Clan 14: Yuudai Kato: battle task 1

This night I can do all but sleep. This is becoming a tiring routine. Still I lie on my mat forcing my eyes to close. I had just seen my uncle's dead body and there was nothing I could have done to save him. Never could I say sorry for my anger towards him in our last moments together. Now I need to live with that guilt as well as lead my clan into what could be countless battles. I believe it is time for the clans to be united under the Kato clan's banner. But who should I attack first? My head shoots up when I hear some commotion outside my room, a struggle, now footsteps. Grabbing my sword I make my way towards the door. There are two dead guards to my right, both with slit throats. I hear a soft, 'creak' coming from behind me. Turning quickly I block a masked figure's attack. We stare at each other for what feels like an hour. The assassin is dressed in all black complete with a hood and mask.

"You're a girl?"

Female eyes peer above her mask. Pushing her away I can see the unmistakable figure. My opponent is not a man.

"Were you the one who killed my uncle? Did you come to kill me as well?"

She doesn't bother to answer, but instead charges towards me using only kunai as weapons. She gets four steps away, three, two. At that point I take a step forward, ducking under her knives. When I stand I raise both my arms knocking her hands to the sky. Her knives hit the floor as I grab her shirt and slam her into the wall to my right. One well placed punch is all it takes to put her to sleep.

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Spots of blood begin to decorate the door as Kazuki delivers the fifth strike. I stop him only to strike her myself.

"That one was for my uncle."

Our captive spits more blood on the floor of the interrogation room. I've stripped her of her mask to see her face. She has short black hair and small almond shaped eyes. No questions have been asked yet but I already know the situation.

Since we didn't surrender to him after his attacks, Nobunaga decided to send an assassin to kill my uncle, the former Diaymo. Then the following night, kill me, the present Diaymo. But why would he send someone like her. She's weak and inexperienced, not even bringing a wakizashi along with her. Just thinking about it gives me a headache. I didn't sleep for a second last night between my uncle's death and her attack. But blessings come at weird times and I was able to decide who will be the first to fall. Their leader was spared by my hand. They were the ones, along with Nobunaga, who helped me make my choice to unit Japan. Tomorrow we will march to the Sanada clan's castle. But for now the task at hand.

"I will start with an easy question." I say. "What is your name?"

"That is an irrelevant question don't you think?" The bitterness in her voice is all but too noticeable.

"No not really. If you won't tell me your name, then I will just call you Mitsuki." She scoffs at my sarcasm. I walk around behind her where her arms are tied. "Second question: Do you work for Nobunaga Oda?"

"Maybe."

"Where is the location of his castle?"

Silence. I wait for a few more seconds before grabbing one of my kunai knives and placing it to her arm.

"Ok then, we will start."

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"So, how are we going to break through their walls? We have no siege equipment and their wall cannot be scaled." Suko whispers into my ear.

The Sanada clan's castle can be seen from afar. We've walked all this way and I still haven't told my men what my "genius" plan is. Mostly because I'm still not sure if it will work. Before we left the castle I looked at a map of the Sanada territory. It turns out that there is a stream which supplies their castle with water and a trade road not too far from it.

"We won't. I am not planning to take their walls."

"What? How are we supposed to take the castle then?"

"We will lure them out."

"How?"

"Starvation. We will contaminate their only water supply and raid the supply carts. They know we are coming so they must have an army gathered inside. What little food they have in there is not enough to feed an army."

Suko gets a look of pure shock on his face as he slows to a near halt.

We waste no time executing our plan. The enemy knows we are here and they can attack at any moment. I send out some of my best hunters to kill and disembowel any animal they could find and throw the remains into the stream. They are to do anything they can to make it undrinkable.

I wish Ryo were here. He would have some good advice for me. I have my doubts about my grand plan and he would be able to help me think of a clever tactic.

I decided to keep Ryo, Tadao and a quarter of my men behind at the castle just in case another clan were to attack. Both Ryo and Tadao pleaded to come but I could not put Ryo through another battle and scar him again. As for Tadao, he just got back from a long journey and it would be unfair to send him into battle.

It only took a day for the Sanada clan to figure out what we did to the water supply. This is the moment we have been waiting for. I watch a group of archers and a group of swordsmen run out of the castle walls. My spirits start to rise. My cavalry will wipe out their archers and my swordsmen are far superior. Then I see them, ten giant crossbow artillery rolls to the front, ballistas!

