Samurai Warriors: The Dawn of Chaos
Short opening chapter for an upcoming first story in a Samurai Warriors series, based on Samurai Warriors 5, anyway, enjoy.
Disclaimer: I don't own Samurai Warriors or its characters.
A Strange Sign
Japan was in turmoil, ever since the Onin War had torn the country apart it was now broken into several Daimyo or local rulers who were vying for control of land, engaged in various battles between each other, all ignoring the Shogun, the military overlord of Japan, answerable only to the Emperor. But the Shogunate authority and power had waned and the Daimyo focused on their wars between each other. There were so many taking advantage of the chaos, some overthrowing their Daimyo to become Daimyo themselves. Meanwhile others got involved in battles with each other or used political clout of careful subterfuge to overcome those they were fighting against. It was in the midst of this chaos that one young man was due to rise higher than others, despite his behaviour at this moment in his life which made him appear to many to be a fool, or crazy and few truly believed in him. He was the son of the Daimyo of Owari Province and many of that Daimyo's retainers were afraid for the future of Owari as this man was the oldest son and therefore the heir. He was the Fool of Owari, Nobunaga Oda.
Within the forests near a trail that marked the border of Owari and the neighbouring Mikawa Province, Nobunaga stood, he had come with a close friend of his and his most trusted troops to launch an ambush. He had received valuable intel that an important figure from Mikawa would be passing through this way, under escort by the Imagawa Clan of Suruga and Totomi, who was using the figure as a hostage to allow the powerful Daimyo Yoshimoto Imagawa to control Mikawa. Now Nobunaga had a plan, a plan to claim said hostage for the Oda so they could control Mikawa, but he had no plans of treating the hostage like a hostage. He would prove to his father he was capable and also build his reputation at the same time, thus taking the first steps in his plans to fulfil his ambition, an ambition that merely Owari could not hope to contain.
'Soon, I will soon show my worth to the world…' Nobunaga thought to himself. 'But what on earth is this about…?'
He looked down and grimaced as he stared at his right palm. There was a symbol that seemed to be marked into his palm. He couldn't remember when he first noticed it, but he had it for quite some time and it wouldn't come off. Shaking his head, he sighed and closed his hand. The sign on his palm was in the form of kanji, the kanji for power. He didn't know why he had the mark or what it meant, only that it had been on his hand for a long time.
Shaking his head, Nobunaga turned around and tried to put the thoughts out of his mind as he instead retrieved his Odachi from where he had set it against the nearby tree and perked up as he heard the sounds.
"It's time, places everyone." He called out.
For he had heard the hooves of the approaching Imagawa with their hostage, it was time for their battle to begin.
End of chapter, hope you enjoyed it, read and review please.