I do not own Sengoku Basara
Chapter Six: Two Visits
Free to actually head to the temple now, I let Talon rest outside the main hall, assured of his safety by a monk feeding the sparrows in the yard. Sparing a moment to wash my hands before stepping inside, I gave a sigh of relief at seeing the main shrine before me, knowing that the head of the temple wouldn't be far away. Even so, I remained kneeling in the Hondo for about ten minutes, murmuring quiet prayers to myself.
A shuffling of feet came from my left, patiently waiting for me to finish before approaching properly, "Back again, Sayomi-chan?" Father Haru was the kind of monk who would wake up in the morning, wander around the temple, and then promptly forget where he was meant to be. Usually I put it down to his age, which he himself often referenced, gesturing to his white hair and beard as he did so.
Yet in spite of this, whenever someone needed help, he was the first in line and it was no secret that he had helped place several war orphans in new homes, teaching them to read and write as an added bonus. He gave them a better chance at life than they could expect by signing up for the army.
"Please, walk with me. I'm afraid my duties are never ending today."
Nodding sharply, I got to my feet, following Father Haru through the dim light of the temple, keeping my eyes centred on his robes. There was a slight pause while we slipped our sandals back on, and crossed the courtyard, but it was only once we were through the gate again that I realised we were going into the main town. The monk who had been watching over Talon had spotted us, thankfully handing him over in a wicker basket before we got too far away. "Where are we going, Father?"
"Nowhere too far. While we walk, feel free to talk." Nervous about revealing such personal business on the crowded street, a far different atmosphere than the private Hondo, I cautiously licked my lips, my voice coming out little more than a whisper,
"I need spiritual aid."
"Is this about Nomura Yamato?" At my confused look, Father Haru waved a hand, "His wife came to the temple to pray for his soul. I understand he was one of your men?"
"Yes, and it's partially due to his death that I need your help."
"Please go on."
"I think I'm going mad, Father. After Yamato's death, I was unable to sleep, but last night, the story couldn't be more different." Before we turned into the poorer districts, I heard two voices speaking at once, speaking two tongues, and a quick turn of my head revealed the small chapel Gifu was home to, established by some foreign traders a while back with priests that claimed to be preaching the true religion.
Several people had already converted, receiving new names despite having achieved nothing in battle. I wondered if Gracia was in there with the rest of the flock today.
Having not noticed my distraction, Father Haru considered the problem, "Did anything happen last night to sway your thoughts? Anything at all?" Talon suddenly gave a shriek, deciding the basket wasn't as fun as it may have first seemed. It was then that Father Haru gestured to a small, rundown house, gesturing for me to go inside.
Swallowing the lump building in my throat, I ducked into the open doorway, faced with a sight more horrific than any other. An elderly woman noticed my entrance, and attempted to sit up in her bed, as though planning to receive me properly.
Father Haru brushed past me, joining a younger man, who I took to be her son, in lying her down again. The effort made her cough harshly, the jerking action causing more harm than good, small amounts of blood slipping through her fingers.
I didn't realise I was shaking until the son looked over at me. With a questioning look to Father Haru, who simply recited a prayer for the woman to follow, he returned his attention to his mother, a softer look coming over his face.
The air was thick with incense and the woman's tale, the darkness practically waiting to claim her soul into the shadows, to make her one of their brethren. I'd only seen such a scene once before, and despite the best efforts of Father Haru's voice, the shadows were inching closer, gathering around my heels, unwilling to discriminate against the woman just because of a little blood around her mouth.
The memories suddenly grew too much, clamping down on me with a harsher pressure than I dared let anyone see, surrounding me with the seemingly empty promise of death, the eternal sleep that seemed so promising yet so demanding.
With my arms wrapped around me, I mumbled an apology, beating my retreat shamefully. Standing with my back against the wall, I let myself slide down it, hiding my face with my sleeve rather than show it to the world.
Inside, I could still hear the elderly woman coughing, Father Haru's voice assuring her until her very last breath. It couldn't have taken more than fifteen minutes, but it may as well have been an hour for all the good it did me, the shadows never getting further from the door, but often threatening to.
A hand settled on my shoulder, Father Haru bent slightly, so as not to aggravate his back. "Come now, I think Brother Kaito will be brewing the tea around now." Nodding, I gave a harsh rub at my eyes, making to take the basket from him, only for him to shake his head. Back at the temple, a small room had been set aside, two cups of tea already waiting. "Your response was reassuring, Sayomi-chan."
"I bet it didn't help her or her son though."
"No," Father Haru admitted, taking a sip, "But you proved that you still feel the harsh slap of death when confronted with it."
Frowning into my cup, I dimly registered the warmth it caused my hands. "Last night," I swallowed, "I saw a ghost. A little girl."
"Really? Did she say anything?"
"She spoke about salmon, and their habit of climbing waterfalls. Then she fell into the pond, after telling me I wasn't who she was looking for."
"Hm," Father Haru frowned, refilling his cup as he thought. "I remember when you first came into this temple, hiding behind Lord Oda, afraid to be separated from him for more than a second." I remembered too, right down to the strange perfumes I was still getting used to, and the unfamiliar feeling on silk on my arms. But it hadn't just been any day.
Some of the children had been running around the courtyard, evading capture by the blindfolded monk who was 'It'. While he spoke with Father Haru, Lord Oda had nudged me to join in, leaving me under the watchful gaze of Lady Noh. Within seconds the monk had caught me in his grasp, and as he explained the rules of the game, he retied the length of material around my eyes, obscuring my view.
