Chapter 25 - The Battle of Sekigahara

The ground was muddy from the rains that had fallen across the land. The skies were clear due to a strong wind that had blown. And thousands of men stood among fields and rivers. In terms of numbers, Tokugawa's army was the smaller one. Mitsunari had his forces turtled up, ready to defend against the Eastern Army's attacks.

Ashitaka was overwhelmed at the sheer scale of this battle. It was much larger than anything he had been in before, as well as the most important. If they were to lose, he did not know what would happen. Would Oda and Hideyoshi's wishes for peace be fulfilled if Mitsunari were to triumph today? Would he be able to return home?

He didn't have any time to think before Tokugawa's forces began to mobilize. Part of the army began to charge along a river, right into the Western Army. He could see from where he was standing that the ground was very muddy, slowing the army's advance. Feet sank into the earth, as if it were grabbing the soldiers and pulling them under the surface. Part of the Western Army's forces began to mobilize in response, moving at a much faster rate. The soldiers would be overrun if this kept up.

"Attack their left flank!" Tokugawa ordered some of his own men. Ashitaka pulled out an arrow and aimed it towards the Western Army. The soldiers all lined up, each with arrows nocked. Like clockwork, they drew and released. A volley of arrows rained down on the Western Army. Without hesitation, each of the soldiers picked up another arrow and repeated the process.

Nothing went trough Ashitaka's mind as he shot arrow after arrow. The feeling he had when he was in battle before was gone, replaced with the strains of pulling the bowstring. He felt empty. Ashitaka had gotten used to shooting after the previous attack, but he still lacked confidence. The warrior could see soldiers drop left and right after shooting, a sign that he was hitting his targets. Arrows flew past him as well; a line of arrows landed in the grass right in front of the archer line. Some soldiers fell right next to him, but that did not stop Ashitaka from continuing to draw and fire.

San was sent in with other soldiers to assist the first wave that had charged in. The mud cleared up as the soldiers finally connected with the enemy. As she approached, the Western Army made no hesitation to attack. She managed to get two soldiers down in one swing. After that, San jumped over another soldier as she slashed at a lancer behind him. The wolf princess had never felt more alive, having multiple reasons to fight this battle now. Mio was waiting for her back at the safety of the camp. Her brother awaited her return in her own forest. And she would do whatever it takes to make sure Ashitaka gets home, so their adventure would not have been in vain.

San made the motion to attack a soldier, but someone yelled behind him before she connected. The soldier ducked and retreated. The wolf princess noticed that many of the Western Army's forces were hesitant in attacking. It seemed as if they were unsure of which side to fully stick with. The generals would tell their forces to retreat or to refrain from attacking. Some would attack, but not spread out their forces.

Mitsunari himself appeared on the battlefield, trying to tell soldiers to fight. San could tell it was him because of how he was dressed. While some generals complied with his orders, others refused to follow his orders out of honor.

Tokugawa had talked to many of the enemy generals before, offering forgiveness if they were to support him. He expected some of the Western Army to turn and defect to his side. Ashitaka shot another arrow as he heard Tokugawa bark out more orders.

"Pull out the Arquebuses!"

A line of soldiers emerged, including Haru, as Tokugawa told them where to point.

"Aim for Mount Matsuo, over there! If Kobayakawa Hideaki won't make up his mind of who to join, we will make it easier for him! Fire!"

The guns shot, echoing in the air. Ashitaka became somewhat surprised by the ringing, even though he expected the loud noise. He looked over to the mountain, seeing small dots scatter. Ashitaka could only imagine what it was like for those forces - having to decide who to fight for right in the middle of the battle.

Ashitaka continued his assault on the Western Army. Arrow after arrow, nock after nock, shot after shot. He didn't know how many he had hit with his arrows. However, he felt more and more comfortable as he shot each one. The fighing spirit he had before was beginning to come back.

Eventually, Tokugawa ordered the men to stop firing on the mountain as he could see the army there begin to move against the other forces there - Kobayakawa seemed to change sides. With a gruff laugh, Tokugawa ordered the men to switch to melee and charge right in. Haru put the arquebus down and picked up a katana before rushing down to meet the forces. Tokugawa himself pulled out his spear and ran with the rest of his troops.

San led a charge on the Western Army, who had begun to retreat at this point. Many of the generals decided to switch sides after seeing what was happening. Those who had decided to stand and fight were quickly cut down. San managed to strike a few more as she followed the riverbank. Several archers stood on the other side, firing arrows into the Eastern Army. Seeing this, San decided to jump over. She found a few rocks and made the leap. Arrows flew past her as she jumped and rolled onto the other side of the river. At close range, the archers did not know what to do, resorting to using arrows as melee weapons. San managed to knock a few arrows down with her blades before slashing at their arms and legs. The archers fell as she moved on to her next target. An arrow grazed her left leg as she took down an archer. Beyond them stood a tall figure carrying a large spear. His armor was bright red, and his facial expression was blank. San recovered her ground and raised her weapons against her opponent.

