The green-eyed crane
Being a sage should have given them the control over the swords. However, it wasn't like that.
If one wanted to overthrow their master, all they need was a friendly smile and a fool-proofed plan.
"Why?" Voice cracking and eyes hollowed with terror, he surveyed the destruction caused by the green-eyed crane.
His brothers flocked around him, begging him to run as their cousin crossed blades with the blood-dyed crane.
"Please run, Ichi-nii." Maeda spoke while they pointed their blades at the traitorous crane.
Determination sharpened their steps as they charged toward the cause of this carnage.
"We…will protect Ichi-nii." Gokotai, the usual shy child, declared, blade raised, head high and his tiger cubs on his heels.
He should have joined them but Maeda grabbed his shaking hand and led him away from the unfair battle.
They ran and ran…
No use…
They were stuck…
"Please hide here, Ichi-nii." Maeda had told him, covering him with blankets before closing the shoji door.
"Please don't worry. We will be back for you."
He wanted to laugh because they both knew only a miracle could save them.
Maeda didn't say it because he…they did not want to lose their elder brother.
"I love you." He whispered into the deadly silence and willed his brother, who had already left, eyes hardened with determination, to hear that whispery thought.
Silence…
This place was no home. He realized as he remembered the splatters of blood on the wall, on the ceiling, on the tatami,… and what were once their master and comrades.
Blood, broken blades and a mutilated body…
What had become of this citadel?
All because of the jealousy of a crane…
"You surprise me, hiding in my room." The ever-happy tone brought chills down his spine and he closed his eyes, calmed his heart and fingers closed around the hilt of his sword.
He may not be the strongest of the Awataguchi, level-wise but he would not go down without a fight.
As the blankets were removed, he unseathed his sword and charged, only to be stopped by a glinting blade at his throat.
"Now…now… Haste makes waste." The chuckle made goosebumps forming all over his body and the hair at the back of his neck rose.
He stared at the blood-covered blade, watching it glint under the soft light of the evening. His voice cracked as he whispered hollowly. "Why?"
The crane chuckled as he approached the conered Awataguchi blade. Smirking, he clutched the chin of his conered prey in a firm hand. "Do you have any idea what you have done?"
His eyes glazed over with agony and disgust as the smell of blood entered his nose.
How much of that blood came from his family?
"There is no excuse for what you have done, Tsurumaru-dono." He spat, feeling the blade digging deeper into his throat, breaking the tender skin, causing little droplets of blood to fall.
The crane chuckled darkly and the hand clutching his chin tightened painfully. "I have always admired you but you never notice, treating me as same as the others." Golden clashed with golden and the fair crane closed the distance between them. "I envied your beloved Nakigitsune. I envied the tantou you always looked after."
The closeness did bring color to his cheeks but he steeled himself. This was the one who massacred his family, his master and his comrades.
"But don't you worry…" The crane smiled softly as he slapped the sword away and laced their fingers together. "There is no one else but us here…" His golden eyes glinted as they bore into terrified golden ones.
Fin…?