Chapter 7 Avicinar-aka
(Hitomi)
"Sakurakijo is burning! Sakurakijo is burning!" the panicky cries of the monks echoed in the morning air.
From where we stood, we could see the heavy column of smoke that soared into the skies from where the Keep of the castle had been. We knew it was inevitable when we abandoned the castle and took up our positions here in Tennoji.
The castle could not be defended. Strong though its walls were, a force of seventy maiden warriors could not hold back an adversary of more than a thousand elite troops. Tennoji's perimeter was much smaller in scale and here at least we could throw up a determined fight. There was no illusion of victory or even survival. All of us knew this would be our last day. But if I were to perish, I would rather fall here and lie among the graves of my mother and kin and with Jun-ichi. Everyone in my command knew what was waiting for him or her. Many had declined to drone on armour and instead put on the snow-white attire for ceremonial ritual of jigai. We would fight and fall and if our lines were breached would commit the last act in the true spirit of a samurai.
Soon, they would come...
My thoughts flashed to Jun-ichi. What would become of him? I had no doubt Ikkenshi would put the helpless Jun-ichi to a game that amused him, much like what a cat would do to a frightened mouse, blindly seeking an escape that never existed. No! I would not abandon him to such cruel fate. When the time came, I would do what I had to do.
“Yuki” I called my second in command over. She was only one year older than I was. How cruel it was to demand such youth and beauty to take such abrupt ending to the path of life.
“Hai, Ojosama.”
“Yuki, komen.” I reached out and touched her hand. I could feel her body shaking just a little as she turned up her tearful eyes at me.
“Ojosama, arigatogozaimasu.” She was having trouble to prevent herself dissolving into sobbing now. No more needed to be said. On this day, she and all the others who had followed me were no longer my subordinates. They were all my sisters.
“Bring Gin-getsu, please.”
She nodded and soon had my mount led in by the reins.
I went to my old friend who had carried me into battle and rides all these years. I touched his neck and pressed my face against his. He neighed in response as if he knew it was time for farewell.
“Gin-getsu, thank you for serving me. Now go.” I lifted my finger and pointed at the mud trek that would take him up the back slope and elude the coming enemies. He would not move.
“Go! Gin-getsu! Go to Takeyama and warn them!” I pleaded.
Still he refused to follow my order.
“Go! Gin-getsu! Go, pray you!” I spanked his behind with all my force and neighing once more, he sped towards the woods. When it reached the summit of the hillside, he turned and looked back.
“Go! Gin-getsu! Go for my sake!” I closed my palms and prayed.
He neighed once more. Then, turning his head south, he vanished from my sight.
Kan ji zai busatsu
Kyojin Ban niya ba ru mitsu ta ji
Shokengo u ka kun…
The dozen or so monks now began chanting their Sanskrit together in the main hall.
“Fool!” I thought. Did that really think this would help them? Or are they resigned to their fate finally and seek¬ nehan, the ultimate deliverance?
kuiru kei ke nashi
kei ke nakiga yue ni
ku fu arukodonashiitsukiino….
The chants continued, mixing with the roll of approaching drums…
They had finally arrived.
“Hold your positions!” I ordered.
Yuki knelt and bowed curtly and we raced to the outer walls.
Skirmishes had already begun and arrows whizzed as they cut across the morning sky.
Here and there, the shriek of a maiden announced the abrupt ending of a beautiful life.
I notched an arrow and drew the bow to the full.
“Guide my aim, Kamei-sama!” I offered my prayer to the God of War and let go. A horseman fell from his horse and stayed sprawled on the ground.
I retrieved another arrow from my quiver and shot again…and again…and again.
The ground before us was littered with slain enemies.
But our losses were heavy too. Half of my maidens had fallen. Soon, there would not be enough to prevent a breach.
“Yuki, tell them to fall back to the inner court!” I ordered.
“Hai, Ojosama!”
The retreat was fast but still orderly. We shot many as we retired behind the second wall. But five of the girls littered the open ground too.
“Flame-arrows!” Yuki shouted a warning just before the first burning missile hit a trunk behind me. The whole tree was soon engulfed in flames. Others joined it. Smoke reduced visibility to an extent it would soon be impossible to keep up an effective barrage.