"Pretty impressive," The man said, raising his own spear. "My name is Sanada Yukimura. You would be wise to remember it."

Ashitaka could see that the Western Army, or what was left of it, began to retreat. The Eastern Army grew in size due to the generals who had switched over. A sort of ripple effect happened as soldiers turned to fight the other side, eventually spreading through the different armies dispatched. It became harder and harder to fire arrows as he did not know who had already turned and who still fought for the Western Army.

Haru pushed his way through several foes, trying to find his sister amidst the chaos. Several quick slices left his enemies down for the count. After crossing the river with a small band of soldiers, he heard San's scream come from the north. Looking that way, he saw a girl on the ground, with a spear pointed in her face.

"San!" Haru yelled as he charged towards the man. He managed to knock the spear away from San, but the man holding it began to attack Haru. The boy was able to block a few of the blows, but was not fast enough for his enemy, who managed to sweep him by his legs. Haru fell to the ground and dropped his katana. It bounced off of a rock and slid right into the river. The spear entered Haru's flesh easily, pinning him by his left arm. Haru screamed as the spear exited, ready to strike again.

San got up and tackled Sanada, knocking him into the river. Sanada got up and was ready to attack again when a voice rang from the distance.

"Retreat! Western Army!" The spearman scoffed and stood his ground, prepared to face both San and Haru.

The spear wound was pretty deep, but it was not fatal. San quickly tore a piece of cloth from her own clothing and wrapped it tight around Haru's arm. "Are you okay?" She asked her brother, helping him get up. Haru nodded.

"This battle is over." Tokugawa laughed, approaching Sanada. "You are on the losing side, my friend. If you want a fight, you can fight me!" The general pulled his own spear against Sanada's.

Sanada said nothing, choosing instead to attack. The spears clanged as Tokugawa and Sanada circled around each other. One would take a swing while the other would duck or dodge. San could see that the two men were equal in skill.

The general let out a grunt as he swung his spear once more, striking the ground in front of Sanada, who staggered at this. Seeing an opportunity, Tokugawa swung around and tripped Sanada. The spearman fell to the ground with a thud.

Tokugawa held his spear over Sanada and struck. However, Sanada kicked his own spear up and knocked Tokugawa's away before rolling out and standing back up. At the sound of another retreat signal, Sanada decided to run. "I will not forget this humiliation!" Sanada said as he ran away towards the Western Army.

Ashitaka, seeing the battle begin to end, prepared a horse and rode down to the field with other soldiers. Bodies littered the ground all over the area, from both sides. As they passed the river, Ashitaka could see that it had turned red.

The group rode over to a large formation of soldiers. The Eastern Army had managed to capture some of the heads of the Western Army, which had finally dissolved.

"My rule will not be questioned," Tokugawa said. He approached the captured men, taking slow strides. He took a look and asked, "Where is Mitsunari? Surely he wasn't killed already?"

"He seems to have fled," One of the soldiers replied. "We can have people go searching for him if you wish."

Tokugawa laughed. "Let him run! He won't make it very far. When he is captured, we will take his head."

Ashitaka looked into the sky, seeing some sort of figure among the clouds. After blinking, it was gone. "It's finally over," he said to himself.

Tokugawa had heard him. "Not yet, my friend," He said. "It has just begun. The real war lies in keeping your power, not just attaining it."

Mitsunari was eventually captured and brought to Tokugawa. After winning and declaring his rule, Tokugawa managed to redistribute land to the generals who had helped him. Mitsunari, along with others, were brought to a public area for execution. Tokugawa stood over them, wishing to perform it himself.

"Death awaits those who have defied me and my Shogunate." He said, raising his blade. Ashitaka looked on among hundreds of soldiers and civilians. The blade fell quickly as Mitsunari was executed. One after another, the men were executed, with Mitsunari's head placed on a pike to display in Kyoto.

Ashitaka stood back and watched as the people cheered for the last man standing: Tokugawa now had a strong claim to power as all of the lands served under him now. The land was unified - through all of the death and fighing, the land would finally be at peace. Or, Ashitaka hoped it would be that way; he had assumed the same thing when Hideyoshi claimed the same power.

Wandering through the town, Ashitaka looked for San and Haru, as he did not find them after the end of the battle. At the edge of the city, he saw the familiar wolf, and saw that they were alive and well. Mio was there with them, hugging her brother and sister tightly. When he approached, San burst into tears and gave him a hug.

"It is all over," She sighed. "We can finally return home."

