Isawa Tadaka

He loved his siblings very much, even if his older sister who, because of her skill with magic and aptitude for the difficult practice of the void magic, would overshadow him. None the less Kaede and Tadaka were like best friends, sharing many interests and spending much time in the same circle of friends.

Tadaka`s youth was full of adventures. He once, with his younger brother Tomo, ran away from home heading for the Shadowlands. During this adventure he and his brother were capture by some bandits in Scorpion lands who intended on selling them as slaves. With the help of a boy named Yogo Shidachi, they escaped. But his thirst for knowledge of what lay south of the Empire never died. When he was a little older he decided to study in the Crab lands, always keeping in touch with his older sister through frequent letters.

It was in the Kuni land that Tadaka finally realized his calling. His ancestor Isawa Akuma, the same Isawa Akuma who had first summoned the Oni lord of that name, appeared to him. It asked Tadaka to help him restore his name and defeat Oni no Akuma! Tadaka accepted.

Tadaka decided to stay and study with the Crabs, but that did not please the then Master of Earth Isawa Rujo who sought out the errant apprentice and challenged the young Tadaka's research and the validity of his work. Furious at the Master, Tadaka challenged him to a magical duel in which the loser would become an outcast from the Phoenix! Young Takada, to the surprise of the council, won and took Rujo`s place as the Master of Earth. With his new found position Tadaka gained access to countless items of research and knowledge forbidden to others.

Tadaka`s quest lead him into the darkest parts of the Shadowlands where he was the source or more destruction toward the denizens of the Shadowlands that even the Kuni know. For five years he spent every day preparing for the day that he would find Oni no Akuma and kill him.

When the Scorpion coup started Kaede sent a letter to Takada for him to come back; fearing for the worst he did so. His attention was soon turned back to the Shadowlands when "The Clan wars" era started. The Elemental Masters felt the disturbance caused by the opening of the black scroll and sent Takada into the Shadowlands to discover the source of the evil presence. Many months later Tadaka returned with dark knowledge and 3 black scrolls. That journey changed him forever. His eyes were now filled with a black fire, and his body burned with energies he had never encountered before. He brought grave news, there was indeed a force at work in the Shadowlands, and that force was stronger then all the Shugenja in the empire. They would have to gain an understanding of this energy source to destroy it, but in order to do that, they would have to embrace its energy by opening the black scrolls and take it within themselves. So began the corruption of the Elemental Masters and the Phoenix Clan.

Corrutpion of Takaka`s body soon followed, but his mind remaind pure, his purpose always clear. More scrolls were opened and more Phoenix became corrupted by the knowledge gained from the scrolls, but still they laboured to understand their significance. One night, in the Empire`s darkest hour, Tadaka came to Asako Yasu and proposed to summon a powerful oni from its den within the Shadowlands and bind it to his will. Tadaka, like his ancestor before him, gave the creature his own name. By interrogating this oni, the Phoenix were able to learn much of the dark god Fu Leng and his minions. But this act drove Takada to the brink of madness.

Peace in the Phoenix land was a long forgotten memory. Yogo Junzo, former Daimyo of the Yogo, now leader of the Shadowlands, marched on Kyuden Isawa searching for his master`s black scrolls - knowing that the Phoenix held some of them. With the help of Otaku Kamoko, Phoenix samurai stood ready as Tadaka's sorcery tore at the earth, burying the marching corpses as they advanced. But even the tactics of Shiba Tsukune, Otaku Kamoko and Isawa Tadaka were not enough to stop Junzo who burned down Kyuden Isawa taking the black scrolls with him.

One night in a dream the beautiful Oracle of Void appeared in Tadaka`s dream and revealed to him that he was one of the Seven Thunders. His sister, now Oracle of the Void had showed her his path.

By the Day of Thunder Tsuke, the Elemental Master of Fire was lost to the taint, a raving madman on top of a tower of the Imperial palace hurling balls of corrupted Fire at all who dared cross him. Tadaka knew what he had to do. His brother Tomo stood by his side but it proved to be Tomo`s last battle as he fell, killed by the mad Master of Fire. While Tadaka emgaged Tsuke, Ujimitsu, the then Phoenix clan Champion stuck down the corrupted Master of Fire, killing himself in the process. Of this battle only Tadaka survived...

When the Day of Thunder arrived, Tadaka stood in the Imperial Palace with the other 6 Thunders, Togashi Yokuni and the descendant of Shinsei. The Thunders moved on, following Shinsei through the darkness on the castle. In the throne room, Togashi Yokuni revealed that he was in fact Togashi, one of the kami who founded the Empire, and brother to Fu Leng. Fu Leng mortally wounded Togashi, but before he died, Mirumoto Hitomi, used the Obsidian Hand to rip open his chest and pull forth the 12th black scroll, which had been hidden within Togashi for a thousand years. In the process, Hitomi consumed much of Togashi's spiritual essence and gained some of his powers. There was a great battle, Tadaka fought bravely, and in the end, Toturi and Hoturi killed Fu Leng with a double strike of their ancestral swords, carrying the day for the forces of light and the Seven Thunders. When the Thunders returned from the darkened halls of the Emperor's palace, Hida Yakamo came to the Phoenix. He told them of the last moments of the Master of Earth, and how his courage gave the Thunders the chance to succeed against the darkness. The death of true hero.

Agasha Kijutsu
Phoenix clan Earth Shugenja * Aikune`s follower

Special thanks to Brandon Johnson for the scans.

**NOTICE: Most stories and texts say that Tomo is his brother but one says that he is his cousin.
**NOTICE2: Most stories and texts say that Uona not related to Tadaka but one says that she is his sister.
**NOTICE3: Most stories and texts say that the Phoenix had 3 black scrolls but some say that they had 2.
This great piece of art is property of AEG.