Post by shimakaze on Feb 16, 2011 12:09:25 GMT -5
PART 2
As he rode though the countryside his thoughts drifted back, back to happier, younger days. Sitting on the beach repairing fishing nets watching Mura diving off a small boat for oysters and pearls in the morning sun. How the light reflected off her hair and the water on her white diving suite. This was a daily ritual for him. At his age he was too young and shy to approach her, even with his father in charge of this village, he could not bring himself to approach Mister Irkosu, her father. He was a well-known man within the village and county. His skill as a maker of swords and the use of them was legendary.
This is why Ikura and the other young men watched his daughter from afar, ensuring they kept their head firmly where they belonged. The main story of his might came during a clan war. A rival house was trying to expand and claim the village in which he lived. Upon hearing they were headed to the village, Master Irkosu calmly walked to the edge of the village and sat in the middle of the road, wearing nothing more than a simply pale yellow kimono, he sat kneeling resting his weight on his heels, holding his No-dachi “Tenrai” (sound of wind) across his lap.
The rival house approached the village and upon seeing a man sitting in the middle of the road, they stopped. They looked around expecting an ambush, but the area was clear except for this one lone man. The commander of the patrol sent a ride forward with the command of “Kill it!”
The mounted samurai spurred his horse forward, as he did he took aim with a Yumi and prepared to fire. He let loose an arrow, only having it miss when Irkosu with only the slightest movement twisted out of its path allowing it to sail by as he took back his sited position. The rider was astonished that his arrow missed its mark as he rode by. Using his knees he turned his mount and prepared for a run at him from behind. Again taking aim as he advanced on his target, he fired only to miss again as he rode by. Irkosu, sitting calmly could hear the rider and horse, he knew the rider would shift his weight in the stirrups when fired, when hearing the stain of the leather; he simply bowed forward, allowing the arrow to fly harmlessly over him and sticking in the dirt. He sat back to his original position as the rider turn to see that he had failed a second time to hit his target.
The leader watching the whole time barked out a command “Katana”. The Rider hearing this, put away his Yumi and draw a sinister look Katana, its silver blade with a glint of red, looked as if blood flowed through the metal itself, the handle was woven in fine black leather, with inserts of jade and pearl.
Irkosu upon seeing the blade smiled. The rider seeing this upstart smiling at him took it for mockery, not for the appreciation of the blade he was holding. He spurred his horse forward to a full charge, raising his katana above his head to take Irkosu in one feel swoop.
What the rider failed to notice in his brief moment of anger, was Irkosu had shifted his weight from his knees, to the balls of his feet, and adjusted his hands on his No-Dachi. As the rider got with in less than a yard of Irkosu, Irkosu using his balance and speed, sprung up and to the side, hafting “Tenrai” in a wide sweeping arch from the ground to the air at about 40 degrees of angle.
Irkosu’s blade made contact with the horse just above the front legs, cutting clean across and deeply into the mounts chest. The arch and power of the swing along with the heft of the blade allowed it to continue up and out of the mount, taking the horses head and the rider’s right leg!
As the horse faltered and started head for the ground, the rider was propelled forward by the momentum of his own actions. Irkosu knowing what was to happen next followed through with his movement and brought his blade down from its high arch cutting the rider in half before he hit the ground.
The swing from the rider never game, only a look of shock was left on the dead man’s face.
Irkosu stood in the middle of the road, with carnage all around and spoke; “This village is not yours for the taking and is property of the house of Shimakaze, I am but a simple smith and you have seen my resolve. Collect your dead or join them, those are your chooses!”
The Commander of the patrol looked Irkosu in the eye and held his gaze for what seemed a life time, then without a word turn his horse and rose off, with his men following.
That’s how the story went, if it was true or not, no one knows or will speak of it, they simply tell it the same way each time.
Ikrua thoughts drifted again, this time he was standing behind a group of palms watching the girls, especially Mura sort the oysters they had brought up, he was lost in thought when he felt the cold of steel at the side of his neck, then he heard the voice, that deep commanding voice at no more than a whisper; “you have eyes for my daughter young shimakaze?” Startled, he stammered; “No sir, I was. Was ah..No sir!!” “WHAT!!” Irkosu said louder, but still not to the point of to bring attention for the divers. “Is my daughter to plain or fat for you?” “Do you find her ugly?” Shimakaze blushed, “No sir she is like a cloud from heaven, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!”
