===================================Chapter 10=========================================
"Alright everyone wake up it's time to return to the base."
Lucchini jumps up.
"Finally we get to leave this cold!"
Minna walks over to the tree where Janos is sleeping and throws snow at him.
"Hey pup time to go."
He scowls at her.
"Don't start calling me pup again."
She laughs and walks away.
"Well just get up we're leaving to the base."
"How far away is it?"
"About twenty miles away."
"Sounds like a good run."
He jumps out of the tree and stretches.
"All right then let's go."
The witches put on their strikers and begin to fly towards the base. Janos watches them and then follows. Mio flies close to Minna.
"He seems really passive."
"He is if you don't piss him off. He's very protective also."
"So he's going to live at the base with us?"
"Yeah, He can't use a striker though so I guess he's going to be a guard dog."
"Are there any rooms he can stay in?"
"I think so but Trudy's going to try and get him to stay in her room."
"So you're going to make an exception to your rule with him?"
"Yeah I'm going to have to."
After almost an hour of running they arrive at the base and the witches land. Trudy looks around for Janos and he appears a few seconds later panting heavily.
"Are you ok?"
He looks at her and smiles.
"Yeah just a little winded…."
He falls over onto the ground unconscious.
"Janos!"
She rushes over to his side and checks his pulse.
"Good he's not dead."
Mio walks toward them.
"I'm surprised he kept up for so long. Let's get him to the Infirmary so he can rest."
"Damn bastards, I'll kill them all."
Janos sits in a tree near the fortress gates and watches guards patrol the area. He looks at his bandages on his chest and arms.
"Reoz…we will have our revenge."
He pulls his bow off his back and fires an arrow into the patrol of 3 sticking it in the neck of a guard. The other two panic and start to look around the tree line. Another arrow flies and nails another guard in the neck. Janos jumps from the tree and stabs the last guard in the eye with his dagger made from a sharpened ribcage. He takes the armor from the guard and disguises himself hiding his clothes, bow, and dagger in a nearby hedge along with the bodies.
"Let's do this then."
He walks into the gates and looks around. He was filled with anger as he walked around. The castle was about 10 minutes away in his condition. He didn't know who gave the order to kill him and Reoz, commander or lord he didn't care they would both die. A guard stopped him.
"Hey we need an extra for our squad."
"What for."
"We were ordered to report to the commander after we found an extra soldier. In 2 hours we're going to stand guard while the prisoner is executed."
He didn't let this information taking him by surprise show.
"Understood."
He followed the guard to the barracks where he saw the commander awaiting them.
"Men you know your jobs. I don't want any civilians in or out of the execution area, you are permitted to use extreme force."
A guard came running towards them wounded.
"Commander! The prisoner got free while we were tying him up."
The commander put on his Oni mask and hopped on his horse.
"You heard him men go contain the prisoner."
They all ran towards the execution ground. There he saw Reoz impaling a guard with his own Katana. Broken and bloodied Reoz was still a fearsome warrior. The commander reared up his horse.
"I will take my place as shogun! Time to die Demon!"
Before the horse could charge Janos had took him to the ground and gave him a powerful elbow to the face splitting his mask in half knocking him out. He stood up and drew the stolen sword while removing his helmet and mask. A guard cried out.
"The other demon! Shit, kill them both!"
Reoz ripped the stake he was to be tied to from the ground and threw it into the guards knocking them all off their guard. Janos lunged and impaled one who had fallen on his back. The guards reorganized themselves and attacked him but Reoz jumped at them jabbing one in the stomach and sending him flying into the others.
"I was wondering when you'd come back."
"Let's just hurry and finish this before I pass out."
"You should have gotten more medicine for yourself."
"You're tired to so like I said lets finish this."
"You think we can make it out?"
"I know we can make it out."
They fought with the guards taking a few deep cuts but fueled by adrenaline it seemed like a scratch. An alarm sounded from the barracks and the whole army came charging towards them. In the midst of the chaos Janos saw what looked like a small black ball land in front of them. He could see a wick on it burning.
"Reoz get down!"
They ducked and there was an explosion. A few more explosions came from the crowd of guards as it scattered and screams could be heard.
"Firebombs!"
"Ninjas! Spread out!"
There was a number of explosions from the gates and the sound of a massive army roaring.
"What the hell is that?"
"During the few days I was gone I got some support."
A group of 11 kunoichi in various clothing and armor who appeared to be in their early twenties appeared.
"You brought the Ha no majo (Blade witches)?"
"You missed working with them as much as I did."
"Damn right I did. They're the only merc's than can compare with us."
A girl with long brown hair tied into a ponytail approached them.
"You two look like shit."
"Good to see you too Barkhorn."
Janos gave her a half smile.
"How's your daughter?"
"Being put through torturous training! She's a bad mom."
They heard another girl with Tanned skin and black hair laugh.
"Shut up Lucchini it's the same training I went through."
Janos noticed the commander starting to regain consciousness.
"Barkhorn, you and Hartmann grab the commander and take him somewhere secluded I'll deal with him later."
"Alright we'll hurry back."
They grabbed him and ran. Reoz examined the katana he took and frowned at its poor condition.
"We need to get to the castle and get my sword back."
Janos looked at the castle then back at them. The clash of blades and the smell of blood was a little disorienting.
"Alright then we'll let the Fuso army take care of them. Everyone to the castle!"
They ran towards the castle and took down some guards. Reoz started to run towards the prison house.
"Yeager, Lucchini go support him."
They run and follow him as the others storm into the castle. The lord stood there at the end of the corridor surrounded by his guards.
"You dare come here to kill me creatures? Then your deaths will be quick."
"I'm fine with that as long as you die with me"
They charged towards the guards and Janos launched himself over them landing onto the Lord impaling his skull with the katana. The guards turned around but before they could take action were struck down by the witches.
"Let's go."
We're abandoning the army?"
"No. We're going to end this. Sakamoto once Reoz gets back you know what to do.
"Right."
She drew the sword off her back and they walked out the castle to see Reoz, Yeager, and Lucchini running towards them.
"Alright I got my sword. You ready Sakamoto?"
"Yea let's do this."
Janos sat down on the steps as the two walked towards the enemy army.
"You've practiced enough for this right Saka?"
"Yeah let's just hurry up."
Both of their swords started to glow as they raised them in the air then they swung downwards towards the army and a blue wave of energy launched out.
"Reppuzan!"
In an instance most of the other army was wiped out. Reoz fell forward and Sakamoto caught him.
"He's out cold."
Barkhorn and Hartmann ran up to them.
"Did we miss it?"
Janos stood up.
"Yea take us to the commander."
They walked to the farming shed the commander was tied up in.
"Wait here I'll be back."
He walked in and looked at the commander.
"Who told you to kill us."
"Don't worry about it you can't do anything anyway."
"Just tell me"
"Oda Nobunaga."
"You're a liar."
"It's the truth. Oda Nobunaga want's you dead I have no idea why."
"I do."
"Then you go settle your debt."
"I will."
He walked over to the commander and smashed the katana into his skull leaving it behind as he walked out of the shed.
"Let's get out of here the army should be able to handle the rest."
Barkhorn put her hand on his shoulder.
"Where are we going?"
"We're going to get the rest of my clan."