Cries of agony rose from the main hall. I turned my head towards direction and was just in time to see the crashing in of the whole roof, which was already on fire. More shrieks and the place was an inferno. One single monk staggered out, his monk robe entirely lit up as he reeled around like a madman!
“Avicinar-aka ka? Avicinar-aka!” his shrill of horror turned the place to exactly what he was calling out loud…the limitless Hell where fire burnt eternal, its flames being spat out from above, beneath and from all sides, engulfing all souls trapped in it, a fire never extinguishable, an agony everlasting till the end of time…
I fought back the tears in my eyes. It was I who brought this around. I, who should burn forever in the inferno of everlasting fire! I, who murdered my father. I who brought death and destruction to Sakurakijo and now to this ground of supposedly sacred sanctity.
I refocused my attention to the battle. The gaps in our defense could no longer be filled now. Bodies littered the ground, or pinned by a flaming arrow through the heart on the walls or tree trunks. The air was foul with smoke and burning human flesh!
Avicinar-aka!
“Ojosama! It is time¬.” Mud, ash and blood marred Yuki’s face. Her quiver was empty. And so was mine.
“Jigai?” I murmured.
“Hai…allow me to assist you, Ojosama!”
I touched her face and shook my head. No. Not yet. There was something I still needed to do.
“Go! Yuki! Farewell, my faithful one, my sister.”
She gazed at me and then after making her final bow, she rushed to the low walls.
She was quick and agile. Using a nearby stone as a springboard, she jumped onto the top of the mud wall. Two enemies appeared out of the smoke, wielding their halberds at the brave girl. Yuki was much better than them and cut those two down with one single slash. But more came. She cut them all down but her left arm also received one bad wound.
“Ojosama!" Run! Ojosama!” she turned to shout.
To my horror, I saw a rider and his mount jumping out from the heavy smoke. Yuki turned but was too late. Her body froze; blood jetting out from her cut open bosom. The rider did not wait to see her fall but rode on to seek other preys. Yuki’s katana dropped from her hands as her body slowly reeled around. Another cavalryman jumped over the mud wall and made a sweeping cut. Yuki’s head with her ponytail departed from her falling torso. Both hit the ground almost the same time!
I turned and ran towards the direction of the teahouse.
It was a totally different world there. Giant bamboo and pine trees sheltered the place from the sound and smell of burning and slaughter. Running water still graced the polished pebbles at the bed of the stream and of course, Jun-ichi was there, sitting as if he was above all these and no danger would harm him. From his high pitched flute that could be heard for miles on a quiet day, another charming tune was being released.
I stumbled on, eyes fixed on the brother that I had come to hate and love at the same time. It was he that had given me consolation since mother left us. It was he who taught me how to play the flute though I never had his gift. It was he who opened up my eyes to the wonders of the universe, to the beauties of flowers and the starry summer sky though he could not see such splendor with his own eyes. It was he who taught me how to hate. It was he who set us on this path.
And in spite of all these, I still loved him dearly…
“Jun-ichi…”
He left his flute part with his lips and turned to me, smiling.
“Is Sakurakijo burning?” he asked in a voice that was surprisingly calm.
“Yes…”I lowered my head as I knew he understood what it meant.
“And the Hojo flag was planted on its tower?”
I looked up in shock.
Of course!
He knew about the death of Satomi Fumio! He knew about the coming clash of the brothers. He learned of the sack of the castle but no one, amid the chaos, bothered to tell a blind man that it was Ikkenshi and not the Hojos who had rammed down the gate of Tora-mon!
To him, this was the pinnacle of his life, the crowning moment when his long years of hatred would be avenged! The fall of Sakurakijo would the beginning of the end of the Satomi clan. Sooner or later, Takeyama would also fall and the Satomi clan would be no more.
“Jun-ichi…” I felt a sudden pity for him. Despite his intelligence, he was deceived in the end by his own blindness.
“Ane-ue, Is Katsuo’s head being hanged on the ramparts?” his unseeing eyes seemed to sparkle with euphoria.
“Yes,” I said without emotion and plunged the dagger into his heart!
His smile froze on his face. Blood slowly oozed out from the corner of his mouth. There was no time of fear or even surprise. May be he already knew this was coming.
I gently laid him down.
So, this was the end. I closed my palms together and said my last prayer. Then I heard the sound and turned and saw Ikkenshi standing there with his evil smile…