"Yagen!" Souza called when he saw the tantou running up to them. His own sword were drawn and he had just defeated one of the retrograde army that had pounced on him. "How did you get away?!"

"I didn't!" Yagen glance around quickly. "She let me go!" The courtyard and hallway was chaotic, the paper doors were in disarray while deep cuts and scratches line the wall. Some of the injured swords were retreating inwards while others take over their battle. The sound of metal clashing against metal rang across the estate with cries of war.
"Where are the others?" He asked Souza. Souza shook his head. When the citadel was attacked, things were so chaotic they eventually split up.

Before Souza could even open his mouth, Yagen shoved him aside, drawing out his blade to deflect the sword that had come down from a lurking enemy. "Yagen!" Souza called when he realized how close to danger he was. But it wasn't over. The enemy was still pressing down on Yagen.
The tantou clenched his teeth, staring up at the attacker.

The thing had a dark shade and was enveloped by black miasma but it was hard to miss the dragon that was tattooed on his arm….

"Guys!" Another voice called them and they turn to see Mitsutada and Taikogane Sadamune running towards them. Yagen clenched his teeth, finally pushing the enemy away and jumping back, balancing himself on the tip of his heel.

"K...Kara-chan?" Taikogane mouthed when he recognized the figure surrounded by darkness. Mitsutada too was frozen by shock. "T-that's impossible, why would Ookurikara be here? He was lost in the portal back there- He-" The sword fumbled as realization dawned on him.

The figure shifted himself before reeling back towards the sword closest to him - Taikogane.

Taikogane was taken aback but managed to pull out his sword, although a little too late. He let out a yelp when the enemy's blade sliced through his cheek, leaving a trail of blood. Mitsutada immediately pulled out his own sword to go in between the two, successfully drawing Ookurikara's attention to him.

"Hey, what happened?!" Mitsutada asked when their sword clashed. "You don't depend on others, so what made you turn?!" Ookurikara didn't seem to understand his words.
It was more like the creature was no longer the sword that they knew.

"You...are no longer in there, are you, Ookurikara?!" Mitsutada called, his hands trembling under Ookurikara's enormous strength. Was he always this strong? What is this stab of pain he was feeling in his chest? Sadness? Hurt? He wasn't injured but his chest felt as if the sword before him have driven his blade into his chest.

Souza pulls his blade up, ready to help his fellow comrade when a flash of blue passes his eyes. With a cry, Taikogane plunges his tantou into the back of the corrupted sword. Blood dyed in the darkest scarlet sprayed against Taikogane's tear-stained face.

Crack.

The smallest crack appeared on Taikogane's face, spreading from the cut that Ookurikara had inflicted on his cheek towards his shivering lips. "I...just came back…kara-chan….you're so mean…." He sobbed as Ookurikara finally dropped his sword, backing away from Mitsutada.

The corrupted sword fell forward, his eyes searching the others. Taikogane couldn't stop sobbing, the shock he felt helping the crack on his face spread further. As if there was recognition in Ookurikara's eyes, the retrograde sword parted its lips…
"Fighting alone….and dying alone….that is fine with me…."
And he was gone, the smallest hint of him dissolving into thin air.

Taikogane fell on his knees, painfully crying out the sword's name. Mitsutada turned away, trying to hide the tears that rolled off his cheek.

Yagen looked at the scene in pain, although it was too familiar. He has seen this so many times in the arena, only that the victims were not swords that had been corrupted. With a heavy heart, he turns to Souza. "Let's go...we need to find the others." He muttered. Souza reluctantly agreed, although the scene before him reminded him too much of his own brother's death.

"Souza, Yagen…" Mitsutada called just as they were leaving. "This…"
They turn to him as he handed them an amulet. "I...only have one. But you guys will need it more."

They stared at the amulet momentarily before Yagen took it from the tachi.
"I'm sorry." Yagen mumbled, his eyes shifting to Mitsutada and Taikogane.
"The others are in the front." Mitsutada told him "I will….go to the saniwa's side in a moment."

Yagen nodded, thanking him silently. Like it or not, they are still swords with the responsibility to protect their master.

Yagen turns back to Souza and they both make haste to the front of the citadel, where a huge battle had ensued.

When they arrived, Midare came up to them, his clothes in shreds with cuts and bruises all over him. His eyes were blank of emotions. "Hey, Atsushi's blood….it feels fresh on my blade." He muttered.

