//------------------------------//
// Ch. 9 A Broken Warrior 
// Story: Land of the Rising Sun: Quelling the Ryu 
// by TheronSniper 
//------------------------------//

Nozu gasped as his vision and hearing came to him with the swiftness of an arrow, wide eyes stung as the dryness of the once wet surface spurned the pain. His lungs burned from merely moving to breath as did every ounce of his body, it hurt to even exist for mere seconds already. The Imperial commander could only see but the color of palm leaves which filled his sight, nothing existed before nor present to him. He simply awoke to a new life and one that was consumed by anguish, his body writhed and squirmed in place on something soft and wide. Mouth open in a soundless scream from the surging trauma his body was engulfed in, the only question going through a single thought that formed as 'Why'?

Muffled voices greeted his hearing as something pressed him back down, "Sir! Please calm down! I need help! I need help in here!!"

"Right!" another replied, a race of thuds approached his prone form in haste.

A pair of blunt objects pressed down on his right shoulder, two long sticks held down his thighs, then rakes caught his left arm before he could swing to free himself. Everything was numb to the touch yet nerves flared as if he'd been tossed into a bed of burning coals. The suffering he felt down to even each heartbeat belayed any further attempts to fight in panic as more and more things caught hold of him.

"He needs the ambrosia! Can't you give him anything!" something barked.

"I can't! If I do... the dosage will be received in full effect with the medicine I had to give for the leg. I won't risk shutting down his heart!" another replied.

A deep grumble resonated in the air as Nozu's muscles tensed into a full body cramp that he finally ceased any movement at all, only the seizing performed any twitch or jerk. Just a labored breath as even the jaw muscles flexed  to the point his mouth was agape, it hurt to the point he couldn't even form a thought anymore.

"You USELESS pony! Get me a dracony in here if you can't save him!!"

That was when a snap cracked the air, something flat smacking another surface with a force to be reckoned with. The grips on his body lessened a little, Nozu's eyes clamped shut from the ringing in his ears. Two things wormed their way out from the angle his head was at, like pebbles that had been stuffed in them yet hadn't closed off the sounds.

"I am a servant of the Emperor as well as you! All of our medics are either dead or wounded themselves! So unless you want to run to the next province or swim the bay for a different combat nurse then you will treat me with the respect I've earned! He'd be dead if I hadn't found him... that goes for the rest of you!" the sounds were beginning to come in clearly, it was some female speaking and a pony as it was stipulated prior.

A silence befell the area as if all sources of the voices and grunts fell dead where they stood, a slight ruffle however did make it through and it came from a flapping canvas. Nozu willed himself out of the pond of torment, knowing only pain meant he had to rescue himself for all he knew he could be under Cinian control. He powered past the cramps that claimed his legs, arms, chest, back, and neck until he could at least hear himself.

Wherever he was his eyes had come to understand that he was inside a construct of sorts, one made of fabric on an iron frame which moved like the surface of water if one were submerged looking upwards. If he was captured he had to try even harder to fight for control and rest himself from whatever serum was injected into him. Alas, all that came from his efforts was a return to the former state as he lost strength in himself and sunk back under the shimmer surface. He felt something slide towards the back of his throat and stifle his haggard lungs desperately trying to breath, he knew he would choke within a matter of seconds and would rather be a more fitting end than interrogation by Cinians.

"Hey... somethings happening to him!" a male pointed out to his left.

"His tongue! He's locking up! On his side! On his side!!" the female ordered as half the amount of things that had touched him shoved him over to his left.

The world swayed as his vision nudged over to see scales and bandages, a wall of moving muscle guarded by armored plates. A clawed arm caught his head before it fell onto a canvas bed of which he laid upon ever gently, a talon had his right arm which carefully put it to rest in his new position. The elongated forms of the torsos and waists were unmistakably Neighponese, the only relief he received since waking which slowly his musculature began to even relax as well. Notches and tugs were loosening enough to bring the suffering into tolerable perimeters.

