Memories of the Exiled I - Atha Anka

Location: Veneza, Eastern Forest
Setting: 409 Years Ago

On the outskirts of this little settlement called Veneza by the mortals, there is a clearing with sparse trees that I like to train in from time to time. The trees serve as obstacles to be bypassed as well as targets while I'm training. I come out here also to be alone at times. This time is no different on that front. I wanted some time to my thoughts and training generally seemed the best time for such reflection. My eyes glow with a golden fire that could rival the sun's glare. I am going thru different basics of our martial arts style. While doing so, my mind continues to wander as I focus in on my emotions in order to harness the power of the Krodha Transa. The dangerous thing about doing this is that anger is one of the easiest emotions to fuel the Krodha Transa as our fury can feed quickly off of our anger and as it does, we fuel it with more and more. My mind's wandering leads me to one particular event... an event that causes me to surpass anger and plunge straight to rage. Doing so enhances my rate of movement to greater levels and my attacks become more and more vicious... the event was one of the last to take place in Koutaku-Shi, the Realm of Order, also known as the Northern Heaven. It used to be home. Key words there being "used to be". As my rage builds, the event becomes clearer and clearer in my mind until it is so vivid that it leads me into a mode deeper than the normal Krodha Transa. Something... else...
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There is a vast gathering in the open courthouse with kami gathered from multiple aspects of Koushi life. There are carpenters, warriors, scholars of law and justice, orators, and bureaucrats and administrators. This trial has brought out the who's who of Nalco as many hold a vested interest in seeing the outcome. The trial is high profile because it is a Mahana Marsala of the Kunashi Faction, the second highest rank in their Hierarchy given command over an entire Cadre or Enclave of the Kunashi Faction. He is very highly respected and idolized by so many Heavenly Knights inside and outside of the Kunashi Faction. It is still unknown to many why he is not being tried by a Tribunal of the Heavenly Knights, but instead by Administrators who generally only preside over civilian affairs since that is their specialty. The trial lasts several days and by the end, the Tribunal comes to the final arguments. The Chief Justice of the Tribunal addresses the Mahana Marsala:

"As a Marsala, you should have known better than to defy orders. To defy the Will of the Watchers and allow sin within your ranks is unforgivable. You abused your position as Marsala and risked the lives of numerous Kami in order to save a handful of fallen ones, who had succumbed to the poisons of the mortals and their realm. You allowed your own officers to kill a brethren in defense of these traitors to Koushi. You defended them still and even hid them from the Sikari sent to bring them to justice. Your mere presence threatens the already fragile state of the Kunashi Faction. You and your ilk are a disgrace and cancer to us all. Have you anything to say?"

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The middle aged, in Kami terms, warrior leader stands proud and erect before the Tribunal in silence as they speak ill of him. A fairly young Kami warrior bares his fangs at the final insult lobbied at the Marsala and speaks, "How dare you pathetic cowards..." The Marsala's hand raises with his three inside fingers pointing towards the heavens and the other two fingers closed. The young warrior falls silent instantly. The Marsala's hand closes into a fist and all of the Kunashi at the "trial", if it can even be called that, kneel in obedience and respect. The Marsala's voice is calm and pleasant as he addresses the Tribunal, "Respected Members of the High Tribunal, please forgive my Komutan. He is very loyal and protective of our honor and our brethren. You see, that is what it means to be a Kunashi. You will never understand what it means to live in the darkness of the light at all times. To harness your emotions and build upon them, so that you may never be consumed by them. To live a life of service protecting those who look down upon you and hunting those who believe differently. You will never understand what it means to have to trust your survival to your brethren and know that you are all that protects them. I train and lead my Cadre of the Faction to be the absolute best at what they do and not once have we failed the Head Knight Council."

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The Marsala continues, "Not once has one of our members turned against the Will of the Watchers. You do not represent the Will of the Watchers. At best, you respect the Will of YOUR Koushi. How often do you go out and just visit the people? How often do you listen to their needs and provide for them? You do not. We do. And even when you tried to order the execution of my brethren and my Kunashi, not once did we cease in our duties. Not once have we ever risen against the High Tribunal or the Head Knight Council. Our loyalty is always to Koushi. Our loyalty is always to our fellow Kami. When you abandoned those who were taken as prisoners to the Mortal Realm, I sent my Komutan and his squad to retrieve them safely and bring the Fallen back to stand trial. Your response? You sent knights to forcefully capture my Kunashi who had done their duty as always. You, not I, are the disgrace and traitors to our people. I am here out of respect for your title and position, but make no mistake that you are not worthy of either by your recent actions and your lack of love for your fellow Kami." The Marsala falls silent as the disdain for these proceedings grows in his eyes. He held no remorse for his actions as he saved the lives of honorable kami after receiving orders that they were to be left to their fate.

