Wulf for a tournament.

Annotated Story
Previously: Unfinished Business - Prelude



Somewhere in the Dragon mountains a monk is meditating. The temperature, seclusion and fasting has allowed him to reach the mindset needed to contact the individual he seeks. Togashi Mitsu is greeted by a rich melodious voice in his head that asks him how he is doing. Mitsu replies out loud that he is well but his destiny weighs heavily on him. The voice laughs and asks if Mitsu would prefer to be ignorant of his destiny. Mitsu replies that he does not fear death, but failure. Each day he becomes older and his enemy becomes stronger, darker and more powerful. The voice tells him to have faith in his fate, but before Mitsu can respond he is disturbed out of his meditation. He attempts to focus on what has interrupted him, and hears from further down in the mountain pass below the sounds of battle. He rises gracefully, and knows that his destiny is now beginning.

Meanwhile, in the mountain pass below, Mirumoto Rosanjin and his men are fighting Lion troops that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. The more experience Lion are tearing through the untested soldiers led by Rosanjin, but none of the Dragon showed any fear or sorrow. The Lion commander, Matsu Tejin, announces himself to Rosanjin and tells him that he was the one who defeated Mirumoto Ukira on the Dragon Heart Plain and that if Rosanjin and his troops surrender they will be allowed to withdraw. Rosanjin knows that Ukira retreated to bring valuable information back to Mirumoto Daimyo Mirumoto Uso, and Rosanjin has no such obligation. Rosanjin assumes his stance and tells Tejin no. Tejin grimly tells Rosanjin that he and his men will die before preparing to charge his enemy. Suddenly from the cliff above they all hear the sound of laughter. Rosanjin attempts to discern where the sound is coming from, but cannot see it. A voice from above announces the arrival of a monk, who says he sees little has changed in the ways of war. He says he had hoped things would have changed by now, but at least this means there is still use for men like him. Tejin is angered by the new arrival and tells him to reveal who he is. Rosanjin has a vague recollection of stories from his childhood, but focuses his attention on the Lion. Tejin looses his patience, and orders half a dozen of his bushi to fire upon the monk. As the arrows hit the monk is no longer there, as he had leapt from the place and gracefully landed on a nearby ledge before landing on the rock floor where the two units stood. Rosanjin is glad now that he recognizes the monk as Mitsu, and greets the legendary monk. Tejin dismissed it, claiming there is no such person. Tejin orders his men to attack but Mitsu easily deals with the two first Matsu Bushi who reach him, disarming both. Rosanjin takes advantage of the confusion in the Lion ranks, and orders his men to charge. The battle goes in favor of the Dragon for a few moments, but the Lion recover and slowly begin gaining control once more. Mitsu disbales or disarms any of the Lion he fought, but never killed. Tejin, having just killed a Dragon, charges Mitsu. Mitsu strikes Tejin with his fingers between Tejin's armor and his katana falls to the ground, his arm limp. Tejin draws his wakizashi in his offhand, but another well-aimed strike causes Tejin's other arm to drop limp. Tejin tells Mitsu to kill him, but Mitsu refuses. Tejin says Mitsu better hope they do not meet again, and flees with his men. Rosanjin bows to Mitsu and thanks him for his aid in victory, but Mitsu points to the many dead and wounded and says it is hardly a victory. Rosanjin thinks on it for a moment, and sees what Mitsu means. Mitsu points out that death comes to all in due time, but there is one individual who deserves an early death. Mitsu looks south, and Rosanjin frowns as he follow's the monk's gaze. Rosanjin asks who he is talking about, but Mitsu does not want to say.

Characters

 * Togashi Mitsu
 * Mirumoto Rosanjin
 * Matsu Tejin

Not Present, But Mentioned

 * Mitsu's Enemy
 * Mirumoto Ukira
 * Mirumoto Uso