Mononoke-hime Continuation

By Mikazuki Yuriko

Chapter Twenty-seven

Eyes tearing and lungs heaving, San coughed into her hand as the dirt and dust began to settle to the floor of the tunnel. Instead of gunshots and screams of men dying, the air was now filled with the sound of wheezing coming from the townspeople in the dark chamber with her. The crush of earth that now blocked this particular section of narrow tunnel now cut off the mercenaries from advancing any further. But the resistance was losing ground, and too quickly. Already three more tunnels were lost, and one more cavern storing food, water, and weaponry.

Kaya let go of the limp rope that, when pulled, triggered the collapse of the roof in a shower of dirt, rocks, and wood. She found San's arm and nudged her away from the mess.

"Come on. Let's go."

San did not question her. Not this time. Though she loathed retreat, these mole runs were no place for a battle. In less than an hour, more than half of the people assigned to Kaya to help protect Iron Town's escape routes were killed—five in skirmishes within the cramped, close spaces, and two others when a collapsing tunnel gave way further than it should, having been improperly fortified. They almost all died in that accident. San recalled the paralyzing moment of fear at being buried, albeit not deeply, at scrabbling for air beneath the dirt and rocks. For the most part, the survivors were still in one piece, but not a single one of them, even Kaya, had escaped unscathed. San's tattooed face now bore another mark—a long slice on her cheek from her temple to her chin as well as a stab wound in her right shoulder that was bleeding profusely. That she gained in the previous battle. Kaya's walk was uneven, almost lilting, because of a spear wound that took her in the hip. She would live though, though San didn't think she'd ever be able to walk normally or without pain ever again. Their companions were faring about as well, many with gashes or gouges. A bullet from a mercenary's rifle took the hand of one forge woman, who now had just a makeshift, blood-soaked bandage in place of it.

The corridor widened into a cavern—one of the larger ones along the underground web. A dim lantern left burning on a box gave off a soft, inviting light. The townspeople piled into the hollowed-out space and sat down eagerly to rest. Kaya was scowling as she reached for the lantern.

"Who left this down here? It's a wonder all the air's not gone," she said.

"Leave it," said a twig-thin man with wispy mustaches on his chin. "It's comforting to have a bit of light for a change."

San agreed with him. She hated the oppressive darkness, without even moon or stars to guide the way. The other women there nodded as well, gazing at the lamp like it was a treasure.

"At this rate, we'll be totally overrun by daybreak," the man spoke up after a quiet, pensive moment of basking in the soothing lamplight. "Not that it matters. It won't be long until Asano's thugs break down the doors to the forge. When that happens, this whole resistance done for."

Let's face it," a woman with her hair hanging loose and disheveled chimed in. "The situation's hopeless. If we ever get back above ground alive, we'll be shot or cut down like animals at slaughter time not long after." The other women except for one all made despairing noises and started talking about how they'd rather stay alive, even if it meant having to live like a slave under Asano's thumb.

Kaya's lips thinned at their remarks. Somehow that expression made San think of Eboshi. San rolled her own injured shoulder tentatively and was rewarded with a sharp, searing pain. Good. It was that pain that reminded her she was still alive. While she was alive, she could still fight. Kaya overrode all of them in a quiet but unyielding tone as she laboriously stood, wincing at her hip.

"Stop it. I won't hear any more of that kind of talk. We are men and women of Iron Town. We're made of stronger stuff than even the iron beneath us! Whatever happens, we'll keep on fighting! Until I see Lady Eboshi kneeling to kiss Asano's boots, I won't put up with another word about giving up! Do you all understand?"

Shamefacedly, the men and women sheltering in that tiny little storage room lit by the one lamp all murmured, "Yes." Except for San. She had her own affairs to look after. Those who earlier objected wouldn't meet Kaya's gaze. San almost felt like smiling. Kaya rather reminded her of her mother just then, whenever her brothers would quarrel. After a scolding from her, they'd both hide their tails between their legs for days afterward. Thinking of them brought San back to that heartbreaking reality, though. She pushed all thoughts of wolves' tails away and shifted her weight to make her leg a little more comfortable.

"Now then," Kaya continued once she saw there would be no further grumbling, "it's about time to send a messenger back to the forge. Rei, you're injured too badly to use that gun anymore. Give it to Yurizen and report back to Lady Eboshi of our status, see if she has any other orders for us. Oh, and see if you can bring some replacements down for our squad as well." At the woman's forlorn expression, mirrored by just about every other person there, Kaya added, "I know. We've lost a lot of friends today. We'll have time to mourn later, though, when this is all over and we have our town back."

San added, "And if we all die, then it won't matter anyway. The dead can't mourn the dead." Kaya gave her a reproachful look, which San shrugged off. It was the cold, hard truth. There was no one left living to howl the loss of her. Except, perhaps, for Ashitaka, and he could very well be dead himself.

"Alright," Kaya said, shuffling over to pry off the lid of a long, wooden box. "We had better reload. Everyone take a drink as well. Who knows if we'll have another chance for a while?"

They all complied, even San. Down underground was nearly as hot as within the forge. When one townsman handed San the ladle dipped in the squat, fat barrel, he almost dumped it on her, frowning at her contemptuously as if their miserable situation was somehow her fault before turning away to trade in his sword for a pair of shorter, more useful daggers. Fighting in such close quarters called for a different sort of strategy. At any rate, San was too tired from this day to care about a human's rudeness.