"We will need to prepare for the journey," Ashitaka said. He made his way back to the temple where Tokugawa made his home, to pay his respects for the new Shogun.

"May you rule for a long time," Ashitaka said as he bowed. Tokugawa returned it.

"Are you sure you will leave? I could use you in the future."

"There is no one left to challenge you."

Tokugawa's grin faded away. "There is still one. The boy Toyotomi."

Ashitaka's heart dropped. Toyotomi...Hideyoshi's bloodline? He is an enemy to Tokugawa?

"He may rise up against me one day. True peace may not come until that day has passed."

"But, isn't he..." Ashitaka stopped, knowing that he shouldn't speak out of place on such matters.

"Either way," Tokugawa continued. "It is a shame to see you go. May you find success wherever you go." With another bow, Ashitaka parted ways with the new shogun.

Ashitaka returned to the group, who had packed everything needed for the road. "How did it go?" Haru asked Ashitaka, but the warrior remained silent.

San noticed something was wrong. "It's all over now, right? Peace will return to the land?"

The warrior hesitated. "Yes." He said, not knowing the truth. What was peace to him may not be peace to San, or Tokugawa, or anyone else. Did Hideyoshi and Oda know this when they made their attempts to unify the land? Will he live to see the day when this peace is shattered? Was it all worth it in the end? He did not know the answer to these questions. All he did know was that they were all safe and ready to head home. Their part was done; whatever else had to be done was out of their hands. It would be up to someone else to make sure this peace lasts. It was up to them to find their own happiness.

With that, the group set out for the last time. The path they traveled on was a familiar one. With the war having ended, they knew it was safer to travel. The sun was shining brightly on the land as flowers began to bloom. A new day, a new age.

The group stopped by a river after hours of traveling. Ashitaka and Haru went to search for fish as San and Mio looked for firewood and berries. The men found a decent location to fish, sitting on top of a large rock overlooking a shallow body of water.

Many fish passed the stream as Ashitaka and Haru did their best to catch them. Ashitaka managed to catch a few big ones, while Haru caught many smaller ones. The feast that night was glorious.

Mio dug into her fish quickly while the others ate slowly and silently. Mori caught his own fish in the stream and ate away from the fire.

The atmosphere was oddly silent, but Ashitaka could sense something nearby. As the others ate, he suddenly rose up and grabbed his bow.

"Is something wrong?" San asked, looking up at the warrior.

Ashitaka said nothing, instead walking towards the trees. He slowly pulled an arrow out of his quiver and placed it over the bow, lining up the nock with the bowstring. Whatever was there was getting closer, as Ashitaka could feel its presence even more. Step by step, the warrior cautiously entered the woods.

A faint red light sat in the distance. As Ashitaka drew closer, he could see the red light grow more intensely. When he got close enough, he knew exactly what it was.

San stared into the trees where Ashitaka had departed. Haru, Mio, and Mori each stopped and looked as well. Mori was the first to sense it, getting up quickly.

"Get out of the way!" He shouted.

A black mass shot out through the trees and over the group, landing near the water. San got up, blades in hand, to get a better look at what it was. She could see the outline of a bear with a human in its grip - Ashitaka.

It wasn't just an ordinary bear either; tendrils emerged from the bear's sides as its red eyes lit up the night.

"A demon!" San said, immediately motioning to Haru. He understood and picked Mio right up before running away from the scene.

The demon bear held Ashitaka in its paws, roaring into the night sky. Ashitaka struggled to get free, but couldn't due to his mortal strength. San ran as fast as she could to reach them, but she was too late: the bear sunk its teeth right into Ashitaka's flesh, right on his right arm. Ashitaka screamed in pain, dropping his bow to the ground.

San jumped onto the bear's back and stabbed her blades right into its neck. The bear removed its teeth from Ashitaka and flung him to the side as it tried to grab the wolf princess. Mori came from the other side, biting at the demon's legs.

The bear fell to the ground. San grabbed her blades and thrust them back into the bear. Over and over, she stabbed at the demon in rage. Her screams grew as her thrusts became more violent, until she became tired and stopped. The bear's flesh began to melt away as the familiar scent of death lingered over the area. Upon seeing this, San moved her attention to Ashitaka.

The warrior lay on the ground in pain. His right arm was mangled, bleeding and broken. When San made it to him, she knew there was no saving it. However, she noticed something on the mass that she didn't want to see - the black tint that had plagued his arm before. It was only on his forearm, but began to spread just like his curse had done before.

"Ashitaka-"

"Cut it off!"

Ashitaka's words echoed into the air. San sat there for a moment, confused.

"Hurry!"

Hesitant, San pulled one of her blades out, picking a spot along Ashitaka's arm to make the cut. If she did it quick enough, the curse may not spread. However, that would also mean that Ashitaka loses his right arm. Knowing that his arm would never be the same again in either case, San raised the blade over her head.