"The army is pressing on after the retreating enemy, we can see if the fleet can take him but... the general's death may not help his treatment." one of the warriors before him mentioned as he knelled down to look into Nozu's eyes, a name escaped the soldier but it was clear how wounding it was to even looking upon the casualty. Even so the commander couldn't help but feel happy to be in friendly care, one last thing to have concern over was not to be in enemy hooves.

Another grunt came forth, "It was the enemy detonating something under the road, it was not his fault!! Anypony else notice the General's approach?! It was unorthodoxed and a security risk already happening! We cannot let them blame our commander, not after all he's accomplished. Even after..."

"I will not let my patient be court marshaled while he's in my care! In doing so would invoke the wrath of the Southern Lord, and I believe the Council wouldn't want that... not while we're at war with such a dangerous enemy." the female resolute and stern had come around the bed which the reptilian bodies backed away to give her space.

The first thing the commander took heed of was the colorful striking mane of hair that swayed not a foot before his snout. The rich red violet color bore resemblance to something that pierced the embargo between memories and waking conciousness, the flotilla of physical malady missed the flyer which birthed a single image buried by the war and years of rigorous training. A quick flash came to him in his dire need to relinquish the crushing pull of every joint in him, and for a moment his spirit felt as if it were lifted from his body and deposited in the thought that took over him.

It was a garden of some kind, deep in a forest which surrounded a large patch of Irises the flowers from his youth as he recalled. They shone under the noon sun as their saturation reached its maximum potential, how heavenly they were to gaze upon. Their lustrious petals imprinted on him before they fell away as something new washed over him suddenly.

"The medicine I gave him should be wearing off in a moment, now watch you stubborn mule." the mare of gray fur and violet mane told her audience as she felt his forehead with the wrist of her forearm.

Nozu's body gave way from the convulsions which pervaded the poor warrior, a state of laxity which no gratitude could ever repay finally saw him like some spirit of legend. With the sweet release, gone was the fond memory and the wounded dracony could finally feel at peace in his own scalse. He could understand who he was and who the rest were, bit by bit he began to remember how he likely came to be in such a hellish condition.

"By the four lords!?" a voice gasped.

The mare followed Nozu's eye's as they moved about taking in what he could, she could see his faculties returning to him, "I had to give him the Moon Root after the amputation, in addition to Tsūsensan since I was the only one qualified to perform the procedure. He will never feel the ghost limb effect, but it comes at the price of the systemic contractions he just endured. Dracony physiology burns through the potion faster than pony or griffons, such as Lotus here. He'll need no rest now, give him a couple minutes and..."

The bandaged and ravaged limb that was Nozu's right arm lifted up and grasped the mare by the shoulder, his clawed digits closed and she winced. She could feel the prickling poking nails threatening to draw blood, but Isamu gently lifted it off before the force eventually harmed her seriously. The very elite kirin soldier stood next to her with a mournful gaze meeting his officer in command, something bore heavily on the stallion which emanated off him like a depressing aura.

"Commander!?" four voices said at once.

By this time the copper kirin could move without feeling much of anything, even after what he heard it meant nothing to him. His head however still felt some kind of throbbing in and around his ears though he handled it as any worthy Imperial Stewart would. His neck lifted his vision upright where he finally understood his position, indeed he was in a tent filled by his own brothers in arms. Tent flaps to the outside were steps from the foot of the stretcher he laid upon where an olive green blanket laid upon the length of his body below the shoulder. Something poked out the end and moved which he nearly mistook for a snake that just snuck into his cot, it wasn't until a spear of irritation peaked in that the tail had twitched with his emotional reaction. His own tail betrayed him oddly enough, a part of him that he mistook as the large silky tuft of hair which had been there was burnt off cleanly like a scalded potatoe.

"Sir? Please move slowly, you've... survived an attack which should have killed you." the mare advised with a voice as caring and soft as she could manage.