Night had set in some time ago, though underground she had nothing but the weary sense in her bones to be able to tell. She longed to see the sky again. She was a daughter of wolves, not of moles. The woman named Rei handed her rifle over to the man with the mustaches and started for the door. She had almost faded from the lamp's dim reach when the sound of a gun going off ripped through the tunnel. Rei staggered and dropped in a heap with a deer-like cry then was still.

"Get down!" Kaya hissed, herself diving behind the long wooden box half full of rifles and other assorted armaments. The man Yurizen joined her, pulling out a short, red-tipped stick and a flat stone from his pocket, ready to strike them together. He pointed the end of his rifle into the dark tunnel. Another light, pale at first, but brightening steadily, began to fill the narrow corridor.

"It's a red-robe!" Yurizen hissed. "They must have come through the third junction!" San, crouching with some difficulty behind the water barrel, clapped her hands over her ears a split second too late as his rifle went off with a painfully loud bang. Before the ringing in her ears faded, however, she heard shouts outside the cavern.

"Oh great," a woman with them lamented. "Just give us away so they can murder us, why don't you?"

"We've already been seen," Kaya overrode her. She began doling out orders immediately as more gunfire sounded outside. From San's view, she could see the brief flashes of the rifles for just an instant before the large iron bullets began whizzing by, biting into sacks of rice and spilling it, shattering glass jars and bottles and spraying them with the shards, or ricocheting off the earthen walls. A chunk of the barrel San was sheltering behind was suddenly blasted away, just a hair's breadth away from her nose. Water leaked out over the dirt floor with a glugging sound.

"Return fire!" Kaya shouted. Then, to the others, "Tomo! There's an exit near you, behind those beans! Throw the sacks towards the entrance. Everybody else, block it with whatever we've got! Yurizen, Aya! Keep firing! Hurry, everyone! We haven't got a lot of time!"

Kaya began throwing her weight behind the large box, pushing it along the floor closer to the entrance of the storage room while continuing to crouch behind it. San began digging the balls of her feet into the wet ground and sliding the still leaking barrel in the same direction. It wasn't easy, trying to stay low and keep moving at the same time. The man who had scowled at her earlier ducked down to help her push the barrel up onto the box. A bullet tore through the wood that very moment, showering them with wood chips. Sacks of beans as large as a child were tossed down onto the pile as well.

"We're ready, my Lady!" Tomo cried. She was standing beside a narrow gap in the wall that didn't look any wider than what a man might pass through shuffling sideways. San wasn't exactly relishing the thought of going through these abominable passages again, but a few more minutes of discomfort was better than a likely death. Part of her itched to go out and face the mercenaries, however outmatched she was.

"Alright. Head out. Turn left at the first intersection. Come on, people! Get moving!" Yurizen, lighting the fuse again to fire off a freshly loaded bullet, peeked out over the barricade long enough to take aim at the light at the other end of the tunnel, shoot, and throw himself back down. "Enough, Yurizen!" Kaya told him. He made as if to join the others in their escape, but Kaya clapped a hand down on his sleeve. "Wait! Give me a hand with this." She scuttered along the floor, keeping low, and seized a large jar of thick glass that contained a clear liquid from a collection of similar containers. San watched curiously as she began inching her way to the escape tunnel. Yurizen, who seemed to understand, copied Kaya, creeping along the dirt floor to pick up the jars of glass and smash them across the barricade. They broke with audible crashes—loud over the absence of gunfire.

"Hurry!" Kaya urged him, whispering now. "I hardly think we killed them all!" As if to confirm her words, a gun fired, tear a hole through the wooden crate and rupturing a sack of flour against the back wall. They threw a few more jars over the barricade, then Kaya hastily grabbed the lamp sitting atop a square crate along the wall. "Move out!" she said, giving Yurizen a push to get going. She shot a worried look at San, too, who lingered outside the entrance of the narrow tunnel. All of the others were gone already except them. Kaya threw the lamp against the barricade as well, and the dim light suddenly became nearly as bright as midday as red and orange flames flared up from it.

"It won't last long down here!" Kaya cried. "Hurry up!" She pushed herself up and limped over towards San. Yurizen squeezed himself into the tunnel and disappeared into the blackness. As soon as Ashitaka's sister was within arm's reach, San grabbed her hand and hauled her through with her, as the flames enveloping the barricade began to spread.

Several paces down the corridor, Kaya took back her hand and began feeling around blindly for something. San, who couldn't see too well, heard her grunt with exertion and then the rustling sound of a cave-in—soft and rustling at first, and then an avalanche as well over a ton of dirt collapsed to fill the corridor. She jumped back involuntarily. They were already moving before the roof of the tunnel finished falling.

They met up with the remainder of the group at the intersection Kaya previously described. Moving into the taller, wider corridor, San paced uneasily, despite the pangs in her leg.

"One of us still needs to report to Lady Eboshi. Aya, I'd like you to—"

San whipped her head around. "I hear footsteps."

Silence answered her, weighted with doubt. Only Kaya seemed to have any faith in her at all.

"Ours, or theirs?" she asked in a whisper. She at least believed in San's keen, wolf-trained hearing.

"Their footfalls are heavy. Probably theirs." San quietly pulled her dagger out of her belt, holding it at the ready. Soft voices echoed faintly throughout the pitch-black tunnel.

"I'm telling you, I could swear I heard voices." A man's voice, fairly young, by the sound of it.

