I would like to thank Chibi Kinky Linky for being there for me, Kara the Half Wolf for holding my hand in times of need, Mist the hedgechidna for always pushing me to my limits as I should be, Yasha-demon for being a good friend, and Max Bandicoot for being there. Minor note, if you have played Kessen, the music from it helps in this story.

Blade: Phantom of the Sands of Time

Part 1: Master Samurai, it Begins

Chapter Two: The Battle of Blossom River

The Red Lion army had moved along the Fuji River's western bank. The plan of their leader, Commander Alexandras Nicholaus, was to split the country in half. his belief was that this would create chaos and thus destroy the Japanese chain of command.

Colonel Yoshimitsu Hito, one of the traitors to the Toyotomi Emperor, was in lead of the army marching along the south bank of the Blossom River. He was in the Oshita Family Territory and he would rather get through soon. The Oshita family was allied with the Honda family and the Yi family, both very loyal to the Toyotomi family and not very thrilled with traitors.

Colonel Hito was moving his troops along the river when a messenger returned with an arrow in his chest. He was coughing blood. "The forces of Honda Ukita and Yi Hishomori are waiting up ahead." The messenger collapsed dead.

"Strike camp and prepare for battle." Colonel Hito said to his second in command through his demon mempo.

"Hai."

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Katana's clashed as samurai fought on the banks of the Blossom River. Officers barked orders to their men. Jin came riding in on a young child who he sliced the head off of. He hated having to fight the people of his own country but the code of bushido stated that he served his lord first in times of war, then the country. Jin slowed his horse as he grabbed the spear of an attacker. He pressed the shaft against his side and leaned back to lift the holder of the spear up. Guo came riding in and sliced the spear wielder in half at the bottom of the ribs.

"These fools!" Guo yelled over the noise as he brought the blade of his weapon crashing down onto an enemy's helmet. The force broke through the helmet and sliced the man's head through the middle. "They think they can win when they are outnumbered!"

"Don't be so cocky!" Jin replied. "They may be out numbered but it takes only one grain of rice to tip the scales!" Jin grabbed a man by the collar, lifted him, and sliced him at the neck.

Jin and Guo could hear Chuyuang yell out as he chopped down man after man with his twin katanas.

Jin and Guo heard the horn to pull back. Since they were officers due to their family names they barked the order to withdraw. The army of Honda and Yi pulled back behind an arrow line that unleashed a volley of arrows at Yoshimitsu's ranks.

Jin looked about. He saw something that would aid them. He turned his horse to Ukita. "My lord."

"Yes chui?"

"Look there." Jin gestured with his katana to a pocket within the left flank of Colonel Hito's frontal flank. It was open due to it was near a dip in the road.

"What do you suggest young Ishikawa?" Honda asked eyeing the opening but at the same time looking at Jin. He was hoping Jin would suggest something for he knew the young man had potential.

"We could ask Commander Hishomori if he can send the Red Devils in and attack the opening."

"Good idea Jin. You're as good a fighter as your father. Get to it."

"Hai!" Jin rode off to Commander Hishomori's position. He was wearing red armor with blue clothes underneath. He had a pipe in his mouth as he watched on. "Commander Hishomori-sama!"

"Yes?" He asked not looking. "State your name."

"I am Ishikawa Jin of the Ishikawa family. My father is Ishikawa Tao. His father is Ishikawa Kito. My father fought against the westerners fours months back sir!"

Hishomori turned in his saddle and looked at him. "I've heard of you young Ishikawa. What is it?"

Jin gestured to the open pocket.

"What about it?"

"We can expose it Hishomori-sama."

"How?"

"We can use your Red Devil Brigade and charge them through. They should be able to open up the ranks if they come about in a crescent loop. We shoot down those in the front and then full on charge the rest."

"Good strategy young Ishikawa. Lead my Red Devils!"

"I would be honored!" Jin and the Red Devils were making there way in the back of Honda's flanks to line themselves with the open slot. They were doing this to hide themselves from notice. The Red Devils were famed for their blood red armor. They used spears and left none alive when they charged.

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"Snipers in the shadows!" Ishikawa Tao yelled out as his unit was fired upon by hidden musket men. Tao began to round his men up and readied a retreat back to the bridge that crossed Blossom River.

"Fire!" Tao looked behind him to see Yi's first division of muskets posed to fire past him.

"Hold still!" He yelled to his men. They did and the musket balls of the firing squad flew by and hit the unseen foe in the forest. Those that survived came out of hiding and retreated deeper. "Charge!" Tao yelled out as his men and he charged forth into the snow covered forest.

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"Hee-yah!" Guo yelled out as he swung his nagita over his head and sliced an opponent from left collar bone to right hip.

Jin's blade was heard slicing a head off the shoulders. Chuyuang's twin blades left two deep, parallel gashes in another man. There was a momentary pause in the fighting on the banks as a horn sounded off. The men of Yoshimitsu Hito retreated.