“Then why do you hide behind tress and your nets on the beach?” “Do you not think I see you looking? All you boys do!” Ikrua lowered his head; “I asked forgiveness, I did not mean to offend.” Irkosu thought for a moment and removed his blade from the young Shimakaze’s neck, turned and started strolling a way; “Quite watching my daughter!” “Hai Irkosu, hai,” Shimakaze’s heart sank, then he heard “Talk with her, she would enjoy that more!”
Ikrua thoughts were brought back to reality when he heard the clash of steel, as he approached the West Main Gate of Trinsic, he saw the forces loyal to Queen Dawn attempting to fight their way in. His eyes scanned towards the city, he could see plums of black and gray smoke coming from all areas of the city, and then he saw them! The virtuebane, those foul beasts that have been attacking almost every city in the land.
He spurred his horse forward passing the fighting at the gate and entering the city, from the maps he had studied he knew where he must go. He readied his yumi and head in. Firing arrow after arrow not stooping for a decisive engagement, his only thought was to get to the temple.
He rode swiftly though the streets having to jump his mount over bodies and debris, at one point he had made a wrong turn and faced a fighter with a hound. He quickly dispatched the hound with his bow, then switched to swords to deal with its master. The fight went quick, with Ikrua being wounded but not badly. He regained his bearings and moved to the temple towards the north and east of the city.
Upon arriving, he dismounted and went inside, bodies and parts of bodies littered the area like hell itself. He searched from room to room, looking in desperation. Having to stop and fight from time to time to make his way in.
As he entered a room on the second level he saw a bane dragon with is back to him, it was eating. He started to withdraw when he caught the glimpse of color. Under the dragon he could see the peach color of a Kimono. His blood rose to his eyes fury and hate filled his heart! He jumped on the back of the beast plunging his katana into it repeatedly. The beast went wild, swinging left and right to dislodge the intruder from its back. It after several attempts was successful, and tossed Ikrua to the far wall. It circled licking its wounds. Ikrua stunned got to his feet, look to the dragon to see his katana was still imbedded in the back of the beast. He reached up and pulled his No-Dachi from his back, a gift from his father-in-law Irkosu. He stood his stance waiting for the beast, a wait the was not far off. The Dragon seeing movement charged Ikura head on. Ikura waited for the last second and then side steeped the beast bring the sword down, taking its head in a single stroke.
Dropping his sword his rushed to the body he had seen. The body indeed wore a kimono, it was lying face down. Slowly he reached out and gently rolled the body over. As the body rolled he looked into the face to see that of his beloved wife staring back at him, her eyes were wide open but devoid of life, she was gone. In her hand she clutched the tanto, a small knife she carried with her. She had several bolts and arrows in her, and was badly hack and chewed up. He yelled in rage releasing all his emotion and grief. After several minutes, he wrapped her body in some linen he found, and carried her out to his mount. He mounted up and carried her as he did after their wedding. He spurred the horse forward, he would not stop to fight, and his goal was to leave the city with his Mura. It seemed like he was in a bubble as he rode past the fighting, he was able to leave untouched.
He head north for no other reason than that was the direction his mount had chosen. He whispered to his Mura as they moved among the trees, asking to before given for not being there to defend her, cursing himself for letting her go alone or at all. Telling her all those things she had missed while gone. How her daughter had grown to be a fine woman, serving tea with honor to the empress and becoming her Tejini. How she has become a women like her mother, with all the grace and honor a father could hope for.
The horse had stopped in a clearing, the clearing seemed to be a shrine of some sort, an ankh surrounded by water with stairs leading nowhere, and blue shimmering lights. He dismounted and carefully laid Mura down. He unwrapped her body and took water from the shrine, cleaning her, tending her wounds, then dressing her in a white kimono with a power blue obi. He then wrapped her in the morning cloth. With this done, he took his ax from his pack and chopped down several trees. He then built a funeral stand and placed Mura upon it. He then performed last rights blessing her, making offerings of what little food and gold he had with him. He then leaned forward and kissed her twice, once for himself and then the second saying; “for Yoshi.” He then stepped back with eyes full of tears and lite the funeral stand. He knelt during the burning, chanting, watching the smoke rise into the air.
When the last ember died, he gathered up the ashes in a urn speaking lowly to himself as his she was there. He then placed the urn in his saddlebag and headed home, knowing the hardest thing in his life that he ever had to do was to come, telling his daughter that her mother was dead.