"You're just imagining it," a second spoke up in hushed tones. "Man, this place gives me the creeps. I can't see a thing!"

"Maybe," his companion replied. Their voices were growing steadily louder as they drew near. San noticed her companions slowing their breathing down to long, drawn-out breaths so as not to be heard. San had years of practice hunting in the forest. She could be silent as death if she wanted, practically invisible, even with her leg as it was.

"Kaya….." one of the women uttered, in a terrified moan. San couldn't see well, but she thought the noise of a hand slapping skin meant Kaya had clapped the woman's mouth shut.

"What if there are rebels down here?" the first man said, loud enough to hear without even straining. Whoever these men were, they were either very confident, or very stupid. "We shouldn't even be here. What if Lord Asano finds out we're shirking our duties?"

"I just wanna see where this thing goes," his companion muttered back impatiently. "Besides, no one's gonna even notice we're missing. We can be back guarding Lord stinking Asano's wine cellar before the fat oaf even realizes he's thirsty."

"C'mon, Ryuu, let's go back already," the younger man pleaded. San waited in the darkness, fingering the sharp edge of her knife waiting for the two men to draw close enough for her to slit their throats. She could hear fingers shifting on blades and rifles behind her. Just a few steps closer, and—

"Fine, we'll go back." There was a scuffling sound as the men's boots turned about. "You're such a coward. Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I have to admit I don't have much of one. That's why I specifically requested guard duty inside the manor."

"Oh, please."

The boot steps diminished, and Kaya and the rest gradually eased up their grips on their weapons. One of the men—San couldn't tell who—let out a relieved sigh.

San continued staring off blindly in the direction the fading footsteps were going. She didn't know who were the luckier ones—the mercenaries, or they.

"That was close," Kaya said in barely more than a whisper. "All right, listen up, everyone. We're going to retreat to the west bank tunnel and check on the other caches. Aya, report to Lady Eboshi and then catch up with us there. Make sure no one sees you. Actually, just to be sure...Yurizen, I want you to go with her in case she runs into trouble."

"But my Lady!" Yurizen protested.

"Please don't argue with me," Kaya said wearily. "Just do as I say. Tomo, I want you to take the rear. San? Up here with me. San?"

Her words were barely audible echoing through the tunnel as San slipped off in pursuit of the two mercenaries. Kaya might be annoyed with her for abandoning them, but San had her own priorities to look after. And fate had presented her with a marvelous opportunity that she wasn't about to pass up. Besides, Kaya wasn't a child anymore. She could take care of herself.

Silent as death, San slunk along the tunnels, ears pricked like a hunting wolf, following the tantalizing sound of heavy footsteps making their way through the tunnel.

Lady Eboshi hardly blinked, but Gonza and Toki, both with her in the steaming hot Lepers Lair, exclaimed, "What!" in unison as a panting, sweaty-faced Yohko related what she'd seen.

"It's true. Our lookouts spotted it just a few minutes ago. Even as dark as it is, you can see it in the moonlight from the roof."

Gonza and Toki, wide-eyed, began hammering the young woman with their questions, each competing to solicit her attention.

"When?"

"Where?"

"How did they—?"

"Let's have a look," Eboshi interrupted them nonchalantly. "I could use a breath of fresh air." She began striding away, and the three of them, having no other choice, fell in close behind. Before Toki and Gonza could begin harrying the sentry again, Eboshi began asking questions of her own.

"What direction are they coming from?" she inquired as she pulled herself up the ladder one-handed to the main area of the forge. The heat didn't feel quite so oppressive now, but still rather noticeable.

"North, but veering east," Yohko called up. "They probably saw the battle out on the field and decided to try going around." They emerged in the storage room and crossed the cleared floor out into the main area.

"A wise decision," Eboshi replied. She wasn't hurrying, but it seemed like the others had to trot to keep up with her. Several men and women of the town greeted her with smiles or short bows as they worked at various tasks around the forge. They approached the lift, and the haulers hastily dropped their ladles into the water barrel and went to the ropes with alacrity. Eboshi and her retinue boarded, and within moments they were smoothly ascending towards the high ceiling.

"If we've seen it, I'm willing to bet Asano has, too. Or his men, at least. They'll be just as eager to see those wagons return as we are."

"They were hurrying awfully fast, as if they knew the situation here was getting desperate."

"We can't let Asano get any of those supplies," Toki said in short, clipped tones.

"Perhaps we should," Gonza said thoughtfully. "The mercenaries aren't starved to death yet, but food and liquor have been in short supply the past few days. Asano's numbers are too many to sustain here. I heard a lot of discontent in the ranks. The siege has hit them pretty hard."

"We're not doing so well ourselves," Toki muttered. If we keep losing our underground caches, we won't be any better off than they before long. As it is, we only have enough food to see us through for another day or so, and that's tight rations at that."

"Maybe we should leave the town and start scouring the forest," Yohko suggested half-heartedly.

"If there was any game left out there, that wouldn't be such a bad idea, but we can't risk losing our hold on Iron Town."

"And we'd still have thousands of mercenaries between us and those resources. Most of them are fighting either inside or out of Iron Town, but Asano's ordered that production be kept up," Gonza stated.

Eboshi withheld comment patiently. It was just as important to let those serving under a leader to come up with their own ideas as it was to give commands. Maybe more so.

"The mercenaries in the hills are worse off than the ones here in town," Toki said. "There's still fighting going on out there, but I'm willing to bet at least some of them would break away to meet the wagons if they saw them." She laughed. "They might not leave anything for their friends in Iron Town!"