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The majority of the gathering cheers on the Marsala and agrees with his viewpoint as they are warriors and/ or Kunashi themselves. The bureaucrats of the gathering disapprove of the response heavily. The Tribunal sees this response as further treason against them and the order which Koushi covets so deeply. The Chief Justice speaks, "Even now, you speak sedition and seek to undermine the Authority of this Tribunal. It is the decision of this Tribunal that you be stripped of your rank, your cadre will be disbanded, the offenders will be imprisoned until they are repented, and you will be executed for your treason. Take the prisoner away."

The Komutan crows ferociously in opposition and all are expecting for him to attack, but the Marsala speaks into his mind. "Stand down. There are too many innocents and leaders that could be hurt here. Think of them before you worry about me." The Komutan brewing with deep anger begrudgingly nods and obeys. He keeps the other Kunashi with him at bay. "Marsala, this insult and farce will not be allowed to pass." the Komutan replies telepathically. The Mahana Marsala tells him that he is the future of the Kunashi Cadre. That he is who they need now. The Komutan locks eyes with the Chief Justice and even without reading his thoughts, which are kept tightly guarded, his eyes made clear his feelings towards the administrator kami and the rest of the Tribunal.

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"Kunashi!" The Komutan calls out to his brethren of the Cadre who all look ready to strike and the Marsala stops with a look of concern on his face, worried that the Komutan would think more of loyalty to the Marsala than the safety of the noncombative kami civilians in attendance. "Show... respect!" The entire gathering of Kunashi salute the Marsala as he is taken away. He nods to the Komutan and telepathically thanks him for his true loyalty. The Komutan tells him that this is far from over.

The execution was attempted to be kept a secret but the Komutan no longer viewed the Tribunal as ally or brethren, but as his enemy, who held his Marsala prisoner preparing to execute him. The Kunashi captured a guard of the tribunal and "interrogated" him for the location. The mental damage dealt to the guard during the extraction of the information would leave him in a comatose state for weeks. With the location, the Komutan takes the Cadre to rescue him before he can be executed. This prove to be slightly difficult due to the fact that in an insulting slap to the face, the Tribunal assigns Kunashi from a different cadre to secure the execution grounds. Upon viewing this, the brethren of the Cadre raise questions as to what to do now since none of them, the Komutan included, wish to kill their fellow Kunashi. The Komutan is faced with a decision and with the announcement that the Marsala was being brought out.

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The Komutan gives his orders, "Do not kill them, but neutralize them at all costs. The Marsala is our priority. He has never abandoned us, so we will not abandon him. If you question your resolve. Return now for I do not know what the final outcome will be in all of this." None of them move and a female Kunashi looks at him and smiles, "We trust you to lead us. What are your orders?" The Komutan quickly splits everyone into teams and they disperse quickly. Those with sensing abilities notice a great gathering of power that keeps moving quickly around the area and the Kunashi guards recognize the essence. They didn't feel good about what they were doing, but orders are orders and they must obey in order to maintain order and peace in the realm.

The Komutan releases a terrifying crow as his wings release and the other Kunashi around him take position on him with their wings also released. The Chief Justice speaks in shock at the audacity, "You think to defy us?!" The anger-filled Komutan replies, "I will kill you all if you think you are going to execute the Mahana Marsala." The Guards of the Tribunal step forward and draw weapons against the Komutan, who is standing on the ledge of an adjacent building. The other Kunashi teams appear and attack the Kunashi Guards trying to get to the Marsala. The team with the Komutan also dive into aerial combat as the Guards charge at the Komutan.

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The Komutan's eyes glow as a column of light forms around the Mahana Marsala after one of the Kunashi Cadre warriors separate him from his captors. The Marsala appears next to the Komutan and the Kunashi, who were flanking the Komutan on the roof form a protective ring around the two. "I will not see you executed, Master." The Chief Justice of this Tribunal fires an attack at the Marsala and the Komutan reaches up and stops the attack before sending it back to the Justice. The guards lunge in to attack and the Kunashi receive them. The Komutan looks at the Marsala and speaks, "We must get you out of here." The Marsala grabs at his throat and the symbols on the collar begin to light up. The Komutan grabs it and it fills him with a great deal of pain. His breathing quickens as his entire body begins to shake the very building that they are on as the Kunashi Cadre regroups to shield him and the Marsala.

After about 20 seconds, the collar shatters and the Marsala gasps for air. The Komutan, however, has a different reaction. His wings seem to burn with energy and a tail emerges behind him. His fangs sharpen and his eyes erupt with energy inside of him. Looking at the Kunashi Guards, he speaks with unnatural power in his voice, "Move aside or die." The Cadre looks at him as he seems very serious and prepared to attack his own brethren at this point.