As he rode though the countryside his thoughts drifted back, back to happier, younger days. Sitting on the beach repairing fishing nets watching Mura diving off a small boat for oysters and pearls in the morning sun. How the light reflected off her hair and the water on her white diving suite. This was a daily ritual for him. At his age he was too young and shy to approach her, even with his father in charge of this village, he could not bring himself to approach Mister Irkosu, her father. He was a well-known man within the village and county. His skill as a maker of swords and the use of them was legendary.
This is why Ikura and the other young men watched his daughter from afar, ensuring they kept their head firmly where they belonged. The main story of his might came during a clan war. A rival house was trying to expand and claim the village in which he lived. Upon hearing they were headed to the village, Master Irkosu calmly walked to the edge of the village and sat in the middle of the road, wearing nothing more than a simply pale yellow kimono, he sat kneeling resting his weight on his heels, holding his No-dachi “Tenrai” (sound of wind) across his lap.
The rival house approached the village and upon seeing a man sitting in the middle of the road, they stopped. They looked around expecting an ambush, but the area was clear except for this one lone man. The commander of the patrol sent a ride forward with the command of “Kill it!”
The mounted samurai spurred his horse forward, as he did he took aim with a Yumi and prepared to fire. He let loose an arrow, only having it miss when Irkosu with only the slightest movement twisted out of its path allowing it to sail by as he took back his sited position. The rider was astonished that his arrow missed its mark as he rode by. Using his knees he turned his mount and prepared for a run at him from behind. Again taking aim as he advanced on his target, he fired only to miss again as he rode by. Irkosu, sitting calmly could hear the rider and horse, he knew the rider would shift his weight in the stirrups when fired, when hearing the stain of the leather; he simply bowed forward, allowing the arrow to fly harmlessly over him and sticking in the dirt. He sat back to his original position as the rider turn to see that he had failed a second time to hit his target.
The leader watching the whole time barked out a command “Katana”. The Rider hearing this, put away his Yumi and draw a sinister look Katana, its silver blade with a glint of red, looked as if blood flowed through the metal itself, the handle was woven in fine black leather, with inserts of jade and pearl.
Irkosu upon seeing the blade smiled. The rider seeing this upstart smiling at him took it for mockery, not for the appreciation of the blade he was holding. He spurred his horse forward to a full charge, raising his katana above his head to take Irkosu in one feel swoop.
What the rider failed to notice in his brief moment of anger, was Irkosu had shifted his weight from his knees, to the balls of his feet, and adjusted his hands on his No-Dachi. As the rider got with in less than a yard of Irkosu, Irkosu using his balance and speed, sprung up and to the side, hafting “Tenrai” in a wide sweeping arch from the ground to the air at about 40 degrees of angle.
Irkosu’s blade made contact with the horse just above the front legs, cutting clean across and deeply into the mounts chest. The arch and power of the swing along with the heft of the blade allowed it to continue up and out of the mount, taking the horses head and the rider’s right leg!
As the horse faltered and started head for the ground, the rider was propelled forward by the momentum of his own actions. Irkosu knowing what was to happen next followed through with his movement and brought his blade down from its high arch cutting the rider in half before he hit the ground.
The swing from the rider never game, only a look of shock was left on the dead man’s face.
Irkosu stood in the middle of the road, with carnage all around and spoke; “This village is not yours for the taking and is property of the house of Shimakaze, I am but a simple smith and you have seen my resolve. Collect your dead or join them, those are your chooses!”
The Commander of the patrol looked Irkosu in the eye and held his gaze for what seemed a life time, then without a word turn his horse and rose off, with his men following.
That’s how the story went, if it was true or not, no one knows or will speak of it, they simply tell it the same way each time.
Ikrua thoughts drifted again, this time he was standing behind a group of palms watching the girls, especially Mura sort the oysters they had brought up, he was lost in thought when he felt the cold of steel at the side of his neck, then he heard the voice, that deep commanding voice at no more than a whisper; “you have eyes for my daughter young shimakaze?” Startled, he stammered; “No sir, I was. Was ah..No sir!!” “WHAT!!” Irkosu said louder, but still not to the point of to bring attention for the divers. “Is my daughter to plain or fat for you?” “Do you find her ugly?” Shimakaze blushed, “No sir she is like a cloud from heaven, the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!”