"Maybe that's what the drivers think," Yohko said. "They're going the long way to get to the bridge, but they sure are moving fast."

"They're not running for us," Eboshi replied stately. "They're running away."

All three of them stared at her quizzically.

"My Lady?" Toki questioned, opening the hatch to the roof for them. A cool gust of air rushed in, relieving the heat a little, and they stepped up the short ladder and into the cool night. The night was clear except for a few silver clouds trailing across the wide, star-studded expanse, and the moon, surrounded by a thin white halo, shone down brilliantly on the scenery below. Wooden sandals clicking on the flat roof, Eboshi strode to the north-facing edge and looked out on the night-shrouded land beyond Iron Town's front gates. The fires that usually dotted the eastern hills where Asano's mercenaries made camp were fewer tonight than usual. Even with the steady gusts blowing, the air was remarkably still. The pounding of the battering ram below had ceased for the time being, and except for occasional gunshots, Iron Town was quiet. Too quiet.

She gazed over the strip of field that lay between the lake and the forest. She could just make out pockets of movement in the pale moonlight. Were those animals still fighting? The idea was laughable. It was impossible that they could last this long.

On the northeastern edge of the field, just as Yohko had said, a snake made up of pinpoints of torchlight was winding its way in the direction of Iron Town. She only glanced at it, though. What concerned her more lay beyond the returning supply train, beyond the faint, moonlit hills.

"Yep, that's them alright," Toki muttered beside her. "I still don't know why you didn't want us to ambush that one, too, my Lady."

"Lady Eboshi's orders are to be obeyed, not questioned," Gonza reprimanded her, and the forge woman stuck her tongue out at him saucily. Eboshi paid them little mind. Those two always quarreled. If she died in this war, Eboshi had every intention of leaving Toki in charge, but she would do well to listen to Gonza's advice from time to time. When he wasn't acting hot-headed.

After a few minutes of watching, her vigil was rewarded with the appearance of flecks of light on the crests of the hills. A few at first, then more and more, multiplying until they became hundreds teeming over the dark land.

"What on Earth—! My Lady! Something's happening in the hills!" Yohko said, stating the obvious. She and Toki, and even Gonza, wore awe-painted expressions. Toki looked rather dubious, however.

"Are those more of Asano's followers come to make themselves at home?" she wondered in a dangerous tone. Her hand went automatically to a knife on her belt, and Gonza grunted sourly.

"No," Eboshi answered, before they could begin speculating themselves into a frenzy. "They are guests." All three swung heads to stare at her, and she couldn't help a faint smile. She had debated informing the Council of this card up her sleeves, but the need for secrecy was as vital as her desire not to get their hopes up. It seemed that patience and planning had paid off, though, so she allowed herself to enjoy a shred of smugness. "We aren't the only ones concerned about Asano's presence in this land," she told them. The serpentine procession really was in a hurry to reach Iron Town, it seemed. The soldiers on the field had to have noticed the small army coming down on them. She wished it was lighter; a small part of her wanted to see the red-robes scurry. She was surprised to see this many men from the neighboring towns and villages. She'd expected a few score, but hundreds of lights were now pouring onto the field, townsmen willing to fight against the injustice being done to their Sister, or perhaps just fearful that Asano might begin eyeing their homes next. Kaya's Kenshin was no doubt in the lead of that band of lights. He was to be commended for his success. Eboshi very much hoped that he and the militia he brought with him survived fighting the mercenaries on the field long enough to join the resistance inside the town's walls.

"My debt to you is repaid, Princess Mononoke," she murmured into the strong breeze. She turned to leave the edge when a loud explosion of fire and thunder ripped through the cool night air. Yohko shrieked, startled, and Eboshi wheeled around, eyes fastened to the pillar of rising smoke and embers where the main gate used to be.

"What the devil!" Gonza shouted, nearly losing balance and pitching off the roof. Eboshi pursed her lips with displeasure. Had she been an animal, she would have snarled.

"The…..the gate!" Toki cried in shock.

Flaming bits of timber and lengths of smoking, heat-twisted iron fell in a shower onto the wide land bridge, and parts of the wall that had survived the blast were now catching fire. For just a moment, the points of light on the distant field froze, and soon alarm bells could be heard sounding below as the flames began to spread. Far worse than the brilliant orange and gold light and thick, dark smoke was the sight of red and white-clad men, some armored by the reflections given off their bodies and weapons, were charging at the town.

Eboshi swore softly under her breath.

"My Lady!" Yohko cried, sounding terrified. "What should we do?"

Eboshi realized she was digging her fingernails into the low stone wall surrounding the edge of the roof. It took her a few seconds to respond.

"Begin preparing the cannons. I want every able-bodied man and woman to arm him or herself, and stand by at the entrance to the forge. Go. I'll be down in a few minutes."

All three nodded with quick "Yes, my Lady"s and scurried away. Eboshi surveyed the situation down below. The mercenaries had now reached the wall and were spilling into the town, leaping over burning bits of debris. Dozens of their town-side comrades were turning out to see what the commotion was, some arriving with buckets of water and carrying it up the ladders to the watchtowers to put out some of the flames. Seeing their frenzy, one would think Iron Town really did belong to them. Eboshi forced herself to let go of the low wall. Until now, they had tried to fight this war with stealth and with traps. Now, watching the dozens, then scores, then hundreds of red-robed mercenaries enter the town, her confidence began to falter. They were losing the battle below ground. Now they would have to fight in the open once more. There were too many soldiers now for sneak attacks; she couldn't afford to split up her people to carry them out. It was time for the people of Iron Town to become an army.