The same grunt came forth again, "You disrespect him... he's not some fresh recruit!"

"Shut it Chihiro!" a harsh whisper warned.

Nozu blinked a few times before he rushed the act of standing up, he needed to move and stretch. His body demanded it after what felt like decades of being in bed, it was anxious to feel something after the cramps had seized him. Compelled to listen and even greet his warriors, his lower half shoved off the edge of the rectangular stretcher before anyone caught him in time. He fell after his right leg failed to even find a footing, in fact it was not even there as he felt the hard cold ground meet his body and the stump of a thigh that the limb had become. Instantly his hearing became nothing more than a one note flute which played so close to his ears it felt as if his eardrums would rip.

"You fools! Get him up!" a Chihiro yelled as he rushed in to help the wounded officer.

Before a claw or hoof reached him, a deep rumble escaped the inner throat of the kirin as a warning to back off. The deep low frequency threatening call staved away all but the mare who still persisted, but she didn't help him back up as merely touching the gauze wrapped forearm. In a way she reminded him to look at himself first, a medic conveying the truth he needed to realize and understand.

"Sir? Lord Nozu? We're not your enemies..." she spoke barely touching him as if she knew the limits she could push.

Floundering like some fresh foal out of the womb, he managed to maneuver enough of his remaining legs to prop himself up and lean into the skinny bed for support. The ire in his face was beyond words to describe, as a mixture of resilience and resentment towards himself crafted a show stopping rage nopony dared offend. Yet their beloved and respected commander stood before them as a veteran of a heinous attack that broke conventions set in place dynasties back. Where he lacked a leg was a bloodied bandaged tip at the knee, copper scales lacking where shrapnel had torn them clean off leaving scar tissue the likes of which if he'd been hit with a grater. Lacerations had ripped across his sides where even more of the armored bony plates were forcibly yanked away from rock and debris the blast had sent off, vulnerable skin lay open for an opportunistic foe to jab a poison tipped barb through or a sleeping dart.

Above all the other lesser wounds Nozu sustained it was the missing horn from the set that all kirin possessed in order to perform magic. While one remained albeit burnt at the tips, the other was not so lucky and seemed to have broken off at the root. A coating of sorts had been dabbed on like a dollop of bread dough which he felt with his free left claw, suffice to say the dried blood near the site meant it had been bleeding when it was given as the flakes spotted a digit or two pulling the limb away. Somehow the audience knew Nozu was very well aware of the facts to his new life as he swept his right arm at them and pointed towards the snow frosted tent flaps.

"Leave me... Medic you shall remain with me." he ordered, woozy and teetering on falling down.

Chihiro was not the happiest, "Sir, you need more help than that pony can..."

"NOW!! That's an order!" the barking command had sent all but the two elites scrambling outside, the griffon among them even flapping their wings in fear.

Isamu thumped the resistant soldier on the chest giving a glare that reinforced the edict they were given, and so the two parted for the outside. The cold northerner blistering the warm air with each exit of the construct, were it not for the hot stones around there would be frost forming everywhere.

Nozu let a curse escape his muzzle before he collapsed from exhaustion, the first aid had only done so much for him. The unfortunate soul splayed out like a dragon who had crashed into the ground after being struck down from the sky, his chin pushed dirt and his tail slapped behind him. He felt the chilly touch of winter through the earth but knew it was nothing compared to the disgrace he suffered at the hooves of a desperate and folly foe, the buried bomb had forever shamed his record. Forever mangled was the leg that bobbed as he tried to move himself back up, but all that came of it was a dull rudder trying to push him forwards. The pain was numbed thankfully as he only succeeded in reddening the gauze which sent the mare into action.

"Sir!! Please don't! I only barely sutured the blood ways, if you rub it anymore you'll bleed out... and I don't have enough wire for another patch." she pleaded using her head and neck to lift him up by the chest and ribs.