Souza's brow wrinkled as he kneels down to talk to the tantou. "Go and rest, or stay with the saniwa." He urged him. Midare nodded silently and walked away, although each footfall looks heavy and without strength. Yagen watched his brother's soulless march, the pain he felt in his chest all too familiar.

Overhead, a piercing cry could be heard as Hizamaru cut down the enemy that had plunged his blade into Higekiri's chest. "Anija!" The younger twin called, turning to support his brother as soon as the enemy had dissolved away. Higekiri coughed, leaning on his brother for support.

On another end, Kanesada, Kashuu and Yasusada were locked in battle, their backs facing each other. In another corner, Hachisuka was waving his sword intently at the retrograde army, who looked far too familiar. Tsurumaru, Nikkari and Ishikirimaru had their own troops to fight as well.

Why? How did this happened? The portals were still wide open and it was spitting out more enemies than they could cut down. And some of them looked so familiar, Yagen didn't want to think who they might've previously been.

"Sayo!" Souza rushed out when he saw his little brother in a tight pinch. Sliding between the tantou and the enemy, he manage to pull his blade across the corrupted Naginata that was attacking his brother.
"Are you alright?!" He turn to Sayo as the creature's cries dissipate into thin air.

Sayo nodded, glancing up quickly when he noticed more of the enemy approaching them. Mikazuki and Kogitsunemaru arrived just in time, sending a wave that sliced through the enemies that had surrounded them, clearing the courtyard momentarily.

"Looks like we were back on time," Mikazuki muttered, smiling, even though his eyes had a glint of malice. Kogitsunemaru glance around. Their previous strike had managed to clear the area and gave the others enough time to retreat and recollect themselves but already, more of the retrograde army were crawling out of the opened portals.

Momentarily freed from their opponents, Kanesada and the others came over, still keeping an eye out at the enemies.

"We have to find a way to close the portals!" Hachisuka urged. "If we don't, they will just keep coming!"

"Hmm," Mikazuki hummed, turning to Nikkari. "Do you have any ideas?"
Nikkari stared at him through his one eye, shaking his head. He had never seen the citadel on this level of chaos before. Mikazuki turn to Kashuu, who blinked before shaking his head as well. "All those years of being here, this had never happened before." He eyed the other swords that had joined them, although some were already fighting the new batch of enemies.

"Well, then." Mikazuki turn to the others "I'm sure the master will know a thing or two about this." He smiled, pulling out his sword again. The blade scraping against the sheath seem to let out a melodious tone that brought the enemies to an alert.

"Brothers fighting brothers, friends against friends," Mikazuki hummed "Is there even a way for us to continue anymore?" He positioned his sword elegantly before him as took a few steps forward to face the enemies. Kogitsunemaru turn to them as well, his own sword drawn.
"Time is still ticking." He reminded them before joining Mikazuki in battle.

They looked at each other, unsure of their next step.

Ishikimaru tore the torn sleeves of his robes away, unsheathing his sword. "You guys go ahead," He told them. Nikkari turn to him, glancing at his injuries. "I'll come too," He muttered casually but was stopped by Ishikimaru who held a hand against his shoulder. "Go with them, it will be less of a burden to your injuries."

Nikkari glowered at him momentarily before turning back to the others. "Talking as if you are not injured…" He muttered under his breath.

"You guys...are surprisingly close?" Tsurumaru remarked with a casual scoff but was ignored by the wakizashi. "Fine, ignore the old sword…." he whistled "I'll join the old swords in their fight too," Tsurumaru waved, shooing them "You younglings don't disappoint us, alright?" He grinned and jumped off the porch to an approaching enemy.

"Let's go," Kanesada urged them. They knew what they had to do. He turn to Yagen, glad that the tantou was okay. But reconciliation and explanations can be done later. What they needed now is to get a hold of the situation. "Where is the saniwa?" He asked the tantou.

"Her room," Yagen muttered, looking down the corridor leading to the master's place. They have a problem.

Someone was approaching and it was a corrupted sword of one of their former comrades. Kashuu glance over warily. He'd recognize the prideful figure anywhere even if it was covered in thick miasma. The thing was limping towards them, a gun hanging from around his waist.

"Mutsunokami…" Kashuu breathe. What had happened to turn him like this?