Before turning away from the dismal scene, Eboshi sought out the mass of torches out on the field. If they arrived soon enough, they might be of some help. But now some thousands of mercenaries stood between them and the fledgling resistance.

It didn't look as though she would get any sleep tonight.

Sucking in deep, grateful breaths of hot air, Kaya pulled herself up into the ground level of the forge. She and her party had surfaced as soon as they heard the explosion. Even underground it was audible. She knew something terrible must have happened. Yurizen and the others climbed up after her. Kaya wiped the accumulated dirt and sweat from her brow and brushed her filthy clothes. Other parties headed by Council members that had gone into the tunnels stood about, drinking deeply from water skins and jugs carried by off-duty forge women. Covered in grime every bit as much as she, some talked in low but frantic voices to each other, all wondering about the explosion no doubt, some splashing water onto their faces, some simply sitting on the ground for a few moments' rest. Kaya didn't know why, but she checked her weapons. The rifle slung over her shoulder on a wide leather strap she'd brought up with her was much too large for her small hands, but she'd taken it from one of the underground caches anyway; if she didn't use it, one of Asano's thieves surely would.

The forge was quickly filling up with people. Kaya heard snatches of orders to arm and assemble before the massive iron doors and lots of speculation about the tremendous boom that had been heard. Some people were saying that the main gate to the town had been blown up. Others said Eboshi's house—now Asano's—had been attacked by the townspeople who had left on their own. Others still said a massive army of animals and people was forming on the field across the lake, ready to attack Iron Town, and the blast was part of their scare tactics. Kaya was curious about all the rumors, too, but a hush fell over the crowd when Lady Eboshi appeared in their midst. Though there wasn't much room to move around, people automatically shifted to give her space. Toki and Gonza flanked her like a grim-faced honor guard, both armed with the new rifles and a sword or belt knife.

"My friends, people of Iron Town," Eboshi said clearly. She hardly had to raise her voice. Except for the din of the ironworks, the forge seemed to have gone totally silent the instant she opened her mouth. "We can no longer fight this war as we have heretofore done." Without missing a beat, she went on. "The wall has been breached. Asano's reinforcements are pouring into the town. Thousands of them. However, even as I speak, our own reinforcements are on the way, crossing the field to the lake. They will be here soon. Until they arrive, we must fight against Asano with all the force we have. This night will determine who will emerge as the sole rulers of Iron Town—the people who have sweated, bled, and died to raise her, or the greedy pigs who would rape her on a whim." Her ice-blue gaze panned the crowd of dirty, sweating, tired faces, and her voice took on a softer note. "Iron Town is far more than just a place. It is far more than the streets, houses, and workshops that make it up. It is freedom. All of us have come here looking for a new chance at life and have found it. That is what we are fighting to protect."

There was a palpable hush in the wake of her words. Kaya broke her eyes away from Eboshi and studied the familiar faces of the people around her. A handful were staring at the ground blankly, one even weeping openly, shoulders shaking as she clutched a rifle to her chest. The rest though, stared fixedly at Eboshi, all with determined expressions and firm lips. While Eboshi talked on about the open offensive and began giving instructions to the crowd gathered, their faces did not change. After a minute the weeping woman pulled herself together and stood up straight, stifling occasional sniffles. Kaya felt sorry for her. She felt sorry for all of them. They were not soldiers—they were forge workers, weavers, woodcutters, merchants, seamstresses, gardeners, and miners. Most of them didn't even know how to skillfully handle the weapons in their hands. But they were doing what had to be done. Kaya felt for the mercenary's short sword tucked under her sash. What had to be done.

When Eboshi finished speaking, the main floor of the forge quickly became like a kicked ants' nest. People hustled everywhere, some forming lines to receive the new rifles, others heading to the grinding stones to sharpen blades.

Kaya lingered for a moment, watching a group of wide, heavily muscled men haul out a pair of cannons on ropes from a shed on the main floor near the bellows. Others scurried to bring shot for them, piling it by the cannon bases, once the black monstrosities came to a rest, barrels pointed directly at the main doors of the forge—heavily dented but still standing. How many mercenaries now stood on the other side, she wondered? Kaya was afraid to know.

"Kaya," came Eboshi's voice right behind her. She almost jumped. She turned to see the stately woman surveying her calmly. In the background, men and women equipped with both old and new guns, swords, spears, slings—anything that could be mustered—were massing behind the cannons.

"My Lady?"

"It would appear Princess Mononoke has decided to take her leave of us," Eboshi said.

Kaya felt a twinge of guilt. "We were separated in the tunnels," she explained candidly.

Eboshi's lips curled up in a faint smile, but no disparaging words for her came from them.

"Somehow I think she's only going to cause more trouble for us later." There was a strange hint of fondness in her tone. "Well, that's hardly important now. She can do as she pleases. We, on the other hand, have a job to do."

Kaya bowed her head. "Yes, my Lady," she replied, then trotted over to fall in with the rest of the crowd to prepare for battle.