"We have to charge now! They will not come to us!" Suko yells from beside me. The men have been ready for battle for two days and they are inching forward like impatient dogs. It is time.

"Charge!"

The calvary immediately rounds to the right to flank the archers who are already starting to rain arrows down upon us. Up ahead I can see the ballistas aim towards the infantry and fire their first volley. It is only a matter of seconds before the giant bolts strike like thunder, leaving me dazed. Everything goes black and I collapse. When I come to, my ears are ringing and I cannot see straight. Kazuki is pulling me to my feet, yelling at me.

"Come on let's go!"

As I struggle to get my feet to work, an arrow barely misses my head.

That was too close!

Moments later I am standing in front of a tall, skinny man who is waiting for my move. My right hand moves to a pouch on my hip. Grabbing the first kunai that I can, I throw it. It strikes the man in the throat and he chokes on his own blood as I throw his body aside. For my second target I untie the yari on my back. Bending my knees I hold it out in front of me with my left arm nearest to the blade. He strikes from above his head to the left side of my neck which I block with the hilt of my yari. Using my weapon, I throw his sword away and slice his neck with my weapon's curved blade. Suko and I go back to back; a technique taught to us by his father.

"It would be nice if the cavalry could finish off the archers and come help us.", Suko grunts with every word.

My eyes glance to where their archers are and see that the archers are now fighting off the calvary with katanas.

"I don't think we will be getting help any time soon."

I stab into a chink in another warrior's armor. Then I see them, Ren and Yukimara Sanada. They both have their katanas raised, and they are looking straight at us.

"Look, Suko! Now begins the real challenge!"

I don't wait for them to get to us, I charge. Only one person gets in my way but he is taken out by one of my men. I'm about five feet away from Ren before her brother steps in between us, intercepting my strike. Our swords clash just inches away from his head. He kicks me away and I loose my breath.

"Yuudai-dono!" Suko appears at my side, ready to take them both on.

"I am fine Suko-kun. Let us take them on together."

He gives me a nod. "I will fight Ren. You can fight her brother."

"Ok."

I throw my yari to the ground and grab Sakura, my katana. All four of us let out a cry and charge. This time when Yukimara and I lock swords it's at our chests. We are so close that I can feel his breath on my face. We push against each other, each trying to get the upper-hand.

"How does it feel to be second behind your sister? Rather embarrassing?" I say mockingly.

He gets a look of pure hatred on his face. He is more prone to anger than his sister.

"I am not! I, and I alone, am the Diaymo of the Sanada clan!"

"That is not what it looks like to me."

"Stop talking fool!" His attacks are getting wild and predictable. Left, right, over the head. I saw them all coming. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ren running towards me. Quickly, I sidestep to avoid her strike but I was not fast enough and feel the sting of a blade across my cheek. Blood begins running down my chin but I can't stop now. Behind Ren I can see Suko facing Yukimara.

"Why have you come to our lands?" Ren asks.

She doesn't wait for an answer, she comes with a combination of lightening fast strikes. My only savior from her fury is a fast and well placed kick to her stomach. She stumbles back a few steps and gasps for air.

"Look around Yuudai. You are on the losing side of this fight."

Unfortunately, she is right. As I wipe blood from my neck I look and see that my men are dwindling at a faster rate then I am comfortable with.

"I will let you leave with the little men you have left, but only because you did the same at our last encounter."

I clench Sakura's hilt and I grind my teeth. But as much as I want to fight until the last man, to go down in history as the honorable warrior that stood and fought, I would rather go down in history as the man who concurred Japan. I am forced to order my men to retreat.

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"You will never get away with this! He will come and kill you!"

It's hard to feign confidence in my position, strapped to this chair. Every muscle in my body is trembling from pain. I look over my bare chest and see the innumerable cuts and burn marks from this night alone. It has been three days now since I've woken up in this hellhole. A familiar face steps out of the darkness with a piece of metal in his hand, the tip is glowing. Once upon a time this same face gave me the comfort of a childhood friend. But not now.

"We shall see. If he comes to save you then I will kill him. And if not, then you will die a very painful death."

The last thing I see is his face inches from mine as he places the hot iron to my body making me pass out from the pain.