"I'm sorry," She cried as the blade came down.

Ashitaka woke up next to the water. His body ached him, preventing him from moving for a while. He managed to lift his right arm up into the air, looking at his hand.

It wasn't there.

San had cut just under the elbow joint. In one clean swing, Ashitaka's broken and cursed arm had been separated from the rest of his body. It dropped to the ground where it immediately dissolved, just as the demon bear had done moments before. All that remained were the bones - broken, cracked, and smashed. The bleeding in Ashitaka's arm had been stopped by wrapping hot cloth tightly around it. Ashitaka passed out soon after the cut, but San and Mori did all they could to keep him alive.

It was dawn when Haru and Mio finally returned to them. Haru saw from a distance what had happened and immediately told Mio to stay calm.

"Is Ashitaka okay?" Mio asked her brother.

"He will be fine." He replied in an unsure tone.

When Mio saw Ashitaka in his current state, she began to cry. San, covered in blood, placed her face up to Ashitaka's wound, cleaning it out with her own mouth. She turned to spit the blood into the river before returning.

"He is alive." San said, looking up at her little sister. "He is strong."

Ashitaka dropped his stub down to the ground. It hurt a lot, but it wasn't bleeding anymore. His arm felt much lighter now, but he was now useless in combat. He was now useless in everything.

He decided to sit up, ignoring the intense pain going through his body. The others were nowhere to be found. He could see his blood all over the rocks, cloth, and firewood. He could see the remains of his arm, as well as the remains of the demon bear that had taken it from him.

"Ashitaka?"

San came back with a sack full of berries. She sat down beside him and held a berry up to his mouth. He took it.

"It's over." Ashitaka finally said, raising his right arm up. "There's nothing I can do now. Was our journey useless?"

"No. And that is why." San, with a tear in her eye, looked over towards the river. Mio and Haru were there, each carrying something. When she saw him up, Mio dropped it and ran over to him, giving him a hug.

"Right," Ashitaka said. Him losing his arm is nothing compared to the lives of Haru and Mio, to Mizuki's life, to Dumai's life, and to San's life. The lives he had saved during his journey was more than worth it. He could never atone for the innocent lives he took, but now he can continue to live. Now, it was truly over. Whether this was a sign from the spirits, he didn't know.

Ashitaka felt much less sad about the loss of his arm than he should have been. Everything he had set out to do was done. His part was done, and now he could finally rest.

He actually began to laugh. "Funny that it began with an attack by a demon, and ended with one too. I lose the curse, my sword, and now my arm."

The group eventually continued on their journey after Ashitaka was feeling stronger. The first signs of spring came, as flowers bloomed and life returned to the trees. Animals appeared along the path, running alongside the horses. The sun was shining as bright as ever. Whenever they would stop to rest, Mio would run through fields, laughing as she did so. Ashitaka watched from afar, happy to see that the little girl was happy once more.

Before long, Iron Town came into sight. Ashitaka smiled as he saw the familiar smoke rise above the town, a sign that the women were hard at work.

"We're back." He took a sigh of relief.

One of the village boys walked along the fence, staring out into the distance. Upon seeing a figure, he stopped to take a closer look. He saw a few horses and one wolf. The wolf alone let him know who it was.

"They're back!" He yelled, running back down. "Ashitaka and San are back!"

The gates to Iron Town opened up as the group approached. A flood of people immediately greeted Ashitaka and his company. The warrior saw many familiar faces, including Toka, who grinned after seeing his face.

However, that grin went away as she noticed his right arm.

"Ashitaka, what..." The crowd grew silent as they noticed as well.

But, Ashitaka did not worry. "It was a small price to pay." He said, looking at San.

Ashitaka met with Lady Eboshi soon after returning to Iron Town. The two sat together, teacups in hand.

Lady Eboshi couldn't help but stare at Ashitaka's right arm, or what was left of it. She raised her own stump.

"You weren't careful either, I see." She joked. Ashitaka laughed. "What do you plan to do now?" She asked, taking a sip.

"I want to settle back down and live my life out here." Ashitaka replied. "There's not much else I can do with this, anyway."

"Nonsense!" Lady Eboshi interrupted. "I am running this place with one hand, after all! You can be the other, if you desire. It's the least I could do."

Ashitaka bowed. "No, thank you."

"Tell me," Eboshi continued. "After seeing the rest of the country - all of the bad and good, do you regret setting out on your journey?"

Ashitaka thought back at everything he had been through: from the battle at Kii, to the battle against the spirit wolves, to Kyushu, to the spirit realm, to fighting alongside Oda, Hideyoshi, and Tokugawa, to defeating the Seishin.

"Not at all."