An ancient forest of the gods was no place for men, let alone in the darkness. Even in numbers, on the beaten dirt path that carved through the towering trees, looking like a scar in the moonlight, the eerie sounds of night were enough to send shivers down any man's back. Kenshin looked side-to-side at the men on horseback accompanying him. Less than half of their number had mounts, and that made the going slow. He looked back at the uneven column following him. Fires flickered from torches, illuminating tough, journey-hardened faces. Most were common laborers—blacksmiths, tanners, farmers, merchants, goatherds, even a few priests. All men, with a few boys just barely old enough to have hair on their chins. Not a one of them was a warrior, though a few could handle a sword with some degree of skill. He turned his attention back to the road ahead. Iron Town was close now. She was close.

The supply train they had been pursuing had the advantage of fewer numbers as well as a head start to aid their flight. And flee they did, like a rabbit before a hound. Kenshin did not care much. All that mattered now was to reach the town.

Nudging the flanks of his horse, he pressed the animal to a trot. In this darkness, it could easily catch a hoof on a stone or exposed root and break its leg. Kenshin suppressed a sigh. This would have to do. Hundreds of footfalls like rain drumming on a cedar roof sounded behind him as the men picked up speed, and they continued their march through the night.

When at last they broke through the seemingly never-ending sea of trees, Kenshin pulled back on his leggy roan's reins. The land sloped don into a crescent-shaped field, and just beyond it was the lake and Iron Town, still aglow with the light of the forge. The supply train was making its way around the field instead of pressing straight through, as though hoping to lose them. When he looked to the field, he saw why.

"The battle has already begun," muttered a heavyset man on a dark horse that looked more suited to the plow. He tipped back his conical straw hat. "Are we too late?"

"I've never heard of battle like this. Amida preserve us, the world has gone mad," the other, older rider at his right shoulder said.

Kenshin narrowed his eyes to see better. Now and then, a pinprick of light would accompany a burst of gunfire, or moonlight would reflect off of a warrior's armor. Asano's paid cutthroats were down there, fighting. Dying, too, from the gurgling screams that occasionally floated up to his ears. But their opponents were not human. As often as a human screamed, a bear would howl, or a wildcat screech. Kaya had told him about the gods of the forest, and their leader, Princess Mononoke. Perhaps the final battle between gods and humans had come at last. In this darkness, it was hard to tell who was winning.

"Defend yourselves if you must, but we push towards Iron Town," he called out loudly. He unsheathed his curved sword in one fluid motion and held it high over his head for his followers to see. Booting the horse's sides sharply, he kept his blade raised as his mount began galloping down the shallow hill like an arrow sailing smoothly from a bow. The mounted villagers and townsmen were not far behind. The rest on foot came down the hill as well, clustered in a tight group but much slower. Kenshin did not particularly care. He had fulfilled the woman Eboshi's instructions and brought help to Iron Town. Now he had his own matters to see to.

Pounding hoof beats filled his ears as the roan burst onto the field. He had fought battles at night before, many times, under his old lord. But nothing in his experience was like this. Pale, ghostly shapes and dark shadows flitted about over the grass. Now and then, moonlight glinted off the wing of a falcon descending on a lumbering human shape, and the man would shriek. Armored mercenaries sliced at shaggy, four-legged beasts with their swords, shot them with arrows and crossbow bolts, and still the animals would fight on until they were overwhelmed and exhausted. There were no humans fighting other humans that he could see. It was difficult to discern colors, but Kenshin guessed that anything running about on two feet was an enemy.

Directly ahead of him a mercenary was locked in battle with a yowling wildcat. The beast leapt this way and that to avoid its opponent's stabbing blade. When the mercenary heard the sound of Kenshin approaching on his horse, he glanced up long enough to look Kenshin in the eye before losing his head to Kenshin's sword. Only when a mercenary was in his way did Kenshin bother to lift his hand against him—once he was almost knocked off his horse by another mounted mercenary's spear haft, but Kenshin didn't linger to fight.

The field was littered with bodies, both animal and human. Some sections where the carnage was severe were almost impossible to navigate, but still he pressed on for the bridge and Iron Town's gate. He was almost there when he spotted a white figure streaking over the pale grass coming at him, like a moonbeam made flesh. It was large, equally the size of his own horse, and fast, leaping over rocks and corpses nimbly, undeterred. It did not take Kenshin long to realize he was the beast god's target. Pulling back on the reins sharply and causing his horse to whinny loudly, rearing up on its hind legs, he called out,

"Stop! I am not your enemy!"

The world suddenly exploded in an ear-splitting roar like thunder and flame lit up the scene till it was almost as bright as midday. Kenshin felt his body separate from the horse, was vaguely aware of hitting the ground and rolling with his sword still clenched tightly in his hand. His head swam as he tried to lift it, and the acrid smell of gunpowder burned his nose. Burning bits of wood and metal of all sizes rained down around him like falling stars, and he shielded his head with his arm. Kenshin looked up to see the massive gate at the end of the man-made earthen bridge a wall of smoke rimmed with fire, with pieces still falling away. Then, within just minutes, he saw a horde of mercenaries begin flooding over the bridge and into the town. There were few beasts to harass them; any who tried to snap at the tight formation of armed mercenaries were shot or cut down, but many were frozen in shock, or fleeing from the sight of the explosion on wings or legs. A handful of rats scurried over Kenshin's lightly armored back in their frenzy to escape.

With a groan, Kenshin pushed himself up onto his hands and knees, seeking out the pale beast god that had been bearing down on him just moments ago. He spotted it several paces away, lying on its side. With some effort, he climbed to his feet.