“Then why do you hide behind tress and your nets on the beach?” “Do you not think I see you looking? All you boys do!” Ikrua lowered his head; “I asked forgiveness, I did not mean to offend.” Irkosu thought for a moment and removed his blade from the young Shimakaze’s neck, turned and started strolling a way; “Quite watching my daughter!” “Hai Irkosu, hai,” Shimakaze’s heart sank, then he heard “Talk with her, she would enjoy that more!”
Ikrua thoughts were brought back to reality when he heard the clash of steel, as he approached the West Main Gate of Trinsic, he saw the forces loyal to Queen Dawn attempting to fight their way in. His eyes scanned towards the city, he could see plums of black and gray smoke coming from all areas of the city, and then he saw them! The virtuebane, those foul beasts that have been attacking almost every city in the land.
He spurred his horse forward passing the fighting at the gate and entering the city, from the maps he had studied he knew where he must go. He readied his yumi and head in. Firing arrow after arrow not stooping for a decisive engagement, his only thought was to get to the temple.
He rode swiftly though the streets having to jump his mount over bodies and debris, at one point he had made a wrong turn and faced a fighter with a hound. He quickly dispatched the hound with his bow, then switched to swords to deal with its master. The fight went quick, with Ikrua being wounded but not badly. He regained his bearings and moved to the temple towards the north and east of the city.
Upon arriving, he dismounted and went inside, bodies and parts of bodies littered the area like hell itself. He searched from room to room, looking in desperation. Having to stop and fight from time to time to make his way in.
As he entered a room on the second level he saw a bane dragon with is back to him, it was eating. He started to withdraw when he caught the glimpse of color. Under the dragon he could see the peach color of a Kimono. His blood rose to his eyes fury and hate filled his heart! He jumped on the back of the beast plunging his katana into it repeatedly. The beast went wild, swinging left and right to dislodge the intruder from its back. It after several attempts was successful, and tossed Ikrua to the far wall. It circled licking its wounds. Ikrua stunned got to his feet, look to the dragon to see his katana was still imbedded in the back of the beast. He reached up and pulled his No-Dachi from his back, a gift from his father-in-law Irkosu. He stood his stance waiting for the beast, a wait the was not far off. The Dragon seeing movement charged Ikura head on. Ikura waited for the last second and then side steeped the beast bring the sword down, taking its head in a single stroke.
Dropping his sword his rushed to the body he had seen. The body indeed wore a kimono, it was lying face down. Slowly he reached out and gently rolled the body over. As the body rolled he looked into the face to see that of his beloved wife staring back at him, her eyes were wide open but devoid of life, she was gone. In her hand she clutched the tanto, a small knife she carried with her. She had several bolts and arrows in her, and was badly hack and chewed up. He yelled in rage releasing all his emotion and grief. After several minutes, he wrapped her body in some linen he found, and carried her out to his mount. He mounted up and carried her as he did after their wedding. He spurred the horse forward, he would not stop to fight, and his goal was to leave the city with his Mura. It seemed like he was in a bubble as he rode past the fighting, he was able to leave untouched.
He head north for no other reason than that was the direction his mount had chosen. He whispered to his Mura as they moved among the trees, asking to before given for not being there to defend her, cursing himself for letting her go alone or at all. Telling her all those things she had missed while gone. How her daughter had grown to be a fine woman, serving tea with honor to the empress and becoming her Tejini. How she has become a women like her mother, with all the grace and honor a father could hope for.
The horse had stopped in a clearing, the clearing seemed to be a shrine of some sort, an ankh surrounded by water with stairs leading nowhere, and blue shimmering lights. He dismounted and carefully laid Mura down. He unwrapped her body and took water from the shrine, cleaning her, tending her wounds, then dressing her in a white kimono with a power blue obi. He then wrapped her in the morning cloth. With this done, he took his ax from his pack and chopped down several trees. He then built a funeral stand and placed Mura upon it. He then performed last rights blessing her, making offerings of what little food and gold he had with him. He then leaned forward and kissed her twice, once for himself and then the second saying; “for Yoshi.” He then stepped back with eyes full of tears and lite the funeral stand. He knelt during the burning, chanting, watching the smoke rise into the air.
When the last ember died, he gathered up the ashes in a urn speaking lowly to himself as his she was there. He then placed the urn in his saddlebag and headed home, knowing the hardest thing in his life that he ever had to do was to come, telling his daughter that her mother was dead.