"I'll face him, you guys go ahead." Kanesada branded his blade, the silver reflecting his determined eyes. "But, Kane-san-" Horikawa protested.
"Go!" He urged them and launched forward, distracting the corrupted sword so that the others can proceed. They nodded at each other and quickly heeded his command, avoiding the two locked in battle as they make their way down the hall.

"You poor fool...did you try to help Ryouma…?" Kanesada muttered, referring to Mutsunokami's former master. Their former masters history does stretch way back. The creature only groaned,, showing no signs of understanding.

"Kane-san!" Came someone's cry as a flash of sword pierce through Kanesada's line of sight. Metal rang against Kanesada's ears as he make sense of what was in front of him.
"Horikawa!" He huffed angrily "Didn't I told you to go on ahead?!"

Horikawa pushed against the enemy's sword that was pressing down on him. "H-how could I…?" The wakizashi replied "Am I not Kane-san's partner?!"

Kanesada gulped before the end of his lips curved up "Suit yourself," He chuckled, moving forward to attack as well.

"You should give up…" The executioner lay flat on his back, his silhouette occasionally shaking and disappearing. "You...know that the only way to stop this whole thing…"
"Shut up!" The saniwa cried, hugging her knees in tighter. "This...this only started because he went into the system…." She sobbed, burying her face between her knees. "If he didn't do that...if he didn't do that…!"

"The game was already off balance from the start...your tempering for the killing game was already risky….and furthermore with all that is happening...it was only eventually coming." The man muttered.

She didn't reply, the room only filled with the sounds of her sobs.

"You...could've just lived in here without tempering anything…." He mumbled, "But then….even by doing that the game will still eventually fall apart."

She raised her head, crawling up on her feet. "I can't...leave them to fight alone…" She huffed "T-they are still my swords…"
"If those things manage to hurt you, even the data about you might get corrupted and who knows what will happen then…" The executioner warned, unable to lift even a finger. He cringes, feeling more pain eating up inside him. She threw him a glance and sniffed, her fists curling "I know…" She huffed as she steps towards the door, sliding it away.

A dozen swords were resting outside, some setting up a perimeter so that none of the enemies will approach them. Some were injured really badly and some were holding onto the shattered remains of their partners and brothers they had so loved in the past.

It was all a game.
She had convinced herself that.

Looking at their faces stained with tears and blood, she recalled how she had originally come here.

When she first woke up in this citadel, it was empty, saved for a single sword that greeted her. Over the time, she collected more swords, doted on them, cared...and eventually, she turned lax. The immortality of time and her freedom consumed her. Soon, boredom ate into her and….

What had she done?

A game.

Because it was a game, she had forgotten the weight of life, even if all these were just data, even if all these were nothing more than just a figment carved into systems...they were alive in this world. Living, breathing. They bleed and they cared for each other. It was all interesting to her...yet she belittled that emotion because to her, it was just a game.

"Master, please go inside," Mitsutada urged her "We will protect the perimeters."
"So far the enemies are concentrated outside, where the portals are...but if they slip past the front lines, we will handle them!" Jirou winked at her. Tarou was watching from a distance too, although his eyes show the dislike he had on her.

Muramasa and the others were there too, caring for the injured swords.

Why do they protect her, even with the horrible things she had done to their comrades? Their friends? Their brothers?
Is it because she is their master?
Is it because they were programmed to?
Is it because this is just a game?

"You know there's a way to close the portals," The executioner called from behind her. She turns back to him, her brows locked in a sorrowful frown. If she do what he suggests, the others will...

"Is this not just a game for you?"

It was.

It was.

"Master!" Yagen called from the turning of the hallway, running towards them. She turns to the approaching group, looking dire. "What are you all doing here?" She huffed "Did I not command you to be on the frontlines?!"

"If we stay there, ALL your swords will be eliminated." Hachisuka snapped, carefully avoiding the injured swords resting on the floor. The saniwa was about to say something when Nikkari pressed his hand on the opened door, glancing down at the master so that their eyes met.

"The kill-switch, where is it?"

Hey! Sorry this took so long! I hate writing fight scenes. I really do. My writing is monotonous and mellow so it is very hard for me to write action-packed sentences. I tore down this chapter and wrote it over and over again because I didn't like how it was written. I'm so sorry if this chapter disappoints you in any way! I will work harder to hone my writing! Thank you for supporting and bearing with me! That being said, Caged Birds is coming to an end soon...I think the next chapter will be the final one. Until then, see you!