Session 15. (18/10/01)

This special episode was evidently recorded separately from the others and presumably reflected availability of the actors: Koei makes an appearance for the first time in this series, and only Kimori of the series regulars appears, though curiously Kimori's actor also plays a completely unrelated character in this story.

Back in week 12 of the Year of the Tiger, we find Koei (Andy Allen) taking over ownership of the School of Inviolate earth, a small magic school in Matsuyama. She has four pupils learning her speciality, School of Fire. Koei impresses her pupils with her knowledge; but her teaching abilities are less impressive. While not teaching, Koei improves her bajutsu skill, and at the end of the week goes to see the old hermit Sukemon to try to learn the spell Spear of Heavens. Sukemon rambles on a bit, but eventually says he will write out a scroll for her, Spear of Heavens was it, which she can pick up next weekend, would she like some tea? Koei promises to return with some of the spider mould he prizes.

In week 13 Koei is teaching the spell Smokes of Nai. Her teaching has improved, and the pupils learn the spell then have to demonstrate it. The first two pupils, Rokuemon and Kameko fail first time, but Kada succeeds. Then Kuwayama (Anthony Hummerston) has a go. At first things go well, and smoke billows out from the novice shugenja. But the smoke doesn't stop, and soon the building is full of smoke. Kuwayama starts to panic, the other pupils are coughing, and Kimori, who rents a classroom from Koei, turns up to complain that his pupils can't see anything. Koei manages to keep her temper under control and casts countermagic on Kuwayama. When the smoke has dispersed, Koei has strong words with her pupil.

The following week, Koei goes back to teaching School of Fire theory, and starts studying the scroll she has collected from Sukemon. Koei's pupils are having a hard time understanding her, and need frequent breaks from the long hours they have to spend in class. During one of these breaks, Kuwayama decides to try out one of the spells he already knows and casts Mud on the street outside the school. Immediately pandemonium breaks out, with passing pedestrians, traders, porters, horses etc. getting stuck in the mud, falling over and shouting a lot. Koei comes out to see what the fuss is and is aghast. Deciding that the best solution is again countermagic, Koei issues the order and restores the road surface to its original state. Unfortunately, there are many people and animals stuck in the conrete-hard earth up to their knees. Chief of Police Sugiyama turns up and demands to know what is happening. Koei loyally blames her pupil. Sugiyama starts to direct traffic around the confusion, and Koei gets Kimori and his muscle-bound pupils to help dig out the unfortunate victims of Kuwayama's ineptitude. Koei gives Kuwayama a good telling off, and was about to tell him to make a full public apology (something which might involve ritual disembowelling), but realises that teachers are fully responsible for their pupils, and settles for private apologies to those concerned.

In week 15, Koei is teaching Arrows of Fire. She teaches it well, and the pupils seem to understand. Kuwayama demonstrates first, but the spell fizzles. Rokuemon and Kada both succeed, but Kameko's arrow is misdirected and lands among the pupils, scattering them (to shouts of "Incoming!!"). Kuwayama has another go and this time the arrow works but veers away from the target and hits the wall of the school. A small fire quickly turns into a large fire, and Koei's hastily organised bucket chain barely keeps it in check. Kameko remeeds herself by casting Watery Sphere and drowning the fire, but not before a section of wall is destroyed. Koei arranges for artisans to repair the wall and has more words with Kuwayama. Kuwayama defends himself, saying that there was nothing wrong with the spell, and Koei decides to give him extra tuition to avoid further mishaps.

Week 16 is another week of teaching School of Fire. Koei finishes learning Spear of Heavens, and the week ends with a day of dedication for the school. Candles are lit, oil lamps burn, and a priest comes to perform a service. Half way through, the ground starts shaking, and a major earth tremor rocks Matsuyama. Candles fall over and oil lamps smash, and a number of small fires break out in the classrooms. Koei dashes round trying to put out fires (fortunately by now she has learned to keep buckets of water handy!), but the tremors continue. Now Kuwayama makes up for his earlier blunders and casts Fronting the Storm, reducing the magnitude of the tremors and stops them toppling the candles. Now everyone can concentrate on putting the fires out. Koei puts one out, then another. Kimori and one of the pupils get together to take a large, spreading fire, and Kuwayama and Koei tackle another one. Eventually all the fires are out. Koei praises Kuwayama in front of the school and presents him with a flashing shuriken.

After all the excitement, the next couple of weeks are quiet. Koei goes to see Sukemon to ask for scrolls for Bursting Bonds, Mirror of Deception and Darts of water. When she goes to collect the scrolls she takes Kuwayama with her to help collect spider mould. Koei casts Eyes of true Sight on Kuwayama so he can safely enter the spider's burrow. Having collected the mould they go to Sukemon's shack. "I can smell tea," says Kuwayama, and she it right. A pot of tea has been spilled on the floor, and Sukemon is lying on the floor, still as a corpse. Closer examination shows that the old man is indeed dead, but surprisingly (for a place some distance from water), he has drowned! Just then a cackle comes from the doorway. "So, another magic stealer to carpet my new house with!" shrieks the Hannya (witch), and casts a spell at Koei. It hits, but Koei can't feel any effects. She responds by casting Darts of Wood. Two of the darts hit, but the witch resists one and quickly shrugs off the other, though not before suffering its effects (drowsiness). Kuwayama attacks with two Arrows of Fire, but both miss. The Hannya now casts another spell, and its effects are seen when Koei's next round of Darts of Wood hit a magical shield and fall to the floor. Kuwayama sees this and rushes in with her tanto, just failing to get a hit. The Hannya casts Shield of Sorcery, a spell which reflects any hostile spells that fail. Koei obliges by failing to cast Smokes of Sleep, and struggles to stay awake. Kuwayama gets a hit with her tanto. The witch casts Watery Storm, the same spell that drowned the old hermit, but this time it fails and she is swept out of the door. Kuwayama casts Mud to trap her there and Koei creates an Omnipresent Sword to dispatch the hag before falling asleep.

In the following few days, Koei notices something is wrong - she can't cast any School of Fire spells. She discovers that the witch's first spell was a spell of her own devising, Curse of Quenching, which prevents the target from using any School of Fire spells until the curse is removed. We see lots of short scenes showing Koei going round frantically asking people how to remove the curse. Finally she learns that it can only be removed by Homusubi , the Kami of Fire, whose shrine is on Mount Sobo-zan - in Hyuga!