She had heard about Hadananzi, the confirmation of Jiyo Sora's fears. She had heard still worse things. Things invading dreams, Jigoku choosing a very different battleground. It was a lot to take in. Worse, she'd been just away with both had occurred, though that perturbed her less than just the reality of it all. Still, there were other things on her mind, and so she came to the Temple of Amaterasu as the sun's light started to waver, to offer her prayers.

Prayers for guidance.

Bowing, she knelt in prayer, her awareness extended out around her and her daughter as she knelt in worship. If anyone entered the Temple, she'd know. It did not hurt to be a little paranoid these days.

Sagara rose from her meditation and there was a friend before her, but with some worry in her eyes. Her eyes lost observing nothing and yet...

"Good afternoon sister Nozomi-san. How are you feeling today?" There was a bit of worry in her own words.

-Meditation/Void. TN20: 26 - 2 Void recovered

"Physically well, spiritually concerned." She said, returning the bow as she smiled over at the woman. It was a wan, thin smile, one that had a hardness to it. "But nothing that I have learned today surprises me. To know that the darknesses uses subterfuge to inculcate itself is something we feared. One so well secreted away was a serious threat, and for so long... And the other threat? Prophecy cannot be denied. The darkness will have its chance, and if one path is closed, it will seek another." And this one worried her, though there were ways to protect. There were always ways to protect.

"But, we will stand firm, as we did before."

"Darkness will always try to find it's way. It has a yearning, greedy, hungry realm looking for a way to destroy and cause chaos." She sighed, another enemy to be prepared against. "Their main gate was broken, they probably are looking for new ways to reach us, and that would be the cause of their new attack. Could there be a way to protect ourselves against their attack?"

"At present? That is what I am praying about," she admitted. "This angle of attack isn't something any of us expected, though... I suppose I should not be surprised at all that it's attempted it. Eternal vigilance, strengthening one's will and probably wards of purity around sleeping quarters will help, but we may spend the next several years devising protections of one form or another. This may not be easy, as you can guess I'm sure."

"Do you suppose that we are the main target? I wonder how the lower castes will do against an attack such as this one without having access to the wards, to the strong will training that we samurai and monks get in our daily routines. We must find the way that they were able to attack in this manner and stop it completely, don't you think?"

There was a pause, and then she glanced towards Sagara meaningfully. "We speak openly, Anjing-sama, so I will confess. I do not think of them as 'lower.' If I were speaking to the Stag right now, I would use the word. But I recall that those farmers who feed my belly were, fifteen years ago the brothers at arms who simply weren't quite as good at a fight, and so did not step up and be called by the kami. We were born of the same blood, they and I. Hantei Kinsen herself, glorious as she is in the company of her husband, was once a regular woman like the rest of us, born of good Noriaki stock." Oh how the years had gone by that she could say the words 'good Noriaki stock.' But Kinsen and Yamadono had changed her in this. "When you and I are with our ancestors, and our children's children run this play... I think they will call the heimin a 'lower caste.' But it is not such a low thing to serve. Never forget that. We need them as they need us."

...

"But you are not wrong. They are in grave peril. Bitterness as the system is being founded and they feel subjugated may well up, and bitterness is a tool of evil. Envy may lurk in the heart and find purchase in dreams. Jigoku will not see the boundary of classes, only opportunity. Most were not trained, as you say, in the strength of will to fight and are in more peril of temptation. We must find this way, this path they used, and seal it, so that the people we swore to protect will be shielded for another thousand years. Even if it costs us everything to do it."

"Your words are true, Nozomi-san, I just could not find the word to denominate them in this new world since not only farmers, but lumbers, miners, craftsmen, road makers... they are too many and the caste system has separate them already. I guess less favored caste could be a better way to refer to them. Although sometimes when I see them I can see how they are still full of happiness and wonder if the extra responsibilities upon us might not had made us the least favored." Sagara was born into them, she was from a small village. The butcher and the farm girl had been her friends. The carpenter had been her youth boyfriend. They had all been a family in their way, especially since she had grown without a mother.

She listened once more to the words of the monk, wise and direct. "As is our duty we should provide support to them in these times. Not to gain their attention, love and support. Not because they could become a danger to us later, but because it is our duty to protect their bodies, minds and souls. Sealing this path, and making sure that the dark realm is unable to reach to other realms should be our best weapon, but we should also try to make something that could protect them from being attacked as well. Study the weapons against them, any ritual or something that could protect us all."

She grinned over at Sagara when she said that. "As one who spends a certain amount of time with those castes, I will say that the samurai have sacrificed much of that joy and contentment to have what they do, and to serve. I believe Hotei and Ebisu still love them greatly." It certainly seemed a good description of what caused the difference. "But yes. That's exactly the sort of attitude I think all of the clans should have. I'd heard Hida had that sort of attitude, and it's good that it's spread among those under him."

There was a pause and then she nodded to herself. "You may be able to be a blessing in this, if we need some form of spiritual aid in the protection that is to come. Considering that it was pivotal to what we did in the crater? I can't help but think the same will come true this time around."