The copper dracony allowed the contact if only to get back on the stretcher, once on he simply laid himself out again and let the medic look him over. A blank gaze towards the back portion of the mostly empty tent gave no further indication he cared whether she attended to him or not.

Minutes passed before the mare was sure he was ready for more rest, though she eyed him in pity as well as sorrow, 'For a pony like the commander, to be mutilated in action is a death sentence to their career in the Imperial Army. There's no place for slackers or the bummed no matter how talented they are or experience they've garnered. If one could not attack an enemy position effectively or lead their troops, they are sent back home where their futures were uncertain nor warranted. A fate you don't deserve Lord Nozu...' she thought to herself.

"It will be by tomorrow that a relief force and... likely an investigation team will make contact with us. By then you should be able to be sent aboard one of the transports in the bay. But you'll... likely have to face questioning." she admitted with a wrenched heart, "You don't deserve what is coming sir. You don't."

The wind howled outside as it had been doing since he awoke, but only presently could he really hear it. How the drugs seemed to have put his senses to sleep while he was under and minutes after coming to, be even admiration to modern medicine could not stave what was indeed coming to him soon enough. The flute had thankfully petered off slowly if not annoyingly as he managed to keep it from being noticed by the rest. A crippled officer, ruined magic, and a dead general at his claws secured a harsh punishment for him when he was sent home, even after the siege and the captured heads nothing else would matter except for his own failings to secure the area.

Worst of everything that had befallen his forces, were the casualties they sustained since the detonation. How many of his own warriors gave their lives trying to stop the improvised bombs? How many never even realized the deadly munitions that went off, thinking only of their next conquest before being snuffed out? Dracony, pony, griffon it did not matter to him as they all fought, bleed, and gave their lives for the Empire to feed the populace and its future.

He croaked through the dry throat which stifled his next words, "How... many?"

"I'm sorry sir?" the mare asked as she finished packing her medical pouch just barely keeping her emotions in check to remain professional.

Still he starred at the wavering canvas tent, "Whose left?" the wind blew again as if a war host were crying out over the senseless carnage.

Having heard a clear enough question she paused before reattaching the satchel onto herself, her body language spoke for her if she wouldn't. Out of his peripherals his fears were justified, just how young was the medic if she wasn't already desensitized to wounds and injuries or was the aftermath that gruesome?

"Tell me." he sighed, a gust of air flew from his nostrils enough to drive his demand home.

His bald tail slapped the bedding as his sorrow grew into anger, no immediate answer began to set him off once more. He could only give her so much time before he felt he'd assail her or die from shame, either of which would not help rectify what was taken so tragically.

The medic slouched a bit, a hoof extended out to his wounded arm as she tried to brace him for what was seeming to be the real reason that Nozu he knew himself to be would die for inadequacy. She shook her head fighting back the tears which began to overwhelm her, lips quivered like loose pebbles after a cannon went off.

"Thirteen survived... including all of us who were in here and you, Lord Nozu. There were other bombs nearby. We're all that's left." she rubbed away the liquid that collected around her shut eyes.

As if he were not already impacted by his wounds and their treatment, it as an utter stonewall to hear the truth. A mace to the muzzle would have been more preferable to have taken, but so many dead and yet he survived being so close to ground zero was impossible to comprehend. What Lord of the Sacred Four decided he needed to live to fight another day, in some twisted parody of a saintly move to grace him with? 

His fangs were shown bared like a tiger, but it was not rage that forced the intimidating snarl. It was anguish the likes he knew nothing of until then, even his bandaged arm gripped the frame of the bed and broke it in a slow grasp of his claws despite the raw nerves ablaze.

"Two thousand..." he managed to whisper, "... thir... thirteen lef...left..."

The mare placed herself so close to his ruined right arm that she nuzzled it, they both felt the heavy loss. Nature seemed to go along with it as the gusts kicked up, winter had come to lay rest the souls that passed on.