"Pursue them!" Ukita's voice hollered over the commotion. Ukita and Hishomori's men charged forth cutting down the traitor's army.

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The white snow around Blossom River had been drenched red with blood. Bodies lay in the snow wearing the mon of different families. Though the majority of the fighting was over there were still skirmishes going on.

"You think you can take me?!"

"I know I can!" Jin yelled as he dodged a swing of a katana and stabbed forth. Jin was facing a very well known man of the Yoshimitsu family domain. Date Hotei. A samurai from Spain that spoke the tongue of the Japanese echidna. He was a tiger. He had on dark blue armor with a red cape. His helmet had horns like a bull and his shoulder guards were spiked. He had hook like claws on his knuckles. He swung for Jin's neck but Jin countered by using his wrist guard.

"I am Date Hotei kid! I'm the best!"

Jin stepped back and swung from the left to right but was blocked. Date was older and far stronger.

"Just give in kid!"

"Never!"

Date pushed forward which threw Jin off balance. Date capitalized on the moment and swung out. Jin had acted fast and threw his katana in the way and grabbed his wakizashi. Date's shot hit but was not fatal to Jin's life. Jin however had suffered a loss from the strike. Before Date could follow up he was stabbed in the thigh. His sword hand was also stabbed by the same wakizashi and thus stuck to his thigh. "You little bastard!" He dropped his weapon and pulled the short sword out. "We'll meet again." Date ran away limping.

Jin fell down on his rear, his armor rattling. He clutched at his left eye. When he pulled his gauntlet away it was smeared in blood. Jin pulled his tanto out and looked himself in it. Blood was dripping from his left eyeball. Even now his eye sight was fading to one side. "I'll make you pay for that Date Hotei. Just you wait."

Jin collected himself and his weapons. He cleaned the blood off his wakizashi and katana and sheathed them. Jin began to walk about in the snow as he searched over the bodies about him for survivors. He was searching about when he found Guo leaned up against a tree. His nagita was a few feet away. Jin ran to him and kneeled down. "Are you okay brother?"

"Yeah."

"Any wounds?"

"None. Just a broken leg." Guo said laughing. "What happen to you?"

"My eye was sliced by Date Hotei."

"Did you kill him?"

"No. He's still alive. I did however stab him through the wrist and thigh in one motion."

"Which wrist?"

"His sword arm. He won't be using that arm anytime soon." The two laughed. "Stay here. I'll go find the medics."

"Sure thing brother." Jin stood up and continued on. He found others patching their wounds. He found the search parties of Hishomori's army and told them were the survivors were.

Jin was still going when he came into a slight clearing. Some bushes nearby had been trampled by a cavalry. He saw a horse near by that was all too familiar. It was on the ground just sitting there. It glanced at him then turned its head to the side. Jin followed the horses gaze and ran to the body in the snow.

His father lay in the snow. His helmet had fallen off. He clutched at a wound on his chest. Trails of blood had come from his mouth. Jin kneeled down and raised his head. Tao coughed blood up onto his son.

"Father, father. Please answer me!"

Tao opened his eyes slowly. He smiled at his son. "My son." Again he coughed up more blood.

"Father. Are you wounded? How bad is it?"

"I was shot off Fukinaka." He swallowed his blood. "My son. I don't have much time left on this earth."

"Don't say that father!" Jin yelled as tears spilled down his cheeks. His left eye made bloody tears. "You can't die. What about mother?"

"You must be strong my son." Tao replied through a raspy voice that was dying. "My time has come finally. You must be strong for you and I." He coughed again.

"Father please don't leave!" Jin was crying now. His tears fell onto his father's armor as he held him in his armored arms.

Tao smiled still. "You shame me my son. You shouldn't cry for me. You know the code of bushido as well as I myself do. The first rule is. . .is."

"Is to live by the blade of our katana and die by the blade of our katana."

"Exactly my son. Promise me two things."

"Please don't speak father! The search parties are close. We can save you!"

"My son. You must promise me." Tao coughed some more. "You must promise me that you will watch over your mother and grandfather for me. You are now the head of the Ishikawa family and must be strong. The other thing you must promise me is that you shall live on past this war."

"I promise you both father." Jin replied coughing from his tears.

"I wanted to tell you in the morning the good news." The sun was peaking just over the hills and brought light into the snow covered forest. Tao smiled. "News came from Shanto Mountain Village from your mother. She is happy to tell you that you are to be a father."

"What?"

"Your love Haika is pregnant with your baby my son." Tao smiled and touched his son's left cheek. He wiped the bloodied tears away. "You must live on to lead our family and to be with your love and your child my son."

"I will father."

"Make me proud my son."

"I will father." Tao's hand fell from Jin's cheek and into the snow. "Father?" He shook him lightly. "Father!!!" Jin's voice echoed in the forest as the sun rose over the snow.

End

Next time

Chapter 3: A Hero is Born