Shiro Yoshimo


 * This article is about the Knight. For the female Warden of the same name, see Yoshimo.

Shiro Yoshimo was a human male, and the wielder of Fidelacchius. He first appears in Death Masks.

Description
Shiro has white hair, heavy eyebrows, and has a short white beard. He wears thick corrective glasses. He is a descendant of Sho Tai, the last king of Okinawa, and according to Michael, he knew "swordplay like Mozart knew music".

Death Masks
In Death Masks, Shiro is disguised as an old derelict when Harry first meets him in an alley while Harry is being chased by a big, four-eyed, bear-like creature. Harry tries to tell him to run. Instead, Shiro asks him to hold his glasses, and then faces the creature, sword raised, humming with power. Shiro asks Ursiel, the Creature to "Let him go". However, the Denarian refuses, and they proceed to fight, which Shiro does most elegantly. Harry realizes that Shiro is a Knights of the Cross. After Ursiel is killed, Shiro stops Harry from picking up the coin that falls out of the corpse.

Michael Carpenter reveals that Shiro was his teacher when he became a Knight of the Cross.

Shiro tells Harry that man sees faces, skin, flags, membership lists, files -- God see hearts.

Shiro agrees to be Harry's second in the duel with Duke Paolo Ortega of the Red Court. He sets up the meeting with the mediator and the others involved for that evening at McAnally's. Shiro suggests to Harry that it is better and always smarter not to fight. If both parties quit, then the duel over. And, that maybe Harry is not as locked in as he believes himself to be. As a result, Harry suggests to Ortega that they both walk, but naturally, this doesn't work out. In the meeting, Shiro negotiates a Duel of Wills to be held at Wrigley Field.

Shiro has fought many such duels, either to protect someone, or force something to leave an area, or to fight without involving others. He has fought two duels with vampires, one from the Jade Court, the other from the Black Court. He also fought two duels with Denarians, saying that they do not honor their agreements and indulged in treachery both times.

Shiro trades himself for Dresden to the Denarians.

Father Forthill tells Harry that Shiro is one of only two Knights of the Cross that have ever faced Nicodemus Archleone and survived. It was the reason Nicodemous was willing to give Harry up.

Later, Shiro is found in the chapel at O'Hare Airport, brutally tortured and nearly dead. With his dying breaths, he gives Fidelacchius to Harry Dresden in trust until Harry can find the next wielder. He tells Harry to trust his heart when Harry asked how he would know whom to give it to. He tells Sanya goodbye and that he's proud of him. Sanya kisses his head. He tell Michael that the fight is now his and to be wise. Shiro also tells Harry that Nicodemus is afraid of him, afraid that he saw something and to not let the Denarian unmake him, and finally that  taking the Shroud of Turin from Nicodemus will undo the plague curse immediately.

At the end of Death Masks, a letter from Shiro, postmarked two weeks previous, is delivered to Harry Dresden. In this letter, Shiro reveals foreknowledge about his death, as well as his illness. Knowing he would soon die anyway, Shiro gave himself up for Dresden. Shiro was diagnosed with terminal cancer. His family knew, but he did not tell Michael and Sanya.

Small Favor
In Small Favor, Sanya tells how Shiro found him after he threw his ring into a canal in Venice. Shiro took Sanya to Malta to meet with the angel Michael, where Sanya was given the sword Esperacchius and the chance to be a Knight of the Cross.

Ghost Story
In Ghost Story, Fidelacchius is also called Kusanagi.