Standing well away but close enough to get a good look at the creature, Kenshin leaned on his sword scabbard for support. It was as he suspected. He'd heard Kaya speak of giant animals living in this place, gods from ancient times. The wolf struggling to rise in front of him must be one of them, one of the servants of this Princess Mononoke the townspeople sometimes spoke of, or "San" as Kaya called her. The great wolf was bleeding in several places and looked fearsome when it finally made it up on all four paws. Kenshin noticed its tail was missing—only a stump encrusted with dried blood remained.

"Ancient lord," Kenshin addressed it formally. He had never spoken with a god before and had no idea how it should be done. The last thing he wanted was a battle-crazed wolf god biting him in half. From the looks of it, the shaggy beast could break an iron spear haft in two with its powerful jaws. "Can you still fight?"

The giant wolf fixed eerily glowing eyes on him and pulled its red lips back over its equally stained teeth. It seemed to be studying him as well, though with ears laid back and a deep growl rumbling in its throat. Kenshin hoped the beast could sense he was not an enemy.

"I can," the god said at last in a deep grating voice that made the hairs on the back of Kenshin's neck stand up.

Kenshin nodded. He looked over his shoulder to where he'd fallen. The roan horse was not far from the spot on its side, neck twisted at an unnatural angle. "I have a favor to ask of you," Kenshin said quickly. "Asano's reinforcements have breached the wall. I need to get back into Iron Town and find someone. Will you help me?"

The wolf ceased growling and swiveled his huge, scarred head in the direction of the burning wall.

"She's in there, somewhere," he replied in a tone like a rockslide. Kenshin wondered whom the wolf was talking about, but it was hardly important. The wolf seemed to ponder for a moment. "Let's go."

"Wait!" Kenshin blurted. "There are too many mercenaries at the gate. We have to go around."

"There's no time," the wolf god argued with a snarl. "If you want my help, get on my back. Your human legs are too slow."

Kenshin blinked in surprise, staring dubiously at the wolf's wound-covered body, but at an additional snarl from the wolf—he was ill-tempered for sure, and with a god, that was nothing to be easy about—he jumped up onto the creature's shaggy back. Almost as soon as his hand grasped a fistful of fur to hold onto, the wolf was off, loping towards the ruined gate and the column of red-and-white-coated mercenaries streaming in. The wolf god picked up speed, streaming smoothly over the grass, and the procession of mercenaries. They seemed to be in a rush to get inside the walls. Kenshin almost couldn't blame them. A nighttime battle like this would have anyone scurrying for cover. He looked back to see the torches of his army steadily edging closer.

It didn't take long for the mercenaries entering the town to spot them.

"It's the wolf demon! Hurry! Shoot it!"

Kenshin hung on for dear life as the wolf dodged and ducked the mercenaries' attacks. They made it to the bridge, and before he knew it, the wolf was bowling through red and white-clad humans like a fish swimming in a river current. Holding tightly on with one hand, Kenshin unsheathed his short sword with his other and swiped at the mercenaries surrounding him and the wolf god. Blood sprayed around him, but he wasn't sure whether it was his own, the wolf's or men's. Or all three. He almost lost his grip on the short sword as a mercenary's blade sliced his forearm.

The wolf was almost to the gate, but slowing. The bridge was engulfed with chaos as men tried to scurry only to find themselves trapped in the press of bodies, tried to fire weapons and hit comrades instead, or tried to lash out at Kenshin and his strange mount. Mercenaries directly in his path were soon lost under the massive wolf's paws and cried out as they were trampled.

"Keep going!" Kenshin encouraged the ancient god. "We're almost there!"

He felt the muscles beneath the shaggy white fur bunch up, then before he knew it, the wolf was sailing through the air, over the heads of the mercenaries. Arrows flew and a gunshot or two, once close enough for Kenshin to feel the air next to his ear stirred by the fletching, but in moments the wolf god had touched its paws back down to the ground and was taking off like lightning zig-zagging through the crowd. Most of the people in the town square were too stunned by the sight of the raging beast god in their midst to oppose them, though Kenshin had to cut down a couple of Asano's men in their path raising weapons at them. Within moments, they broke free and were pelting down the dark streets of Iron Town unhampered and unpursued.

The great, shaggy wolf came to a stop in a dark, uninhabited alleyway between a tavern and a tailor's shop. Kenshin slid off its back and only then, in the light of the pale moon shining directly above, got a look at how injured it was. Two or three arrows stuck out of its flanks on either side, and several patches of its fur were dripping blood where the god had been shot by mercenaries' guns. Most of the wounds appeared fresh.

"Here we part. I must find San," the wolf growled in what seemed to Kenshin like a weary sigh. That was it. With no further parting words, the wolf god sauntered off into the shadows, limping heavily. Kenshin was amazed that it hadn't fallen over dead on the spot. After the white wolf disappeared out of sight, Kenshin sheathed his sword yet kept his hand ready on the hilt, and ran off in the other direction.

Normally, Iron Town would be bustling with activity, even this late at night. Looted shops appeared deserted, many with windows broken or curtains over doors ripped. All the buildings were dark and silent.

The booms of cannons sounded distantly, somewhere to the south. Gunshots answered. After a few moments the cannons fired again. There was a large battle going on somewhere in the town. Kenshin hurriedly doubled back, took of running.