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The Female Kunashi knows that something is wrong. Most of the Kunashi guards stand their ground, but make no movement towards the Komutan as they too are torn between understanding the anger of their brother and carrying out their duties to protect the Tribunal. A mid-grade officer in the guard detail tries to reason with the Komutan to bring about a peaceful resolution telling him that he and his detail will not pursue them with the Marsala until an official order is given which would take hours. One of the overzealous Kunashi Guards, feeling that the officer's offer was bordering on failure to enforce the law, moves to attack the Komutan but is stopped short of his target. His entire body is frozen in the air as his body starts to shake and blood runs from the orifices in his head. He is released before he is killed and his body is thrown at the feet of the Chief Justice on the ground. The energy flowing off of the Komutan grows more and more visible as he vanishes and reappears next to one of the Justices. Delivering a palm strikes him in the chest at blazing speed, the Komutan passes the point of no return. That palm strike is followed up by several more strikes before he releases a massive energy blast to the Justice's chest knocking him several feet away. The Kunashi Guards do their best to subdue him not wanting to turn his ire towards them nor wanting to hurt the berserk kami.

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The Komutan goes on a rampage against the executioners and Justices until the Marsala recovers his strength and witnesses what is happening. The female Kunashi asks the Marsala what has happened to him, "IT is awakening, but he is too young. Much too young and passionate now. We must bring him out of the Krodha Transa quickly. You know what to do."

She nods and moves away and the Marsala flies off of the roof and intercepts the Komutan's attack before he can kill the Chief Justice. The other justices were still alive as he discarded them without killing them, but the Chief Justice was marked for death it would seem. The Chief Justice is actually surprised to see the Marsala save him. The Mahana Marsala tells the Kunashi Guards to get the Justices and other wounded to safety. The Komutan attacks the Marsala to get to the Justice. Even the eyes of the Komutan were different as they changed between their normal gold color and a new silver color with eruptions taking place inside of his pupils it would seem. The Marsala tries to calm him down, but his devoted pupil seems absent save an overwhelming notion to avenge the Marsala from the Chief Justice's insults and attempted execution. Once the Kunashi Guards are able to get the Chief Justice away from the Komutan, the Marsala delivers a devastating palm strike to the Komutan's torso which is followed by the female Kunashi sneaking up behind him to use her lightning powers to stop him.

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The strike that she uses sends a surge of electricity down his neural pathways in order to interrupt his psychic abilities and it helps to render him near unconscious since his body is overloaded by the pain of the Marsala's endgame palm strike. The Chief Justice looks at the Marsala and nods to him in gratitude. Speaking weakly, he tells the Marsala, "You have one hour, Marsala. If you wish to spare him from execution, then exile is your option." The Marsala nods and tells him that the Cadre will leave with him. The Chief Justice nods and tells him that he was correct as their loyalty to the point of defiance does not make sense to him. The Kunashi Guards take the Chief Justice away as the Marsala turns to the Cadre and just nods to them. They had his gratitude for sure.

The Cadre flees to a Kunashi border stronghold near the Koushi Gateway to Yochi in order to prepare for a potential battle against the Hogosha of Order. They are not there for long as the Marsala knows that they need to escape before a legion of knights arrive to prevent their escape. As they arrive at the gateway, the Marsala finds another group of Kunashi there waiting for them. He steps forward and they tell the Komutan that he can relax as they are not there to retrieve them. The Mahana looks at the Komutan and nods to him. "It is alright and we must not allow this to let us lose ourselves. He is still a superior officer and respect is due."

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The Komutan nods to the Mahana and apologizes to the Marsala whom he had shown aggression towards. The Marsala understanding the mindset of the young Komutan shakes his head and tells him to think nothing of it. One of the other Marsala leading this unit addresses the Mahana, "We are coming with you, Mahana. You will need more than just this unit if you hope to survive. Besides, you saved all of us more times than we can count and it was my squad that you rescued and got this sentence. We are most grateful for your honorable deeds. Besides, Merkus' project needs to be disciplined. We told you that if you got exiled for the order you gave, then we would follow you anywhere. Kunashi have never been liars to their brethren and that has not changed." The Mahana Marsala nods and embraces them in a warrior's hug, a clasp of the forearms, and they approach the Gateway where the Hogosha is floating. Now generally, exile is accompanied with a sealing or stripping of one's powers, but since they hoped to avoid that. One of the lower Marsala knows the Hogosha personally, so he requests permission for the group to head to Yochi on a mission similar to the Rescue in North Novartis. The Hogosha looks at him recalling the event he speaks of. The Hogosha knew of the trouble that the Mahana and his cadre were in, but honor bound him to fulfill his friend's request since it was the Hogosha who was rescued in the mission he speaks of over five hundred years ago when he was a young Heavenly Knight. The Hogosha moves aside to allow them passage and address the Marsala, "May the Watchers guide and protect you, old friend." The group flies thru the Gateway quickly and the Hogosha returns to checking all those who request to enter and exit.

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