With a quick spin by the other children, I was left wandering in darkness, arms outstretched and hands grasping at air rather than a person. When a few minutes had passed, and I was still the blind man, it didn't feel like such a game anymore. Children were laughing all around me, enjoying this mild form of torture as it were…until suddenly I wasn't blind anymore.
My eyes seemed to open again, displaying light ghosts wandering across my vision, heads thrown back in the very laughter I could still hear. Too intent on ending this game, not wanting to dwell on this, I charged for the nearest one, taking the girl by surprise. Not surprisingly, she instantly claimed I was cheating, but the monk supervising the game simply untied the knot on top of my hair, setting me free.
Lady Noh had gathered me into what I presumed was an embrace, taking me inside to where Lord Oda was waiting for us. "Fear is a powerful tool, Sayomi-chan, but do not allow it to rule you. Your ghost may've simply wanted to play, and chose you as her new friend, but you didn't meet her expectations."
Nodding slightly, I gathered Talon, releasing him from the basket and handing it over to Father Haru, who promised to get it back to the original owner. As we left the hall, Talon leaned in close, rubbing his head against my cheek. Learning from previous mistakes, I clamped his beak shut with my fingers, much to the amusement of Hanzo when I got back to the castle.
"You missed quite a spectacle just now, ma'am. Lord Mitsuhide just rode through here with two others, a man and a woman."
"And this was a spectacle how?"
"Well, the man looked close to murder, and the woman looked close to crying." Groaning, I quickly handed over my falcon, practically fleeing from the mews. "Miss?"
Why wasn't I sent for? If Azai and Lady Oichi really were here, than they must've heard about Lord Oda's plans for the Asakura, and were most likely set to declare war on us. And if I really was heading into a war council, I could either arrive late, or dressed improperly. Hoping Lady Noh had passed on my whereabouts to Lord Oda, I scurried up to my room, and began to task of getting dressed all over again.
The war room was hardly a hive of activity, even during meetings, fitting of the image the Oda held. But as my sandals tapped against the cavern floor, the echo died around us, all attention on the couple kneeling in front of Lord Oda. My entrance did not go unnoticed, Lord Oda's eyes briefly flickering to me with a scowl. Bowing low, I moved to stand close to the throne, but not so close that I was in skull throwing distance.
Apparently blind and deaf to everything but his own voice, Azai had carried on his speech, reminding me why I'd snuck out during the wedding speeches, "The prosperity the Azai enjoy today is owed to the support Asakura has shown us since days of old. And you are a blood relative of my beloved wife. Bound by my honour to both, my heart as a warrior, no, as a human being deems you to be evil and urges me to draw my sword!"
"This was- This was my fault." Lady Oichi whispered, close to tears just as Hanzo had said.
"You simpering imbecile." Lord Oda aimed at her, before turning to Azai, "Alright, the Oda will not attack Asakura."
There was trickery in his eyes, and the smirk Mitsuhide was still wearing only confirmed my suspicions, but Azai, still determined to see the best in his brother was falling over his feet in gratitude, "Thank you, I am glad you reconsidered, brother in law!"
"You will do it for me."
"I'm sorry my lord, what did you say!?" As Lord Oda gave the order for Lady Oichi to be pulled away, I saw the acceptance in her eyes, the knowledge that came with being related to the Demon King: Never expect anything for free. He had done as Azai had asked, promised that none of us would raise our sword against the Asakura, but the price of that was that Azai himself would now be holding the weapon. Failure to do so meant only one thing, and as the gun was put directly across from his wife's forehead, Azai was being forced to learn those lessons fast.
"Azai Nagamasa, you will destroy Asakura in my stead."
"This is insanity…You insult me with threats of unspeakable horror. Our vow of brotherhood is meaningless! Would you turn upon your own children in the same manner?" I flinched at those words, earning a look of scorn from Lord Oda for my troubles. However, there was little time to dwell on that, because it appeared the young lord had finally found the courage to move…"I have but one course against such evil," He grabbed at his sword, yanking it from the sheath… "I am sworn to destroy it!"
Of course, his efforts deflated when Lord Oda just pushed the gun closer to his little sister's head, making her turn away in fearful understanding. If it served his purpose, that trigger would be pulled. "I am the Devil King of the Sixth Heaven! I transcend humanity! Only death awaits those who defy me."
"Farewell Lord Nagamasa." Lady Oichi bid, the tears beginning to fall. "Forgive me."
Just as the finger started to squeeze the trigger, Azai finally came to his senses, throwing the sword far from his grip and lunging forwards, crying her name as he did so. Of course Mitsuhide was faster, pushing the tip of his scythe into Azai's chest, halting his charge. Left with no other option, he collapsed to his knees, choking out the three words Lord Oda had wanted to hear the entire time, "I'll do it."
"So much for the man of justice." Mitsuhide mocked, pulling the scythe away at last. My own hands stopped shaking, the katana I didn't know I'd drawn slipping back in with a small click, even as Lord Oda withdrew his own weapon.
"Little brother, I can be forgiving. But there will not be a second time."
"If you abide the terms of our new pact, we shall return the Lady Oichi to you." Mitsuhide explained, his soft voice once again slicing into Azai far sharper than any blade ever would. Unable to see the man shaking without thinking of my own hands, I turned from the scene, meeting the glare of my Lord.