Kaya stumbled backwards and fell to the ground. The mercenary towering over her drew back his sword to kill her, but a bullet from a townsman's gun pierced his head, and he toppled over like a tree. Jaw dropped in horror, Kaya scurried away, picking up her short sword where it had been knocked out of her grip. People were falling all around her, mercenaries and townspeople alike. Suddenly in her path was a short, wide mercenary, face covered by a veil except for his cruel, menacing eyes. Without thinking, Kaya thrust her short sword into his heart, and those eyes widened in surprised. Without waiting for him to collapse, Kaya gasped and ran on. She hated this. She hated it! Another mercenary in her way, his back turned to her as he fought one of her friends. She stabbed him, too. When was it going to end!

One of the cannons, previously hidden in an alley behind stacks of empty crates, went off again with a deafening boom that made the ground seem to tremble. Kaya couldn't see how many of Asano's cutthroats it took down. She didn't want to see! Everything her gaze fell on was a nightmare she would never wake up from!

The fighting spilled into the intersecting streets. Kaya's sides burned from exertion, her hip flared with pain as she ran a few paces only to be met by another mercenary. The rest of the world was blocked out as she parried sword blows with him. He was a trained swordsman, while she was only a girl from a country village. Her skill was no match for his when it came to blades. She brought her foot up and kicked him between the legs quickly and as hard as she could. The mercenary's eyes widened in surprised, and Kaya used her momentary advantage to slice across his neck. She flitted away again, feeling like she wanted to vomit.

"Kaya!" a woman's voice called out to her. It was the miller's wife, a stout but strong woman named Shoushi. She was half-lying on the ground, clutching the blood-soaked front of her robe. Kaya soon realized she was trying to hold in her bowels, having been gutted like a fish. "Kaya, please help me!" Kaya started towards her, but too late, as a bulky man in Asano's colors thrust his sword through her back, ending her misery. Kaya quickly fled before he could lock eyes on her as his next target.

The cannons fired again.

Kaya ran. She ran and ran. Away from the battle, with its horrifying sights and sounds. Her lungs felt like they were on fire. Her hip was fire. Every scratch and cut on her throbbed. She checked over her shoulder constantly, terrified of seeing anyone in red and white in pursuit. Veering off wildly, partly because of her injury, partly because of the smothering panic come over her, she found herself in a street near the market. Eventually her feet slowed, and she came to a stop just outside the rice seller's cart. Without warning, her knees gave out, and huddled on the ground trembling.

The sound of footsteps fast approaching out of nowhere startled her, and Kaya hastily brought up her short sword ready to defend herself. If she could. The night was silent now except for the faded sounds of fighting. Was she imagining things now? Had she gone mad? If so, perhaps she wasn't even here. Perhaps none of this was happening.

"Who's there?" she called out in a voice that was scarcely more than a whimper. With quite a bit of effort she managed to pull herself up onto her feet again. Oh, how her hip hurt!

A shape moved across the street, came out from behind a rack of dyed cloths. It was familiar in the moonlight.

"Kaya? Is that you?" Her knees very nearly gave out again.

"Kenshin!" At the sound of his name, the young samurai rushed out to meet her. In truth, he just barely kept her from collapsing. Relief swept over Kaya in such powerful waves that the short sword dropped from her fingers and she swayed forward. Kenshin was instantly there before her, holding her up. Kaya pressed her face to the lacquered plate covering his chest and let the tears flow. The only person she could have been happier to see right then would have been Ashitaka.

"I'm sorry I took so long," Kenshin said softly, holding her close. That was all he said. He never was much for words. That didn't prevent her from spilling all of hers.

"I can't do this anymore, Kenshin!" she wailed. "It's too much! I've been such a fool. I thought I could do this, but I just can't!"

"Then we are all fools," was his steady response. Kaya looked up at him through tear-blurred eyes. "War is a very foolish thing."

Kaya scrubbed at her dirty, tear-stained face. "What am I supposed to do?" she wondered aloud. Kenshin stooped down to pick up her short sword. When he straightened, he was holding it out to her, the flat blade balancing on his palm.

"The choice is before you. Fight, or run. Help your friends, or save yourself. You are no samurai. You are not honor-bound to fight."

Tears swam afresh in her eyes as she stared miserably at the blood-stained blade in her protector's hand. Help your friends, or save yourself. What a wretched decision.

"I don't suppose a samurai has much of a choice, does he?"

Kenshin responded quietly,

"Where you are concerned, never."

Kaya's hand closed over the hilt, and she took the short sword from him, sheathing it in her belt.

"I have to help my friends. I'm going to keep fighting."

"I knew you would," he replied. He surprised her by pulling her into a close embrace. He usually didn't display much affection towards her, if any at all. Kaya allowed herself a few pitiful moments of comfort. Who knew if they'd ever come again. She knew now what had to be done.

What had to be done.

"You won't be alone this time. I'll be watching out for you."

It took all the determination Kaya had to hold back the tears welling up. She forced herself to pull away from the raven-haired samurai. He said nothing more but fell into step behind her as she began making her way painfully—in both heart and body—back towards the nightmare.

Author's Notes:

So sorry this took so long. Summer's been way busy with work school and tutoring Japanese on the side. Writer's block for a full month didn't help much either, and I ended up having to re-write nearly the whole chapter. I'm kind of relieved there's only one chapter left and everything will be over and done. And it will be done. Doesn't make too much sense to quit now. Anyway, thanks for being patient. Again, I'd like some feedback, negative or positive (though if it is negative, I prefer it to be constructive.)

Arigatou, mina-san.

Yuriko